She should be happy, right?

It was prom night. She’d gone all out with her outfit, wanting to look flawless. Tonight was supposed to be fun—dancing, selfies, making memories. But as she stood there, something felt off.

She glanced over her shoulder at her date, but they weren’t with her. Not that it mattered—her friends had made it clear: "Populars don’t mix with weirdos, Abby. You should know that."

But her date wasn’t just a date. They were dating. And deep down, Abigail knew she wanted to do something about it. But the divide between school and home had never felt so real.

At school, she wore the mask—the confident, aloof girl everyone admired. At home, it was different. They had met by chance, as neighbors, and liked each other. But every time she looked around, the tension pulled at her chest.

“Earth to Abby!”

A hand waved in front of her face. Startled, she snapped back to the moment, the familiar, distant look falling back into place.

“Sorry. Lost in thought.” She sipped her drink, hoping no one noticed how detached she felt.

Lucy didn’t waste time. “What’s with the sour face? Don’t tell me you’re regretting bringing the nerd to prom. Just give up on it, Abby. It’s embarrassing.”

Abigail wanted to snap back, but instead, her gaze flicked toward her date, she felt alone and awkward. She could feel the divide—the distance between her world and theirs.

“I’m not sour, Lucy,” she muttered, though the words didn’t sound convincing. She quickly turned away, escaping to the food table, needing space.

Her breath came out in a quiet sigh. She hadn’t realized how much she’d been holding it in.