POV: RACHEL

Tonight was prom. Rachel already had a boyfriend—Edward. Or at least, that’s what she thought.

The music echoed through the ballroom as lights shimmered across the polished floor. Rachel scanned the crowd, her fingers tightening around the fabric of her dress as she searched for Edward. He said he’d be here. He promised.

Then she saw him.

Edward was on the dance floor… laughing, smiling—his hands resting on another girl’s waist as they moved together. Too close. Too familiar. Rachel froze, her breath catching in her throat.

Why is he dancing with her? Why not me?

Confusion quickly turned into something heavier, something that made her chest ache. Around her, couples laughed and danced, unaware that her world had just cracked.

From the edge of the room, Oliver—her classmate—had been watching quietly. He noticed the way Olivia stood alone, the way her expression fell when she saw Edward. Sympathy tugged at him.

After a moment of hesitation, Oliver stepped forward. “Care to dance?” he asked gently, holding out his hand toward her.

Rachel looked at him, then back at the dance floor where Edward still hadn’t noticed her. She hesitated, her thoughts racing… before slowly taking Oliver’s hand. “…Okay,” she said softly.

And just like that, she stepped onto the dance floor—leaving Edward behind.