"I don't know." I answered my best friend. "But I'm not exactly as nauseous as I should be over the thought."

Mikey shifted in front of the full-length mirror, adjusting his tie. He stared at my reflection with a quirked brow. "Maybe he just wants a distraction. Can't blame the guy after all that's happened the last couple weeks."

"I don't want to be just a distraction, Mike." I mumbled, fixing the strap on my heel. "But I also don't want to fifth wheel and spend the entire dance wondering how he is, you know?"

"I think you need to get out of your head, babe." Mikey walked over and crouched between my legs so he could fix my other heel. "You're a queen and you deserve to be treated like one. Even if it's by Onyx."

I thanked him quiet before standing, grasping his shoulder to keep myself from face planting. "Maybe heels weren't such a good idea."

"Babe, you won't even reach Hayes' chest without them."

"I think I should take that loss."

Mikey waved his finger in front of my face as if he were scolding a small child, "My love, you need to learn anyway. It's one night."

"You're annoying."

"Love you too, Rory."

I was thankful to have Mikey's arm to clutch on to the entire way down the stairs. I knew one wrong move and I'd be dancing with the on-call doctor at the ER.

I wasn't sure how to feel about my dress-Mom had picked it up last minute last night on her way home from work. It was a knee length white dress with lace sleeves and back that dipped at the cleavage, not that I had much to work with. Angie and her date, Sean, were in burgundy, Mikey and Levi in green. The color coordination was amazing, and I couldn't wait to see the pictures from tonight in a few days. Especially since I'd let Angie and Mikey do my hair and makeup without protest this time.

"Look at you!" Mom squealed like a school girl once we stepped off the last stair and into the living room. "All my little babies so grown up!"

Mikey started to back away, but my mom caught him and started to squeeze the life out of him before he could make a run for it. She snatched Angie from the kitchen table next, and my friend backed away from my mother crying and fanning herself so she wouldn't smear her makeup. I immediately held up a hand when she approached, "Be warned that if you make me cry I am not sitting through another hour and a half of Angie doing my makeup."

My mom hugged me and kissed my forehead, but she didn't say anything to me. I had a feeling she was saving it for when we were alone after the dance.

Once she'd gotten pictures of the three of us, she kicked my friends out. They left with a promise to meet me at the school, to which I nodded and followed my mother across the lawn to the Hayes front door. Mom had just lifted her hand to knock when Onyx opened the door.

There were three very audible gasps that followed as we took in appearances.

Something about Onyx Hayes in a white suit made him look angelic. The blue eyes and mess of unruly blonde waves only added to the image. He'd added blue accents of his own-a handkerchief and his tie was a shade darker than his irises.

"Oh, honey." Mom finally broke the silence, throwing her arms around Onyx and nearly knocking him over. He tore his eyes from me and hugged my mother back, his own eyes falling to the ground as he listened to whatever she was whispering to him. "You two look so perfect. My little prince and princess."

"Stop, Mom." I slapped a hand against my face as warmth spread through it in embarrassment. "Can we go before you make me cry?"

Mom mocked me under her breath and made a gesture for me to join Onyx inside. I nearly smacked his hand away when it found my waist, but the look Mom shot me had me straightening and forcing a smile. After a second, I looked from the camera to Onyx beside me and whispered, "Are you okay?"

He sure as hell didn't look like it. His eyes, though glistening, were still lacking the normal mischief and amusement that lingered in them.

"I'm fine, Sky." he whispered, momentarily looking away from my mom and down at me. "Don't worry about me."

"Okay, okay. I'll let you two get going. I love you both. Behave yourselves and don't stay out too late. Tomorrow is a big day."

*

I spent the first half of the dance with Angie and Mike, dancing to early 2000s pop and R&B before I found my way back to Onyx at our table. When I approached, he lifted his head so quickly a few loose strands of hair fell into his eyes.

"Dance with me." I demanded, offering my hand. "You're not going to just mope around all night."

"You do realize my mother's funeral is in less than twenty-four hours, right?"

I stepped forward so nobody passing could eavesdrop. "Of course, I realize that Onyx. But right now we have tonight and I want to spend every second I can here, in the now."

He sighed and stood, and despite me being in heels and having been next to Mikey and Levi half the night, I still couldn't help but sulk over how much taller he was as he took my hand and led me to the dance floor. Mikey winked at me over Levi's shoulder once a slow song started playing. I shifted awkwardly but should have known Onyx would know how to dance. Olivia was classically trained and had tried teaching me over the years, but I'd never quite learned. Clearly her son had the dance gene, because he took my hands and placed them in the right position before he closed the already nonexistent space between us.

"I can't believe you talked me into coming to this stupid thing." he whispered.

"I can't believe it either." I said through a nervous laugh. "I don't know what's wrong with me. I should be sitting at that table wallowing in my own self-pity and wondering why I'm not good enough for anyone here to ask me to be their date."

He dropped his eyes from my friends over my shoulder and met my own. "Sky, you can't possibly think you're the problem."

"My track record states that I am very much the problem, Hayes, thank you."

"Having standards isn't a problem. Guys that have issues with those standards is."

I shrugged. "Doesn't really matter. You wouldn't understand, anyway. You've had everything and anyone you've wanted, Onyx."

"Yeah?" he leaned down and whispered, "Then why hasn't a single soul asked me how I'm doing? Nobody has texted or called or dropped by to check on me except you, Sky. I'll take quality over quantity any day."

"I'm sorry." I deflated, staring up at him. "Thank you for coming tonight. I know you didn't want to, but it means a lot to me."

He offered a weak smile, but his eyes were trained over my head at the wall, or possibly somewhere far beyond that.

"Onyx." I moved my hands from their position and touched them flat against his chest, "Do you want to get out of here?"

"What?"

"Do you want to leave?" I repeated. "We don't have to stay. It's just a dance. There's like three more before graduation. It's okay. I don't mind."

*

I had assumed we'd head back home after leaving the school, but Onyx insisted on driving and I found us out at the cemetery fifteen minutes later.

"Uh, Nyx, why are we here?" I asked.

He loosened the tie around his neck, "When I'd take off after school or when I fought with my parents, this is where I'd come."

Oh.

"To see Brayden."

Oh.

"I know this isn't how you wanted to end the night, but I needed to be here."

I reached across the console and touched his arm. "It's okay, Nyx. We can stay here as long as you need."

"Thanks."

After a moment of contemplation I undid my heels and set them on the floorboard, nearly crying out in relief as I flexed my toes.

"You know, I'm starting to think love doesn't exist." I said, my voice filling the silent car. "Like, romantic love, I mean."

"Why's that?"

I averted my gaze out the window and at all the headstones. "Because I've never seen it, and surely haven't felt it. My father was gone before I was born. Your father was a piece of crap. Ty was a jerk. It just seems like it's a. . . a ploy, you know? Like people just pretend to be in love because they don't want to be alone."

"Sky," he sighed. "you don't really believe that. You're a bookworm. You live inside those worlds."

"That's fantasy, Onyx." I reminded. "Not reality. Sure, I swoon over a good love story, but this isn't a book, as you've reminded me so many times in the last month."

He shifted so his body was angled in my direction. "Sky, that's a load of crap and you know it. You just haven't found the right person."

"You've been in love?" I asked. "Did you love Erica?"

"I've been in love," he paused for added dramatic affect, "but it wasn't with her."

Curious, I tried to rack my brain for anyone I remembered hanging off his arm for longer than a few days. "Then who?

I came to the conclusion milliseconds before he looked away, refusing to state it aloud.

"Oh, shit. Onyx, I didn't—"

I didn't what? I didn't know? As much as I'd love to be the sweet, little naïve and oblivious girl that was the protagonist of all my favorite books and movies, I wasn't. And the more I thought about it, the more Onyx's behavior made sense.

"How long have you been in love with me?"

Onyx, taken back by the blunt question, swallowed hard and whispered, "I had a crush on you when we were kids. From like twelve to thirteen. But once I started dating it kind of dissipated. I didn't actually fall in love with you until we started talking again. I didn't even realize it was love until you called me the night Ty tried his shit."

"I. . . don't know what to say."

I was one hundred percent speechless and had no idea what I was supposed to say to that confession.

"I didn't expect a response."

I stared down at my hands for a while, surprised when he started the car suddenly. "What are you doing?"

"Taking us home."

Turns out, home was about as awkward as the ride. I didn't want to head home just yet, especially after the confession he'd made, so I just leaned against the recliner in the living room while he shrugged out of the jacket of his tux and tossed his tie on top of it.

"I'm sorry if this makes shit awkward." he finally decided to address the topic again. "I need you tomorrow, Aurora. I can't. . . there's no way I can make it through the day without you."

"I'm not going anywhere, Nyx." I reassured, walking over to him. "I'm just surprised is all. I'll get over it."

I started to turn as I asked him a question I hoped he wouldn't have an answer to.

"How'd you know you were in love with me?"

He took a few minutes to respond, "I couldn't get you out of my head, no matter how hard I tried and wanted to. I thought about you at school, when I was here with my mom, when I'd go visit Brayden. You just wouldn't get out of my head. And when Wells asked you out it pissed me off far more than it should have. The idea of you with him, Sky, it made me sick."

"What do you mean?"

"Thinking about him touching and kissing you made me physically sick and I hated it. Because I shouldn't have felt that way. You aren't and never have been mine." he reached out and caressed my cheek. "But when I saw the aftermath of what he'd done, I wanted no more than him dead in a ditch somewhere. He's lucky I didn't kill him."

I could feel the air between us growing thicker, but I wasn't sure if the tension was radiating of him or me. Because the more he explained his feelings, the sicker I felt.

"You should get home before your mom gets worried."

"Onyx."

"Seriously, Sky. Go home. We have a huge day tomorrow."

"Nyx.'

"Auora, leave."

I reached out and took his face between my hands, "Kiss me, you idiot."

He blinked, as if he were trying to figure out if it were a trap or if he'd heard it right, before he leaned forward and pressed his lips against mine. I knew this wasn't the time to be doing this-he was still grieving and his emotions were a rollercoaster, but it was a distraction he desperately needed.

"Sky—" he croaked, breathless as he rested his forehead against my own. "Stay."

I tossed my bag on to the recliner to my back and pulled him into me again, this kiss far more passionate than the first. His hands moved from my shoulder and neck down the curve of my back. "Let's go upstairs."

He pulled away, his lips still brushing against mine, "Huh?"

"My mom could walk in at any second and I'm sure this is an image she doesn't want to have engrained in her mind forever. Come on."

I waited for him to come to his senses and after a moment he grasped my hand and led me up the staircase without looking back.