The desert air whispered softly, carrying the faint scent of sand and sagebrush as the wind shifted lazily around us. The moon hung low, casting a pale glow over the artificial turf where Tessa Jane and I lay, sipping late-night milkshakes. Prom had officially ended at midnight, but here we were, under a canopy of stars, the world quiet around us, and for the first time in a while, I felt weightless.

"Did you like your milkshake?" I asked, glancing at her.

Tessa Jane smiled at me, that effortless, electric smile. "Dude, this is one of the best milkshakes I've ever had."

"I'm glad you like it," I said, looking up at the stars as the warmth of the night pressed in. The twinkling lights strung above the outdoor shopping complex bathed everything in a soft, golden hue, like some scene from a rom-com. Except it was real. We were here.

"You know," she said after a moment, staring at the sky, "if there wasn't so much light pollution, I bet the stars would look amazing."

"They already are," I said, reaching up as if I could catch one between my fingers. "Out in the desert, they feel so close. Like you could just grab one and pull it right beside you."

Tessa Jane mirrored me, her fingers reaching toward the sky, and for a second, it was just us, reaching for stars we'd never hold but would always try. Her laughter was light, ringing in the night air, and it made me feel like everything was brighter—simpler somehow.

Then she turned her head to look at me, and her expression softened, her voice quieter now. "Hey, Gracie."

"Yeah?"

"I'm proud of you."

"For what?"

"For this moment. For tonight. For the leap of faith you took."

I turned to face her, the artificial grass prickling under my skin, but I didn't care. She looked so genuine, her eyes fixed on mine like she was trying to convey something more than words.

"I mean it," she continued. "Ever since that day we got stuck in the same gaming lobby, I never thought I'd be here—lying down with you in the middle of an outdoor mall, no less."

I couldn't help but laugh at that, but she wasn't finished.

"But more than that," she said, standing up and pacing a little, her hands waving as she spoke, "you went to Prom, Gracie. You didn't want to for months, and I get it. It was scary. I was scared, too—terrified, honestly. I didn't know if people would swarm me or how you'd react to seeing me in real life. I built it up in my head, like it was this huge thing."

She stopped pacing and turned back to me, her eyes earnest. "But you did it. You went to Prom. And, Gracie, you were smiling. That perfect smile lit up the whole room, and I was just... so proud of you."

My throat tightened, the weight of her words settling on me like a warm blanket, and I could feel my eyes stinging. I wanted to say something, anything, but the lump in my throat wouldn't let me.

"And now," Tessa Jane said, plopping down beside me again, her voice softer, "here we are, and I couldn't be happier that we finally met. I'm so glad you said yes. I'm so glad we're here."

She smiled at me, and that was it—a tear slipped down my cheek, not because I was sad, but because the feeling was just too much. Gratitude. Joy. Something else I couldn't name.

"June 24th," I said, my voice barely a whisper.

"June 24th?" she echoed, looking confused.

"That's the next time I'll see you," I explained. "Olivia bought us tickets to your show. June 24th."

For a moment, her face shifted—like she wasn't sure how to respond to the idea that we'd be apart until then. But then, she smiled, sitting back down and looking up at the sky again.

"Well," she said softly, "I can always fly you out to L.A. Or I can fly back to Phoenix. Distance doesn't matter."

I smiled at that. "And I'll be living near you soon, anyway. I got into UCLA."

Tessa Jane's face lit up as if I'd just handed her the stars we'd been reaching for. She tackled me into the turf, laughing, her joy infectious. "We're gonna be practically neighbors!" she squealed. "This is amazing!"

Her enthusiasm was so overwhelming that I couldn't help but laugh along with her. And for the first time in a long time, I felt completely at ease, like I could breathe fully, without the weight of expectations or fear pressing down on me.

"Sing to me," I said suddenly, the words surprising even me.

Tessa Jane raised an eyebrow. "Sing to you?"

"Yeah. Give me my own private concert."

She grinned, her eyes sparkling mischievously as she thought it over. After a beat, she took a breath, then belted out, "Oh baby, baby, how was I supposed to know..."

I laughed, recognizing the Britney Spears classic immediately. "Really? Baby One More Time?"

But soon enough, I was singing along, our voices blending under the stars, the milkshakes forgotten, the night stretching out before us like an endless road.

And in that moment, lying under the sky with Tessa Jane by my side, the worries of the world felt small. All that mattered was the music, the stars, and the comfort of knowing that, no matter what came next, we'd always have this night.