Spencer exhaled deeply as Emily zipped her dress up in the back. “But he’s my best friend Emily…I can’t just say, ‘These decorations are really nice. Oh, by the way, I’ve had a huge crush on you ever since fifth grade.’ That won’t fly…things will get weird between us and I don’t want that.”

                Emily laughed softly. “I’m not saying you have to do that tonight. Just, I don’t know, flirt. Be bold! You’re not going to have another chance to be real with him after tonight. Once the cameras are on again, the act is back. Tonight is about you and Toby. Just give him some subtle hints that you feel something. You never know, maybe he feels the same way.”

                Spencer frowned. “He doesn’t.”

                Emily rolled her eyes. “Has he ever told you that?” She didn’t respond, making Emily smile. “Spencer, just remember, tonight is homecoming. It’s your night.”

                She grinned nervously and nodded, following Emily back to the clearing.

                Toby’s jaw practically hit the ground. Spencer walked in the grass, in a beautiful, black dress that brushed the ground with every step. At the very bottom, it was clear that the skirt had a layer of blue underneath the beautiful black. The top was decorated was lace. She looked stunning in it, perfect, incredible…all the adjectives seemed to blur in his mind, fading into one word: Spencer.

                She approached him gracefully, with a light upturned curve to her elegant lips. He swallowed thickly, an attempt to hide his awestruck expression.

                “Wow,” he started, smiling.

                Spencer beamed, doing a dramatic twirl. “Who knew you cleaned up so nicely?”

                “Shut up!” she said, playfully hitting his shoulder. “So, are we dancing or what?”

                His lips turned up in his foolish grin for the billionth time that night. “I thought that I was supposed to ask that question.”

                “Well, I asked for you,” she concluded, wrapping her arms around his neck. Toby let out a shaky breath and wrapped his arms around her slender waist.

                “Will you dance with me?” he joked when they started to sway.

                “I am dancing with you.” They laughed.

                Toby bit his lip. “Are you sure you want to though? I mean, the cameras are off. We can just hang out if you want. You can go dance with Caleb or something…”

                “No…I’m fine like this. Unless you don’t want to dance…”

                “No, it’s okay.”

                Spencer smiled softly, moving a little closer. “Good,” she whispered, losing herself to the beat of the music and the gentle feel of Toby’s arms.