"You still haven't told us who you're bringing tonight to the prom Kylee, I'm dying here!" Ruby complained loudly. She was currently preoccupied in front of her vanity mirror, curling her hair. 

Ruby, Kylee, Ivy and I were all at Ruby's house, getting ready for the dance tonight. It's been a couple of months since my last encounter with Evelyn. She hasn't bothered us since the day of our fight. Luckily she had agreed to our terms and hadn't ratted me out that day. After that, she hung out with the cheerleaders but would occasionally sit alone. I'd gotten more attention since then, unfortunately. Everyone was now aware of my relationship with Daniel and would stare at us during lunch. He'd always tell them off to stop them. Now it's died down.

Daniel told both Mariah and Carlson everything that happened between me and Evelyn after asking me if it was ok. They had been questioning him about why he was hardly ever home, it was more than usual he was spending days away from home. To say Carlson was furious was an understatement. He wanted to send her away to Evelyn's grandparent's house to get her attitude in check but Mariah convinced him not to since there was only a couple of months left of our senior year. Now they keep a sharp eye on Evelyn after they grounded her for a month. It's unfortunately still uncomfortable for Daniel to be home but he's trying, for his mother, to make her happy. 

At the beginning of February, me, my mother, and Daniel all drove up to drop my grandmother off and to stay for the weekend. It was hilarious seeing Daniel grumble every night because my grandmother had made us sleep in different rooms. He tried to sneak in once but since my grandmother is a light sleeper, she heard him and ended up shooing him back into his room. I got to show him my favourite place that I used to go to whenever I needed some alone time to just let out my emotions. Daniel managed to get closer to my family. I adored seeing him laugh with the people I care about. He was invited to come back for the holidays. 

As for Daniel's birthday that was on February 28th, I joined Mariah and Carlson in celebrating. Evelyn was stubbornly sulking in her room the whole time since she couldn't go out. Daniel may have not wanted to be with Carlson but I could tell he appreciated the gift he got from him. It was an electric guitar that was signed by a member of The Rolling Stones. That night I surprised him by taking him to where Ruby told me she went with Thomas, which was the race track. We spent our time getting to meet one of the racers who took their time to meet us and speeding in his car around the track. 

Daniel's favourite race car driver was, and still is, Richard Petty. His father got him into race car driving. They used to go to the track and watch the races. He lost interest after his father died. I took a risk taking him to the track after Mariah had suggested I take him to the track, let him regain that interest back. She thought it would make him feel connected to his father again. To see the dazzling and joyous smile on his face that day made me feel relieved. It left an imprint in my mind of how happy he looked. I knew it was the right decision. 

Kylee had joined Thomas' band, 'The Valor', a week after my fight with Evelyn. Thomas had gotten a call from the agent who wanted to sign them but they wanted Kylee as well. Thomas now plays the electric keyboard. So far they've been playing without Storm since he decided to quit after his injury. Now Storm is going to be going to NYU next semester. He still keeps in touch and hangs out with us. Thomas has been searching high and low for a new guitarist but gave up after two months to no avail. Thomas does the guitar occasionally depending on the song they play.  

Lukas and Luna began dating after their first date went so well. He was going to be taking her to the prom tonight. He had to go to her prom next week, which he agreed to happily. We invited Luna to come over tonight but she declined. It would be better for her to get ready at her place than here because of the long drive. Ivy and Ace had also started dating after their first date towards the end of January. They didn't tell anyone, they just arrived at school one day with their arm around each other and kissed. That was how Daniel and Lukas found out but were happy for her. Ace was overjoyed when Ivy accepted to go on a date with him. The two suited each other, they had a few things in common and made each other happy as much as Ivy hates for me to say that.  

"I'm going with Atticus, I told you this last week but you were too busy sticking your tongue down Thomas' throat to notice" Kylee replied with a roll of the eyes. Ivy snickered while Ruby turned to glare at her. I was sitting on Ruby's bed along with Ivy since she was doing my make up for tonight. 

"Fuck you" Ruby hissed, giving her the finger. Kylee simply raised a brow at her. "And also are you two dating?" Ruby asked, her demeanour quickly changing. 

Kylee and Atticus have stayed friends up until now. Kylee kept saying that she wasn't ready to move on and still needed time. She just wanted to get to know him better. She admitted to having trust issues ever since Axel completely broke her. She wants to trust that being with Atticus will not end getting her hurt but she can't, not yet, she needs to be sure. We supported her the whole time. Atticus gave her the space that she needed and didn't hassle her, nor did he date anyone. 

"Maybe" Kylee shrugged. 

"I'm going to assume that you are" Ruby stated.

"Sure, go ahead," Kylee said sarcastically. 

The conversation ended there. We knew Kylee wasn't going to say anything further on the topic. If she was dating Atticus, we'd know tonight but for now, there's no point in interrogating her. We continued to get ready before the limo we hired would arrive with the guys and Luna. We combined our money to pay for it. I had been lucky enough to get a job at the antique store, 'Miracles of the Past'. Daniel knew the owner but I wanted to prove myself without his help. She gave me a trial before hiring me. Daniel got a job at his uncles auto shop near where I work. 

"I feel like a princess" Ruby grinned. She twirled around in front of her vanity mirror. She wanted to be extra so she wore a little tiara in her styled bun. 

"Come on princess, limo is here" Kylee called out from the doorway. 

"Coming, coming" Ruby waved her off. 

Kylee and Ivy exited the house without waiting while I stayed behind. Ruby linked arms with me as she excitedly walked outside. She was practically bouncing on her way. I greeted everyone when I entered, making sure to hug Luna when I sat beside her. Daniel sat on the other side of me, instantly pulling me close to him. While everyone was distracted pouring themselves a glass of Jack Daniels that Ivy had brought with her in her purse, he leaned down to nibble against my earlobe. My breath hitched as I bit my bottom lip to control myself. 

"You look beautiful, you have no idea how much I want you right now" he whispered. His right hand that was around me was resting on my thigh. He kept playing with the hem of my dress. 

"Don't you dare, we're with our friends" I warned in a hushed tone. Daniel hummed in response, pulling me closer into his side. He kept his lips pressed against my ear.

"I don't care, I'm trying to hold myself back" he responded. I turned my head then to look into his eyes. I cupped the back of his neck and pulled him down to press my lips against his. 

"Hey! Come on guys, save it for later when you two are alone" Ace complained. I pulled away and hid my face in between the crook of Daniel's neck. Daniel and the others started laughing while my face probably blushed a light shade of pink. Every time, I'm always caught. I probably should have waited until we weren't surrounded by our friends because they are prone to teasing us.  

"Fuck you man" Daniel joked.

They gave each other the finger before going back to dancing and singing to the music that Kylee was playing from her phone. I felt relieved once we got to the venue. Ruby had made us take a group photo in front of the limo. The limo driver took a couple with Kylee and Ivy sticking their tongue out and putting up the rock and roll symbol. They were not the serious type of people. Upon arrival, I was awestruck by the decorated hall. The theme was 'A Starry Night'. The most stunning feature was the hanging stars that lit up the dim room. They looked like falling stars. 

"I can't believe we're finally here! I want to scream" Ruby squealed, bouncing on the balls of her feet.

"Please don't" Kylee jokingly begged. 

Ruby rolled her eyes before sticking her tongue out. She then grabbed Thomas' hand and pulled him onto the dancefloor while the rest of us sat at one of the round tables. I noticed Evelyn at the table beside us, sitting with her now regular group of friends. Sylvia though wasn't apart of it since she had quit the cheerleading squad after the whole fiasco with Evelyn. She had strangely apologised to me and Daniel. It was unexpected but appreciated. I just hope she can move on and find someone that makes her happy. 

Same with Evelyn because I know she's hiding her feelings though not very well. She still glares at me every chance she gets. It's as if she was trying to murder me with her sharp gaze. At the moment, she was doing just that. I wasn't intimated by her stare, it was just frustrating at this point. I know she thinks I 'stole' Daniel away from her but she didn't even have a chance with him to begin with. Plus with their parents being married, if Daniel and I hadn't started dating or met, then he would have been with someone else because they wouldn't approve of them anyway. 

"I swear one day she'll probably sneak into my room and murder me in my sleep" I grumbled. Daniel gently grabbed my hand into his and stroked his thumb over the top. 

"Ignore her, you are more breathtaking than anyone else here" he flattered. The corner of my lip twitched upwards in a half-smile. I kissed his cheek to thank him. To take my mind off of Evelyn's murderous stare, I decided to talk to Luna. Lukas and Daniel trudged to the buffet to get us some food. Talking had made me feel relaxed and start to forget about Evelyn. Unfortunately, the moment of tranquillity didn't last long.

"Isn't that...your ex-best friend trying to make a move on your boyfriend?" Luna pointed out. 

My body twisted to look over my chair at where Daniel was. She was right! Daniel had an irritated expression while Evelyn kept pressing herself against him, playing with his tie and trying to lean up so she could press her lips against his. My blood began to boil at the mere sight of them. If she kisses her, I'm going to give her another black eye like I did before with no hesitation or regrets. I abruptly stood from my seat and stomped towards them with clenched fists at my sides. I had to refrain from hurting her for even laying a hand on Daniel. Before she could kiss him, I grabbed her shoulder and roughly spun her around to face me. Evelyn narrowed her eyes and put a hand on her hip. I challenged her glare with my own. 

"Can't you see you're interrupting something?" Evelyn snapped. I raised a brow.

Ridiculous

"No, I see you harassing my boyfriend and putting your grubby hands all over him" I retorted. Evelyn growled, almost like a rabid dog. Daniel was shooting me a proud smirk from behind Evelyn. He was enjoying this. "Did I hit a nerve?" I taunted with a smirk of my own. She reared her hand to slap me but since I already knew about her predictable move, I caught her wrist before her hand could come into contact with my skin. "I dare you to try that again" I sneered. 

I pushed her back, making her stumble and fall to the ground when Daniel had sidestepped. A couple of people whipped their heads around to stare at the commotion. They started murmuring. I could hear the assumptions they were exchanging with each other. I didn't care about them, I just wanted to get out of here. I was quick on my heels to run out of the hall to get away from both Evelyn and the spotlight put on me, figuratively speaking. My anger hadn't diminished. I needed some air without people watching me the whole time and judging before they know the whole story of what happened.  

I stopped at the top of the steps before massaging my temple with a huff. I tucked my dress underneath me as I sat on the top step. It was pitch black outside, the only light to guide me was the one above the shelter covering the steps outside the hall. They were dim but still allowed me to see out into the night. I stared up at the constellations in the sky, drawing patterns with my mind at the few I managed to find. The door behind me clicked open and echoing footsteps emerged beside me. The person then joined me on the steps. I didn't need to look at who had exited the hall.

"Are people still talking?" I asked. I kept my gaze on the iridescent sky. 

"Not anymore, I think our friends did a good job at getting them to shut the fuck up better than me" Daniel answered. I breathed out a small laugh. Of course, they would. I'm appreciative of them, of Ruby and Kylee who were my very first friends that I made when I got here and the new ones I made through Daniel. None of them needed to defend me but they still do. I may have lost someone I used to consider my best friend but now I've gained a group that is like a second family to me.

Daniel put his arm around my shoulder and brought me closer to his side. I leaned my head against him in contentment. "How are you feeling?" he asked.

"Better now" I mumbled.

"Good, those bastards in there are just jealous, they like to have their own image of people and be set on it because for them it's better to think you know someone rather than to actually get to know them" he chided. I know that no one in our school has tried to get to know Daniel or me. I don't blame them though, we're always together. Sometimes it hurts though to be gossiped and thought about as if I was some evil person who starts fights. Evelyn had even told people negative things about me, saying I was using Daniel. Some didn't believe her but some did judging by the disgruntled stares I got. 

"People judge even when they don't mean to, sometimes it's better to perceive someone as bad because it protects them if their right" I muttered. We stayed quiet after that. We listened to the whistle of the wind. The hooting of an owl nearby where the trees were, echoed throughout the silent night. I glanced up at him. He looked content, untroubled.

"Don't stare at me with those doe eyes, you know what that does to me" he spoke up, startling me. I darted my eyes away, my cheeks heating up. His chest was vibrating with laughter. Once he quietened, he moved me gently to stand up. I looked up at him with a frown when he extended his hand towards me. "Let's get out of here," he said, motioning his head away from the hall. 

My lips curved upwards as I slipped my hand into his and stood up. We walked away from the hall hand in hand. We may not have had any transportation since the limo was supposed to come back later to go to an afterparty but we still enjoyed our time strolling through streets. After a couple of minutes, the heels I was wearing starting pinching at my skin making it difficult to walk. Daniel kindly offered to give me a carry me on his back, which I accepted after stopping at a nearby bench. I wrapped my arms loosely around his neck while Daniel began to walk down the sidewalk again.

I sang softly to occupy the silence. Daniel resisted the twitch of his lip. He soon stopped in front of the antique shop where I worked and where we shared my first kiss on my birthday. I was confused as to why he had decided to walk here but jumped off his back anyway to allow him to fetch out the spare key he had. Maybe the owner, Mrs Lilly McCain, shouldn't have given him that key. She told me it was only for that one night but he never returned it after. Mrs McCain was Daniel's aunt, the wife of the uncle he works for, Paul. They both owned their own separate shops. It's like how his mother is the CEO of her own fashion label that she built from the ground up when Daniel was ten years old.

"What are we doing here Daniel?" I asked as I sat down on the couch in the middle of the room.

"It's a surprise but trust me, you'll love it" he reassured me. 

He quickly ran over to the displays on the wall where the acoustic guitars were. I watched him grab one then stride over to me. The couch dipped as he sat in front of me. I was intrigued considering he's never willingly held a guitar in the whole time I've known him. I've only ever had to convince him the one time. He hasn't played again since that day. He doesn't use the electric guitar in his room though I wish he would. He has talent. More people deserve to hear him play. I suggested for him to apply for a music school but I don't know if he took it into consideration or not.

The strum of the guitar is what shifted my focus to him. I was taken aback at the mellow sound that he was producing. When he started singing softly, it sent tingles down my spine. My heart skipped a beat. He kept eye contact with me the whole time while he sang inspiring yet loving words to me. His eyes were the window to his soul. I could tell there were his own lyrics that he must have written himself at some point. It set the atmosphere between us and made me fall in love with him all over again. 

"That was beautiful" I whispered in awe once he was done. He placed the guitar aside on the floor before cupping my right cheek. I unintentionally leaned into his touch. 

"I wrote that after we first met, today I wanted you to know just how much you mean to me, you changed my life unexpectantly, we found each other when we weren't looking and became each other's light at the end of the tunnel" he professed. His words kept doing things to my heart. He seemed to always make me feel special. It's upsetting that some people are unwilling to get to know him but I guess I got lucky. 

Daniel then leaned his forehead against mine. "Sometimes I think I don't deserve you" he mutters. 

"Sometimes I think the same but trust me, you deserve the world because you are talented, creative, adventurous, more than half the man of every guy I've ever met, and of course, hot as hell" I expressed, giggling towards the end. 

Daniel chuckled in response. I then closed the little distance between us to kiss him, resting my hands on his chest. It was supposed to be a simple kiss but then it turned open-mouthed and hot, our tongues fighting for dominance. We pulled away to catch our breath. I pushed the blazer off his shoulder so he could drop it on the floor before loosening his tie then unbuttoning his dress shirt. He laughed at my efforts. He unbuttoned the rest, discarding it to the side. I reached my hand out to brush my fingers over his new tattoo by his heart as I admired his upper body. 

It was of a heart but in the middle was a lock. On my shoulder, I had a tattoo of a key over the scar on my shoulder. We got them after my stitches were removed. I was supposed to get one with Ruby but she changed plans and went with Thomas to get one. He wanted to get one that would mean a lot to us both. We got the one that meant that I would always have the key to his heart. It was probably reckless and stupid to get something permanent when we don't know if we'll last forever but deep down, I don't regret it. Daniel gently grabbed my wrist, stopping my movements. He leaned down to kiss me again. 

"We probably shouldn't do this here" I muttered against his lips. 

"I'm sure it's ok" Daniel shrugged it off. I pulled away before we could go further.

"I'm serious, I'm not willing to get caught and embarrassed," I said. 

"Ok fine, I think I got a better idea" he nodded. 

I tilted my head and frowned when he stood up. Unexpectantly, he scooped me up into his arms. I yelped and instantly wrapped my arms around his neck. He kneeled down so I could pick up his shirt and blazer before heading out, making sure to lock the door behind us. He walked the short distance to his house, which was surprisingly empty. His parents must be out on their usual date night since Evelyn was at the prom. They probably allowed to sleepover at someone's house for the first time tonight. I'll just be happy if she's not here tonight. 

When Daniel got to his room, he put me down. Before I could comprehend what was happening, in one swift motion he cupped my face in his hands and crushed our lips together. The blazer and shirt slipped out of my hands. His hands moved to the back of my dress to slowly pull down the zipper. I helped him with slipping my dress off before tangling my hands through his hair. He then guided me to lie down with my back flat against the soft mattress of his bed. When Daniel pulled away, he tucked a strand of loose hair behind my ear while trailing his eyes up and down my body. His phone started to buzz on low volume but we ignored it.

"Have I ever told you how beautiful you are?" He questioned. 

"Yes, plenty" I giggled.

"And I'll say it again to keep reminding you" he stated. I sighed in contentment. 

"I love you" we proclaimed unison before laughing. Without anyone to interrupt or hear us, we consumed our night full of passion. It was better than being at the prom or going to the afterparty and feeling insecure. It'll be another perfect memory that'll be embedded into my head forever that I will never forget nor regret.