royce walked out of her room, waiting in the hallway for eli.

he got out of the bathroom, and stopped when he saw royce.

"w-wow, that costume looks amazing on you roy", eli complimented.

royce felt her cheeks getting hot, she smiled at him, "thank you eli, you look very adorable". she let out a small laugh.

"uh, okay so, my mom is waiting outside. she's gonna take us to the dance".

royce hummed, "okay, sounds good. i'll text my dad that i'm getting a ride there".

eli walked towards the apartment door and decided to hold it open for royce.

she finished texting her dad. she walked towards the exit of the apartment, noticing eli was holding the door open for her.

she smiled at him, "thank you, kind sir". she joked, bowing down.

he smiled back at her, watching her walk out the door.

///

"thank you again for driving us here ms.moskowitz", royce thanked eli's mom.

"no problem dear".

royce and eli got out the car and walked towards the entrance of the school.

"do you think demetri's here?"

eli whispered, "yeah, he always shows up early to these kind of events".

"oh wow".

///

eli,demetri, and royce were standing by the blue curtains of the gym. the trio noticed a guy in a skeleton costume walking towards them.

royce did a double take, recognizing that it was miguel.

"oh, skeleton. classic", demetri deadpanned. royce raised her brows.

"i like it tho", royce comments.

"thanks. i like your black widow costume. it suits you", miguel smiled. "oh and i like your sorcerer costume". he said the last part towards to demetri, smiling.

"sorcerer?" demetri scoffs, "please. i'm a necromancer". he says, waving his finger around his face. "didnt you see the amulet?".

miguel shrugged, turned his gaze towards eli. "so, are you a regular doctor or—"

"plastic surgeon. i fix lips", eli immediately said. royce frowned quickly.

"i like everyone's costume". royce cheered. earning a smile from miguel and demetri.

"nice".

///

the trio walked towards the exit of the gym class that lead to the hallways of the school.

royce quickly pointed out a small yellow poster with her dad on it.

"ugh, please don't tell me that my dad is in this school right now", royce groaned.

the 3 boys shrugged.

the group walked away from the poster and walked towards the punch bowl area.

royce just waited behind miguel patiently waiting to get her drink.

she felt a tap on her shoulder, turning to the side she noticed eli handing her a cup. she smiled brightly.

"thanks e", royce thanked him. he gave a nod and started drinking his own.

eli started to slurp through the straw, trying to get the juice out. miguel turned to him and furrowed his brows.

royce let out a small laugh at their antics.

"okay, are we ready?", miguel asked. "let's ask the dragon queens to dance".

"slow your roll. we got time", demetri said.

a guy walked up to a girl and asked her to dance. she said yes.

miguel groaned, "shit. we just lost one to doctor who".

"uh, i have to go to the bathroom." eli muttered.

demetri nodded, "yeah me too".

the sorcerer and the surgeon walked off, miguel following behind them.

royce was left alone. "well, this is something i'm used too". she shrugged.

her phone chimed, while everyone's did too. she pulled out her phone, opening the text/message.

it was aisha by the food bowl, eating a cheeto puff, with a pig filter over her face that said, 'the buffet table is under attack!!'.

royce frowned. then clenched her jaw when she noticed that yasmine posted it.

she put her phone away, looking around to find aisha.

she left the gym.

she walked out into the hallways to
find nothing. but then she spotted demetri and eli running out of the bathroom. miguel wasn't there?. why?

she tilted her head, furrowing her brows. walking towards the two, "where's miguel??"

"uh, he's in the locker room. with kyler and his group."

royce huffed. "okay thanks".

she walked towards the boys locker room. but not fast enough because she noticed kyler and his group coming out of the bathroom laughing.

she also spotted her father, giving him a confused looked.

"that was brutal, baby".

"ky, you broke 'rhea off".

royce's eyes widened. she panicked quickly and rushed towards the locker room, pushing the door open. looking around the locker room she spotted nothing. she looked at the floor and spotted something.

and that something was, miguel.

"oh no, no, no please". royce pleaded.

"m-miguel?" royce whispered, crouching down towards his small frame. he was wheezing. royce's eyes watered a bit.

"i'm sorry i wasn't here". royce whispered. she felt a hand on her back, it was johnny.

she caressed miguel's face. a tear going down her face.

a/n
i kinda made myself cry while writing the ending lol