A half hour later she texted me: All these girls jog. You know what that means, right? It was nice knowing you, Blake Hunter.

Chloe

The girls weren’t serial killers, like I’d first suspected. They were actually really nice. I was afraid they’d be a bunch of Hannahs, but I was so wrong. It didn’t take me long to find a dress, and once I had, the girls helped with the shoes and accessories. I was the first to admit that I was way out of my element. Jasmine’s mom owned a salon two doors down from the clothes store and was able to fit me in last minute to get my hair, nails, and makeup done. It had been awkward at first, but then I decided to let myself have this one moment, before it was all over.

Later, I kicked my legs back and forth as I sat on the edge of the bed, waiting for Blake to knock on the door. My light-purple dress shifted with each kick. I looked at the alarm clock on the nightstand. He would be there any second. My palms sweat from the nerves that were wreaking havoc in my mind. It felt like a first date, or what I assumed a first date would feel like.

I exhaled loudly, stood up, and started pacing the floor, then I went to the bathroom and checked my hair, now formed into loose curls, which cascaded down my shoulders. I checked my makeup, and then I started pacing again. I did this four more times before there was a knock on the door.

“Shit.” I brushed my hands down my dress and checked in the mirror again, then I swallowed my nerves, placed a hand on the door handle, inhaled and exhaled a few calming breaths, and finally opened the door.

He was wearing a tux, perfectly fitted to his broad shoulders. He held a white corsage in one hand, the other hand in his pocket. His head was bent, looking down at the ground. Then, slowly, his gaze started to move up. My entire body heated up as his eyes kept trailing higher until they finally landed on mine.

He blew out a forceful breath and shook his head slowly. “I didn’t think it was possible for you to become more beautiful, but I was so wrong, Chloe.”

I smiled at his words, trying so hard to avoid tears of happiness.

A slight smile graced his face as he lifted the corsage. “I got you this.”

I raised my hand for him. “It’s beautiful,” I told him.

He shook his head. “No, Chloe. I don’t think the word beautiful should ever exist unless it’s used to describe you,” he mumbled, his eyes narrowed, concentrating on securing the corsage on my wrist. I waited for him to straighten up before stepping forward and kissing him. I felt him smile against my lips, and then he pulled back, the smile still in place. He held his arm out, bent at the elbow, waiting for me. “You ready, girlfriend?”

My smile matched his. “Yes, boyfriend.”

I stopped us in front of his car, but he just laughed. “We’re not taking the car,” he stated, before pulling me with him around the corner and to the front of the hotel where a stretch limo was waiting.

I gasped, long and loud. “Blake!”

He linked his fingers with mine and continued over to the limo. “It’s not prom without a limo.”

Blake

I laughed as I watched her fiddling with all the buttons in the limo. She squealed when she found the one that operated the sunroof. She spent a good few minutes standing there, with half her body sticking out.

She slumped down on the seat next to me and sighed. “This is so exciting for me.”

“Really? I couldn’t tell,” I laughed.

She threw an arm over my waist and moved closer to me. “What do normal teenagers do in a limo, then?”

I raised an eyebrow. “You really wanna know?”

She nodded.

I leaned in and kissed her neck, then placed my hand on her thigh, slowly shifting her dress higher until my fingertips skimmed her skin. “Fool around,” I murmured against her skin.

She laughed and pushed me away, her nose scrunched in disgust. “I don’t like pre-me Blake Hunter,” she said.

I chuckled. “I don’t think I do, either.”

When Jasmine said she was hosting the prom in her barn, I had imagined a run-down shack. What this was was the Hollywood mansion of barns. At least a hundred kids filled the barn, more than half of whom were dancing to a song I’d never heard before. Chloe froze next to me, her grip on my arm tightening. I watched as her eyes widened and she looked at me. “Wow,” she said. “It’s just like in the movies.”

“You made it!” We both turned to see Jasmine approaching us, dragging a guy behind her. She stopped when she got to us and looked me up and down. “You clean up nice.”

I chuckled as her boyfriend threw his hand out. “I’m Chase.”

I shook his hand. “Blake.” I jerked my head toward Chloe. “This is my girlfriend, Chloe.”

They barely had time to shake hands before Jasmine had a hold of Chloe. “You boys have fun,” she shouted over her shoulder. “I’m showing off Chloe.”

Chloe looked back at me with a grimace.

“Have fun,” I mouthed.

“So this is really her first prom?” Chase asked, now standing next to me, watching our girls walk away.

“Yup.”

“Kind of hard to believe, considering she looks like that.” He paused for a moment, then added, “That came out wrong. I apologize. I was just trying to pay your girl a compliment.”

My shoulders relaxed. “It’s fine. She wasn’t really all that social in high school.”

Awkward silence filled the space between us. “So you wanna dance?” he asked. “I do a mean Hammer dance.”