SAM's POV

~PROM NIGHT~

It's prom night and I'm looking glamorous. I'm wearing a light blue gown with matching heels and nail polish. Got silvery bracelets and dangly earrings, and my hair is flowing down my shoulders in a tangle of luscious curls. Ya girl is lookin' finer than wine!

After checking myself out in the mirror for the tenth time this evening, I rush downstairs to give Antonio and my mom a hug before being greeted by Jake at my doorway.

"I didn't realize a princess lived here... I would've dressed better," Jake jokes while staring in awe at my appearance, glancing down at his black formal suit with a white jacket and bowtie.

I giggle. "Thanks... but you look good too."

"You sure you're not just sayin' that to be nice?" He asks with a playful wink.

I grab the collars of his jacket, tugging him closer to me before straightening out his suit. "I'm sure. You look really good..." I smile while wrapping my arm around his waist and turning towards my mom as she snaps a photo of us. We both smile from ear to ear. After our picture is taken, he reveals a white flower wrist corsage and places it over my wrist. His thumb lightly runs over my promise ring as he squeezes my left hand.

"Let's go, beautiful..."

***

DIGGY's POV

It's prom night and ya boy lookin' smooth. I'm wearing a baby blue pimp playa fresh and clean suit with a white tie and white shoes. My short hair is brushed and perfectly moisturized - along with the face and hands. I spray a little cologne on for some extra spice and I'm good to go.

I make my way downstairs to holla at my family, take some pictures, then I'm out the door to head to Julie's house to pick her up. I'm riding through the streets of New York City in my stylish black car my parents gifted me for my birthday, black shades on, feeling like a king...

***

JULIE's POV

It's prom night and I'm excitedly waiting for Daniel to pick me up. I gaze at my reflection in the bathroom mirror, fluffing out my light-brown curly hair while double-checking my make-up. I admire my light pink dress that falls just above the knee from every angle and allow a smile to form on my glossed-up lips. I look good!

The doorbell rings - Daniel here! I grab my clutch purse and practically skip down the stairs past my parents watching the news in the living room. Their heads turn as I open the door and greet Daniel with a friendly hug. He smells super good, but I pull away before I do anything embarrassing.

"You look great, Julie," he compliments, causing me to smile.

"Thanks. You do, too," I reply. "Let's go!"

"Not so fast..." I hear my father's words, causing the hair on my neck to stand up and my smile to turn into a scowl. I don't want any trouble tonight. "You're forgetting something..."

"No, I'm not," I reply, eager to leave the house. I turn to face my parents just a few feet away. My mother guiltily stuffs her hands into her jean pockets, standing behind my father who pulls out a bouquet of pink roses. My jaw drops.

"Flowers for my beautiful daughter. They match your dress," my father hands the bouquet to me as I slowly take it from his hands, lost for words. "Julie... I want you to forget what's happened between us this past month and enjoy yourself. No matter what happens in the future..." He pauses and looks over at my mother, "I want you to know that we love you, and always will."

"Have fun, Julie," my mother speaks up, wearing a sad smile. "But not too much. Be careful! And be in before 11, please--"

"Teresa. Let the girl live a little. She's grown now... she can make her own decisions," my father declares with a proud grin before nodding to Daniel. "Daniel, I trust that you'll take care of my daughter tonight."

Daniel steps up beside me as I watch their interaction, still taken aback by my father's kind gesture and words.

"Yes, sir. She's in good hands. And Mrs. Martinez, I will make sure to bring her safely home before 11. You can count on that," Daniel confidently says. His composure in this moment is impressive.

"Thank you, Daniel," my mother croons.

"Are you ready?" Daniel asks me, his reassuring gaze filling me with warmth.

I nod my head and we leave my house to go to the dance...

***

The school's gymnasium was packed with teenagers, mingling and dancing while sipping on fruit punch from plastic cups. A popular hip-hop song was blaring through the speakers, adding to the noise and immense energy of the crowd. I walk alongside Daniel as we pass through crowds of our classmates; I spot Dana and Chris on one side of the gym chatting away, not seeming to notice the other people in the room. Even over the music, they're loud and as obnoxious as ever. I'm glad that it feels like I've finally gotten free from their web of lies and drama. If they ignore me all night, I'd consider it a win.

We continue checking out the setup, heading for the snack table, as I spot London having fun with some of her junior-year friends. She instantly spots me and runs over to where we are.

"Julie! Diggy! Hey!" London yells with a huge smile on her face. She hugs me and admires my dress. "You look bangin', girl!"

I laugh at her compliment. "Thanks. You look nice, too."

She gives Daniel some dap. "Hey. You're lookin' sharp, too, Diggy. Dang!"

Daniel chuckles. "Thank you."

"Have you guys tried the barbecue meatballs?" London asks with bright eyes. We both shake our heads no. "Oh my gosh. They're so good."

"We just got here, so we'll have to check it out," Daniel replies while eyeing the long tables of food just a couple of steps behind us. "I didn't expect this place to be this packed already. The dance just started at 7."

"Yeah. Me and my friends were lined up at the door at 6:30, and it was hella people even then," London explains. "Anyway, grab some food before the rest of the basketball team eats it all up. No offense, Diggy."

"None taken. I know they can be greedy... like animals," he shakes his head with disgust as I chuckle at his reaction.

"I'll see y'all later," London says before skipping back to her friends. We wave her off and turn around to size up the prom food. There was a variety of appetizers for everyone's taste buds, so we quickly made ourselves a plate of snacks and found an empty table near the back of the gym.

***

BECCA's POV

Me and Khalil arrived at the prom just as the DJ was playing Lil Jon's "Get Low" while jamming out in their booth, located on a short retractable stage near the front of the gym. We let the old-school hip-hop song take control of our bodies without hesitation. I grab onto Khalil's green and black suit jacket while dancing backward onto the dancefloor, smiling up at him.

"Aye!! It's wildin' up in here..." Khalil says with a huge smile while dancing with me.

"I know right?! This is how you party!"

We dance until the song ends, then shuffle over to the appetizer table. After grabbing some light snacks and drinks, we find Diggy and Julie chatting at a table.

"Hey, familia! What's good?" I say in a cheery voice while sitting beside Julie.

"Hey, Becca," Julie greets.

"Hey! Y'all look good!" Diggy compliments.

"You know how I do, brother..." Khalil confidently responds while taking his seat.

"I saw y'all up there shaking ya groove thang. I almost thought you were filming an episode of Soul Train," Diggy jokes with a huge smile.

"Bro, Soul Train wish they could have us as dancers," Khalil replies as we all chuckle. "Did y'all just get here?"

"Like ten minutes ago..." Diggy says.

"Well, seeing that y'all ate already, we're gonna chow down real quick..." Khalil says, biting into a chicken wing.

"Yeah. For sure," Diggy replies.

"Did you guys take pictures yet?" I ask Julie before munching on some fruit.

"No. I didn't even realize they had a photographer here."

I follow her eye contact, taking note of the mini photoshoot area in the far corner of the gym. "Yeah. We should do that later." As I pop another grape into my mouth, I realize that we're missing a few members of our crew. I frown. "Where's Sam and Jake? Are they here yet?"

"Nah... I haven't seen 'em yet," Diggy replies while checking his watch. "Knowing Sam, they'll probably be here fashionably late. You know how she loves to cause a scene."

I sense some weird tension in his words but shake it off. I decide to text her to see if she's on her way...

***

SAM's POV

I check my phone and see a text from Becca.

BECCA: Sam! Girl, everyone's here and it's lit. The food is good too. Where are U slowpoke?

ME: We just got here. c ya in a minute

As I put my cell phone into my purse, Jake opens the passenger side door and offers his hand to help me out of his car. I grab his hand and step out of the vehicle, fixing my dress and hair in the process. He closes and locks the door then offers his elbow.

"Madame..." He says with a slight bow and horrible British accent.

I grab onto his forearm as we walk towards the school. "Are you gonna be doing this all night? Being all chivalrous?"

"You are a princess. It's my honor to serve you."

"Ew. Okay. Seriously. Drop the accent, and the act," I shiver with disgust. "That's too cringe."

"What?" He laughs.

"Just be normal, if you can..." I say, giving him a judgmental glance as he opens the gym door and follows me inside.

"Yes, my lady..."

We step inside and the place is boomin'. The latest Kendrick Lamar song blasts through the speakers as we nod our heads to the beats, sizing up the crowd of juniors and seniors celebrating their last week of school. Wow. It just dawned on me that I'll never see this place again after next week. My high school days will officially be over once I walk the stage at graduation. I shudder at the exciting but nerve-wracking thought.

"Hey, I see Khalil and everyone sitting near the back," Jake alerts me with a smile. We pass through clusters of gyrating teenagers and greet our friends at their table.

"You're here!" Becca claps, her face lighting up. "Hey guys!"

We greet everyone; Jake gives Khalil some dap and shoots a head nod toward Diggy; I send a friendly grin towards Julie who kindly compliments my appearance. My gaze is reluctant to hover over Diggy since the last time we hung out turned sour, but I casually nod his way and see him staring at me in shock or admiration. His brown eyes were sparkling, and he was practically stuttering as he complimented my dress.

"Sam... you look stunning..." Diggy says, which feels a bit out of character. I've never heard him use a word like that to describe me. I awkwardly toss my hair over my shoulder and avoid his eyes, catching Julie raising a curious eyebrow at him.

"Doesn't she? How'd I get so lucky?" Jake croons while sending me flirty eyes. I bump his arm, feeling my cheeks heat up.

"Too cute..." Becca adds. "Guys, take a seat. Let's mingle!"

There are two open chairs left for us, so Jake sits beside Khalil and I sit beside Diggy.

"Oh, look! You two are twinning with your light blue. I see you!" Becca smiles while referring to Diggy and I's matching outfits. Oh wow... I just realized we are matching.

"Like two peas in a pod..." Khalil says with a smirk.

We glance at each other's outfits and nod with no response.

"Anyway... it's kinda hype up in here. What did we miss?" I ask while looking towards Becca.

"You missed me and Khalil sweeping the floor with our dance moves. Oh! And some snacks. Go and get you something to eat before it's all gone."

"Nah, that's okay. I came here to dance, not to eat..." I reply, getting distracted by the energetic music and people dancing in the gym.

"Sam refusing free food. That's rare..." Khalil comments.

"Shush it. I ate beforehand, so I'm not that hungry..." I explain. Honestly, I feel a bit antsy sitting down - especially next to Diggy. I'm trying to brush off my aggy feelings towards him and focus on this dance. It's the last dance of the school year. I wanna have fun and go out with a bang! I'm not trying to worry about he said, she said. "We came here to party, right? Let's party!"

I stand to my feet with a huge smile as everyone at the table follows my lead. Jake smiles at me and takes my hand as we groove onto the dancefloor among the other juniors and seniors. Becca and Khalil follow us through the crowd, dancing together near the front of the gym. Diggy and Julie are the last to join in the fun. He offers his hand to Julie as they calmly walk to the dancefloor...

***

DIGGY's POV

~An hour later~

The DJ plays a slow song as the crowd calms down and couples start dancing while embracing each other. Me and Julie slow our pace, shuffling our feet side to side to the soft music. My right hand is softly clasping her left as my other hand gently hovers over her waist; her right arm rests on my shoulder. Every now and then, I make eye contact with her and share a friendly grin... but then I direct my attention a few feet away where Sam and Jake are sharing a slow dance as well. They've been smiling and giggling the whole time since they arrived, and ya boy kinda felt... jealous. Jake's a nice guy but... I'm better. I just don't get why she's so hung up on him. I don't know what it is, but seeing them together having a good time - especially on a night like tonight - is making me feel some type of way.

"Do you have indigestion?" Julie suddenly asks, making me tear my gaze from Sam and Jake.

I frown. "Huh?"

"Or are you constipated?" Julie chuckles.

"No. Why?"

She tilts her head and smirks. "Because you've been scowling and side-eyeing Sam and Jake for the last five minutes... what's up?"

I softly chuckle and shake my head. "Oh. It's nothing. Sorry. I must've blanked out..." I force a grin onto my lips and continue swaying side to side to the music.

Julie nods but doesn't let go of the issue. "She's stunning, right?"

"Hm?"

"You called Sam stunning. I don't even think you've ever used that phrase on me... that's when I figured it out."

"What do you mean?"

"That you like her," Julie says.

I scoff, looking appalled at the accusation. "What? Th-That's crazy..."

"Oh, you can't fool me. I dated you, remember?" Julie says with a small smirk, which causes my eyes to widen like a deer in headlights. "I know that look when you're interested in someone. You used it on me. So... what's the deal between you two?"

I sigh but continue dancing side to side. "Okay..." I gulp. "I kind of wish I was over there dancing with Sam instead of Jake. I have nothing against Jake - you know, he's the homie - but this is Sam's first real relationship, and I don't wanna see her get hurt. I've been by her side through every up and down you could imagine since birth. I feel like nobody knows her better than I do. Nobody cares about her more than I do. I just want what's best for her... I wanna... protect her..."

Julie drops her jaw in awe. "Wow... that's beautiful."

Suddenly, I feel self-conscious. "I'm sorry. I'm supposed to be dancing with you and giving you attention, not complaining about another girl."

"It's fine. I like when you open up and talk to me about your feelings. Also, this isn't just another girl," she replies with a small roll of her neck before smirking, "This is Sam. Your best friend, and possibly your crush. You should tell her how you feel."

I stare at her in horror. "Nah... I can't do that. That'll make things weird between us."

"Why not? I'm sure she'd appreciate your honesty. Just tell her everything you've told me. That you care about her."

"...you think I should?"

"Yes. In fact, why not do it tonight?" Julie suggests.

"I don't know about that... but I'll think about telling her. Maybe it's best to get these feelings off my chest before we leave for L.A.," I reply while thinking about how exactly I'd tell Sam that I might care for her more than a best friend should. I mean, it's not like I'm for real crushing on her, and I don't wanna be her boyfriend, but I just have this gigantic urge to protect her these days.

"No pressure. Whatever decision you make, I got your back like you got mine. I'll always lend a listening ear whenever you need one."

"Thanks..." I reply, grinning at her.

"No problem."

As we continue dancing, I spot Chris and Dana in one part of the gym with their arms wrapped around each other in a close embrace. My lips curl up in disgust watching the two. "Aye... since we're being open and honest, can I ask you a question? What really happened between you and Chris?" I ask as Julie glances towards my teammate in question.

"What do you mean?"

"Were you crushing on him while we were dating? That's what he told me."

Julie doesn't look surprised at my accusation and ponders the question before answering. "Mm... at first glance, I guess I was somewhat drawn to him. He was popular, charming. He had a way of making you believe that he cared... but I didn't realize how big of an a-hole he was."

My eyebrows shoot up in shock hearing Julie talk bad about Chris. "Whoa. Why do you say that?"

She tilts her head, her usually soft eyes glaring at Chris from afar. It was kind of scary. "Well... you know those rumors on social media about how I cheated on you, and was having your baby, and loads of other horrible things about why we broke up?"

"Yeah."

"Turns out Chris got some of his goonies to write that stuff and spread it around the school. I overheard him laughing about it one day after school. He said I played with his feelings by sticking with you, and he wanted a reason for me to leave Wesley High."

"Seriously? It was Chris the whole time?" I ask, the feeling of rage filling my body. I stop dancing and ball up my fists, glaring at him. "And he lied to my face talkin' 'bout he didn't know who started those rumors. I thought we were cool." My jaw drops and I look at Julie with guilt. "I invited him to my birthday party... and you... I'm so sorry you had to deal with him because of me--"

"No, Daniel. It's not your fault!" She holds onto my arm, preventing me from going over and punching Chris in his jaw.

"I can't believe I trusted him!"

"Me too..." Julie replies in defeat. "But I've decided to move past that and focus on my future. I don't want anything to do with him anymore."

"Huh. You're better than me. If I catch him outside, I don't know what I'll do," I say between gritted teeth.

"Don't do anything. Please," Julie says while squeezing my arm. "Let's just leave him a nasty note in his yearbook and color over his picture..."

"I'm thinking more like putting itching powder in his basketball shoes at our last sports meeting..." I smirk while nodding my head. Julie chuckles and we continue slow dancing.

"Anyway, Chris is history. But what about you and Dana? Does she still think you're her man?"

"Ha, when did she get that idea?" Julie shrugs. "I don't know what she was thinking, but that ship or whatever it was has sailed, especially after she kept badmouthing my friends."

Julie sighs in relief. "Good. Because you can do so much better than Cruella's step-child..."

"Ooh. Not too bad of a diss. She does have a lot of dogs hanging around her," I joke, referring to the group of thirsty dudes that love to worship her hands and feet like puppy dogs. I hope I didn't look that bad when I was hanging around her.

"Chris and Dana deserve each other. Guess everything eventually works out in the end, right?" Julie asks as she looks into my eyes, wearing a soft grin.

"It does, doesn't it?" I grin back while spinning her around and falling into step with the music. Her giggles ring in my ears as the night goes on...

***

"Alright, everyone. Gather around! It is time to announce this year's prom king and queen of Wesley High School," one of the teachers chaperoning the party announces from onstage. Everyone excitedly gathers around the stage as two other teachers appear beside her as they hold two matching golden crowns on small, royal blue pillows. "Is everyone ready?"

"Yess!!" The crowd yells back.

"Amazing! That's what I love to hear. So, without further ado, the votes have been tallied... and you all have picked this year's prom king..."

"This is so exciting! Who do you think it'll be?" Becca squeals from beside us, standing between Sam, Jake, and Khalil.

"I don't know," Sam shrugs, sounding disinterested.

"It'll probably be an athlete. Someone popular," Khalil suggests while buttoning up his suit and grinning. "Guess I should prepare myself to win..."

Becca snorts. "You did say someone popular, right? Ha. Couldn't be you."

I chuckle at her burn and wait for the announcement.

"...and your prom king is... Jake Ruiz!" The teacher smiles from onstage. "Where are you, Jake? Come up here and claim your crown and sash."

Becca and Sam's jaw drops as they announce Jake's name. The crowd erupts in applause as the girls urge him to hurry onto the stage. As I watch Jake happily jog up to the stage and receive his crown, I hear Chris from one side of the room complain about the votes being rigged before someone tells him to be quiet. I shake my head, rolling my eyes at his obnoxious behavior, then look at the stage where Jake happily stands.

"And now your prom queen results are in..."

"Ahh! What if it's you, Sam? That would be so romantic!" Becca shouts while pulling on Sam's arm.

"I doubt it..." Sam groans, sharing a grin with Jake. I feel a bit envious at the thought of those two possibly winning king and queen. There's no way the school would see them as a popular couple, right? Ugh. What am I even saying? Why do I even care?

"...this year's prom queen is... Rebecca Blue!"

I hear Julie gasp from beside me as she runs and congratulates Becca for winning. Sam calmly congratulates her friend as they share a hug before Becca shares a kiss with Khalil.

"Me? It's me?" Becca asks in surprise as she moves through the applauding crowd, heading toward the stage to receive her crown and sash. I watch her onstage with Jake and feel a sense of pride for both of them.

"Definitely unexpected, right?" Julie says while clapping.

"For sure. But... they look good up there. They deserve it," I reply while clapping along with the crowd.

"And now, the prom king and queen will share a dance before the night is over..." The teacher announces as the DJ plays a slower song by a well-known alternative rock band. Everyone watches as Jake and Becca walk to the middle of the gym, take each other's hands, and sway back and forth under the spotlight. They share a friendly smile.

I glance at Sam to my left and I feel my breath get taken away. She really does look beautiful tonight, with her hair all done up and her dress flowing to the ground. I even smelled her perfume when she first arrived and sat next to me at the table... it was flowery and magnetic.

"This is the last dance, then it'll all be over soon..." Julie says, bumping me out of my thoughts. "You should talk to her while you can."

I feel a bit skeptical about it, but work up the nerve to step to Sam and ask: "Hey, Sam... do you have a minute? I wanted to talk to you."

She looks at me with curious eyes. "Right now?"

"Yeah, if that's okay. It'll be quick," I assure her. She glances back at Jake and Becca who are smiling from ear to ear while dancing in each other's arms. She looks back to me and nods.

"Okay," she replies.

I grin, feeling relieved that she accepted my invitation. "Cool. Uh, let's go somewhere quieter..."

***

SAM's POV

I follow Diggy away from the crowd and out of one of the doors near the back of the gym. I follow him down the quiet, dark hallway and look up at the ceiling as the motion lights turn on with each of our steps. He stops at a dead end near a small row of lockers and turns to me with a nervous smile. Seeing him in the light, I finally get to admire his get-up. His light blue suit the same color as mine looks good on him, I can't lie.

"Sorry to take you away from all the action..." he suddenly apologizes.

"No worries. I was kinda getting tired of everything anyway. I mean, I'm happy that Jake won prom king but... my feet hurt! I think my battery is all run out..." I pout with a sigh.

Diggy chuckles. "Sounds about right. I'm feeling kind of out of it myself..."

"So, what did you wanna talk about?"

He shuffles his feet and rubs his hands together several times. He's nervous for some reason, but what?

"Yeah. Uh... yeah, so..." He chuckles while stumbling over his words. "I don't know where to start this, but I feel like I should be honest. The last time we talked didn't end very well, and I wanted to apologize for that."

"Go on..." I cross my arms.

"I should've just kept my mouth closed about your relationship with Jake."

"You should have."

"...I realized why I was so bothered. I have nothing against him; he's a great teammate and an even better friend. But I'm envious of him... and I'm scared to lose you to him..."

I scrunch up my nose in confusion. "Why would you lose me to Jake?"

"I don't know. It's stupid. He gets to drive you places, have dinner with you and his family, share a promise ring..."

I look down at the silver ring on my finger, remembering the moment Jake surprised me with it a few weeks ago. I chew on my bottom lip.

"It just feels like you two are getting closer and we're getting distant," he reveals. "I know we've just recently made amends, but those moments when we were avoiding each other made me realize how much it sucked to be at odds with you. I tried to fake like I was okay, but it hurt to not talk to you on the regular like we used to."

"Honestly... it upset me too," I say as I remember the tense moments between Diggy and me since he began dating Julie.

"I mean, I lowkey deserved the silent treatment. I treated you wrong and I paid for it. It was a learning experience. But I never want to feel that way again, and I never want you to suffer because of me," he says with regret in his eyes. "I want to make you happy..." Diggy adds, taking a step toward me and gazing into my eyes like he did when we were hanging out at his house. I start to feel self-conscious and play with my hair. "I want to take you places, and do homework together, and go shopping, or to the movies. I want to have more food fights with you in the kitchen, and attend bowling tournaments every other weekend."

"Okay?"

"I want to be around you 24/7..." He closes the distance between us, causing me to take a nervous step back. "I want to know that you're doing okay, and I want to be that shoulder you can cry on when you're not." He smiles. "I wanna protect you, and make you laugh and smile..." He grabs my hand while gently rubbing his thumb across the back of it. I look down at our hands, secretly enjoying the comfort of his touch.

"Diggy--"

"I'm not finished. If I'm being honest... I care a lot about you, Sam."

I look up to meet his gaze.

"You're my best friend and we've been through so much together," he continues. "You're the first person I think of when I wake up, and the last when I go to sleep. This sounds crazy - never in a million years did I think I'd ever admit this - but... I like you, Sam. And I'm starting to think it's more than a friend."

What?! My eyes widen in shock at his sudden confession. Is Diggy being serious right now? Is he really confessing to me, at prom?! What in the heck is going on?!

"I... don't know what to say..." I blink up at him as he takes my other hand gently in his.

"You don't have to say anything. I just needed to be honest with myself and you. If you stay with Jake, that's fine, but I don't think I'd last too long if I didn't tell you my true feelings for you..."

I gulp, looking at his sweet smile and gentle eyes. What the freak is happening?! "Dig... why now? Where is all of this coming from?"

"I told you I felt like I was losing you... I don't know. Maybe I'm emotional because it feels like everything's coming to an end with graduation coming up. If my childhood romance ends here, then at least I can say I tried," he grins.

I shake my head. "What about Julie? Aren't you and her--?"

"We're over. I told you that. There's no one else in my heart except for you," he confesses, which honestly fills my body with butterflies. He's never said anything like this in all the 18 years that I've known him. I've never gotten any hints from him at all! It was all so weird, yet fascinating. But I'm more amazed at how bold and honest he's become over the last few months. It's like I'm seeing an entirely different Diggy... a manlier side... that I've never seen before. It feels like he's matured into a different version of my best friend, and it's weird.

"This is... a lot to take in..." I reply, pulling my hand away from his and taking a step back.

"I know. I'll give you time to process, and we can go back inside to the party. But before we do, tell me... is this a one-sided thing or do you have feelings for me too?"

I'm speechless again, not sure how to answer his question. I don't even know how I feel right now except for shock.

"I... don't know... it's all so sudden."

"Would this help?" Diggy asks before he leans toward me and smashes his lips onto mine, grabbing the side of my neck and pulling me into a kiss. The butterflies shoot further down my body as my breath is taken away by the abrupt kiss. I want to pull away, I know that I have to... but I don't. At least not yet. I place a hand on his arm and kiss him back for a few seconds before coming to reality and pulling away.

I cover my mouth in shock and search Diggy's eyes for an explanation. "Why did you do that?"

"...I wanted to see if you felt anything, or if I'm just crazy."

"You're crazy..." I reply while quickly checking all sides of the hallway for anyone that could've walked by and seen us. "I need to go..." I start walking down the hallway toward the gym.

"Did you feel anything?" Diggy's question stops me in my tracks. I bite my lip as anger, confusion, delight, curiosity, and guilt fill my core. I swing around and shoot him a serious look.

"You cannot tell anyone about this."

"You didn't answer my question," he says with a drunken smirk, walking towards me. But I know he's sober because he doesn't drink and there's no alcohol at this event.

I grind my teeth. "Do you think this is a game? You can't just kiss me because you're... lonely," I say. "I'm dating someone..."

"I won't tell Jake, I promise."

"You better not..." I feel myself start hyperventilating as I turn away from him and continue my journey back inside the gym.

What am I going to do...?

***

~Two days later~

"I can't believe you got Prom King. Look at you, all handsome," I say to Jake as we sit on his family room couch looking over the prom photos published in the school's newspaper.

"I am pretty, aren't I? Got it from my mama," Jake confidently replies, his dimples showing.

"And who'd think Becca would win Queen? I mean, I voted for her but I was surprised..."

He flips the page. "Becca's a cool friend. She's super friendly and popular with the athletes. It makes sense to me. But honestly... that shoulda been you..." He says in a flirty tone while making eye contact.

I playfully push him away with my arm. "Stop lyin'. Half the school is not checking for me like that."

"What are you talking about? Give yourself some credit. Sam Goode is fierce!" He smiles as I chuckle at his response, shaking my head. "Anyway, I was looking to dance with you after me and Becca shared the king and queen dance, but I couldn't find you. Where'd you go?" He asked while turning his attention back to the newspaper as I did the same.

"...Oh, uh, Diggy had to tell me something."

"Is everything good between you two?"

I squirm in my seat, chewing on my bottom lip as a flashback of our kiss flutters through my mind. "It's actually kinda weird now... speaking of Diggy, um, there's something that I kinda have to tell you."

"Okay. Shoot."

"It's kind of serious..." I look at him with discomfort reading all over my face. He looks at me and raises an eyebrow of curiosity mixed with worry.

"Wow, why so serious? Is someone sick? What? Does Diggy wanna replace me in next week's bestie day? I thought he had an appointment to go to." Jake chuckles at his own joke but I remain with a serious face.

"No, it's none of those things," I sigh. "Jake, uh... I don't even wanna say this because I'm afraid how you'll react."

He frowns. "You can tell me anything..."

After a small pause of hesitation, I gulp and tell him what's on my mind.

"Alright. Over the last few months, me and you have gotten a lot closer as friends and as a couple. I feel comfortable with you, and safe, and happy," I manage to force a grin as I reveal my thoughts. "I couldn't imagine being with anyone else, Jake."

Jake smiles, releasing a sigh while holding my hand in his. "I feel the same way, Sam."

I nod, feeling my chest grow tight as my nerves take over. I feel uneasy about what I'm about to reveal. "But then Diggy told me that he was feeling jealous of us and our bond... it was weird. Lately, he's started acting clingy and saying he doesn't wanna lose our friendship. He even questioned our relationship and if we'd last past graduation..."

"What? That doesn't sound like him. He told you all this?"

"Yeah."

"This is the first I've heard of it... he seemed supportive of our relationship. I never even sensed an ounce of jealousy from him. But I mean, look at you... who wouldn't be jealous to have you in their arms?" Jake smirks while squeezing my hand. I awkwardly look down.

"I didn't think he was jealous either. But then at prom..." I gulp. "He kissed me..."

"What?! Are you joking or serious?" Jake half laughs, not believing my words at first.

"It's not a joke... I'm sorry."

Jake's smile fades away as he grinds his teeth. "Why are you sorry? He crossed the line. That's not cool. I'mma have to confront him about that because that's not okay--"

"Jake, h-he's not 100% at fault... more like 50%..." I scratch my ear as my throat dries up.

"What do you mean?" He turns his body toward me.

My heart beats out of my chest as I release another sigh, looking into his angry eyes. "It's not entirely his fault... because... I didn't pull away..."

"What do you mean...? You kissed him back?" Jake cautiously asks, not wanting the accusation to be true.

"It was just a few seconds. I don't know what came over me. It was unexpected and I just--"

"Are you kidding me?" He raises his voice but surprisingly takes a few seconds to deep breathe, removing his hand from mine. He tosses the newspaper on the small table in front of us. I watch him with wide eyes, waiting for his next move. "Okay. Alright. You and Diggy kissed... not cool. But he initiated it, right? I mean, you said he told you all this stuff, maybe he has a one-sided crush or something. Regardless, I definitely gotta talk to him 'cause this is messed up. I love you, Sam, and I appreciate you being open and honest to me about this."

My eyes widen. He's not mad at me? I was expecting more rage from him, but he's acting extremely cool. "Wait-- uh... you're not mad?"

"Not at you. I mean, I don't believe that you would do anything maliciously behind my back. This is clearly Diggy's fault, so we can work through this. I want to be with you seriously, and I know what we have is stronger than some one-second jealousy-filled kiss. it's not like you have feelings for him."

"No, I don't. But... even if he didn't kiss me... I think our time is up anyway," I regretfully reveal.

"What are you talking about?"

"I've been thinking about it since you mentioned wanting to live together. I know I said I was willing to give us a chance but... we're graduating in a few days. In a few months, we'll be miles apart living our separate lives and making new friends. Think about it. Even with all the technology we have, it's gonna be hard. It wouldn't be fair to expect each other to commit to a relationship."

Jake moves away from me with an open mouth, his hand caressing his chin. I stare up at him feeling like the villain in a fairytale. "I thought you were willing to be long-distance."

"I was... b-but I thought about it and--" I slightly stutter.

"Stop. Why are you suddenly changing your mind?" He holds up a hand and frowns at me. "Are these your words or Diggy's?"

"What? They're mine. Diggy has nothing to do with this," I explain.

"Are you sure he's not trying to brainwash you because he wants to be with you instead?" Jake asks with a chuckle. "You know, maybe you're using the kiss as an excuse to break up with me. Maybe you've always felt this way - you've never had faith in our relationship - and now you're using Diggy as an excuse to pull away."

"That's not true."

"Prove it," he bites back.

I open my mouth but I don't know the right words to say. "Don't you believe me?"

He shakes his head, rubbing it a few times as he walks towards the stairs that lead to the kitchen.

"I believed that you would have more faith in our relationship. The fact that you can just go back on your word after a kiss... it's not adding up. What else did Diggy say or do to you?" Jake asks.

I stand up and walk to him, leaving a few feet between us. "Nothing. I told you this isn't about him."

"Right. It shouldn't be. But he's powerful enough to make bold claims about our relationship and for some reason you believe him. So which is it? Was I just a rebound from Chris? Did you ever seriously have feelings for me?"

"Of course, I do!"

"Then why are you talking about our time is up?" He shouts, his face getting redder by the moment.

I release a huge sigh as a tear rolls down my cheek. "Because... I'm scared."

"Scared of what? Being in love?" He asks in a quieter voice as he takes a pained step towards me.

I nod my head. Jake sighs as I wipe my tears with my hands. "Fuck, Sam..." He wraps his arms around me in a gentle hug as I sniffle into his shirt. "Don't cry..."

"I'm sorry... I can't do this anymore..." I pull away from his embrace and reluctantly pull the silver promise ring from my finger, holding it between my fingers as I look into his distraught eyes.

"Sam..."

I wrap my arms around Jake's neck and tightly hold him close. I breathe in his scent for what I feel might be the last time, enjoying the warmth of his body as I squeeze my eyes shut. I stay like this for several seconds before finally pulling away. I grab his hand and put the ring inside of it, making him hold onto it. "Give this to someone who deserves your all..."

I walk up the stairs as Jake grabs onto my hand.

"Sam... please... don't go. Let's talk about this. We can get past this."

I grin at him. "I'm sorry... you're a good guy, Jake. You've made my senior year the best year of my life, and I'm thankful."

"Sam..."

I pull away from his grasp and head towards the front door, quickly leaving his house.