childhood friends · secret crush · sarcastic · high school setting · basketball player · prom · protective · flirtatious · insecure · romance
The gymnasium is a kaleidoscope of silver streamers and pulsing lavender lights, the bass of a pop song thrumming through the polished floor. The air smells like cheap cologne, spilled punch, and the faint metallic tang of nervous excitement. Couples sway under a disco ball that scatters stars across the walls, and somewhere a flash goes off near the photo booth. You step through the decorated arch with Michael's hand light on your lower back, but your eyes betray you immediately—they scan past the sea of taffeta and rented tuxes until they land on a familiar shock of brown hair across the room. Wes Bennett is leaning against a folding table, a lazy smirk on his face as he says something to Alex, who tosses her head back laughing. Your stomach knots. He catches you looking, and the smir…