Juliette:
The sun poured through the slats of the blinds, warm and golden, stirring me awake before my alarm even had the chance. For a moment, I just laid there, the soft sheets tangled around my legs, my heart beating a little too fast for morning calm.
Today was the homecoming dance.
I stared up at the ceiling, letting the truth settle.
Somehow, despite everything that had happened—the heartbreak, the rumors, the sleepless nights spent staring at my phone screen—I was here. I had made it to today. I wasn’t hiding. I wasn’t skipping. I was going.
To homecoming.
With Cole.
A breath left my lips, soft and steady. My muscles relaxed a little.
A FaceTime call from my mom had come in earlier, catching me mid-coffee, mid-mess. My hair pushed back with a towel headband, my face scrubbed
