Chapter 48
785 Words
Alice’s POV*
“A party?” I muttered, pacing the small space of my room. “Why did I say yes?”
The invitation sat on my desk, looking far too expensive to belong in a place like this. Gold lettering, bold and sharp, like it belonged in a royal court—not in a house with creaky floors and walls thin enough to hear the kettle whistle from every room.
Lucas Stone’s birthday party.
At *his* house.
I was already regretting it.
It wasn’t just the people or the noise—it was the pressure. I didn’t have the right shoes, or the right dress, or the right anything.
I opened my closet and stared.
Jeans. Worn-out sweaters. A few sundresses from last summer. Nothing remotely appropriate for a birthday event hosted by one of the richest families in the city.
Dad peeked in. “You alright, sweetheart?”
I forced a smile. “Yeah, just… school stuff.”
He nodded slowly, not pushing. “If you need anything—”
“I know. Thanks, Dad.”
He left, and I sank onto the edge of my bed.
I wanted to go. Not because it was a party. Not because it was Lucas Stone’s. But because *he* had invited *me.* Not Amelia. Not one of the pretty girls he usually hung around. *Me.*
I bit my lip.
And then—just as I was about to crawl under my blanket and pretend the world didn’t exist—a knock echoed from the front door.
“Can you get that, Alice?” Dad called from the kitchen.
I opened it to find a man in a black suit standing there with a garment bag and a box. “Delivery for Miss Alice Harper.”
My heart froze. “I… didn’t order anything.”
He smiled politely. “It’s already paid for. No name left.”
I signed, hands slightly trembling, and shut the door behind me quickly. Dad didn’t ask, thankfully. I carried the things upstairs, laid them on the bed, and unzipped the bag.
A deep navy-blue dress.
Simple but stunning. Elegant. My size.
In the box: shoes—sleek, black heels that didn’t scream attention but whispered quiet confidence. And a note, tucked neatly beneath the lid.
*“Don’t panic. Just wear it. – L”*
No full name. No smiley face.
Just Lucas.
I held the note for a long second, heart racing for reasons I didn’t want to name.
I should have been annoyed.
I wasn’t.
Instead, I whispered, “He *knew.*”
And I couldn’t stop the smile that curved onto my face.
I held the dress up to my chest in the mirror, turning slightly to the side.
It was… beautiful. Not flashy or over-the-top, but graceful. It flowed just right, the fabric soft and cool under my fingers. Someone had picked this carefully—not just for my size, but for *me.*
Lucas.
He’d noticed. He always noticed—more than I gave him credit for.
My chest tightened.
Was this still the same boy who teased me endlessly in class? Who made me roll my eyes every time he spoke?
Apparently yes.
But now he was also the boy who listened. The one who defended me. The one who made my world shift, even when I didn’t want it to.
I touched the note again.
*"Don’t panic. Just wear it. – L"*
What was this?
A favor?
A test?
Or something else?
I sat down in front of the mirror and slowly began tying my hair up into a simple ponytail. No makeup. Just lip gloss. I didn't want to look like someone else—I wanted to be *me*. If I was going to walk into Lucas Stone’s world tonight, I’d do it as Alice Harper—library girl, literature nerd, accidental rival.
But now… possibly something more.
As I stood and slipped into the dress, I caught my reflection and blinked.
Not transformed. Just a little more like the girl I forgot I could be—someone who *belonged*.
The door creaked open and my dad peeked in. He stopped, jaw slack. “Wow.”
I smiled. “Too much?”
He shook his head. “Too perfect. You look just like your mum.”
Something pinched in my chest. “Thanks, Dad.”
He stepped closer, adjusted a small piece of my hair, and kissed my forehead. “Be safe. And have fun, okay?”
“I will.”
I grabbed the invitation, the heels, and the tiniest bit of courage I had left.
Tonight wasn’t just about a party.
It was about *showing up.*
And maybe, just maybe, letting someone in.
- Writer
