Episode 12: One Dress, Two Hearts.
715 Words
"I am not going."
Amara stared at the email as if it had personally offended her.
Across the room, Lily nearly dropped her hairbrush.
"You absolutely are."
"I don't even own a dress."
"We'll fix that."
"I don't have money for a fancy gown."
"We'll fix that too."
"Lily..."
"No excuses."
She grabbed Amara's hand and pulled her toward the door.
"We're shopping."
---
The shopping district just outside Eclipse University was filled with boutiques displaying elegant evening gowns.
Amara checked the price tag on the first dress.
Her eyes widened.
"This dress costs more than my monthly grocery budget."
Lily gently took it from her.
"Then we won't buy this one."
After nearly two hours of searching, they finally found a small family-owned boutique tucked away on a quiet street.
The elderly owner smiled warmly.
"Looking for something special?"
"My friend needs a dress for the Founders' Gala," Lily said.
"But she's determined not to spend a fortune."
The woman studied Amara for a long moment before disappearing into the back room.
She returned carrying a midnight-blue gown.
It was elegant, simple, and timeless.
"You should try this."
Amara disappeared into the fitting room.
A minute later, she stepped out.
Lily gasped.
"Oh..."
The dress fit perfectly, hugging her waist before flowing softly to the floor.
The deep blue brought out the warmth in her eyes.
"You look beautiful," Lily whispered.
Amara looked at herself in the mirror.
For the first time in a long while...
She almost believed it.
---
At the same time, across campus...
Ronan leaned against Kael's office door.
"So."
"What?"
"What are you wearing to the gala?"
Kael looked up from the documents on his desk.
"A tuxedo."
Ronan sighed dramatically.
"I walked right into that."
"You certainly did."
"I meant..."
"Are you nervous?"
Kael frowned.
"Why would I be?"
"Because you're escorting Amara."
"It's one evening."
"Exactly."
Ronan smiled.
"One very long evening."
Kael returned to his paperwork.
"I have more important things to think about."
"If you say so."
Ronan started walking away.
"Oh, and one more thing."
Kael looked up.
"You smiled this morning."
"I do that sometimes."
"You smiled because Amara waved at you."
Kael threw a pen at him.
Ronan laughed all the way down the hallway.
---
The next afternoon, Amara was leaving the library with a stack of books when one slipped from her arms.
Before it hit the ground, someone caught it.
"You should really stop dropping things."
She looked up.
Kael.
"I didn't drop it."
"You were about to."
He handed it back.
"Thank you."
For a moment, neither of them moved.
Then Kael noticed the boutique bag hanging from her wrist.
"Shopping?"
Amara smiled.
"For the gala."
His eyes briefly rested on the bag before returning to hers.
"I hope you found something you like."
"I did."
"Good."
He hesitated.
Then, almost reluctantly, he asked,
"Are you looking forward to it?"
She laughed.
"Honestly?"
"I'm terrified."
"You?"
"I've never been to anything like this."
"I don't know the rules."
"I don't know how these events work."
Kael's expression softened.
"You don't need to."
"What do you mean?"
"The only rule that matters is..."
He paused.
"...be yourself."
She smiled.
"You make it sound easy."
"It is."
"For you."
"Not for me."
The answer slipped out before he could stop it.
Amara tilted her head.
"You get nervous too?"
"More often than people think."
For the first time, she saw something she had never expected from Kael.
Not confidence.
Not mystery.
Just honesty.
And somehow...
That made him even harder to forget.
---
As Kael walked away, Serena stepped out from behind a nearby pillar.
She had watched the entire conversation.
Every smile.
Every lingering glance.
Every second.
Her nails dug into her palm.
"This has gone far enough."
She pulled out her phone and dialed a number.
"I need a favor."
A male voice answered.
"What kind of favor?"
Serena's eyes remained fixed on Amara.
"I want the scholarship girl humiliated."
A slow silence followed.
Then the man chuckled.
"Consider it done."
Serena ended the call.
She told herself it was just a harmless prank.
Just enough to remind Amara that she didn't belong in Serena's world.
She had no idea...
Someone else was already planning something much crueler.
- Writer
