The Debut Where It All Started
406 Words
If someone asked Aliyah Santos when everything between her and Luke Alvarado actually started…
She wouldn’t say the alumni night.
She wouldn’t say the months of on-and-off conversations.
She wouldn’t even say the endless teasing messages they sent each other at two in the morning.
No.
For Aliyah, everything truly started on one specific night.
One of her friend’s debut.
“Aliyah! Hurry up!”
Mara’s voice echoed from outside the dressing room.
“The program is about to start!”
Aliyah grabbed her bag and stepped out.
Tonight was **Ella’s debut**.
The whole function hall glowed with warm lights and decorations. Balloons floated near the ceiling, and the soft sound of music filled the room.
Almost all their friends from high school were there.
Aliyah greeted everyone with small smiles, trying not to think about the one person she secretly hoped would appear.
She told herself she didn’t care.
She really didn’t.
Okay.
Maybe a little.
“Aliyah!”
Ella waved from the center of the hall, wearing a beautiful silver dress.
“You made it!”
“Of course,” Aliyah laughed. “You forced me to come.”
Ella leaned closer and whispered teasingly,
“Someone else is here too.”
Aliyah blinked.
“What?”
Ella just grinned mischievously and walked away before Aliyah could ask more.
Aliyah frowned.
*What was that supposed to mean?*
She walked toward the drinks table, grabbing a glass of juice.
That’s when she heard a familiar voice behind her.
“Still pretending you don’t drink alcohol?”
Aliyah froze.
She turned slowly.
And there he was.
Luke Alvarado.
Standing casually beside the table.
Wearing a black polo and jeans.
Looking exactly like the annoying boy she remembered…
Except taller.
Broader.
And somehow… more handsome.
Aliyah crossed her arms immediately.
“You’re late,” she said.
Luke raised an eyebrow.
“You were expecting me?”
“No.”
“Yes, you were.”
Aliyah scoffed.
“I wasn’t.”
“You checked your phone ten times already,” Luke said calmly.
Her eyes widened.
“How did you—”
“I saw you earlier.”
Aliyah felt her face warm.
Great.
Just great.
Luke chuckled softly.
“Relax. I just arrived.”
“You disappeared for three days.”
Luke leaned against the table casually.
“I was busy.”
Aliyah rolled her eyes.
“You’re always busy.”
“And you’re always dramatic.”
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