** Kayla's POV **

As we cruised down the road home, I glanced over at Luca, curiosity bubbling inside me. "So... are we really going to prom together?" I asked, trying to gauge his seriousness.

He smiled, glancing back at me. "Absolutely! Did you honestly think I was joking?"

A small laugh escaped me. "Well, kinda! So, are we planning to match our outfits, or what?"

"Definitely! That’s half the fun of going together, right?" he replied, his eyes sparkling with excitement.

I couldn't help but grin. "Lila is going to be over the moon about this!"

As we pulled up to the beach, Luca turned serious, his expression shifting. " There’s something important I need to talk to you about."

We were sitting on the hood of his car, parked at our favourite overlook. The city lights blinked below us like a thousand tiny secrets. He’d been quiet all evening, fidgeting with his hoodie strings and clearing his throat more times than usual.

"Okay," he said suddenly, breaking the silence. "I need to tell you something."

I turned to look at him, raising an eyebrow. "You’re making it sound like you're about to confess to murder."

He gave a soft laugh, but it didn’t reach his eyes. "No murders. Just... something I’ve been holding onto for a while."

I shifted, suddenly more aware of the weight of the moment. “Alright. I’m listening.”

He looked straight ahead, not at me. “You know how you always say I’m your ‘safe person’? The one you can always count on, even when everything else is falling apart?”

“Of course,” I said, my voice softer now.

“Well... you’ve been that for me too. More than you even realise.” He paused and inhaled deeply. “But somewhere along the way, it stopped feeling like just friendship for me. I tried to ignore it, tried to just be okay with how things were. But I can’t anymore.”

My heart stopped for a second as it had misfired.

He finally turned his head and looked at me, eyes steadier than I expected. “I like you. Not just best friend-like. I mean really, like like you. I didn’t plan to fall for you, but I did.”

For a second, all I could hear was the wind rustling through the trees behind us.

“I—” I started, then stopped, because every thought was crashing into the next.

He smiled nervously, hands jammed in his hoodie pocket. “I don’t expect anything. I just needed you to know. Even if it messes everything up.”

The world went still. My heart tripped over itself. I stared at him, my mind racing—but in the best, most ridiculous way. Because I hadn’t imagined it. I hadn’t made up the glances, the hesitation in his voice when he said goodnight, the way my hand always found his when we sat like this.

I smiled. It wasn’t a shy one, or a nervous one. It was the kind of smile that happens when something finally clicks.

“Luca,” I whispered, “I like you too.”

His eyes widened. “You do?”

I nodded, scooting a little closer, our knees now touching. “I thought I was crazy. That I was risking too much to say anything. But you’re it for me, Luca. You’ve been it for a while.”

He blinked like he didn’t quite believe me yet. “This isn’t a prank, right? You’re not gonna yell ‘psych’ in five seconds?”

I laughed and took his hand. “No pranks. Just truth.”

He looked down at our hands, then back up at me. The way he smiled then—god, I could’ve bottled it and lived off it for years.

“Well,” he said, “What are we now?”

“We're still besties,”

After a little while, we headed home, our hands entwined as we drove. The moment felt surreal, and I couldn’t help but let out a squeal as soon as I plopped down on my bed, burying my face into a pillow.

I couldn’t believe it—Luca liked me back!

Imagining the squeals of excitement from the girls when I told them made my heart race even more.

Luca and I had agreed to take things slow. We were both pretty conservative, so jumping straight into dating wasn’t on our agenda just yet. We wanted to take our time, really understand how we felt about each other, and only start dating when we were emotionally ready for all the complexities that a relationship could bring.

Bubbling with excitement, I grabbed my phone and dialled the girls’ numbers. On the second ring, I heard their familiar voices.

"Hey, girls!" I cheered, my voice practically sparkling.

"Someone's in a good mood," Lila teased, a hint of curiosity in her tone.

Fiona chimed in with a soft hum of agreement.

"So, guess what?" I said, trying to contain my excitement.

"What happened?" they asked eagerly.

"You know how Luca and I went to visit Fiona at the hospital? And then we caught that gorgeous sunset together by the beach..."

“No way! He confessed?” Lila exclaimed, her voice filled with anticipation.

"He did!" I replied, beaming from ear to ear. "Wait, how did you know?"

“Girl, everyone knew! That’s probably why half the school has been shipping you two so hard,” she said with a mischievous grin that made me laugh.

“So, what are you guys now?” Fiona asked, her voice buzzing with excitement.

“For now, we’re keeping it as besties. We don’t want to rush into anything,” I explained, feeling a sense of relief in sharing that decision with them.

“That’s smart. I’m really wishing you both the best. You’d make an amazing couple!” Fiona said, although her voice sounded a bit worn out.

“Fiona, you really should get some rest. I’ll fill you in on everything tomorrow; you sound exhausted,” I said, my heart aching for her.

“Thanks, Kayla. I really need it. This treatment is taking everything out of me,” she replied softly. “Bye girls,” she added before hanging up.

As I set my phone down, a heaviness settled in my chest. “I hate seeing Fiona like this. It breaks me to watch her suffer while there’s so little we can do,” Lila said, tears glistening in her eyes.

“I know, it’s heartbreaking. She’s slowly losing her spark, and it’s just so hard to witness,” I agreed, feeling the lump in my throat.

We chatted for a few more minutes, aware that it was time to head to bed, but the weight of our friend’s struggle lingered in our hearts.

As I prepared for an adventurous day at the mall with Lila and our mums, excitement bubbled inside me. I chose a cute white crop top paired with sleek black jeans and a stylish pair of shoes to complete my look.

Descending the stairs, I found Mum already ready and waiting, a bright smile on her face.

"Good morning, Mum!" I greeted enthusiastically.

"Good morning, dear! How was your night?" she asked, a hint of curiosity in her voice.

"It was good! How about yours?" I replied, eager to hear about her evening.

"Pretty good too! Are you all set to go?" she inquired.

"Definitely, but I’d love to grab some breakfast first!" I said, the smell of something delicious wafting from the kitchen.

"Of course!" she responded, and we sat down to enjoy breakfast, our conversation flowing effortlessly between various topics.

“How’s Fiona doing? Is she making any progress?” Mum asked, concern lacing her voice.

"It's hard to say; she just started a new treatment," I replied, my heart a little heavy.

"I really hope it works out for her," Mum said softly.

"Same here," I agreed, wishing nothing but the best for my friend.

Once breakfast was done, we set off for the mall.

Upon arriving, we spotted Lila and Kate right in front of a Forever 21 shop, all of us buzzing with excitement.

“So, girls, are you ready to dive into the dress hunt?” Mum asked, grinning at us.

“Absolutely!” Lila and I cheered in unison, our enthusiasm palpable.

Walking into the first store, my eyes landed on a stunning navy blue dress glistening in the corner. It had delicate thin straps, an open back, and an alluring high slit. I eagerly grabbed it off the rack and rushed to try it on. But once I slipped it on, my heart sank. The slit was higher than I had anticipated, and it just didn’t feel right.

Meanwhile, Lila was in a beautiful burgundy dress that hugged her curves perfectly, with just a hint of cleavage. Despite its beauty, she ultimately decided against it, feeling a bit uncomfortable with how revealing it was.

We ventured into another store, where I discovered a gorgeous purple backless dress with sleeves that flowed to the ground. I tried it on, and though it was stunning, something just felt off. I couldn't commit to it.

Lila’s next choice was a breathtaking red strapless dress with a sweetheart neckline and a flattering slit. Seeing how much she adored it, she confidently decided that was the one.

By the time we reached the third store, I was determined to find my dream dress. After trying on a few more options, I finally spotted it—the dress that made my heart race. A dazzling satin deep emerald green gown with a high slit and an open back, it was absolutely captivating. I slipped it on and instantly fell in love. Mum and Kate beamed with approval, and their support made the decision easy.

We paid for our dresses, excitement bouncing around us, and made our way to the bustling food court for a well-deserved lunch. The perfect end to a fantastic day of dress shopping!