Shoplifting Hearts | ✓

8. pep rally

"are you sure this is a good idea?" i ask as my foot bounces up and down, disturbed nerves making themselves known in my body.

darwin turns to me, an irritated expression on his face. "kyra, for the millionth time, everything is going to be okay. i've already double-checked with a bunch of my teachers, and they said it's fine by them." i can barely hear him over the booming music coming from the instruments of the band members, so i lean a bit closer.

"i know...i'm just a bit scared, i guess." in moments, i was going to be asked to prom for the first (and last) time in my life. however, if all went accordingly with darwin's plan, i wouldn't actually be attending the dance with him—that was riley's job.

darwin sighs, hesitantly patting my back. "it's okay. you're okay," he assures. but i'm not quite sure who he's trying to assure — me or himself.

an hour passes of noisy teenagers screaming their heads off and, quite frankly, i'm surprised i don't have a massive headache; i had never liked assemblies like these. it isn't until i feel darwin shift beside me that i realize the real show has yet to begin.

he tugs me to my feet, my heart dropping to my stomach as i take in the entirety of the ocean of people surrounding me.

"are you ready?" he asks, his voice loud enough for me to hear over the yelling students but soft enough that no one else could listen in.

i simply nod, and darwin takes that as his cue to begin phase two. he turns to his left, where a bearded man stands, and holds up his hand. the man takes a mic from the stage and throws it to darwin, who catches it easily.

he looks back at me, a grin on his face. my visage, i'm sure, is nowhere close to mirroring his.

"students of aloma high!" he yells, instantly silencing the room. everyone's eyes are trained on the two of us and i shift from foot to foot uncomfortably.

"i'm darwin ramliff," he announces. murmurs start to travel around us like a flock of birds flying over a forest of trees. but darwin continues.

"and this," he points at me. "is my girlfriend, kyra milson."

i look straight at darwin because i know that if my eyes stray from him, i'll be forced to face a million judging bodies.

suddenly, he gets down on one knee and pulls a single rose from a pocket on the inside of his jacket. my heart flutters.

"we've been dating for a year now," he says into the mic, sending me a discreet wink. "and i've loved every moment of it. now, kyra, will you do me the honor of going to prom with me?"

the students are now screaming at their full capacities and whistling, but my head is a jumble of clashing thoughts. it'snotrealit'snotrealit'snotreal.

as he points the mic to me, i stand for a moment in absolute shock, not able to say a word. but i swallow my worries and speak.

"yes."

a/n: welp. i think i'd faint if someone did this for me, even if it was fake.