Page 18 of Shattered Melodies

I nodded, taking a deep breath to steady myself. “Yeah, you’re right. But Liam… can we just stay here for a few more minutes? I’m not ready to let go of this moment just yet.”

Liam smiled, pressing a soft kiss to my forehead. “Of course.”

And so we did, standing there under the stars and holding onto each other like a lifeline. It was a moment I knew I would remember forever, a moment that marked the beginning of something new and beautiful and terrifying and wonderful all at once.

CHAPTER 5

Crescendo

LIAM

Senior Year

My hands were shaking as I tried to adjust my bow tie for the hundredth time. It was prom night, and I was a bundle of nerves and excitement, my stomach doing somersaults like it was training for the Olympics.

A whole year had passed since Caleb and I had first kissed under the stars, and sometimes I still couldn’t believe it was real. That he was mine, and I was his, and that we had somehow managed to keep our relationship a secret from everyone except our closest friends.

But tonight felt different. Like maybe it was time to stop hiding, to let the world see us for who we really were. The thought was both thrilling and terrifying, and I could feel my heart pounding in my chest as I fiddled with my bow tie again.

“Oh my god, Liam, you look fine!” Sarah groaned from where she was sprawled out on my bed, looking like a movie star in her stunning blue gown. “We’re going to be late if you don’t hurry up!”

I shot her a sheepish grin, turning away from the mirror. “Sorry, sorry. I just want everything to be perfect, you know?”

She rolled her eyes, but I could see the fondness in her expression. “It will be. Now come on, let me fix that for you before you strangle yourself.”

She hopped off the bed and came over to me, batting my hands away and adjusting my bow tie with a few deft movements. “There. Now you look like a regular Prince Charming.”

I laughed, feeling some of the tension drain out of my shoulders. “Thanks, Sarah. For everything. I don’t know what I would do without you.”

She smiled, pulling me into a hug. “That’s what friends are for, dummy. Now let’s go knock ‘em dead.”

Just then, a car horn honked outside, and I felt my heart skip a beat. Caleb. He was here, waiting for me, and suddenly I couldn’t wait to see him.

I grabbed my phone, checking the text he had sent a few minutes earlier. “We’re here,” it said, followed by a string of heart emojis that made me grin like an idiot.

“They’re here,” I said, stuffing my phone in my pocket and taking a deep breath. “You ready?”

Sarah nodded, grabbing her clutch and slipping her arm through mine. “Let’s do this.”

We headed downstairs, trying to be as quiet as possible. My parents were in the living room, watching some boring news program, and I didn’t want to risk getting into another argument with them about my “priorities” or my “future.”

They thought Sarah was my date for the night, and I wasn’t about to correct them. It was easier this way, even if it made my stomach twist with guilt and frustration.

My heart was pounding as we made our way downstairs, Sarah’s arm linked through mine. I could hear my parents’ voices drifting out from the living room, and I braced myself for the inevitable confrontation.

“Liam? Is that you?” my mom called out, and I froze, my hand on the doorknob.

“Yeah, Mom. We’re just heading out,” I said, trying to keep my voice steady.

She appeared in the hallway, her eyes widening as she took in our formal attire. “Oh, don’t you two look wonderful! Let me get a picture before you go.”

I groaned internally, but Sarah just smiled and squeezed my arm. “That would be great, Mrs. H.”

As my mom fussed over us, straightening my tie and smoothing down Sarah’s dress, I caught sight of my dad hovering in the background. He had that stern, disapproving look on his face that I knew all too well.

“Remember, Liam,” he said gruffly. “Don’t do anything that would embarrass us. Keep your head on straight.”

I felt a flash of anger and hurt, but I swallowed it down and nodded. “I will, Dad. Don’t worry.”

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