Chapter 9
Chapter Nine
Izzy
By the time the final bell rings, my entire body hums with pent-up frustration.
I shouldn’t care this much. It’s a stupid dress.
But that’s the thing. It wasn’t about the dress.
It was about control. It was about Tara and Lisa trying to remind me that no matter how far I’ve come, they still think they can take me down.
They’re wrong.
I shove my books into my locker with more force than needed. The locker slams shut, and when I turn around, Xavier is already there, arms crossed, watching me as if he’s waiting for me to snap. I won’t. Not yet.
He jerks his chin toward the doors. “Come on. We’re plotting.”
Mia and Nolan fall into step with us as we push out, heading toward Xavier’s pickup. The second we’re in, the doors slam shut, and Mia spins in her seat, eyes alight with a dangerous level of excitement.
“Okay, tell me we’re committing crimes.”
Nolan groans. “Please. Let’s not.”
I lean back, crossing my arms. “We’re not committing crimes.”
Mia huffs. “Boring.”
Xavier drums his fingers on the steering wheel. “We are, however, going to make sure Tara and Lisa regret ever messing with you.”
I raise a brow. “Go on.”
He grins. “Okay, here’s the play: we’re flipping their own game on them. Do you know how The Senior Tea posted that poll? And how Tara and Lisa have been all over social media, acting like they already won?”
I nod because yeah, they’ve been unbearable.
“Well,” he continues, his eyes glinting with something almost wicked, “what if they weren’t exactly able to make it to Homecoming?”
Mia gasps. “Are you suggesting sabotage?”
“I’m suggesting misdirection.” Xavier leans back, completely unbothered. “See, Tara and Lisa have a Homecoming glam appointment at La Belle Beauty Lounge tomorrow afternoon. Hair, makeup, and spray tans. The whole deal.”
Mia’s jaw drops. “And you know this how?”
“Lisa has a big mouth and a habit of talking too loudly in the halls.” He smirks. “So, we call in a little… scheduling error.”
I tilt my head. “What kind of scheduling error?”
“One that accidentally moves their appointment to Sunday instead of Saturday.”
Mia cackles. “Holy shit. They’d have no time to fix it. Every decent salon is already fully booked.”
“Exactly.” Xavier’s grin widens. “By the time they figure it out, it’ll be too late. No hair, no makeup, no fake tan. They’ll be scrambling.”
Nolan exhales through his nose. “This is why I’m going to hell.”
I can’t help it. A small smirk tugs at my lips. “I like it.”
Xavier’s eyes meet mine, and for a second, everything else fades. This whole week has been a mess, but in this moment, sitting in his truck, planning payback, it doesn’t feel so heavy.
Mia claps her hands. “All right, let’s get this show on the road. But first, dress shopping.”
I groan. “Can we not?”
“Oh, we can,” Mia grins. “Especially now that I have a personal mission. Making sure you look so hot that Tara spontaneously combusts at the sight of you.”
Xavier coughs, shifting in his seat. “Great. Love that.”
Nolan chuckles. “Dude, you’re in trouble.”
I should’ve known Mia would drag me to the fanciest boutique in town. I don’t do “fancy.” I do comfortable. But Mia is on a mission, and there’s no stopping her.
An hour and a half later, I’m standing in a dressing room, staring at my reflection in the mirror.
The dress is perfect. Deep red, fitted to hug my waist and flare just enough at the bottom. The neckline dips, but not too much, and the fabric shimmers under the soft light. I look… different. Strong. Like someone who belongs on that Homecoming stage.
I take a slow breath, smoothing my hands down the skirt, then push back the curtain.
Mia gasps so hard she chokes on air. “Holy…Izzy. Izzy.”
Nolan lets out a low whistle. “Yeah. That’s the one.”
And then I look at Xavier. He’s silent. His eyes drag over me slowly and carefully, as if his brain short-circuited. His mouth opens, then closes. Then opens again. Nothing comes out.
Mia elbows him. “Xavier?”
He blinks. Clears his throat. Looks completely wrecked. “Uh. Yeah. That’s… wow.”
Mia smirks. “Oh, he’s gone.”
Xavier scowls, but his ears are red.
I fight a grin. “So you approve?”
He exhales, running a hand through his hair. “Yeah. I approve.”
Mia practically vibrates with glee. “Oh, tomorrow is going to be fun.” For the first time all week, I actually believe her.
It’s the night of the Homecoming dance, and Mia has been at my house since six this morning. I swear, something isn’t right with this girl. We splurged on pampering ourselves all day. Now it’s time to get dressed.
I smooth my hands down the fabric of my dress for what has to be the hundredth time, even though I know it’s perfect. Mia made sure of that.
"Stop fidgeting," she scolds, standing behind me in the mirror. "You look stunning. If you mess up that dress before Xavier sees it, I swear I'll..."
I roll my eyes but smile anyway. "Yeah, yeah."
She’s already in her dress, a shimmering emerald green that makes her look like she stepped out of a fairytale. Her short, dark hair is pinned back, revealing the excitement in her eyes.
I exhale, feeling the weight of the night settle over me. It's not nerves about Homecoming. Not really. It's the fact that this is one of those moments. The kind that’ll stick with me forever. A big part of me wishes my mom were here to see it.
The sound of a car door slamming outside pulls me from my thoughts. Mia peeks out the window and grins. “They’re here.”
By the time Mia and I make it down the stairs, my dad is already waiting in the living room, his camera in hand, grinning like an idiot.
"You look beautiful, kiddo," he says as I step into the living room. His voice is soft, as if he knows tonight is a big deal.
"Thanks, Dad."
Before he can get too sentimental, the doorbell rings. Mia practically flies to answer it, and when she swings the door open, Nolan steps inside, looking sharp in a black suit that perfectly matches Mia’s dress.
"You clean up nice," I tease.
Nolan smirks. "So do you."
Then another car door slams. My heart does a weird flip in my chest because I already know who it is. Xavier.
I turn in time to see him walking up the driveway. And wow. He looks good. More than good. He looks edible and delicious.
He’s in a black suit, and the tie matches my dress in color, slightly loosened, looking so effortlessly put together that it’s almost unfair. His dark hair is styled just enough to look intentional yet still messy, as if he ran his fingers through it too many times.
But the best part? The second he sees me, he stops dead in his tracks.
Mia nudges Nolan. "Oh my God, he's doing that thing again."
Xavier swallows hard, his jaw working like he’s trying to find words and failing spectacularly. Finally, he exhales. "Wow."
I raise a brow. "That’s all you got?"
He clears his throat, taking a few steps closer. "You look…" He stops, shaking his head. "There aren't even words, Izzy."
Mia squeals. "I knew it. He’s gone!"
Nolan groans. "Can we take the damn pictures before she explodes?"
My dad positions us in every possible combination, from individual shots and pairings to group photos. He even makes us do a ridiculous “fun” pose with Mia and Nolan in dramatic prom-style dips while Xavier and I stand awkwardly, both trying not to laugh.
And for the first time in a long time, I don’t feel the weight of what’s missing. I feel… happy.
Because even though my mom isn’t here, these people are. And maybe, just maybe, that’s enough.
Xavier rented a freaking limo. Because, of course, he did. When we climb inside, Mia is already hyped up on sheer excitement and possibly sugar, while Nolan tries to act unimpressed but fails when he sees the snack bar.
Xavier slides in beside me, close enough that his arm brushes mine. "You okay?" he asks quietly, his voice meant only for me.
Those two words mean the world to me. I glance at him, at the way his eyes search mine, as if he already knows the answer. I nod. "Yeah. I think I am."
He holds my gaze for a second longer, then nods. "Good."
As the limo pulls away toward a night we won’t forget, I let myself believe it.