Chapter 2 — Fractured Expectations

Emma

I slammed the door to my room behind me, the echo vibrating through the house. My chest felt tight, like I couldn’t draw a full breath. My phone was still clutched in my hand, the screen dark now, but Jason’s text burned in my mind like it had been seared there permanently.

*“I think it’s better this way. Alyssa and I have more in common. Sorry, Em. Hope you understand.”*

I sank onto the edge of my bed, my gold gown fanning out around me like a pool of sunlight. My reflection caught me in the full-length mirror, and I froze. There I was—Emma Calloway, the “golden girl.” My chestnut waves perfectly styled, makeup flawless, gown shimmering like it was spun from sunlight. But my hazel eyes, framed by brows I’d meticulously shaped, were red-rimmed, brimming with tears I couldn’t hold back.

I hated this. Hated that Jason and Alyssa had this much power over me. Hated the tears that kept falling, smudging the mascara I’d so carefully applied. But beneath the anger was something worse—a nagging whisper that maybe this was my fault. That maybe I wasn’t enough.

I sank onto a bed, careful not to wrinkle the skirt of my gown, and buried my face in my hands. The room was too quiet, the kind of silence that made every thought louder, sharper. The faint scent of magnolia perfume lingered in the air, a cruel reminder of the effort I’d poured into tonight.

Why Alyssa? Why her? Was it her flawless Instagram posts, her effortless charm, or the way she made it all seem so easy? The comparison stung, unraveling every thread of confidence I’d stitched together over the years.

A knock at the door shattered the silence.

“Emma, it’s me,” Harper’s voice called from the other side.

I didn’t answer. A moment later, the door creaked open anyway, and Harper stepped in like a whirlwind, her presence filling the room. She was still in her sweats, her dark curls piled into a messy bun—a sharp contrast to my glittering misery.

“Oh, no,” she said, taking one look at me. “He’s an idiot. A complete and utter idiot.”

I let out a shaky laugh, though it sounded more like a sob. “You don’t even know what happened.”

“I don’t need to. You’re in a prom dress, sitting on your bed, looking like someone kicked your puppy. Obviously, Jason did something stupid. What did he do?”

I hesitated, but the words tumbled out anyway. “He dumped me. For Alyssa Lane. Via text.”

Harper’s jaw dropped. “That slimy, no-good.” She cut herself off, probably realizing my mom could hear her from down the hall. “He dumped her for her? And over text? Wow. Just wow. I knew he peaked in sophomore year, but this is a new low.”

I smiled weakly, but it faded just as fast. “Everyone’s going to know, Harper. Everyone. They’re probably already talking about it. I can’t go to prom now. I’ll be the pathetic girl who got ditched.”

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