The punch table was exactly what you'd expect from a high school prom: plastic cups, suspiciously red liquid, and Josh hovering like a proud scientist.

"I told you," he said, already on his second cup. "Jack said the football guys got here early. This thing is definitely spiked."

"Josh," Maya warned, eyeing the bowl, "if we die tonight, I'm haunting you first."

I took a cup anyway. I wasn't stupid—I took a small sip—but it burned just enough to confirm Josh wasn't lying.

"Yep," I said. "That's not fruit juice."

Luke sniffed his cup like it might confess something. "This is incredibly unsafe."

"Live a little," Josh said. "Or at least mildly poison yourself."

Luke hesitated, then took a sip. He coughed once, quietly, like he was offended by the concept.

I was about to say something when Maya went completely still beside me.

"Oh no," she said.

I followed her gaze.

The girl had that look—the kind you recognize instantly even if you haven't seen it in years. Pale blonde hair, perfectly styled, not a strand out of place. Pretty in a sharp way. The kind of pretty that looked like it knew it was pretty and resented you for noticing.

She was laughing too loudly at something a football player said, hand already on his arm like she owned the space.

I squinted.

"...Wait," I said slowly. "I know her."

Maya's eyes widened. "No way. Victoria is in our school now?"

That clicked.

"Oh my God," I said. "Victoria. Vic."

Josh leaned forward, curious. "Vic from kindergarten?"

We all looked again.

She flipped her hair, smiling sweetly at the football player, eyes cold.

"Yeah," I said. "That's her."

Josh frowned. "Wait—she's always trying to talk to you in P.E."

Luke blinked. "Who?"

Josh pointed.

Maya immediately slapped his hand down. "Don't point. That's rude."

Luke followed the direction anyway. His expression didn't change much—just mild recognition.

"Oh," he said. "Yeah. She is."

"Do not talk to her," Maya said immediately.

Luke glanced at her. "Why?"

"She's a total bully."

"I'm sure she's better now," Luke said, casually.

That made me tilt my head.

"Are you defending her?" I asked.

"No," he said. "I'm just proposing a possibility."

I took another sip of punch, watching him over the rim of my cup.

"Do you like her?" I asked, smirking just a little.

Luke frowned. "What? No."

Josh grinned. "That was fast."

"I don't even know her," Luke added.

"That didn't stop her from knowing you," Maya muttered.

Victoria's eyes flicked our way then—sharp, assessing. She noticed Luke instantly. Her smile shifted. Calculated. Curious.

I felt it in my gut before anything actually happened.

"Oh," I said quietly. "This is going to be fun."

Maya groaned. "I hate prom."

Victoria didn't come over right away.
Of course she didn't.

She did that thing where she noticed you—really noticed you—and then deliberately didn't acknowledge your existence, like attention was currency and she was deciding when to spend it. Instead, she leaned closer to the football guy, laughed too loud again, and let her fingers trail up his arm.

Josh gagged theatrically. "I think I just lost years of my life watching that."

Maya crossed her arms. "She hasn't changed. I can feel it in my bones."

Luke, annoyingly, stayed neutral. He sipped his punch again, slower this time, like he was trying to analyze the chemical composition. "You're all judging her based on, what, ten seconds?"

I stared at him. "Based on knowing her since kindergarten."

"That's not—"

"She stole my glitter crayons and told everyone I ate glue," I continued.

Luke blinked. "You did eat glue."

"That was one time," I snapped. "And it was grape-flavored."

Josh laughed so hard he nearly spilled his drink. "Okay, but that explains a lot."

Before Luke could defend Victoria again—or before I could push him into the punch bowl—she made her move.

She excused herself from the football player with a hand to his chest, whispered something that made him grin like an idiot, and then walked toward us.

Straight toward Luke.

Maya grabbed my arm. "Oh no."

Henry, who had been scanning the room nervously for Sophia, stiffened. "Is she coming here?"

"Yes," I said flatly. "Yes, she is."

Victoria stopped just close enough to Luke that I felt it was invasive.

"Hi," she said, smiling at him and only him. "You're Luke, right?"

Luke straightened automatically, like someone had flipped a politeness switch. "Yeah. Hi."

"I'm Victoria." She tilted her head. "I just transferred this year."

"I know," Maya muttered.

Victoria ignored her completely.

"I've seen you around," Victoria continued. "You play football now, right?"

Luke shook his head. "No. Josh does."

Josh waved. "Hey."

She glanced at him for half a second, then dismissed him with her eyes and turned back to Luke. "Still. Everyone talks about you."

Luke shifted, uncomfortable. I could see it—the way he didn't know where to put his hands, the way his shoulders tightened.

"That's... not really necessary," he said.

Victoria laughed softly. "You're modest. I like that."

I leaned forward. "Weird. Most people don't."

Victoria finally looked at me.

Her eyes swept over my dress, slow and deliberate, like she was checking off a list.

"Oh," she said. "Maddie. It has been a while."

I smiled sweetly. "Yeah but not too long I fear."

Her smile tightened just a fraction. "Luke's told me so much about you."

I choked on my punch. "He has?"

Luke snapped his head toward me. "I have not."

Victoria placed a hand lightly on his arm. Too lightly. Too familiar. "You don't have to deny it."

Maya made a gagging noise. Loudly.

Victoria looked at Maya finally lifting an eyebrow "Maya"

"Bitch" Maya murmured and then Josh elbowed her "Vic, I said Vic"

"And Josh... I see the band is all together still." Victoria commented looking at us three "no wait it's missing the other one with locks."

"Henry..." Maya mumbled .

"Yeah that one. Have you lost him."

"Not yet." I replied

"So many memories of you, guys. It's amazing to see you again." She said irony floating all over her body.

"I wish we could say the same." I replied, Luke looked at me with a frown as if telling me to be polite, with just that one look.

"Always so nice, Maddie." She smiled laying a hand on top of Luke's chest. "Are you still impulsive as always."

That word made me bite the inside of my bottom lip trying to contain myself to not slap her or do her anything.

"You still bitchy as always though." Maya replied finished her drink and interlocking her hand with mine

Victoria ignored her again. "Anyway," she said to Luke, "I was wondering if you wanted to dance."

The music shifted right on cue—slow song. Of course.

Luke froze.

I watched him hesitate, watched the gears turn in his head: be polite, don't cause a scene, don't hurt feelings.

And suddenly, irrationally, that annoyed me.

Victoria didn't even wait for an answer.

She smiled at Luke—victorious, satisfied—and slid her fingers around his wrist like it was the most natural thing in the world. He barely had time to register what was happening before she was already pulling him toward the dance floor.

I stayed frozen, my hand still half-raised from where it had been holding my cup.

"I don't like that," Josh said again, louder this time.

"Yeah," I muttered. "Same."

Maya's grip on my hand tightened. "Oh, I hate that."

We watched them disappear into the crowd, the lights dimming further as the slow song swelled. Victoria fit herself against Luke like she'd rehearsed it—one arm sliding up around his neck, her body angled just right so anyone looking would think they belonged together.

Luke looked... stiff.

Awkward. Like he was holding a live wire and didn't know where to put it down.

"That is not a 'having fun' face," Maya said flatly.

Josh squinted. "That's a 'please get me out of here without being rude' face."

I swallowed, my jaw tightening without my permission.

"She didn't even ask," I said. "She just—took him."

Maya snorted. "Classic Victoria. Consent has always been more of a suggestion to her."

I didn't laugh.

Instead, something warm and unpleasant curled in my chest, sharp at the edges. I told myself it was annoyance. Protective instinct. Old grudges resurfacing.

Definitely not jealousy.

"I swear," Maya went on, "if she tries to kiss him—"

"She won't," I said quickly.

Both of them looked at me.

"She won't," I repeated, firmer, though I wasn't entirely sure why. "Luke would never."

Josh tilted his head. "You sound very confident about that."

I shot him a look. "I know him."

That shut him up, surprisingly.

Across the dance floor, Victoria leaned in, clearly saying something in Luke's ear. He nodded politely—of course he did—but his eyes scanned the room like he was searching for an exit. For a second, they flicked toward us.

Toward me.

Our eyes met.

Just for a beat.

His brows drew together, like he wanted to say something—like he was asking a question without words.

I didn't answer. I didn't even know what the question was.

Then Victoria laughed, loud and bright, and pulled his attention back to her, spinning slightly so her dress flared and caught the light.

Maya groaned. "I cannot watch this sober."

She grabbed a fresh cup from a passing tray and shoved it into my hand. "Drink."

"I'm fine."

"You are not fine," she said. "You're doing that thing where your jaw gets tight and you pretend you don't care."

Josh nodded. "Yeah, that's the face you made right before you punched that girl in detention."

"That was different."

"How?" Maya asked.

I opened my mouth.

Closed it.

Didn't have an answer.

Across the room, the song ended. People clapped, cheered, immediately shifting into something faster, louder. Victoria didn't let go of Luke right away. She said something else—something meant just for him—and this time, his lips pressed into a thin line.

Then, finally, he stepped back.

Said something short.

Polite.

Final.

Victoria's smile faltered for half a second before she recovered, brushing a hand down his arm like a parting signature.

Luke walked straight toward us.

I didn't realize I'd been holding my breath until he stopped in front of me.

"That," he said, exhaling, "was uncomfortable."

Maya clapped once. "Blessed words."

Josh grinned. "Did you survive?"

Luke nodded. "Barely."

Victoria lingered behind him, watching. Waiting.

Luke didn't look back.

Instead, he glanced at me. "You okay?"

The question caught me off guard.

I lifted my chin. "Why wouldn't I be?"

He studied my face for a second longer than necessary, like he didn't quite buy it.