Delaney led him outside, where the night air was cool and refreshing. She took a deep breath, gathering her courage once more. This was it, the moment she had been waiting for. But why did it have to be so nerve-wracking? She let go of his wrist, beginning to pace in front of him out of nerves. "Okay, um, I have to tell you something and I'm scared." She confessed, her heart pounding.

"Scared? Of me?" Austin's tone was playful, but Delaney could sense a hint of nervousness in his voice.

"Never you." She reassures him, giving him a small, tentative smile. "It's just...this is hard for me to say, so please don't freak out or run away."

"Okay," Austin's brows furrows, but he nodded. "I won't, I promise."

"Okay," Delaney takes a deep breath, steadying herself. She had to get the words out. It was now or never. "So, the truth is, I...I'm in love with you, actually, more than that. I love you. And I have for a long time now, but I've been so scared and nervous and worried and anxious about it. I didn't want to risk our friendship, so I've been keeping it a secret, and it's been killing me inside. I can't keep it to myself anymore. I had to tell you. So...there. That's it. I'm in love with you. I have been since the first day I met you. You're the sweetest, most amazing, kindest, and most loving guy I've ever met. Plus you're really good looking, like super attractive-"

"Laney-" Austin tried after getting over his flustered and shocked state, but she continued.

"And the worst part is, you're my best friend. I'm so scared that I just ruined everything with us because of this stupid confession. It's so scary, and it hurts, and I wish I could just go back to pretending that my feelings weren't there, but they are and I can't keep ignoring them anymore. So I had to tell you, even if it meant losing you. I love you, Austin Monica Moon, and I can't lose you. I just can't-"

She let out a gasp that interrupts her sentence when she's suddenly pinned against the wall after he had grabbed her wrists to make her stop talking. He looked down at her, his gaze intense and heated, causing her to gulp and bite her lip nervously. He had her trapped and her heart raced with excitement and nervousness. 

"W-Why did you do that?" She managed to stutter out, trying to keep her breathing steady.

"To shut you up." Austin answered, his voice low and steady, but there was a glint of something unreadable in his eyes. Delaney's breath hitched as she tried to process what was happening. She had spent so long imagining how he might react, but this...This was unexpected.

Delaney's eyes widen, her cheeks burning. "Oh, um...W-Well, it worked-"

She doesn't get to finish her sentence before he closes the distance between them, pressing his lips firmly against hers. His grip on her wrists tightened slightly, now one hand holding them as the other moved to cup her face. She didn't react for a moment, the shock overwhelming her senses. But then, it sunk in. He was kissing her. Austin was kissing her. Her best friend, the boy she had been pining for since forever, was finally kissing her. Delaney's heart skipped a beat, her body tingling all over. She kissed him back eagerly, her eyes closing as she relaxed into his touch.

The kiss was unlike anything she had ever imagined. It was soft and sweet, but full of passion and heat. His lips were warm and tasted like the soda he had been drinking. Her body felt like it was on fire, her heart hammering in her chest. Every nerve ending was alight with electricity, her skin tingling wherever his touch lingered. It was like nothing she had ever experienced before. She was floating, her mind reeling as their lips moved in perfect sync. She had never felt more alive, more awake, more aware. The world seemed to stop, her worries and fears melting away. All that mattered was the two of them, locked in their own little world, the rest of the world forgotten.

They broke apart for air, panting heavily. They both were flushed, their eyes filled with awe and wonder. They stared at each other, speechless, neither sure of what to say or how to react. They had kissed. The weight of what had happened seemed to sink in, and suddenly, Delaney was panicking. Her mind was racing, a million thoughts swirling around. What did this mean? Did this mean anything? What was going to happen now? Would they still be friends? Could they ever go back to the way things were? She didn't want that. She couldn't go back to just being friends with him, not after tasting what could be.

Austin noticed her panicked expression and smiled gently, brushing a strand of her hair behind her ear. "Stop overthinking." He murmurs, his voice tender and warm. "I love you, Delaney Ellington."

Delaney froze, her heart skipping a beat as his words sank in. He loves her. He loves her. Her mind, which had been a whirlwind of doubts and fears, suddenly stilled, replaced by a warmth that spread through her chest and made her want to cry happy tears. She couldn't believe it. After all this time, after all her worries and anxieties, Austin loved her too. It was almost too good to be true. She couldn't help the grin that spread across her face, her eyes sparkling with joy and relief. "You...you love me?"

Austin nods, a shy smile on his face. "Yeah. I love you. I have for a long time."

Delaney's breath hitched at his confession. How long had they both been pining for each other and too scared to admit it? How much time had they wasted, too afraid to take a leap of faith? She shook her head, pushing the thoughts aside. It didn't matter. What mattered was they were here now, in this moment, together. Now that she knows he feels the same, now that she knows how his lips felt, Delaney had a hard time focusing. She didn't know if she could handle the intensity of his gaze or the way he was making her feel. She had always been drawn to him, but now, it was as if the connection between them had intensified tenfold. The pull was magnetic, irresistible, impossible to ignore.

"I love you, too, Austin Moon." She breathed, her voice barely a whisper.

The smile he gave her could have lit up the night sky, and Delaney swore she could feel her heart skip a beat. He leaned in, his eyes flickering from her lips to her gaze, as if silently asking for permission. Delaney wanted to pull him close to kiss him already, but he still held her wrists pinned against the wall. She bit her lip, nodding, giving him her answer. His lips crashed against hers once more, the kiss passionate and intense, more than the first. Now that they both know the truth, the emotions and feelings that had been suppressed for so long were free to run wild.

Delaney sighed softly into the kiss, melting against him. It was different this time. Before, the kiss had been full of nerves and hesitation. Now, it was full of love and passion. It was perfect. Their lips moved in perfect sync, their bodies pressed flush against each other. They were both on fire, the heat of the moment taking over. Austin released her wrists, his hand moving to cup her face again, while the other rested on her hip to tug her closer. Delaney was relieved she could finally to touch him, her hands slid up into his blonde hair, accidentally knocking the crown off his head. They broke the kiss and chuckled before looking down and noticing the crown was now on the ground.

"Sorry-" She started, but he just kissed her again. Her eyes closed, the world seeming to fall away around them as she got lost in the sensation. Austin's hands roamed her body, exploring every inch of her, and Delaney did the same. She wanted to commit this moment to memory, every touch, every taste, every feeling. It was everything she had dreamed of and more. She could feel her heart swell with love, a warmth spreading through her body, making her feel lighter than air. Austin was everything she could have hoped for, and more. In that moment, nothing else mattered. Just the two of them, their hearts beating as one, their bodies entwined, their souls intertwined.

After a while, they broke apart, gasping for air. Delaney's eyes widen when she suddenly felt his lips on her jawline and neck, leaving a trail of soft kisses that sent shivers down her spine. She gripped his shoulders tightly, her head tilting slightly to give him better access. It felt surreal—this moment they had both been too afraid to dream of, now unfolding with so much intensity and passion.

"Austin..." She whispered, her voice trembling with a mix of emotion and desire. Her hands slid down to rest on his chest, feeling the rapid thump of his heartbeat. It matched hers, wild and unsteady, a testament to the whirlwind of feelings they were both experiencing.

Austin pulled back slightly, his gaze tender and full of adoration as he stared at her. "Yeah, I know." He murmured, his thumb lightly tracing circles on her hip.

"We should probably head back inside, right?" She suggested, her voice hoarse and barely a whisper. She didn't want the moment to end, but she knew they had to go back inside, no matter how tempting staying outside and continuing their activities was.

"We could..." Austin said, his eyes flickering from her gaze to her lips. "Or, we could just stay out here a bit longer. They probably won't even notice we're gone." He teased, leaning in to press a gentle kiss on the corner of her lips.

Delaney laughs, nodding, the sound like music to his ears. "Okay, I think I can agree to that."

Austin grinned, his eyes sparkling with joy and mischief. He pressed his lips against hers again, this time with a little more force and hunger. She responded eagerly, wrapping her arms around his neck to bring him closer. She gasped when suddenly his hips were grinding against hers, his hardness evident even through the layers of clothing separating them. She never felt this before, she didn't know what he was doing, but it felt good. So, so good. She tried copying his movements, rolling her hips into his. He groaned at the action, his grip on her waist tightening.

They stayed outside, tangled up in each other, kissing and grinding for who knows how long. It could have been hours or minutes. Neither of them could tell, nor did they care. All that mattered was the two of them, their lips locked in a passionate embrace, their bodies molded together, their hearts beating as one. They were lost in their own little world, wrapped up in a cocoon of warmth and desire. It was a perfect moment, one that they both knew they would never forget. When they finally pulled apart, breathless and flushed, Delaney could feel her legs were wobbly, her heart pounding, and her mind racing. Austin's face was a mix of pride and lust, his eyes filled with a new light that made her knees weak. 

He reaches out to hold her hand, lacing their fingers together, his gaze never leaving hers. "Ready to go back inside, Queen Delaney?"

Delaney nods biting her lower lip, unable to stop smiling. "As long as I'm with you, King Austin."

The rest of the night went by in a blur. They couldn't keep their hands off each other, constantly stealing kisses and glances. Everyone could tell the pair was on cloud nine, but no one dared comment on it. When the prom was finally over, the two left the school hand in hand, both grinning from ear to ear. It was a night neither of them would ever forget.

"So," Austin said, pausing when they were standing outside her house. "Tonight was amazing."

Delaney nods, a shy smile tugging at her lips. "It really was." She pauses, her brows furrowing as a thought occurred to her. "What happens now? Do we just...Go back to being friends?" She asked, her tone unsure. She didn't want to. But if he did, then she would suck it up and try her best to move on.

"No," Austin replies, his gaze steady and his tone serious. "No, I don't think we can go back after tonight. I want us to be more than friends, Laney."

Delaney's breath caught, her heart hammering in her chest. "Really?"

"Really." Austin confirmed, squeezing her hand reassuringly.

She let out a shaky laugh, nodding. "I...I want that too." She admitted, her cheeks flushing.

Austin grins, the moonlight highlighting his features and making him look even more handsome. He pulls back, bending down on one knee while holding her hand. "So, Queen Delaney, will you do me the honor of being my girlfriend?"

She laughs, blush tinging her cheeks, her eyes bright. "Yes, a thousand times yes, King Austin."

He stood up, grinning from ear to ear, and wrapped his arms around her. He pulled her close, their bodies pressed together, and captured her lips in a tender, loving kiss. It was a moment both had only dreamed of, and now, it was reality. The world around them seemed to fade away, the stars above shining brighter than ever before. They were lost in their own little universe, their hearts swelling with love and happiness. It was a perfect moment, one they knew would stay with them for the rest of their lives.

"Best prom ever." She mumbled against his lips, earning a small laugh.

"Yeah, definitely." He agrees, his hand coming up to caress her cheek. "I love you, Delaney Jade Ellington."

"I love you too, Austin Monica Moon." She murmured, her heart skipping a beat at the declaration.

"Again with the middle name." He groaned playfully, rolling his eyes, causing her to giggle. 

"Only fair since you used my middle name." She commented.

He grins at her giggle, leaning closer to kiss the tip of her nose, smiling at her while her nose scrunched up as she smiled at him. "But seriously, I love you."

"I love you too, so, so much." She replied, her smile never leaving her lips. She pulled him closer, their lips meeting in another heated kiss. They stayed like that for a while, wrapped up in each other's embrace, the stars twinkling above. It was a magical night, one that neither would ever forget. Definitely like they said, best prom night ever.