As soon as Millie heard the news, she was ecstatic. Finally, those stuffy bastards had realized what they were missing. Took them long enough, but better late than never. She insisted on helping Misty get ready, even though Misty was somewhat reluctant at first. Millie didn't quite understand her reluctance, but she chalked it up to nerves and didn't think twice about it. It wasn't anything a killer outfit couldn't fix.

Millie was right. Misty was nervous, but not for the reasons Millie was thinking. Scottie had been texting her all night and she worried that he would text her while Millie was helping her get ready and the secret would be out. She tried to tell Millie she could handle getting ready on her own, but she was having none of it.

Millie immediately took charge and started rummaging through Misty's closet like a mad-woman. She was determined to find the perfect outfit. One that excluded confidence and intellect. Something alluring, but not too seductive. Eye-catching, yet simple and demure. It was a daunting task, but Millie was up for the challenge.

"Okay," Millie said as she frantically threw a pile of dresses onto her bed. "So, I've narrowed it down to 10 potentials. What I'm going to need you to do is sort them into three piles, "yes," "no," and "maybe." Got it?"

Misty nodded her head and Millie began spreading out the dresses on her bed so they could see them better. While Millie was busy with that, Misty heard her cell phone ping and her heart skipped a beat. She discreetly pulled her phone halfway out of her pocket to see who it was. When she saw a text from Scottie, she quickly turned her back on Millie so she couldn't see.

They're just about done setting up. I saved you a spot next to me. Best seat in the house 😉

Misty's eyes darted towards Millie. She wanted to make sure she was still preoccupied before she answered. Millie was busy deciding between two seemingly identical dresses, so the coast was clear.

Thanks, Misty typed back.She tucked her phone back in her pocket. It stayed there for all of two seconds before she started overthinking her text. She didn't want to seem too cold, so she whipped out her phone and shot him a smiley face to soften it up a bit.

Those three little dots appeared on her screen almost immediately after she sent it. Misty looked back and forth between her phone and Millie, anxiously awaiting his message. When she looked down again, a string of kissy faces popped up, followed by three more dots. They danced around for a bit, then disappeared and reappeared again as he second-guessed the risky text he was about to send her. After some debate, he decided just to send it.

Mind sending me a preview of what you're going to wear tonight?

Misty looked to Millie who was painstakingly picking through that pile of dresses. Her pile of 10 had somehow doubled and she had thrown shoes and jewelry into the mix, too.

I haven't decided yet

All right, I'll let it be a surprise. See you then 😘

"Are you gonna help me or what?" Millie said, snapping her back to reality.

"Yeah, yeah," Misty said.

She shot Scottie a quick, Looking forward to it, and then shoved her phone back in her pocket. She walked over to the bed to see what Millie had picked out. She looked over them briefly and then pulled out a slinky black velvet floor-length dress. She held it up in the mirror as she tilted her head to the side.

"I like this one," she decided.

"You didn't even separate them into piles," Millie said in a disapproving tone.

Misty simply shrugged and popped the dress on.

"I don't need to," she said. "This is the one I want."

Misty picked out a pair of black heels, a necklace, and a clutch just as easily. Millie was disappointed, but she couldn't stay too mad because every piece Misty picked out was absolutely perfect.

"Okay, but I get to do your make-up," Millie said as she forced Misty into her make-up chair.

***

Thanks to Millie's speedy make-up skills, Misty arrived exactly on time. Even though she was right on the nose, the hall was already filled. Students, teachers, and notable alumni milled about laughing and sipping red wine. Waiters and waitresses weaved in and out, balancing trays filled with appetizers and signature cocktails. At the front of the room was a string quartet playing classical music. It was all very posh, and honestly a little surreal.

Misty felt unsure and out of place. She wasn't exactly on speaking terms with the rest of the attendees and she had no idea where her seat was. Everyone else was standing up and walking around, so she didn't even know if she was supposed to sit down. She hadn't been to a lot of these types of events, so she felt lost. She was looking around, trying to decide what to do, when she felt a gentle touch on the small of her back. She was grateful to see Scottie standing next to her.

"I got you a drink," he said and handed her a glass of wine. "It's no Dom Perignon, but it's all right."

"Oh thank God," she said and took the glass with a thankful smile.

Misty was so relieved to see a familiar face, any fear she had of being seen with him disappeared. She was actually glad he was there with her. Misty had a lot of talents, but mingling wasn't one of them. Scottie, on the other hand, was a total pro. All she had to do was stick by him, let him introduce her to some people and she'd be set.

"Come on," Scottie said, taking her hand. "I'll show you to our table."

Misty let him pull her along, happy that he had taken her under his wing. With her hand in his, her discomfort melted away. That was until she saw where he was taking her. They were heading straight towards the head table. The table where The Assemblymen were seated. Misty stopped dead in her tracks. She quickly realized dreaming of living in Scottie's world and actually living it was two totally different things.

"There?" She questioned with uncertainty.

"Yes," Scottie laughed. "Where else is the valedictorian going to sit?"

"I don't know," Misty said, still refusing to move. "In the back like I always do?"

"Not today," he said, shaking his head. "This is your time to shine."

Misty thought over what he said and was once again reassured by his encouragement. She dropped his hand and smoothed out her dress, ready to fly on her own. She marched confidently to the head table and took the seat next to Lady Katina that was rightfully hers.

"Good Evening, Miss Tarby," Lady Katina said with a welcoming smile. "So glad you could make it."

Misty was surprised by the warm greeting, but she didn't let it throw her off. She didn't know why she was suddenly being so nice to her, but she wasn't going to question it. She was going to kick back and enjoy the good things in life for once.

"Good Evening," she said. "Thank you so much for inviting me. I'm truly honored."

"I'm sure you are, dear," Lady Katina said. "As you should be."

"Yes, ma'am, I don't take it lightly."

Lady Katina took a long sip from her wine glass then set it down gently. She eyed Misty up and down as she rolled her pearl necklace between her fingers.

"So, tell me, what are you most proud of?"

Misty cleared her throat nervously as she prepared to answer her question. It felt more like a job interview than a pleasant conversation, but she was going to embrace it as an opportunity to show herself off. Scottie bragged about himself all the time, why couldn't she?

"I would say I'm most proud of my work ethic. When I was young, my father always told me talent can only take you so far. Success comes to those who work hard and never give up."

By the time she had finished answering the question, Misty had captured the attention of the entire table. Lady Katina nodded along quietly, weighing her answer and determining it's worth. After some consideration, Lady Katina cracked a smile and said, "very nice." The rest of the table followed suit and broke into smiles of, dare she say admiration. Misty smiled back, feeling relieved that they seemed to enjoy her answer.

A slew of questions came her way, but she answered them all with grace and precision. They smiled along, engaged her, and made her feel like she belonged. The night couldn't have been going any better if she planned it.

While Misty was enjoying the moment, Scottie became inexplicably nervous and uncomfortable. His eyes flickered towards the clock. It was nearing 8 o'clock. The time of the night when Recognition would start.

"Hey," he blurted out to Lady Katina, cutting off her next question for Misty. "Looks like you need a refill. Misty, you wanna give me a hand?"

Everyone at the table exchanged glances in reaction to Scottie's uncharacteristic social unawareness. Misty was especially confused, but she didn't want to seem rude by refusing to get Lady Katina a drink, so she went along with it. She and Scottie headed to the bar together, him not looking at her or saying a word. When they got to the bar, Scottie locked eyes with one of his friends from across the room. Scottie gave him an ominous nod and his friend immediately got up from his seat and left the room.

"Can you grab me a scotch?" Scottie asked Misty. "I gotta hit the men's room."

He gave her a hearty pat on the shoulder like he was her little league coach and then peeled off in the opposite direction before she could even say "okay." She didn't think much of it at the time. She was more focused on ordering the drinks and getting back to her conversation with Lady Katina. Looking back on it, she wished she had paid more attention. Although she didn't know it then, that moment was the beginning of the end.