Four months passed like a blur.
Four months of Chris forcing herself to move on.
Four months of pretending she didn't care anymore about that masked man… that monster night… that strange presence that once followed her everywhere.
And finally, she really did stop investigating.
Life became normal again. As normal as it could be.
Prom was coming near, and the whole school turned into a chaos warzone. Girls were screaming about dresses; boys were losing their minds over partners; the corridors became fashion runways.
Henry leaned against his locker looking absolutely done with life.
"These girls are crazy," he groaned.
Twilight raised a brow. "What happened now?"
Henry gave him a deadpan look.
"All the girls. EVERY girl. They're asking me to be their prom date."
Twilight smirked. "Oho, Mr. Popular."
"Shut up."
"You have two options," Twilight said, crossing his arms.
Henry looked at him suspiciously. "What two options?"
Twilight lifted a finger. "One… say yes to the most beautiful girl who asked you."
Henry blinked.
Twilight lifted his second finger.
"Or two… go ask the girl you ACTUALLY want to go with."
Henry froze.
Twilight's smirk widened.
"Ahh, so there really IS someone."
Henry quickly looked away, cheeks a little red.
"I–I don't know what you're talking about."
"Sure you don't," Twilight teased.
While the boys talked, Lily and Chris were struggling in the school boutique shop.
No—Lily was struggling.
Chris was thriving.
Dress after dress, color after color — Chris enjoyed trying everything like she was preparing for a movie shoot. Meanwhile, Lily was half-dead sitting on a small stool.
"Chris… I swear… I'm going to faint," Lily muttered.
Chris twirled in a new midnight-blue dress.
"How's this?"
"Beautiful," Lily said without even looking. "Just buy it. Please. Save me."
Chris giggled. "We still have twenty more."
Lily died inside.
After trying dresses for what felt like her entire lifetime, Lily finally snapped.
"Okay, stop. Tell me something important: did Henry ask you to be his date?"
Chris froze.
Her cheeks instantly went pink.
"N–No… not yet."
Lily sighed, watching her pick another dress.
"You're hopeless."
Chris quietly smiled, hiding the warmth on her face.
Next day at school, chaos continued.
Twilight was searching for Chris like he was on a mission.
He found her near the courtyard fountain, staring at a dress catalog. The winter breeze carried her hair slightly, and something about her looked peaceful — almost too peaceful.
Twilight walked up with his usual smirk.
But his eyes… felt different.
"Hey," he said, trying to sound casual.
Chris looked up. "Hmm?"
"So… prom is coming."
Chris nodded. "Everyone's gone crazy about it."
"Yeah… totally insane." Twilight scratched the back of his head. "Sooo… I was wondering…"
Chris blinked. "What?"
Twilight took a breath.
"Will you go to prom with me?"
Quiet.
Just silence for a moment.
Chris's heart jumped in a way she didn't expect.
"You're asking… me?"
"Yeah," Twilight said softly. "You. Only you."
She looked at him—this annoying, sarcastic, smart idiot who somehow became very important to her.
"I… umm…" she hesitated. "Are you sure?"
Twilight leaned closer with a small grin.
"I wouldn't ask if I wasn't."
Chris blushed, nodded slowly.
"…Okay. Yes."
Twilight's face lit up, but he tried to hide it behind a cool expression.
"Cool," he said, voice lower than usual.
Chris giggled. "Cool."
Meanwhile…
Henry stood in front of Lily like he was facing a demon king.
Lily crossed her arms. "What do you want?"
Henry cleared his throat.
"Prom."
"No," she replied instantly.
He frowned. "I didn't even ask yet!"
"And the answer is still no."
Henry narrowed his eyes. "You just hate saying yes to me."
Lily smiled sweetly. "Correct."
Henry stepped closer.
"Lily… listen. Everyone keeps asking me to go with them. And I don't want to go with everyone. I want to go with someone specific."
She looked away. "And why should I care?"
He sighed.
"Because it's you."
Lily went quiet.
Henry continued, softer this time.
"I know you don't like me much. I know I messed up before. But… prom is only once. And I don't want to waste it. Not when I have a chance to go with someone who actually matters to me."
Lily swallowed, her face turning slightly pink.
"You're… annoying," she muttered.
Henry smiled. "Yeah. But your annoying."
Lily rolled her eyes but couldn't hide her smile.
"Fine," she said quietly. "I'll go."
Henry blinked. "Really?"
"Don't make me repeat it."
He grinned so widely she hit him lightly on the arm.
"Shut up," she said.
Henry laughed.
"I'm picking you up at six."
"Shut up!"
Later that evening, Chris and Lily met in the hallway.
Lily smirked.
"Guess what."
Chris looked suspicious. "What?"
"I said yes to Henry."
Chris gasped. "NO WAY!"
"Yes way."
Chris grabbed her hands.
"We're going to prom together!"
Lily nodded. "Yeah. Double date kinda?"
Chris blushed. "Stop."
Both girls laughed.
For the first time in months, everything felt normal again.
Fun.
Beautiful.
Bright.
But something… or someone… was still watching from the shadows.