Balloons floated out of Jazz’s locker and toward the high hallway ceilings above. They were all turquoise, her favorite color. One snagged on the overhead sprinkler, popped, and rained gold confetti down onto her head.

“Ambush promposal!” Nathan cried, popping out from around the corner. He held a homemade poster board sign—also turquoise—that read: N8 the GR8 wants you as his D8!

Below that a mix of photos, similar to the collage she had made him on his sixteenth birthday, spelled out the word PROM?

She pivoted around, seeing if she was perhaps mistaken—if maybe some other girl stood behind her, the intended recipient of this dream come true instead of Jazz.

“Me? You’re asking me to prom?” Jazz asked, just to be sure she understood correctly.

“Um, hello! I can’t really make it any more obvious than this,” Nathan said, widening his eyes and shaking his head. “Unless…”

“No, no, stop that. Everyone’s staring!” Jazz pulled Nathan back to his feet before he could fully lower himself to one knee. Her best friend clearly took his senior promposal very seriously. He hadn’t done anything like this when he’d asked Angela de Martinez to junior prom last year.

Yes, the same Angela he’d taken to their first middle school dance. It seemed he had dated everyone at Kennedy High except her and was now taking a second go-around.

Was he so out of options that he wanted to date Jazz now? That thought burst the excitement building inside. She wanted him to choose her, not settle for her.

“Kind of waiting for an answer here,” Nathan said, his sign drooping as she kept him in suspense. Did this mean he might actually have feelings for her as more than a friend? Finally? After all this waiting? She wanted to ask, but not here in front of the small crowd of their classmates that were watching.

“C’mon, Jazz. What do you say?” Nathan asked, plastering a fresh grin on his handsome face. “We could go as friends.”

There it was. A giant two-ton ball dropped to the pit of Jazz’s stomach, and not the glittery-lights-up kind of ball that rings in the New Year either.

Friends. Always and forever friends. Best friends, but nothing more.

“Sure, Nathan. I’d love to go with you,” she answered, giving him a huge, friendly hug.

Their audience clapped and then dispersed on their way to sixth period.

On the walk home that day, Nathan shared his plans for the perfect prom night—and Jazz nodded along, trying not to show her disappointment at the “just friends” status of their relationship.

“We’ll have a limo, obviously, and I’ll see if I can nick some wine from my parents’ stash. You’ll have to tell me what color dress you’re planning to wear so I can get a matching cumberbatch.”

“Cummerbund,” she corrected with a laugh. At least the two of them would have lots of fun together. “I think Cumberbatch might be some kind of actor. I can’t remember what we saw him in, though.”

Nathan laughed at himself. “I’m not going to remember that, but I will get a matching cumber—vest. So let me know as soon as you have your dress.”

“I’ll see if I can go shopping with Bethany this weekend. Do you want to come, too?”

“Are you crazy? I can’t see you in your dress before prom!”

“That’s weddings, not proms.” She bent over in laughter, which only encouraged Nathan to take his antics further.

“Still, let’s keep it a surprise,” he said, winking at her before covering his eyes with both hands. “In fact, I shouldn’t look at you now.”

Jazz continued to laugh so hard she could barely breathe. She tugged on Nathan’s arm to keep him moving safely down the street. She could have sworn she felt him shiver when she placed her arm through the crook of his, but that was crazy. They’d touched many times before. They’d been best friends for thirteen years. But why did things between them suddenly feel different as they talked about prom?

When they reached their houses, he gave her a quick kiss on the cheek before heading into his. “This is going to be so great, Jazzy J. I can’t wait!”

Once Nathan’s door had shut firmly behind him, Jazz reached a hand up to touch her cheek in the very spot where his lips had been. The spot was warm, tingly. Maybe that was why the kiss had felt different than the others he’d casually thrown her way over the years. Or was she seeing things that weren’t there, the way she’d always felt things that Nathan didn’t?

She flipped open the mailbox and pulled out a giant stack of bills, along with a few junk flyers. She’d leave it in a neat pile on the table for her mother to deal with. Except… a dark red crest on one of the letters caught her eye.

Burton College.

She inhaled sharply.

The small private college was her dream school. She’d applied mostly to see if she could get in, not because she expected to go. Even with financial aid, she had no way of paying the steep tuition fees. Not to mention it was too far away from home to commute, which meant she’d also need to pay for room and board.

They’d accepted her back in December, so why were they writing again now? Had they changed their mind?

Unable to wait a second longer, she tore into the letter, fingers trembling with anticipation. Her eyes raced down the page—once, twice, a third time just to make sure she understood.

The rest provided details about how and when to accept, and oh my gosh! This was life-changing. Her breaths came quicker as if trying to keep up with her pulse. She had to tell her mom, who was now off the hook for her tuition. She could quit one of her jobs and discover life outside of work once again. Maybe she would have the time to fall in love again.

She deserved that.

And Bethany was also planning to go to Burton for her pre-med studies. They could be roomies!

This was everything and more Jazz had dreamed about. She clutched the envelope to her chest. She couldn’t wait to tell Bethany or Nathan. They would both be so excited for her.

Except…

Nathan had confirmed his attendance at Queens College for next year. He didn’t have the grades or the drive to attend Burton. Moving out of state would mean moving on from their friendship and finally—finally—letting go of her delusions that they would ever be anything more than best friends for life.

The thought dampened her spirits, but only for a moment.

Burton.

Full-ride.

Dream come true.

She sighed. Being apart from him had always seemed unimaginable. This would be hard, but it was right—what was best for the both of them.

Yes, she would accept Burton College’s offer.

And she would tell Nathan about the amazing opportunity she’d been given at prom.