Prom King Winner

Teacher: and your prom king this year is... Jake Miller!

A roar from the back of the room. Jake emerges from his friend group grinning, broad shouldered and easy going, the kind of guy who wins things without seeming to try particularly hard. Captain of the lacrosse team, known by everyone, liked by most. Nobody is surprised.

He bounds up the stage, accepts the crown with a laugh, and shakes hands with the teacher like they are closing a business deal.

Miles claps with everyone else.

The DJ drops into something slow for the royal dance. Jake steps off the stage and offers his hand to Aria with the comfortable confidence of someone used to being in the right place at the right time.

Aria takes it graciously.

Miles watches from the floor as they find their spot. Jake says something and Aria laughs, genuinely, tilting her head back slightly. She is good at this, moving easily, the crown sitting perfectly in her dark hair.

At one point she glances across the floor and finds Miles watching. Something passes between them briefly, warm and private, before Jake says something that pulls her attention back.

She does not look back again.

Teacher: and now let's get everyone back on the floor for our final slow dance of the evening.