Tessa's pov
I woke up very early in the morning and started the day with my usual routine of light exercise. After working up a bit of sweat, I entered the house and headed straight to the kitchen to grab a glass of water. To my surprise, Mom was already awake. She was humming softly while making her early morning coffee and toasting bread.
"Good morning, Mom," I greeted cheerfully.
"Morning, sunshine. How was your night? I bet you slept real good," she said warmly, still stirring her coffee.
"Yes, Mom, I did," I answered, reaching for a glass.
"Are you ready for your first day in the third year of senior high?" Mom asked while preparing her cup of coffee.
"Mom, there's really nothing new about third year other than the fact that it's my last year in high school," I replied, grabbing a piece of toast along with my water.
"Baby, the third year of senior high is the best year in school," Mom countered with a smile. "You'll have so much fun—more readings, more parties, more adventures. You'll try out new things, maybe even get a boyfriend, win awards, and best of all, you'll get to go to prom. You have to enjoy this last year because it's too special to miss out on. You know your father and I met in high school, right?"
"Mom," I said with a little laugh, "I always have fun every year. Anyway, I should go get ready for school. I don't want to be late on my very first day." I walked out of the kitchen with a half-eaten toast in my mouth. Deep down, though, I understood what Mom was really telling me: she wanted me to enjoy life fully—not just study, but also party, date, and create memories.
I entered my room, placed my phone and headphones on the table, and finished my toast before heading to the bathroom with a fresh towel in hand. I spent almost thirty minutes showering, letting the hot water relax me. Wrapping the towel around my body afterward, I let my hair air-dry for a while before putting it up in my usual messy bun.
I slipped into my typical style: black baggy trousers paired with an oversized gray top and my black Nike sneakers to complete the look. After that, I packed my school bag—books, headphones, phone, wallet, power bank, charger cord, and a few other essentials. I carefully packed Adrian's jacket into a wrapping bag. I had washed it and left it to air-dry after returning from the hangout with my girls last night . I gave my room a final scan to make sure I hadn't forgotten anything.
Heading back downstairs, I found Mom sipping her coffee and scrolling through her phone while Dad, already dressed, was checking his business emails.
"Good morning, Dad," I greeted.
"Morning, sweetie. All set for school?" he asked, glancing at me over his glasses.
"Yes, Dad," I replied with a big smile.
"I'm leaving now. Bye, Mom. Bye, Dad. Take good care of yourselves," I said as I grabbed my keys and headed toward the garage. Since I had my own car, I was officially responsible for driving my best friends, Charlotte and Avery, to school.
I first stopped at Charlotte's place to pick her up, then drove to Avery's.
"Good morning," the three of us chorused as Avery climbed into the car, and then we all burst out laughing.
"So, today is officially the first day of the last year of high school. I'm so excited!" Charlotte said, practically bouncing in her seat.
"This is going to be the best year ever. And prom is happening—I can't wait!" Avery squealed.
"Tess," Avery said suddenly, "who's going to be your date to prom?"
I sighed. "I've told you guys since junior high, I'm not going to prom. It's just not my thing." I explained, fully aware they would never accept my decision.
"No, Tess. You are going to prom, and nothing is changing that. If you don't find a date, we'll find one for you," Avery insisted, with Charlotte nodding firmly in agreement.
"Babe,you have to be there,we won't let you miss it for the world" Charlotte insisted.
"Come on, guys. I'm not the party type—I'd rather stay in my room. And besides, if it's not Adrian, then it's no one," I admitted, hoping that would end the conversation. Of course, I knew Adrian would never be my date; he was out of my league. A nerd like me couldn't possibly catch his attention.
Thankfully, we arrived at the school's parking lot before they could say more. Charlotte and Avery's boyfriends, Jasper and Will, were already waiting for them. Jasper was with Avery, Will with Charlotte, they've all been dating each other respectively for a year. To make it even more ironic, Jasper and Adrian were best friends. Will was cool too—friends with them both
I got out of the car, grabbed my bag, and locked it. My besties rushed straight into the arms of their boyfriends.
"Hey, ladies, ready for the first day of your last year in high school?" Will asked, slipping an arm around Charlotte's waist.
"Bet I am," Avery replied with a grin.
"Babe, can you believe Tess said she's not going to prom? She even claimed that if she did, it would only be with someone specific I'm not allowed to mention," Avery added, giving me the look.
"Jasper, please save me from this misery," I said jokingly, pretending to plead.
"Babe, just let her be," Jasper told Avery gently. "If she wants to go, she will. You can't force her. But Tess, we'd really love to see you there."
Inside, the school was already buzzing. Some students were at their lockers, some heading to class. I was by my locker when the announcement came through the loudspeakers.
"Good morning, students. How was your break at home? Today marks the first day of your last year in high school, and we are proud to welcome and congratulate you all. We hope you'll continue your hard work, study well, and of course, don't forget to have fun. Prom will take place in seven months, and as you know, only graduating students are allowed to attend. Have an amazing, fun-filled year, and study hard!"
Cheers, whistles, and squeals echoed all over the hall. Everyone seemed thrilled, but to me, it felt like any other school year. The only difference was that this was the last one, and it meant college was getting closer.
After grabbing my things, I headed to class. As usual, I sat at the back of the room where I wouldn't attract much attention. Avery and Charlotte sat with their boyfriends, inseparable as always, while "The Doras"—The trio of bullies made up of Piper, Molly, and Ronnie—occupied the middle row. Luckily, they hadn't started trouble that morning, so my besties had completely forgotten about their usual antics.
We were about to start our general English class when the door opened.
Adrian.
"Mr. Hardin, what happened?" Mrs. Stone, our teacher, asked.
"Sorry for being late, Mrs. Stone. There was a mix-up with my schedule," Adrian explained, handing her his timetable.
"Alright then, take a seat next to Miss Monroe," Mrs. Stone instructed, pointing directly at the empty chair beside me.
The room went still. I felt every single pair of eyes turn toward me. My face grew warm as Avery winked and flashed the smile.
Adrian—the hottest guy in school—was sitting next to me. The nerd.
Well, this year just got a whole lot more interesting.