Page 18 of Broken Track
Xavier’s eyes meet mine, and for a second, everything else fades. This whole week has been a mess, but in this moment, sitting in his truck, planning payback, it doesn’t feel so heavy.
Mia claps her hands. “All right, let’s get this show on the road. But first, dress shopping.”
I groan. “Can we not?”
“Oh, we can,” Mia grins. “Especially now that I have a personal mission. Making sure you look so hot that Tara spontaneously combusts at the sight of you.”
Xavier coughs, shifting in his seat. “Great. Love that.”
Nolan chuckles. “Dude, you’re in trouble.”
I should’ve known Mia would drag me to the fanciest boutique in town. I don’t do “fancy.” I do comfortable. But Mia is on a mission, and there’s no stopping her.
An hour and a half later, I’m standing in a dressing room, staring at my reflection in the mirror.
The dress is perfect. Deep red, fitted to hug my waist and flare just enough at the bottom. The neckline dips, but not too much, and the fabric shimmers under the soft light. I look… different. Strong. Like someone who belongs on that Homecoming stage.
I take a slow breath, smoothing my hands down the skirt, then push back the curtain.
Mia gasps so hard she chokes on air. “Holy…Izzy. Izzy.”
Nolan lets out a low whistle. “Yeah. That’s the one.”
And then I look at Xavier. He’s silent. His eyes drag over me slowly and carefully, as if his brain short-circuited. His mouth opens, then closes. Then opens again. Nothing comes out.
Mia elbows him. “Xavier?”
He blinks. Clears his throat. Looks completely wrecked. “Uh. Yeah. That’s… wow.”
Mia smirks. “Oh, he’s gone.”
Xavier scowls, but his ears are red.
I fight a grin. “So you approve?”
He exhales, running a hand through his hair. “Yeah. I approve.”
Mia practically vibrates with glee. “Oh, tomorrow is going to be fun.” For the first time all week, I actually believe her.
It’s the night of the Homecoming dance, and Mia has been at my house since six this morning. I swear, something isn’t right with this girl. We splurged on pampering ourselves all day. Now it’s time to get dressed.
I smooth my hands down the fabric of my dress for what has to be the hundredth time, even though I know it’s perfect. Mia made sure of that.
"Stop fidgeting," she scolds, standing behind me in the mirror. "You look stunning. If you mess up that dress before Xavier sees it, I swear I'll..."
I roll my eyes but smile anyway. "Yeah, yeah."
She’s already in her dress, a shimmering emerald green that makes her look like she stepped out of a fairytale. Her short, dark hair is pinned back, revealing the excitement in her eyes.
I exhale, feeling the weight of the night settle over me. It's not nerves about Homecoming. Not really. It's the fact that this is one of those moments. The kind that’ll stick with me forever. A big part of me wishes my mom were here to see it.
The sound of a car door slamming outside pulls me from my thoughts. Mia peeks out the window and grins. “They’re here.”
By the time Mia and I make it down the stairs, my dad is already waiting in the living room, his camera in hand, grinning like an idiot.
"You look beautiful, kiddo," he says as I step into the living room. His voice is soft, as if he knows tonight is a big deal.
"Thanks, Dad."
