Page 41 of Meet Me on Love Street
“You’re entitled to feel down.” He pauses. “Do you want to talk about it?”
I shake my head. “If I tell you what’s bothering me, you’ll think I’m brainwashed by the… what did you call it… theromantic industrial complex. You’re going to think it’s so cringe.” I sigh, looking at him. Miles just watches me quietly, patiently, and I feel my heart skip a beat before I break eye contact. “I’m upset that I don’t have a prom date anymore. I found an amazing dress, but I’ll be alone at the dance.”
He tilts his head with genuine compassion. “That sucks. I’m sorry.”
Miles looks so kind that I’m trying not to feel a little breathless. I can’t let him notice what he’s doing to me, so I dramatically raise my brows. “This coming from the guy who said that it’sridiculousthat society tells us prom should be as important as our wedding?”
His gaze turns to the bike locks in the distance. “I definitely think everyone’s obsession with prom is a result of the romantic industrial complex,” he admits before heturns his head to look back at me. “I—I think… I—I mean…,” he stutters. “Even though prom isn’t my thing, I know it’s important toyou.”
Welp, so much for not feeling breathless. My heart is pounding so hard that I’m sure Miles will notice my T-shirt moving. “Did your datejustback out?” he asks.
I shake my head and stare in front of me. “No, it was a few weeks back. She’s actually my ex, but we were still planning to go together as friends. That was before she got a new girlfriend. I was going to find another date, but I’ve been so busy, and now prom is days away and I’m alone.” He doesn’t say anything, and I don’t want to look at him because he’s sitting so close. I let out a shaky breath. “I’m the chair of the prom committee… It’s embarrassing that I’ll be walking in alone while Priya and Amber are there in their matching dresses. But you’re right—it’s just a dance. It doesn’t really matter.”
“I’ll go with you,” Miles says.
My head whips around to look at him, and all I see are his wide brown eyes with a soft expression. I must be hearing things. “Didyoujust offer to go to my prom with me? Youhateprom.”
He nods. “Look, I know I said some stupid things to you before, and I’m sorry. Butyoucare about your prom, so I’d be happy to take you.”
I have no idea what to say. Honestly, I have no idea if I remember how to speak. My heart is pounding even harder, and my skin is tingling, and there’s no way that Miles, who is only inches away, doesn’t know that he’s completely wrecked me. Has anyone,ever, done something that generous for me?
When I say nothing for too long, he adds, “I’ll go as yourfriend.”
I exhale. Of course he’s asking me as afriend. That’s all I am to him. But tome, he’s a friend who I very much want to kiss. Going to prom with him seems like a bad idea. This will be utter torture.
“Showing up with a date will stick it to your ex, won’t it?” Miles asks when I still don’t answer. “Could you still get another ticket?”
Showing up with Miles on my arm would definitely be better than showing up alone, but I have acrushon Miles. Like, ahugeone, and as hard as I’m trying to get over it, it doesn’t seem to be going anywhere. Taking the guy to mypromcertainly isn’t going to help. And the fact that he insisted he would come as afriendmeans that’s all he sees me as.
“I’m committee chair,” I say, despite the voice in my head telling me I will get hurt. “I can get you a ticket. Do you even have something to wear?”
He nods. “I donated my prom clothes, but I have a suit. I’d just have to go up to my parents’ to get it. When’s your prom?”
“Friday night.”
His face falls a bit. “Oh.” He opens his phone calendar. “I have something that night, but I can cancel. I’d rather hang out with you.” He smiles at me. “So, what do you say, Sana? Will you do me the honor of letting me be your prom date?”
The look on his face is hopeful… and it makes me wonder. Does Miles actuallywantto go with me? Like as a real date, not just apity for my frienddate?
No, he doesn’t. He invited me as afriend. But that’s still pretty amazing, because he hates prom and everything it represents. He’s asking me because he cares about me being upset. I don’t think I could say no even if I wanted to. “Okay, Miles Desai. Yes. You can be my prom date.”
He grins, and we shake on it. And I ignore the butterflies in my stomach and the goose bumps on my skin the moment our hands touch. I have no idea whether this is a good or a bad idea, but I do know that at least now my prom will be memorable.
CHAPTER FOURTEENCAKE MAKES ANYTHING BETTER
I don’t go to school on the day of my prom—I spend the morning setting up the banquet hall, then rush to get my nails done in a dark shade to match my dress, then go to the hair salon to get my hair blow-dried straight. After grabbing my dress from Jenn’s, I do my own makeup in shades of plum and silver. I look amazing. Yes, the sleek hair and deep plum satin skimming my body isn’t my normal vibe, but I still feel likeme. I’m so glad Priya asked for my other dress, because I love this one so much more.
Miles picks me up at my apartment before the dance. When I open the door, I just stare at him. He’s wearing a black suit that fits him very well, with a gray shirt and a deep plum tie—did he know what color my dress would be? His normally unruly hair is slicked down with a precise side part. He looks… like, classically handsome. Like an old Bollywood star. I honestly didn’t know he had this in him. His expression is unreadable. Maybe confused?
When we’re both quiet for too long, I smile. “Hi, Miles,” I say. “You don’t like my prom dress?”
He shakes his head. “No. I mean, you look amazing. You’re not really dressed like you usually dress, that’s all.”
I preen. “And yet I’m stillfabulous, right? Even I didn’tknow I could pull off sleek and sophisticated until I bought this dress on Wednesday.”
He frowns. “You only got your dress on Wednesday? Why?”
“Long story.” I smile. “You’re looking pretty dapper yourself.”
