Chapter 116 I Was Not Invisible
Mia's POV
"Wow," Lena breathed out the moment I stepped out of the stall. "You look even more stunning in that gown, Mia. Come here, let me retouch your makeup."
I stood there for a second, still trying to process everything. The royal blue fabric hugged my body perfectly. It felt lighter than the other gown, softer against my skin, like it was truly meant for me.
I slowly walked toward her.
When I looked at myself in the mirror, I almost didn't recognize the girl staring back.
The stain was gone. Even the fear in my eyes had softened.
Lena gently tilted my chin upward and began fixing my makeup with careful hands. She dabbed lightly under my eyes, blending away the smudges left by my earlier tears.
"Thank you for bringing this gown, Lena," I said quietly, meeting her eyes through the mirror. "You really saved me."
And I meant it.
If she hadn't come, I would have walked back into that ballroom feeling small and exposed. I would have spent the whole night hiding in corners.
Lena smiled, the kind of smile that felt warm and sincere.
"Mia, it was a pleasure helping you," she said softly as she brushed a little powder across my cheeks. "Besides, I want Liam to be happy."
My heart skipped at the sound of his name.
"You care about him that much?" I asked.
She nodded gently.
"I raised him," she said with quiet pride. "I've seen him laugh, cry, struggle, and grow. He carries so much on his shoulders, but he rarely lets anyone see it." She paused, then looked at me more seriously. "Tonight, he was worried about you."
I swallowed.
"He was?" I whispered.
"He may not always say what he feels out loud," she continued, adjusting my lipstick slightly, "but his actions speak for him. He didn't want you embarrassed. He didn't want you hurt."
My chest tightened, but this time it didn't hurt. It warmed me instead.
Lena stepped back and studied her work.
"There," she said with satisfaction. "Now you look like someone no one can touch."
I stared at my reflection again.
For the first time tonight, I didn't feel like the girl everyone pitied.
And somewhere inside my heart, hope bloomed again.
“Thank you so much, Lena,” I said softly, looking at myself one last time in the mirror. The royal blue gown shimmered under the restroom lights, hugging my figure perfectly. I barely recognized the girl staring back at me.
“You’re welcome, Mia,” Lena replied with a warm smile. “Now you better go back to the ballroom before you miss the most awaited part of the night.”
“The most awaited part?” I asked.
She grinned. “You’ll see.”
I thanked her again, my heart pounding with a mixture of nervousness and excitement. Just as I reached for the door handle, it suddenly opened.
Josh stood there, his eyes widening dramatically.
“I thought you left me,” he said, placing a hand over his chest. “And I didn’t know you brought a backup gown.”
I laughed softly. “It’s a long story. I’ll tell you later.”
His gaze softened as he took in my appearance. “Mia… wow.”
Heat rushed to my cheeks.
Without another word, I slipped my hand into his. Together, we walked back toward the ballroom, fingers intertwined.
When Josh and I stepped back inside the ballroom, the program was already ongoing. The noise of laughter and music filled my ears again.
The host stood gracefully at the center of the stage, her voice bright and confident as soft instrumental music played in the background.
“And now,” she announced, smiling warmly, “we continue with our special recognition awards for tonight’s Prom Night.”
Applause filled the room.
“And now, it is time to recognize our Best Dressed awardees. Congratulations to Liam Alcaraz and Stacy Montemayor.”
The spotlight immediately found them. Liam stood tall in his perfectly tailored suit, while Stacy smiled confidently in her glamorous gown. The crowd cheered loudly as they walked to the stage to receive their sashes. Cameras flashed everywhere.
My heart squeezed for a second, but I kept my face calm.
Josh gently brushed his fingers against mine. “Breathe,” he whispered.
The host continued after they returned to their seats.
“And now, we present the award for Best Couple.”
Excited murmurs spread across the ballroom.
“The award for Best Couple goes to Daniel Rodriguez and Dina Morales.”
The room erupted in applause again. Daniel looked surprised, while Dina covered her mouth in disbelief before they both laughed and walked up to the stage together. They looked genuinely happy, their hands tightly clasped.
I found myself smiling at them.
After the photos were taken and the winners returned to their table, the host beamed once more.
“And now, the moment everyone has been waiting for.”
The lights dimmed slightly, and a wave of anticipation spread across the room.
“We are officially opening the voting for this year’s Prom King and Prom Queen.”
Cheers exploded from every corner of the ballroom.
A large QR code appeared on the giant screen behind the stage.
“Voting lines are now open and will remain open for thirty minutes. Cast your votes wisely.”
Students quickly pulled out their phones. Some were already campaigning quietly at their tables, laughing and teasing each other as they cast their votes.
The music shifted into a slow, romantic melody as the dance floor officially opened while voting continued.
That was when I noticed the stares.
Chloe and my former best friends were frozen in their seats. Their eyes slowly moved from my face down to my royal blue gown. The disbelief in their expressions was almost satisfying.
Then my gaze found Liam. He was already looking at me. There was a small smile on his face, almost proud, but he quickly tried to hide it when he realized Stacy was watching him. It was too late.
Stacy followed his gaze. The shock on her face slowly turned into anger.
“You look even more beautiful in this dress,” Josh whispered.
I swallowed the emotion rising inside my chest.
This happiness might not last. This moment might be temporary. But tonight, I refused to let anyone ruin it.
“Shall we dance?” I asked softly, hoping my voice did not reveal how nervous I still felt.
Josh smiled warmly and led me toward the dance floor. His hand rested gently on my waist as the music guided our steps.
“What happened? What took you so long in the ladies’ room?” he asked once we started swaying to the slow rhythm.
I let out a quiet breath before I told him everything. How Chloe cornered me. How she intentionally ruined my dress. How she pretended it was an accident while looking completely satisfied.
Josh’s jaw tightened as I spoke.
“She is really evil,” he murmured, his expression darkening. I gave him a small smile, pretending it did not hurt as much as it actually did.
“And this beautiful gown just appeared out of nowhere?” he asked carefully.
I shook my head slightly.
“It was Lena,” I explained. “She came to me with this gown. She told me this was the dress Liam originally chose for me. The one he truly sent.”
Josh’s brows lifted in surprise. “Lena?”
I nodded. “She used to be Liam’s nanny when he was younger. She basically raised him. And she still works at the Alcaraz mansion as their head housekeeper.”
Understanding slowly crossed Josh’s face.
“So she came all the way here just to bring you that gown?”
“Yes,” I whispered. “She said Liam trusted her with it. She told me the royal blue gown was the real one. Somehow it was retrieved from the boutique. I still don’t know how they managed to fix everything so quickly.”
Josh studied my face quietly.
“So Liam really wanted you to wear this.”
I did not answer right away. The music softened, and more couples filled the dance floor. The golden lights above us shimmered gently, reflecting against the fabric of my gown.
For a brief moment, everything else faded away. The drama, the jealousy, and the heartbreak that had followed me for weeks.
As Josh guided me in a slow turn, the skirt of my dress flowed beautifully around me. I felt light and almost free.
Tonight, I was not the girl they whispered about. I was not the girl Chloe tried to humiliate in front of everyone. For once, I was not shrinking or hiding.
Tonight, I was simply Mia. And for the first time in a long while, I just wanted to enjoy the music, the lights, and the feeling of being here without fear.
Even if tomorrow everything returned to the way it was. Even if I could only look at Liam from a distance. I would still be grateful for this moment, because for one night under these golden lights, I was not invisible.