Chapter 119 Felt Like A Dream
Mia’s POV
Everything felt like a dream.
I was standing at the center of the dance floor with Liam, slowly swaying to the music while the crowns rested on our heads. The golden lights above us shimmered across the ballroom, reflecting on the polished floor and making everything around me feel almost unreal.
If I said I had never dreamed of this moment, I would be lying.
Even though most of my days were spent working long hours and studying just to keep up with school, there were still quiet moments when my mind wandered. Like every other girl, I allowed myself to dream sometimes. One of those dreams was standing on a stage and being crowned Prom Queen.
And in every one of those dreams, Liam was always there. He was the one standing beside me as Prom King. And somehow, impossibly, that dream had come true tonight. My heart still struggled to believe it.
For a moment, it felt as if I were floating. My feet moved with the music, but my mind could barely catch up with what was happening. I could not understand how the students had voted for me. Out of everyone in this school, they had chosen me.
The girl people whispered about. The girl who never quite belonged. Yet tonight, they had called my name.
The music continued, and Liam and I kept dancing together. One song ended and another began, and I slowly lost track of time. I could not even remember how many songs had played while we stayed there on the dance floor.
All I knew was that Liam’s hand never left mine. The warmth of his hand felt steady and reassuring, grounding me every time I started to feel overwhelmed by everything around us.
Eventually, the final song began to play. The music softened, slower and more sentimental than the others, as if the night itself was gently saying goodbye. Couples continued to dance around us while the host returned to the stage to begin the closing announcements for the prom.
I lifted my gaze and looked around the ballroom, suddenly remembering Josh. He had been with me earlier, yet now I could not see him anywhere among the crowd.
My eyes searched through the tables, the groups of students laughing together, and the couples still swaying on the dance floor. But Josh was nowhere in sight.
Meanwhile, Liam still held my hand, as if he had no intention of letting go.
“I am driving you home,” Liam whispered.
His voice was low and close to my ear, and the warmth of his breath sent a sudden shiver down my spine. Goosebumps spread across my skin, and my heart immediately started beating faster.
For a moment, I forgot how to breathe.
“I don’t think that is a good idea, Liam,” I said softly after gathering my thoughts, trying to calm the nervousness rising inside me. “I don’t want you to get into trouble because of me again.”
Liam looked at me, and the playful expression he had earlier slowly disappeared. His face turned serious, his brows drawing together slightly as if he could not believe what I had just said.
“Do you really think I will allow you to commute at this hour, Mia?” he asked.
His voice was calm but firm, leaving little room for argument.
Before I could even respond, he continued speaking.
“Josh took Stacy home.”
My forehead immediately furrowed in confusion.
“What?”
Liam gave a small nod, as if he had already expected my reaction.
“I texted Josh before the announcement of the Prom King and Queen,” he explained patiently. “I asked him for a favor. Right now, he is the only person I trust who can calm Stacy down.”
I blinked several times as I tried to process what he had just said. That meant Liam had planned this.
He had already arranged everything before the results were even announced.
“And besides,” he added, his voice lowering slightly as he looked directly into my eyes, “I want to be alone with you, Mia.”
The intensity in his gaze made my stomach flutter uncontrollably. My heart pounded so loudly inside my chest that I was sure he could hear it. I tried to open my mouth to protest, to remind him that this was a terrible idea and that we should not be alone together.
But the words refused to come out. Because the truth was, a part of me did not want to refuse. My excitement quietly overpowered the voice of reason inside my head.
“Shall we?” Liam asked gently as he reached for my hand again.
His fingers wrapped around mine, warm and steady.
For a moment, I simply stared at him, still unsure if this was the right decision. But in the end, my heart made the choice for me.
I slowly nodded and let him lead the way, my hand still held firmly in his as we walked toward the exit of the ballroom. My heart was still beating wildly, and I was not sure if it was because of the music that had just ended or because Liam had not let go of me even once.
The hallway outside the ballroom was quieter, the noise from the celebration fading behind us as we walked toward the elevators.
“You can stay here at the hotel if you want,” Liam said casually as we waited in front of the elevator doors. “I already paid for your room.”
I shook my head immediately.
“No,” I said softly. “I don’t want to stay here. I want to go home.”
For some reason, staying in the hotel suddenly felt too dangerous, as if the night might become even more confusing if I stayed.
“I just need a few minutes to change and get my things,” I added.
“I will come with you,” Liam replied without hesitation.
My heart skipped a beat at his words.
For a moment, I thought about refusing, about telling him that it was unnecessary. But the words never came out.
Instead, I simply nodded.
We stood quietly while waiting for the elevator. The silence between us felt heavy, yet strangely comfortable at the same time. I was thankful that no one from Suncrest entered the elevator with us. I was not sure I could survive the teasing or the rumors that would surely follow if someone saw us like this.
When we reached my floor, we walked down the quiet hallway together.
My hand trembled slightly as I reached into my small pouch and pulled out the hotel keycard. Before I could even slide it into the door slot, Liam gently took it from my hand.
“I got it,” he murmured.
He opened the door and gestured for me to step inside first. I had barely taken two steps into the room when suddenly everything happened too fast.
Before I could even thank him, Liam gently but firmly pushed the door closed behind us. In the next second, he pulled me closer and pressed me softly against the wall.
And then he kissed me. My eyes widened in shock.
For a split second, my mind screamed at me to stop him, to push him away before things went too far.
But my heart betrayed me. Instead of stopping him, I found myself kissing him back with the same intensity.
His hand moved gently to my waist while mine instinctively held onto his shoulders. The world around us seemed to disappear, leaving only the warmth of his lips and the racing of my heart.
I had no idea how long we stayed like that. All I knew was that by the time he finally pulled away, we were both breathless. My chest rose and fell as I struggled to catch my breath, my heart pounding wildly.
It was one of the most breathtaking kisses I had ever shared with Liam. Maybe because deep inside, I had been secretly hoping he would kiss me again.
“Mia,” Liam said softly, his forehead resting against mine as he tried to steady his breathing. “I have been dying to kiss you ever since I saw you in the ballroom.”
His voice was low and honest, sending another wave of warmth through my chest.
“You have no idea how much effort it took for me to control myself tonight,” he continued. “All I could think about was tasting your lips again.”
Before I could even respond, Liam captured my lips once more. This time, I did not hesitate. I let go of every doubt, every fear, and every warning in my mind.
And for that moment, I allowed myself to be completely lost with him in our own little world.