Constellation

 Today is the night of the ball dance. Damn it. I stood before the dress I had finalized for the occasion and now that I stare down at the baggage I'll have to wear down tonight feels too much after signing the invitation. All my friends will be there too so it doesn't have to be that weird. I've to go any ways so let's make it pop and shimmer.

Its evening when I freshen up and proceed to wear the dress. Its a one shoulder red petal dress with flares of black here and there. I'm going to keep my hairs open which are unfortunately not so long for this dress but everything goes on for me. I put on red button tops and of course after makeup I'm ready. I sit down and stare at myself but its not long before the cab calls and I give a neutral annoyed last look to myself before leaving.

The air is breezy and cool on the way. Stars are shining not too brightly and moon is crescent and kinda shy behind the clouds. When we reach the venue the big gates open and I see the site the institute booked. This is batshit. Proceeding to the open door i did held my breath once but oh my god, my curiosity pulled me in.

Everyone looked cool and nice to their best impressions. I spotted few of my male friends having coke at the drink section and I waved them. I walked through the big crowd hoping to see my friends near but suddenly someone whispered close enough- "looking cool mademoiselle."

I quickly looked about and immediately broke into a happy smile when I saw Ben standing near me. He was well done in a turquoise-black combined tuxedo. When I checked him up, I noticed he got a little shy.

"Now that's what I call a cool look Ben. Not surprised if you experienced catcalling the moment you entered." I smirked.

"Not such a chance yet Red. You look...amazing by the way." Suddenly someone calls his name from behind. "See you later Red."

"You too Ben." We share smiles and our eyes linger on each other for a bit longer before we break it with a chuckle and go our ways. But while Ben meets his friends, my cheeks feel hot and wet after the encounter and with a heart racing at 120 I feel, I head straight to the drink counter.

I pick up the cola and sip it slowly as I calm down. Ben is honestly my biggest weakness. I never feel too afraid to catch up to my friends even with 3 hour sleep and I feel socializing as the hardest job. I never breakdown over even the biggest issues but almost cry when I hear that Ben's struggling with something. And the foremost, I keep my guard up all the time but it...all just vanishes when he's near and the most when he's talking to me.

I don't know if he has any feelings for me the same as I do. But we all know he likes Jade. I didn't see her yet. Wondering if she even came but honestly, as much as I want to respect Ben's choice, I can never make myself up to like Jade. She's just so... stupid. She's good academically but a good friend? Hell no. A good observer? No sight. And good intuitions? Is that even a question. She's indeed, bluntly, the most stupid person on this planet for me who has zero knowledge about the hard ways because her parents have always treated her as a princess. Something my parents never really did. Maybe that's what separates us.

But again, that's not all. She proceeded to take everything I like. My friends are her friends now. She's doing better than me in some subjects and the foremost, she pulled Ben in a week when I've had my eyes fallen for him since two years. Maybe she's just that It girl everyone believes in or I am just too deprived of affection in my life. Well I hope to heal someday. Today might not be that.

I finish my drink and go back inside to find my friends. When I spot them at the end table, I rush over and we break into a conversation which always feels like time is never enough to complete our sentences. Jade soon joins us in a yellow maxi dress. She looks pretty as always.

We grab our drinks and settle in for the announcements. The ball dance is soon to take place so the tables are removed as we stood in a corner.

"Whom are you choosing for the dance Ella?" Stacy asks in a cheerful manner while Ella replies with a complete opposite tone - "I leave it to fate Stacy. No choices for my mind tonight." While everyone else discusses who's gonna go with whom, my heart softly wishes Stephen would ask me. But when I spot him in the crowd, my eyes befallen, I see he's too gone for that thought in his mind. Or maybe he has already chosen.

The initiator claps and we are to decide whom to join hands with. And when I see Ben proceeding towards our group, my heart just does a bungee jump and I quickly look away. All of my friends chirpily put their hard on opinions that he's going to ask Jade and Jade has her eyes sometimes on him and sometimes off as I wonder how long is it taking him to come over and end this ruffle or time is just always onto annoying the shit out of me. Finally pissed I looked back to find him right at the spot between Jade and me.

"Come on Ben we all know who you're gonna ask." And everyone starts whooting. I roll my eyes. But as Ben stammers before speaking, I notice Jade putting her hand in his pulled forward one and he's stammering no more. I look at Jade and of course there's a victorious gleam in her eyes or maybe soft and gentle in others. Nonetheless, cursed in mine. And when my eyes befall at Ben's, his looks somehow startled and confused at first. Suddenly the bell rings for the start of the ball and all my friends were off to their partners. I realized I stood long to stare at Jade and Ben and reality brought me back to turn my heels and walk away. But as I did, I felt a pair of eyes on my back which I brushed with the thought of some lonely and shrugged my shoulders.

When I stood at a place maybe certain if someone's left I'll just ask them but Gaden comes to my rescue and I happily agree. He's not liked by many girls astonishingly because I know he's not aiming too plus he has more of a girly pop personality which perfectly matches with mine. We swiftly move across the floor as a soft classical piano goes. Everyone's steps feel prepared and this ball just looks more beautiful and elegant now.

After few minutes we were supposed to change pairs. So I winked a bye to Gaden and I twirled in my gown just to fall in the arms of the person who's eyes when met mine raced my heart to 120 or so high again. The moment seemed to come at a stop when I couldn't see anyone else instead of him. The song seemed to stretch to infinity in my head as where our hands clasped, my other on his shoulder and his other slightly on my waist felt burning into my skin. His eyes searched mine as we silently moved with a rhythm only we seemed to know. He twirled me around with a certainty someone hardly knew and something I could never name in my world. Magic happened when the music slowed down and we came closer somehow. I looked up to his face and he said something I couldn't hear. I couldn't hear above my heartbeat. I furrowed my brows a little and he must have understood. So he dipped his head low and his breath just beside my ears blinded my eyes. "I was always supposed to take your hand tonight, mademoiselle." He whispered in my ears.

The soft honey voice of his melted in my ears as if a long lost song and i teasingly looked back at him. "Then what caused a distraction monsieur?"

He chuckled and smirked. "Maybe a sunflower. But I've always...been into roses."

This wiped the smile off my face in surprise. I held his gaze and my heart stopped. I thought is this moment I've been waiting for since two years? Is this the time he'll say-

"I like you Red." He smiled. And the world stopped. My eyes widen slightly at him and his smile still beaming on his face. Then reality crashes in and I realize this is for real. Ben said...he likes...me.

"Am I dreaming?" I asked still dazed.

He breaks into a laughter as he says- "no, you're not." After a second we both started laughing together as we glided across the floor. The music now pacing on a romantic edge and a much dreamy sight before me gives me a comforting smile. My heart knows I'm not here. I became nonexistent the minute he confessed and I will be until this night ends and the dawn comes and my heart knows this was at last, not a dream.

I come closer to Ben's chest and whisper softly and as magical the night gets, my heart whispers a melodic tragedy I never saw coming but always wished to.

"Long time coming, Ben."

And in the midst of the ball, my words seep into his soul and as we meet, somewhere above in the galaxy two stars intertwine into a constellation brightening the night sky. 

By Green-
Stephen’s POV – The Night of the Ball

The moment I saw her walk in, everything else muted out. Red—of course she chose red. It was bold, like her, but it was the softness in her eyes that hit hardest. She didn’t see me at first. Good. I needed a second to breathe.

“Looking cool, mademoiselle.” I said it before I could stop myself, like my tongue was wired straight to my heartbeat.

When she turned and smiled... yeah. That was it. I was ruined.

I walked off before I said anything stupid, but the whole time my mind replayed her laugh, the way her dress moved like she wasn’t even trying. I knew what I had to do. Ask her. Tonight. Say it, finally.

But then Jade. She reached for my hand before I could even speak. I hesitated. I wanted to pull back—but people were watching. My courage faltered. The music saved me.

Until it didn’t.

Because somehow, after the pair switch... there she was. Red.

I caught her mid-twirl, as if the universe itself had spun her straight into my arms. For the first time tonight, I breathed easy. Her touch sent lightning down my spine. We danced, but it felt like floating. I wanted to say it, but her eyes made my throat dry.

So I whispered first. “I was always supposed to take your hand tonight, mademoiselle.”

She looked up, teasing. “Then what caused a distraction, monsieur?”

I smirked, heart wild in my chest. “Maybe a sunflower. But I’ve always... been into roses.”

That’s when I saw it—her guard dropped. The moment was ours. Just ours.

“I like you, Red.”
Three words. Two years. One breath.


Jade’s POV – "The Dress That Never Fit Right"

The ballroom smelled like champagne and old promises. Jade stood near the edge, the silk of her gown clinging to her in all the right ways, and still—she didn’t feel beautiful. She felt… borrowed. Like she was living in a scene meant for someone else.

Stephen hadn’t looked at her the same since she walked in.

Red.

Even her name tasted like danger.

Jade’s smile stayed on her lips, trained and unshaken, the way her mother had taught her. Pretty girls don’t cry at parties. They sip and smile. They win without begging. But when Stephen’s eyes followed Red across the room like gravity was rigged, Jade felt the sting of every moment she’d convinced herself he was hers.

She stepped away, into the hallway, heels echoing like lies on marble floors. Her hands trembled, not from rage—but from realization. She could be everything Stephen needed on paper. The safe choice. The soft option. But she would never be the storm that stirred his soul.

Leaning against the wall, she whispered to herself, "If I have to be chosen like a second thought, I’d rather not be chosen at all."

And for the first time in years, Jade let her smile fall.