All Chapters of The Night Before Prom: Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

“What the hell!?” the girl shrieked, staggering back and staring at the sticky red juice spreading across her crisp white top.She barely made it past the hall gate before it happened. She had bumped into someone and her lunch had spilled.Stacey’s heart raced. “I—I’m so sorry—”Gasps erupted around them.The hallway froze.Whispers swirled like wind.“Oh no,” someone muttered. “That’s Monica.”Stacey’s eyes widened. She looked at the scared faces, wondering who this Monica was. Her worst nightmare had just grown legs.“You stained my uniform, freak!” Monica snapped, her voice slicing through the air. She yanked off her designer sunglasses and glared with venom. Her friends circled like hyenas.“I didn’t mean to—”“Are you blind or just stupid?” Monica sneered. “Oh wait, don’t answer. It’s obvious.”Laughter rippled through the hallway. Phones were already out. Filming.Stacey’s face burned. Her fingers clenched around the now-crushed juice box. Her legs begged her to run, but her body

She didn’t even know how she got home.One second, she was seated in literature class, waiting for the teacher to come in — and then Monica humiliated her. Her ears had rung with laughter. The next minute — she was sprinting. Past classrooms. Down stairwells. Through the gates. Her lungs burning. Her feet pounding concrete. Her eyes blurred with tears.She didn’t stop until the house appeared.Her legs had brought her here on autopilot, fueled by embarrassment and panic.I can’t go back there… Not tomorrow. Maybe not ever.I should have faced that bitch. Now she’ll think she won.The sound of clattering pans snapped her out of her thoughts.The sound of clattering pans snapped her out of her thoughts.She yanked open cabinet doors in the tiny kitchen, her hands moving with frustrated urgency. A pan of eggs sizzled on the gas stove, smoke already curling from the edges. She rose, clutching a small pot, her face still stiff with the sting of humiliation.“You just an old naughty man…”S

Hi.”The unexpected voice made Stacey frown as she parked her grandfather’s bike in the student lot. She couldn’t believe she had to show up at Blue Ville again, not like she had a choice. All she wanted was to crawl into her bedroom until the stupid video blew over, or her mother finally gave up and transferred her to another school.Forcing a smile, she turned.A chubby girl with kind eyes stood there, smiling gently at her.Stacey blinked, her brows furrowing in confusion.“I’m Lily. You ran out of Literature class yesterday.”“Oh my goodness—have you come to mock me?” Stacey’s face turned red, her heart skipping.“No. You ran out before I could even talk to you. I was the girl next to you.”Stacey’s mouth dropped into a small “oh” as recognition sparked. She remembered her—the girl who’d tried to speak up, but her voice was drowned out by laughter and shame.“I’m Stacey,” she said softly.They stared at each other for a moment, a fragile smile forming between them—like the beginnin

“Been looking everywhere for you.” Lily’s soft voice broke Stacey from her thoughts as she dragged the mop across the school hallway. Her arms ached, her face still puffy from crying. After sobbing her eyes out in the toilet, she had forced herself to step out and report to the disciplinary office. Her first community service was cleaning the hallway.“Yeah, perks of being a new student,” Stacey muttered, her voice flat, and shoulders slumped.“What really happened?” Lily asked, concern knitting her brows.“Facing the consequences of running out of school after a humiliating fall.”Lily’s mouth formed an “O,” surprise flickering across her round face. She walked a little further, bent down to pick up a broom, then returned and began sweeping. The scraping sound made Stacey turn and when she saw Lily with the broom, panic rushed through her chest. She hurried forward and snatched it out of her hands.“What are you doing?” Stacey asked, eyes wide.“Sweeping. To help out,” Lily said with

“You’re late.”Monica stood with a triumphant smirk, her eyes slicing through Stacey like a blade.“What? I left the class the moment it was over. Weren’t you there too?” Stacey asked, genuine confusion spilling out of her. Her voice held that startled, sharp edge — the kind people get when reality doesn’t match what they expect.Monica’s smirk widened.“What are you even doing here?” Stacey asked.“Doing my job,” Monica answered, grinning like she’d been waiting all day for this.“Now come with me.”“What?” Stacey halted, stunned.“You’re coming,” Monica said, her tone curling with threat, “or should I report you to the school disciplinary board?” Her voice dropped low and dangerous, like she already knew she’d win.“What is going on here?” Stacey’s voice faltered as she followed Monica, who didn’t even look back. She walked very fast, forcing Stacey to jog just to keep up.They moved deeper down the hall, past the bathroom, toward a staircase that looked forgotten by the school—dust