Eighteen Below Him

Samira's POV

The halls were buzzing. Not just loud, but electric. It was the kind of energy that made it impossible to focus on anything except the senior party at the Simms' house.

By the time first period started, I had already overheard at least five groups of girls whispering about dress codes, music, and the most important question of the night: who would end up with whom. I tried to ignore it as I shoved my notebooks into my backpack, but my friends were not making that easy.

"Sam!" Novia practically tackled me by our lockers. "Did you hear? The Simms party is going to be insane!"

"I heard." I muttered, aiming for nonchalant.

Amanda's grin stretched wide across her face. "You're going, right?"

"Of course." I said too quickly. My voice betrayed me instantly. I should have whispered instead of announcing it to half the hallway.

Novia elbowed me. "Good. Because if you don't, we will drag you there ourselves. And trust me, it is going to be interesting."

"Interesting?" I asked carefully.

"You know." she said, twirling a strand of hair around her finger. "Calvin Simms, you, a confined space, music, drinks, and possible flirting."

I groaned and adjusted the strap on my bag. "You two are truly insane."

Amanda shrugged. "Maybe. But we are observant. You are going to have fun whether you admit it or not."

I rolled my eyes and focused on my locker, or at least I tried to. Calvin had just walked past the hall. His eyes met mine for half a second before he kept moving. That brief moment was enough to leave my thoughts unsettled for the rest of the morning.

By lunch, the cafeteria had transformed into a rumor hub.

"Did you see Ashley's dress?" one girl whispered, leaning forward dramatically.

"She is trying way too hard." another replied.

I sat at our usual table with Novia and Amanda, pretending to be uninterested while listening closely.

"Do you think Calvin is actually single enough for this party?" Novia asked casually, biting into her fries.

I nearly choked on my soda. "What?"

Amanda grinned. "She is wondering if you are planning to test the waters with him."

I glared at them both. "We are not talking about that."

Novia snorted. "Sure, Sam. Keep telling yourself that. I have seen the way he looks at you and the way you react. You are curious."

"I am not curious." I said through gritted teeth.

The butterflies in my stomach made that statement very difficult to believe. Amanda leaned forward and lowered her voice. "Curious or not, this party is your chance. One week is all you have before your plan officially starts. It will be hard to ignore him in that setting."

I groaned and buried my face in my hands. One week kept repeating in my mind no matter how hard I tried to push it away.

By the time the final bell rang, my thoughts were a mess. My birthday was one week away. The party was tonight. Calvin Simms would be everywhere whether I wanted him to be or not.

I dropped my backpack onto my bedroom floor with a thud. My parents were out for the evening, which meant the house was ours to get ready. Novia and Amanda arrived twenty minutes later carrying garment bags, makeup kits, and several pairs of shoes.

"This is headquarters!" Novia announced as she shut the door behind her.

Amanda laughed. "Operation Controlled Chaos begins now!"

"You two are being dramatic." I said.

"And you love us for it!" Amanda replied.

Within minutes, my room was covered in dresses made of sequins, satin, and lace. Every surface held something dramatic and eye catching. Amanda held up the sparkling navy dress again. "This one. I am not debating it."

"I still think it might be too much." I said.

"Too much?" Novia scoffed. "It is a senior party at the Simms' house. There is no such thing as too much."

She stepped into her own black mini dress with a subtle shimmer and examined herself in the mirror. "See? Elevated, not desperate."

Amanda slipped into a sleek emerald dress that fit her perfectly. "We look coordinated without matching. It feels effortless."

I stared at the navy dress again and hesitated. "Fine." I sighed. "But if I regret this, I am blaming both of you."

"You will not!" they said at the same time.

Music played from my speaker while we rotated between mirrors, laughing and arguing over palettes. Novia insisted on smoky eyes while Amanda pushed for a softer glow.

"I just want to look like myself." I said.

"You do." Amanda replied as she blended carefully. "You just look more polished."

"Consider it an upgrade!" Novia added.

When they finished, I studied my reflection. I did not look overdone or flashy. I looked sharper and more confident. Amanda stepped back and nodded slowly. "Okay. That is dangerous."

Novia smirked. "He is going to lose his mind!"

"I do not care if he notices me." I insisted.

They both gave me identical looks. "Sure." Amanda said.

Shoes became the final debate. Heels won, though they were not extreme. They were tall enough to change my posture and the way I carried myself. Novia adjusted her earrings while Amanda sprayed perfume into the air and walked through it dramatically. I added a final swipe of lipstick.

For a moment, the three of us stood there and looked at one another. We looked confident and polished. We looked ready.

"You realize..." Novia said slowly, "When we walk in together, people are going to stare."

Amanda smiled. "Let them."

My heart began to pound, and this time it was not just nerves. It felt like anticipation building under my skin.

"Okay." I said, grabbing my clutch. "Let's go before I change my mind."

Novia linked her arm through mine, and Amanda grabbed her keys. We were walking in together.

As we drove toward the party, my thoughts tangled together. Outfits, hallway glances, classroom tension, and Calvin's smirk all competed for space in my head. One more week until I can execute my plan. One week until I tested my limits and finally took control.

Yet my stomach still fluttered when I thought about him. I swear it wasn't like this a week ago. This was going to be harder than I expected.

The anticipation made it almost thrilling. Almost.

My life had never felt more electric, and tonight was only the beginning.