My Stepbrother, My Enemy {BL}

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The gymnasium at Brookstone High had been transformed into something almost magical for the Snowball, the kind of over-the-top winter wonderland that only a dedicated student council and an unlimited budget could pull off.

Fake snow drifted lazily from machines hidden in the rafters, catching the soft blue and silver lights that twinkled overhead like captured stars.

Giant paper snowflakes dangled from the ceiling on invisible threads, spinning slowly whenever someone walked underneath, and the walls shimmered with iridescent fabric that looked like frost.

A massive ice sculpture of intertwined snowflakes dominated the center of the dance floor, lit from below so it glowed with an ethereal chill, while tables along the edges held punch bowls that bubbled with dry ice and platters of silver-dusted cupcakes.

The DJ booth pulsed with remixed pop ballads and upbeat holiday-infused tracks, and the air smelled like pine from the scattered evergreen garlands mixed with the faint sweetness of vanilla candles.

Wow, the decor committee had outdone themselves this year with whatever budget given to them.

Everywhere students laughed, posed for photos against the backdrop of a faux snowy forest mural, and twirled in dresses and suits that caught the light like fresh powder under moonlight.

The enthusiasm was palpable, girls squealing over each other’s outfits, guys trying to look cool while secretly checking their reflections in phone screens, everyone riding that high of one perfect night where high school felt almost bearable.

Adrien and I arrived in the limo my mom had insisted on renting, because apparently pulling up in a regular car would have been a tragedy on par with forgetting to RSVP.

The moment the driver opened the door and we stepped out onto the red carpet the school had rolled out for dramatic effect, heads turned.

Whispers rippled through the crowd like wind through snowdrifts. Phones lifted and eyes widened. I could feel the attention settle over us like a spotlight, bright and unrelenting.