Tiana spent almost two hours deciding what to wear.
And somehow, every outfit suddenly looked wrong.
Too simple.
Too loud.
Too cheap.
Too much.
She stood in front of the mirror quietly, staring at herself.
For the first time in a long time, beauty did not feel powerful.
It felt fragile.
"You are overthinking," her roommate said from the bed.
Tiana forced a small laugh.
"Maybe."
But deep down, she knew this was bigger than clothes.
This was about entering a world that had already decided she did not belong there.
When Dare arrived later that evening, he noticed her nervousness immediately.
"You look beautiful."
Tiana folded her arms.
"You said that too fast."
"Because it is true."
She rolled her eyes softly, but it still made her smile a little.
Dare stepped closer.
"You do not have to do this."
"There you go again."
"I am serious."
"So am I."
He sighed tiredly.
"Tiana, if my father says something rude—"
"He probably will."
Dare frowned.
"That is not funny."
"I know."
Her voice softened.
"But I cannot keep acting afraid of people who already dislike me."
Dare stared at her quietly.
Then finally, he reached for her hand.
The drive to his family house was mostly silent.
Not uncomfortable silence.
Heavy silence.
Tiana watched the city lights pass through the window while her heart beat painfully against her chest.
Dare kept one hand on the steering wheel and the other wrapped tightly around hers like he was afraid she would disappear.
"You are squeezing my hand," she whispered.
"I know."
She almost smiled.
Almost.
The gate alone was intimidating.
Tall.
Black.
Elegant.
Security opened it immediately after recognizing Dare's car.
And suddenly, Tiana understood exactly how wealthy his family truly was.
The house stood proudly in the center of the compound, glowing softly beneath expensive lights. Everything about it looked untouched. Perfect.
Tiana suddenly became aware of her breathing.
Dare noticed.
"Hey."
She looked at him.
"You can still change your mind."
Tiana shook her head slowly.
"No."
Even though fear sat heavily inside her stomach.
Inside the house, everything felt quiet.
Too quiet.
The kind of silence rich homes carried.
A woman walked past with a tray and immediately lowered her head respectfully at Dare.
Tiana noticed that too.
Then footsteps approached.
Dare's mother appeared first.
She looked elegant in a soft, effortless way. The kind of woman who did not need to raise her voice to command attention.
Her eyes landed on Tiana immediately.
For one terrifying second, nobody spoke.
Then she smiled gently.
"So you are Tiana."
Tiana nodded quickly.
"Good evening ma."
Her voice sounded smaller than usual.
Dare's mother stepped closer.
"You are welcome."
And somehow, that simple sentence relaxed her chest slightly.
Until another voice entered the room.
Cold.
Firm.
Controlled.
"She is here already?"
Tiana turned immediately.
Dare's father stood near the staircase, staring directly at her.
Not curious.
Evaluating.
The warmth in the room disappeared instantly.
Dare stepped slightly closer to Tiana without realizing it.
His father noticed.
And so did Tiana.