I’m Emily, a 17-year-old high school senior, and prom was supposed to be my night. I saved up for a gorgeous violet dress, a nod to my late mom’s favorite color, and booked a salon appointment for a fancy hairstyle. But my stepmother, Carla, had other plans. She secretly canceled my appointment, pretending to be my mom, and when I arrived at the salon, they told me it was canceled.

Devastated, I went home, but then, I heard a loud honking outside. A black limousine was parked in front of our house. My heart raced. The driver handed my dad a card, and inside, it read: “To my beautiful sister, Emily. You deserve the best night ever! Enjoy the limo. Love, Mason.”

Mason, my 11-year-old stepbrother, had overheard Carla canceling my appointment and, in true little brother fashion, took action. He’d used money from Carla’s stash to rent the limo and arranged for a stylist to do my hair and makeup.

I ran upstairs to find Mason grinning proudly. “I knew it wasn’t fair,” he shrugged. “And Mom doesn’t deserve that necklace anyway.”

Thanks to Mason, prom was everything I dreamed of. When I stepped into the limo, Carla’s jaw dropped. I was glowing, and for once, I felt like my mom was right there with me. Prom was magical, and Carla learned not to mess with my joy!