Chapter 9
Two years after the ceremony, Ethan had another school award night.
Same auditorium.
Same paper stars.
New banner.
This time, I sat beside Laura.
Not across the room.
Beside her.
Her hands shook when the first names were called.
Mine did too.
Then the announcer smiled.
“Ethan Carter.”
The name rang through the room.
Clean.
Simple.
True.
Ethan stepped forward, taller now, hair combed badly, smile huge.
Laura grabbed my hand without thinking.
I let her.
Not because we were going backward.
Because we had both survived that hallway.
We clapped too loud.
Ethan rolled his eyes from the stage.
Perfect.
Afterward, he ran to us.
“You embarrassed me.”
I hugged him.
“Promise kept.”
Laura kissed his hair.
“I’m proud of you.”
He held up the certificate.
“Look. They spelled it right.”
I stared at his name.
Ethan Carter.
May you like
My eyes burned.
“Yes,” I said. “They did.”
