At 6, I Promised My Best Friend We’d Go to Prom Together — 12 Years Later, Mom Said I Could Go With Him Only on ONE Condition Ethan became my best friend in first grade after we discovered we both hated raisins and loved dinosaurs.

“Oh.”

Then:

“Ethan. Hi.”

“You okay?”

“Yes.”

She absolutely wasn’t.

Her eyes went from his face—

to the corsage—

to his bow tie.

Then back.

“Sophie is almost ready.”

“I’m ready.”

Mom turned toward the stairs.

Her expression changed again.

“Come upstairs with me.”