MOM WAS WAITING AFTERWARD
My feet hurt, so Ethan carried my heels.
He was hot, so I carried his jacket.
At the car, he opened my door.
I climbed in.
Then leaned across the seat and opened his.
Mom watched us through the rearview mirror.
For years—
Eleanor Bennett had looked at our friendship and assumed one of us must be taking care of the other.
One person helping.
One person needing help.
One person giving.
One receiving.
But that night—
she finally understood.
Nobody was rescuing anybody.
Nobody was fulfilling an obligation.
Nobody was keeping a promise out of pity.
Ethan Harper and Sophie Bennett had simply discovered something at six years old that many adults spend decades making unnecessarily complicated.
When somebody matters to you—
you stay.
And sometimes—
