MY BEST FRIEND WITH DOWN SYNDROME WAITED 12 YEARS TO KEEP OUR CHILDHOOD PROMISE TO GO TO PROM TOGETHER. BUT THE NIGHT ETHAN ARRIVED AT MY DOOR WITH A CORSAGE, MY MOM LOCKED ME IN MY BEDROOM AND SAID, “SOPHIE, BEFORE YOU LEAVE WITH HIM, THERE’S SOMETHING I HAVE TO CONFESS.”

My mother locked my bedroom door on prom night.

That was when I stopped laughing.

Downstairs, Ethan Harper was waiting for me in a navy suit, wearing the bow tie he had apparently purchased four months too early.

I could hear him talking to my aunt through the floorboards.

Mom turned toward me.

Her name was Eleanor Bennett.

And her hands were shaking.

“You can still go to prom with Ethan.”

I stared at her.

“I’m glad we’ve established that.”

“Sophie.”

Something in her voice made me stop.

“But before you leave,” she continued, “I need you to hear something.”

“About what?”

Her eyes moved toward the locked door.