She looked tired.
“You’ve said that.”
“I know.”
“Then why again?”
“Because I finally understand something.”
She waited.
“I spent years believing the worst thing I did was leave you.”
“It wasn’t?”
“It was leaving and then building a version of the story where I had no obligation to look back.”
Claire looked toward the building.
“That was worse.”
“I know.”
She nodded.
That was as close to forgiveness as I received.
It was enough.
The next Willowcrest Academic Tournament returned to Grand Evermere Auditorium exactly one year later.
Leo and Ethan were sixteen by then, so they were no longer competing in the same division. They had been invited to present the opening challenge for younger students.
Noah volunteered with the academic integrity team.
That choice amused him.
“I figured I have experience.”
Vanessa did not attend.
Her relationship with Noah remained strained.
He saw her.
He loved her.
But he had stopped allowing love to mean obedience.
I was not seated in the sponsor balcony.
My company still contributed funding, but I had resigned from the tournament board to remove unnecessary conflicts.
I bought a normal ticket.
Row eighteen.
Seat eleven.
The seat assignment came from Ethan in a text.
You can come. No speech. No press. Row 18.
I arrived early.
Claire sat four rows ahead.
She saw me.
Nodded.
