"You knew?"
She nodded slowly.
"Not everything. But enough."
I felt hurt.
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"Because it wasn't my secret to tell."
That answer made sense.
And somehow, it hurt even more.
Emma explained that our families had carried the truth quietly for years because they believed revealing it too early could damage both of us.
She had known pieces of the story.
She had heard conversations.
She had noticed things.
But she had never wanted our friendship to become defined by something adults had decided for us.
Then she reached into her bag.
Inside was an old photograph.
It showed us when we were six.
We were standing outside my house, holding the same ridiculous purple stuffed toy we'd fought over all afternoon.
I laughed despite myself.
"You kept this?"
"Of course."
She smiled.
"That was the day you promised you'd take me to prom."
For the first time that week, everything became simple again.
Whatever secrets our families had carried, the promise belonged to us.
It had survived twelve years.
And maybe that was what mattered most.
CHAPTER 5 — THE PROMISE WE FINALLY KEPT
On prom night, I stood in front of the mirror wearing a suit.
For the first time, I understood why people said moments like this felt strange.
I wasn't six anymore.
Neither was Emma.
The little girl who once sat beside me on the front steps had grown into a young woman standing in front of me in a beautiful dress.
When she arrived, I almost forgot how to speak.
She smiled.
"Ready?"
I nodded.
"Ready."
For a moment, neither of us moved.
Then she laughed.
"Come on. You promised."
I held out my hand.