He smiled.
"Because you're funny."
I blinked.
"And kind."
Nobody had described me that way in years.
"And," he added, "because every conversation we've ever had made my day better."
A Different Kind of Yes
I didn't answer immediately.
I cried.
Right there in front of my locker.
Nathan waited patiently.
When I finally nodded, he smiled wider than I'd ever seen.
"I'll pick you up at six."
Prom Night
For the first time since the fire, I felt beautiful.
Not because my scars disappeared.
They didn't.
Not because makeup hid them.
It couldn't.
But because someone looked at me without seeing them first.
That changed everything.
Nathan treated me exactly like everyone else.
He opened doors.
Introduced me proudly.
Made me laugh.
Never once acted embarrassed.
When people stared, he ignored them completely.
Eventually, so did I.
The Dance
Halfway through the evening, a slow song began.
Nathan held out his hand.
"May I?"
The room suddenly felt very quiet.
I knew people were watching.
I also knew I didn't care anymore.
We danced.
Not perfectly.
We laughed whenever one of us stepped on the other's foot.
For three minutes, I forgot about scars entirely.
Photos
Someone snapped pictures.
Lots of them.
Friends.
Teachers.
Parents volunteering at the event.
For once, I didn't ask anyone to delete mine.
I actually smiled.
A real smile.
The Morning After
