Morning sunlight spilled through the curtains, painting my room in pale gold. But instead of warmth, I felt the chill of dread crawling over me. Today wasn’t like any other day. Today, Jason and I had promised ourselves we’d stop hiding.
I sat at the edge of my bed, twisting my fingers together, my mind racing through every possible scenario. Mom crying. His dad yelling. The walls shaking from the fallout of our secret detonating at last.
A soft knock at my door made me flinch.
“It’s me,” Jason’s voice came from the other side.
I opened the door, and there he was—calm, steady, determined. Like a soldier walking into battle. He reached for my hand without hesitation.
“You ready?” he asked.
I shook my head honestly. “No.”
“Me neither,” he said, but his hand tightened around mine. “Doe
