I skipped Chloe's wedding and sent a gift through a friend. Ethan's reconstructive surgery, meanwhile, went better than anyone expected. The day his bandages came off, I finally saw his whole face.
Eyes bright, nose sharp, lips curving into a smile. The nurses stopped by his room again and again, all pretending to check on him while sneaking another look.
Ethan, however, looked nervous.
"Is this not what you expected?"
"No—it's better." I brushed his ears.
After he recovered, he still brought me lunch every single day. The first time he stepped into my office, my students fell silent for three whole seconds before the room exploded with excitement.
"Wait, that's actually Ethan?"
"Prof. Miller, your taste is incredible."
"Being chosen when you were at your worst? That's straight out
