I stood still, bracing myself for a barrage of questions from Mom.
To my surprise, she simply handed me a warm breakfast.
"There's something urgent at school, right? Academics come first. If it's serious, you two should head over as soon as possible." She then passed me a bottle of milk. "You can eat these on the way."
"Mom..." I looked down at the breakfast in my hands, feeling a tangle of emotions.
Without giving me a chance to say more, she took my hand and firmly placed it into Elrod's.
Then, with a gentle push, she directed us toward the door. "Go on, don't keep your classmates waiting too long. And Elrod, you once promised to keep Melissa safe. I expect you to keep that promise. If you break it, don't expect me to stand by idly."
Elrod straightened up, meeting her gaze without
