Downstairs, the muffled sound of upbeat music drifted up through the floorboards, reminding me of the ticking clock. Ethan was waiting in his sharp bow tie, holding a corsage, completely unaware that his whole world was about to shift. I stood up from the bed, my heart shattering into a thousand pieces as the reality of the impending departure set in. Mom watched me helplessly, whispering that I still had a choice to make before the night ended.
I rushed past her, flinging open the bedroom door and sprinting down the stairs with my dress trailing behind me. Ethan turned around, flashing that familiar, heart-melting smile that had guided me through every tough moment of my youth. He held out the corsage, asking if I was ready for the best night of our lives. I forced a smile through my tears, knowing we were standing on the absolute edge of a precipice.
Before I could take his hand, the front door swung open on its own, revealing an unexpected visitor standing on our porch in the dim porch light. It wasn’t a neighbor or a late-arriving friend, but a figure from the past carrying an envelope that would change everything again. Ethan froze, dropping his smile as the visitor locked eyes with us both and whispered a single name that made my blood run cold.
