As prom approached, their classmates' teasing grew more intense. Friends they'd known for years turned distant, or worse, outright hostile. The weight of secrecy, judgment, and tension threatened to break them.
Ava was determined to take Emily to prom, despite the backlash they'd face. "I want the world to see us together," she told Emily one evening, her voice fierce.
Emily's heart swelled with love and fear. She wanted to be brave, to stand by Ava's side. But the thought of her family's reaction terrified her.
In the end, they decided not to go, both feeling defeated and longing for a world where they could simply love without consequence.