"You deserve a beautiful night, baby."
"What if it's a joke, Mama?"
"Then we'll know who he is. But you'll still know who you are."
Afterward, she pulled an old dress from the back of her closet and stayed up two nights altering it by hand under the kitchen lamp.
When Caleb arrived on prom night, he held out a corsage. His hands were shaking slightly. I noticed that.
"You look beautiful, Hannah."
"Thank you."
In the car he barely spoke. He kept glancing at his phone, then putting it face down on his leg. I told myself he was nervous. I told myself a lot of things.
The gym was loud and bright and full of staring faces.
Caleb took my hand and led me onto the floor. He danced with me like he meant it, eyes on mine, ignoring the whispers building around us like a wave.
Then a boy near the speakers cupped his hands around his mouth. "Did Caleb decide to host a charity event tonight?"
Laughter rippled across the room.
A girl I didn't even know shouted next. "Oh my God, did someone actually pay Caleb to do this?"
The wave broke over me. The lights felt suddenly too hot, the music too far away. I felt every pair of eyes like a needle.
