Chapter 5: Family and Sacrifice

My mom continued: "That year, that day, my mother had surgery. The doctor said she had a fifty percent chance of not waking up. I was terrified of losing my mom, so I cried helplessly."

Her voice shook, and she paused to steady herself. My dad put a comforting hand on her back.

"Wait."

The homeroom teacher quickly interrupted, staring hard into my eyes. "You cried because of this?"

Her tone was softer now, almost gentle. I saw a flicker of understanding in her eyes.

I nodded.

I swallowed hard and met her gaze. I could see the regret flicker across her face.

The homeroom teacher turned and bowed deeply to my mom. "I'm truly sorry. I didn't know it was because of this. I sincerely apologize."

She straightened slowly, face red. The class sat in stunned silence, the weight of her apology making everything real.

The girls who had just been laughing now looked embarrassed, their heads lowered.

A few students shuffled in their seats, suddenly ashamed of their earlier jokes. Someone muttered, "Sorry," under their breath.

My mom wiped her tears and continued: "When I was little, I wasn't sure what these feelings were. When you kissed my forehead, I thought it was just a beautiful moment I'd always remember."

She sniffled, her voice barely audible. The memory seemed to comfort her, even as it broke her heart.

"But when I met you again, my heart pounded, and everything else faded away except my heartbeat. Your smile moved in slow motion, etched into my mind."

The words hung in the air, raw and unfiltered. My classmates looked from me to Ms. Parker, realizing just how deep my feelings ran.

"I realized I really love you. From the day I met you, I knew my feelings ran deep."

I bit my lip, trying not to cry. Every word felt like peeling off a scab.

"I'm glad I missed the top high school by ten points, so I could meet you sooner."

My mom's voice trembled. The room was so quiet, you could hear the heater click on.