Gaara let out a small laugh and said, “Oh, come on,” smiling in the hope that Esther would mirror the expression. But reality had a cruel sense of humor. Her face only grew more sour, the air around her heavy with unspoken disappointment.

“I told you back then that I actually couldn’t make it,” he reminded her gently.

“Yeah, but then you added that you’d still come, even if it was late,” Esther shot back. She still remembered every detail of their conversation by the lockers ...