The Door Locked Behind Me

When I was six years old, I made a promise that I completely forgot about.

My best friend never did.

Twelve years later, on the night of our senior prom, Noah arrived at my front door wearing a navy suit and the bow tie he’d been talking about since November.

He was holding my corsage.

I was upstairs putting on my earrings when I heard my aunt call:

“Chrissy! He’s here!”

“I’ll be down in two minutes!”

I grabbed my purse and headed toward the stairs.

Then Mom appeared.

She stepped into my bedroom and quietly closed the door behind her.

Click.

I stopped.

“Mom?”

She locked it.

My smile disappeared.

“Why did you just lock the door?”

She turned around.

Her hands were trembling.

“You can go with Noah tonight, Christina.”

I laughed nervously.

“Okay… that’s usually the plan.”

“But only after you hear something.”

“About what?”

She looked toward the door.

“About Noah.”

My heart started beating faster.

“What about him?”

Mom sat on the edge of my bed.

Then she whispered:

“There is something I’ve kept from you for twelve years.”

And suddenly, the prom I’d been looking forward to all year didn’t seem important anymore.

Because whatever my mother was about to tell me…

she was terrified of what would happen when I found out.

PART 2 continues