I was the only person inside that auditorium who knew why.
The whispers started before Ethan’s name was even called.
By the time he reached the principal, people were openly staring at him.
Then someone behind me spoke loudly enough for several rows to hear:
“What is WRONG with that guy?”
Several people laughed.
I felt every muscle in my body tighten.
But Ethan never looked back.
He simply shook the principal’s hand, accepted his diploma, and stood there for one quiet moment in that bright red dress while nearly six hundred people watched him.
Two weeks earlier, he had told me exactly what he was going to do.
It had been after 2 a.m. in our kitchen.
Neither of us had been sleeping much.
When he showed me the dress, I immediately shook my head.
“Please don’t do this.”
He looked at me calmly.
“Mom, I have to.”
