Iris had never expected to be the one he chose.
She was intelligent, kind, and quietly funny, but she had never considered herself the most noticeable girl in the room. She preferred a small circle of friends to crowded parties and often spent evenings reading or listening to music. Although she was comfortable with the people she trusted, she sometimes felt out of place among classmates whose lives seemed uncomplicated by the worries she carried at home.
When Ryan first asked her to prom, she thought he was joking.They had been talking after school about an upcoming history assignment when he suddenly asked whether she already had a date. Iris laughed nervously and told him she did not. Ryan smiled, looked directly at her, and asked if she would go with him.
For several seconds, she could not answer.
Then she nodded, and Ryan’s smile grew wider.
By the time Iris arrived home that afternoon, she was practically floating. She burst through the front door, dropped her backpack beside the stairs, and rushed into the kitchen where Claire was preparing dinner. »Mom, you’re never going to believe what happened! »
Claire turned around, immediately smiling at the excitement in her daughter’s voice.
« What happened? Did you win the lottery? »
