“I do too,” I said, brushing her hair back. “Every single day.”
She looked up at me, her eyes shining. “Do you think he’d still want me to dance?”
I managed a small smile. “I think he’d want you to dance more than ever. He’d tell you to show everyone how it’s done.”
She hesitated. “But everyone’s staring.”
The silence around us felt heavy, thick with unspoken things.
Then, suddenly, the gym doors slammed open.
The sound echoed so sharply that conversations stopped mid-sentence. Heads turned. Even the music seemed to fade into the background.
Twelve Marines stood in the doorway. Their uniforms were immaculate. Their posture was unwavering.
At their head was a tall man with silver insignia on his shoulders. He scanned the room, then walked straight toward us.
My heart started pounding.
