I woke up the following morning to a gentle knock on my bedroom door, accompanied by Lisa's voice informing me that my ride to school would arrive in an hour. I lay in bed for a few minutes, staring at the wall, before finally mustering the motivation to get up and prepare for the day. I decided to take my time and enjoy a nice, hot shower.

After I was ready, I went outside and sat on the front steps, waiting for my ride. It didn't take long for a familiar car to pull in and slow down. Kate climbed out of the car and rushed over to me, exclaiming,...