I was only six years old when I made a promise to my best friend, Noah.

We were sitting together during lunch in first grade, carefully picking raisins out of our food because neither of us could stand them.

Noah had Down syndrome, but to me, he was simply the funniest boy in our class. He loved dinosaurs, told terrible jokes, and somehow always knew when I needed cheering up.

That afternoon, we decided we would go to prom together when we grew up.

We sealed our promise with a pinky swear.

Twelve years later, prom night finally arrived.

I stood in front of my bedroom mirror wearing the dress I’d spent months choosing. Downstairs, Noah was waiting in his navy-blue suit, probably checking his hair for the tenth time.

I was just about to leave when my mother entered my room.

She closed the door behind her.

Then I heard the lock click.

“Mom? What’s going on? Noah’s waiting!”

She looked at me with tears in her eyes.

“Sweetheart, before you go downstairs, there’s something you need to know about Noah.”

My stomach tightened.

What she told me next changed everything I thought I knew about our twelve-year friendship.

Continue below in Part 2