“I’m not sitting there while people laugh at my son.”
Aaron answered quietly,
“Then don’t come.”
Dean’s expression changed.
For one terrible second, I hoped he would apologize.
Instead, he grabbed his keys.
“Fine.”
He did not attend graduation.
Aaron’s closest friend, Ben, didn’t handle it much better.
At first, Ben thought Aaron was joking.
Then Aaron showed him the dress.
By the next day, Ben stopped answering his messages.
When I asked Aaron about it, he shrugged.
“He doesn’t want to be part of it.”
“Doesn’t that hurt?”
“Of course it hurts.”
He looked away.
“But it doesn’t change what I’m doing.”
The school learned about Aaron’s plan on graduation morning.
I still don’t know who told them.
At 9:10 a.m., my phone rang.
The assistant principal introduced herself and carefully said,
“We understand Aaron intends to wear something unconventional to today’s ceremony.”
“He does.”
“We’re not trying to interfere with his personal expression.”
I already knew there was a “but” coming.
“But?”
“We simply want the day to remain focused on the graduating class. We can offer Aaron a more appropriate option.”
I looked across the kitchen.
Aaron stood beside the staircase.
He could hear everything.
“What kind of option?”
“We have an extra graduation outfit available.”
“He already has clothes.”
A pause followed.
“We’re trying to prevent a difficult situation.”
Aaron reached for the phone.
I handed it to him.
He listened quietly.
Then he said,
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