The silence that followed Wesley’s question was heavy, punctuated only by the distant, panicked shuffling of the orchestra. Trevor Hamilton let out a short, biting laugh, preparing to humiliate the boy further, but the sound died in his throat as Savannah did something none of them expected. She didn’t hesitate. She didn’t look to her parents for approval or to the room for validation. She placed her trembling hand into Wesley’s, and with a strength born of pure defiance, she pulled herself from the chair.
