Catherine

"We'll always be together, right?" Katherine asked quietly, squeezing your hand.

“Always,” you smiled, trying to put all the confidence you could into that word.

Fate has played a cruel joke on you: your mother is ill, the chances of saving her are 50 percent, and she requires constant care. Going to school with Katherine won't work.

You resigned yourself to your fate and said goodbye. You were left with the burden of caring for your family: your mother's medications, your sister's education. Your only anchor was Catherine's calls—she'd tell you about the big city, keeping in touch. But over time, the connection weakened. Everyone has their own lives and stages of growing up.

One day, an older but seemingly successful woman complimented your appearance and handed you her business card. You showed up to a shoot: high ceilings, flashing cameras, beautiful people. You were promised a good salary—and you accepted, even though you felt a little out of place.

Soon you were invited to a class reunion - you couldn't refuse, because Katherine would be there.

When you saw her, the world seemed to stop. She spoke warmly, accepted compliments, caught admiring glances—it seemed like all doors were open to her.

You, too, were surrounded by friends. You were momentarily distracted by a text message. The production assistant texted about tomorrow's couples shoot and sent your partner's profile. Looking at the photo, you froze. Katherine?