Chapter 44: Navigating Change Together

As the calendar weeks rolled forward into November and the changing leaves transformed from brilliant gold into deep, decaying brown, the intense reality of senior year began to accelerate rapidly with college applications, scholarship essays, and looming deadlines. Yet, unlike many of their peers who were frantically trying to reinvent their entire identities for a life far away from Texas, James and Lily shared a quiet confidence, knowing their roots in Cortis were deep enough to weather any storm that came their way.