she muttered while anticipating some teases. “Wow. It’s so cool. You look like a superhero,” said the first-grader with a broad grin.

1. His superhero wore crutches
Haley was sitting all by herself in the playground when Nathan, her classmate at her new
school approached her. “Hey, what is that?” he asked, pointing to a strange looking cane.
“It’s a crutch…,” she muttered while anticipating some teases. “Wow. It’s so cool. You
look like a superhero,” said the first-grader with a broad grin.
This moment marked the beginning of a beautiful friendship between Haley and Nathan
that never stopped chasing them.
Nathan grew up to be a basketball player, and Haley found her passion in literature.
Every evening, after his basketball practice, Nathan used to study with her in the library.
That evening was no different. Haley was in the library waiting for Nate. Only her
thoughts ran amok. Several times, she caught herself daydreaming about Nate. His words,

2. his gestures, and his infectious smile were somehow etched in her memory, reminding
her of him every now and then.
Nate broke her train of thoughts as he walked in. “So, the prom dates are finalised… Did
you know?” he announced as he handed her a cup of iced latte.
Haley’s heart skipped a beat. She’d been dreading prom for several months. On one hand,
she wasn’t sure she was good enough for him—she was a differently-abled person, after
all. He deserved someone better. On the other hand, there she was, hopelessly in love
with him.
“Yeah, so I heard…” Haley replied. “You must have received a ton of proposals…” She
teased him, attempting to hide her runaway emotions.
“Oh yes!” Nathan laughed. “Let’s see. I think I got about 8 or 9 of them…”
This time, her heart just sank. But she wasn’t surprised. Nathan was a heartthrob and girls
flocked around him all the time.
“What about you, Hales? Do you have someone on your mind?” he winked. “I could help
you out, you know…”
“You know me well, Nathan…” Haley replied, unamused.
Sipping her latte, she prodded, “So, who is going to be your prom date?”
“Well, I do have someone in mind,” he replied vaguely. Haley frowned.
“Well, go on finish your latte, Hales. Hurry up, will you? We’ve got to start studying,” he
said, his tone obviously restless.
Why is he being impatient all of a sudden? she wondered.
As she sipped the last of her latte, she got the answer. A message awaited her at the
bottom of the cup. You’re still my superhero. Be my date on prom night?
A prolonged silence filled an already silent room.
Haley’s heart galloped faster than a horse. Her eyes widened.
“Yes!” she replied with a childlike smile.