Today was supposed to be one of the proudest days of his life. Kael stood at attention, his uniform crisp, his heart heavy with anticipation. It was his military graduation, the culmination of years of discipline and sacrifice. All around him, cadets were being “tapped out” by family and friends—a tradition marking the moment they could finally relax.

Kael kept his gaze forward, his face unreadable, as one by one, the cadets beside him were tapped out. Parents embraced their children, siblings cheered, and friends clapped them on the back. But Kael? He remained unmoving, his chest tightening with every passing moment.

Hours dragged by. The sun sank lower in the sky, bathing the courtyard in warm amber light. Kael glanced sideways, realizing he was one of the last few left. The crowd began to thin, laughter and chatter fading as families and friends left together. And then, it was just him.

Kael’s jaw tightened, his posture rigid. His parents hadn’t come. His friends hadn’t come. No one had come. The day he had worked so hard for, the day that should have been full of pride, now felt like a cruel joke.

Then, a tap on his shoulder.

Kael spun around, his heart surging with hope, a smile breaking across his face. But it faltered instantly. Standing before him wasn’t his parents or anyone familiar. It was a girl—a stranger.

“Um, excuse me,” she said softly, her head tilted in concern. “Are you okay?”

Kael blinked, momentarily thrown. She was petite compared to him, with a kind expression that made her brown eyes seem warmer in the fading light.

For a moment, Kael didn’t know how to respond. His mind was a whirlpool of confusion and lingering hurt. No one had come.

Well she did. But he didn’t know her. And she probably didn’t know she just tapped him out.