Part 2
Marcus’s camera hit the auditorium floor with a sharp crack that echoed louder than the applause had.
No one bent to pick it up.
Even Marcus just stared at the crimson folder in Dr. Porter’s hands as though it had appeared from another world.
Dr. Porter smiled—not the kind of smile people use to entertain a crowd, but the calm smile of someone announcing something that had already been earned.
“Six months ago,” she began, “Sarah Thompson was accepted into Harvard Medical School.”
The words floated through the auditorium before they landed.
Then the room erupted.
Applause rolled across the seats again, louder this time. Students turned to find me. Professors stood. Somewhere behind me someone whistled.
I couldn’t hear any of it clearly.