The most popular girl in school asked my son to prom — I assumed it was a setup to humiliate him, but her true reason left me completely speechless.

do you two talk much? At school?”

He shrugged. “A little. She’s nice, Mom. Really nice.”

“It’s just… it happened so fast. Are you sure she…?”

My son looked up at me, and the smile faded just a little.

“You think she’s playing a joke on me.”

“I didn’t say that,” I tried, backtracking.

“You don’t have to.”

“Honey, I just want to protect you.”