After the applause died down, Mrs. Carter approached the boy. “I’m sorry,” she said softly. “I misjudged you. What you did took real courage.”

He nodded, relieved but still processing everything. “I just… thought of my brother,” he confessed, his voice barely above a whisper.

As the woman and her son left the classroom, she gave him one last grateful smile. Mr. Thompson patted the boy on the shoulder and whispered, “Well done,” before departing as well.