Mia spotted Trevor, who looked even better in a sports coat and tie. "Keep it together," she said softly, trying to cross the gigantic event space to where he was. Her hand went anxiously to her neck as she surveyed the room, full of suits and pencil skirts. She'd misjudged the formality of tonight and packed a casual dress for graduation.

  "We're sitting over here. Follow me," Samantha said, grabbing Mia's elbow and guiding her through the crowd. "You look adorable!"

  Samantha wore a soft white sleeveless top that showed off her sculpted arms paired with stylish wide-legged trousers. Mia glanced down at her ballet flats and wished she'd brought her black mini, heels, and one of Jocelyn's work blouses. Adorable was totally out of place here.

  "You look great!" Trevor said, causing Mia to blush even though she was glad to find him seated beside her name tag at a table dotted with bright white dinner plates.

  Samantha patted Trevor on the arm and leaned in to say, "Tonight will be quite an event. The whole thing is being recorded for a press release."

  Mia felt sick at the thought of being on TV, and then Samantha sauntered away, touching and smiling at everyone she passed.

  "I didn't read the memo about graduation carefully. I'm way underdressed," Mia muttered, looking at Trevor, who seemed way more confident than she felt.

  "Well, I think you look nice and comfy," he said, pulling at the shoulders of his sports jacket. "This monkey suit is hot. I'd take off the jacket, but I'm scared my pits have soaked through the button-up."

  Mia smiled and felt the stress in her back lessen. She glanced around the room and noticed a girl around their age, dressed much better than she was, smiling and waving off photographers.

  "Who is she?" Mia asked Trevor, who was already snacking on bread.

  "Someone from mission four," he said, his mouth full of food.

  "She's supposed to give us her blessing or something."

  "How do you know all this?" Mia said, annoyed.

  "Samantha was talking about it at dinner last night. You were on your phone."

  The nightly dinners with Samantha and whoever she brought with her were exhausting. Unlike Trevor, Mia hated all the attention and questions, escaping on her phone when possible. Once again, she felt less prepared for all of this than Trevor.

  "Why not have mission five people speak?" Mia wondered out loud, looking back at the M4 astronaut in a dark red pantsuit.

  "Because they're still on a spaceship coming back from Mars."

  Mia's face burned red, realizing she should've known this, deciding to filter her thoughts for the remainder of the night. Blurting things out wasn't a cute look. She needed tonight to be easy after the week she'd had. Launch training had turned out to be a nightmare. Before yesterday, she thought she could handle whatever space camp dished out. Nope, nothing but lies there.

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  Initially, yesterday's launch felt identical to all the others, and Mia had strapped in compliantly, trying not to overthink. She should have anticipated trouble when Trevor closed his eyes. And then it hit her, G forces, stronger than anything she'd previously experienced, pounding against her like a tidal wave. She'd attempted to scream, but her body refused. The only part of herself she could control was her eyes. Sliding them as far right as possible allowed her to visualize Trevor's clenched fist.

  The urge to vomit had overwhelmed her, but the sickness stayed trapped as she struggled to breathe while her breakfast pushed to exit. In addition, the noise had grown so loud that Mia thought she might pass out before she threw up. But then the scenery outside the simulation windows grew dark, and tiny stars appeared. Mia focused on counting them.

  Then Earth slid into view, its beauty numbing everything. Mia's eyes had lingered on North America, and for the first time, she considered just how far away she'd be from everyone. And right after that, she'd completely blacked out.

  "You ok?" Trevor asked, his voice calm and low as she came to.

  Mia had been absolutely mortified. She'd immediately looked down, scanning to see if her body was intact. Prior launch drills had generated a substantial amount of panic, but passing out entirely was a new horror. Trevor slow-clapped as she exited the simulator, dizzy and nauseous. She'd wanted to hate him, but she needed him. Sure, he'd teased her, but he'd also been the one to unbuckle her lap belt and wait for her to wake up.

  "It's too late to get another partner. I don't care what Samantha says. You're stuck with me," she'd told him.

  But he needed her, too. This grueling week had cemented the fact that now they were a team, and Mia felt safe acknowledging it. Just as Trevor inhaled a third piece of bread, someone announced that graduation would start soon, and Samantha suddenly reappeared and sat beside Mia, quickly turning to greet everyone as the room gradually fell silent.

  "This is a special night for Red Rock as we take the opportunity to honor and recognize two of our most recent M6 Mission Space Camp graduates, Trevor Bell and Mia Roberts. I know your week has been full of challenges. As a surprise treat, we've invited your parents to join in on the celebration."

  Trevor's mouth went slack as his mom's face populated a gigantic screen. Jocelyn and Ken's faces appeared next, minimizing Tanya Bell.

  "Holy shit," Trevor said way too loudly, to which Samantha gave a stern face.

  "Sorry," Trevor whispered. "Where's my dad?"

  "He couldn't make it tonight," Samantha replied, uncomfortably.

  Mia watched Trevor's face fall and then recover, producing a believable smile for the camera. Mia's parents were waving from Jocelyn's kitchen and cupping their fingers together to form a heart. Mia forced a tight smile and waved back robotically.

  "But before we start the ceremony, I want to introduce someone very special, mission four astronaut- Rebecca Timberland. She's come to share a few words regarding her experience with Red Rock in light of Trevor and Mia's upcoming endeavor."

  The room exploded, and instantly, everyone was on their feet, clapping and watching the girl with dark hair and a red-fitted suit make her way to the front of the room. She nodded and returned the applause until the room went quiet again. Rebecca stepped forward, her voice steady and confident.

  "Good evening, Everyone. Congratulations, Mia and Trevor. I'm sure you're happy this week is behind you. I know Space Camp was a real challenge for me—those launch simulations. I can't say that I miss them. I've struggled to decide exactly what to share tonight. Going to Mars changed me in ways I find hard to explain. There's something out there. A planet with countless secrets just waiting to be discovered. When I sat at my own graduation ceremony, I underestimated how this opportunity would impact my life. I'm one of the first humans to go to Mars, and also the youngest. My life is completely different now in every way. I hope these simple words convey the enormity of what you are about to do. Our greatest accomplishment as a species rests in your hands now."

  Applause erupted from every corner of the room as people jumped to their feet, all eyes on Red Rock's most recent space camp graduates. Samantha nudged Mia, helping her stand, and Trevor followed their lead. Flashing cameras prevented Mia from seeing Trevor, but she could still hear him.

  "Wait. I thought we were the first kids to go to Mars?"