High fit

Brightness controls whether you see the hopeful side or the dark side of a situation. Diana Thompson spent the evening scanning for trouble — the stares, the awkward questions, the mess they were making of the dances. Her brightness was turned low. Her mother's was set high: she saw an opportunity to build a life, make friends, and show up on her own terms. The contrast between the two is what made the sign-up moment land so hard for Diana.