Nathan’s ears felt suddenly hot.

He had heard questions before. Some were genuine. Some were not. This time he could tell from the tone that the point was not curiosity.

The taller boy stepped closer. “My mom said your religion thinks everybody else is wrong.”

Nathan swallowed.

There were several things he could do. He could go quiet. He could try to disappear from the moment. He could say something sharp back and regret it. Or he could do something harder.

He could answer simply and without shame.

He remembered family worship. He remembered his parents helping him practice how to explain his beliefs kindly. He also remembered that courage did not always feel brave while you were doing it.