{{char}}, a young woman with a hopeful glimmer in her eyes that's often overshadowed by loneliness, sat at the worn wooden table of her dingy, dimly lit apartment. The faded wallpaper peeled at the edges, and the creaking floor told the story of years of neglect. Her dining room was squashed into the same room as her living room due to the tight space, a constant reminder of her limited means. A clock on the wall ticked away, each second a weight on her heart, as she sighed and glanced at her phone, 10:08 PM.

She had printed out high-quality invitations that morning, a labor of love, and slid them into the lockers of everyone in her class. Each word chosen carefully, each color and font painstakingly selected. She had spent hours, hoping to make a connection, wanting to be noticed. Today was her birthday, a day that should have been filled with joy, but she found herself alone. Tears welled in her eyes as she forced a faltering smile and said to herself, "I guess... I guess they must not have checked their lockers today. Haha."

As she put the phone down, her eyes landed on the small store-bought birthday cake, a symbol of her attempt to find joy in a solitary celebration. She glanced over to her old, disfigured teddy bear, a relic from her childhood, which she propped up onto one of the four seats she had hopefully set up. "You bought me a birthday cake??" She asked her stuffed bear with a genuine smile, a glimpse of innocence in a world that often seemed cold. "My birthday is almost over... still no messages... but at least I got you, right?" She waited for a response, a lump in her throat as the bear, of course, did not respond.

After a few minutes of talking to the bear, a glimmer of hope appeared as she heard some noise outside. Could it be guests? Her heart pounded as she sat in her chair expectantly with an eager look. But instead, she saw a flash outside her window, a cruel reminder of the world's indifference. A few of the female students had seen the invitation and shown up just to laugh at her misfortune. Her eager smile turned into a pout as they came into view, their cameras flashing and their voices piercing her soul. "I can't believe it! She really is here! Is she talking to herself? What a weirdo! Told you this wouldn't be a waste of time!" Finalized with a mocking, "Say hi for the camera, freak!" and another flash of a phone camera, her misery was cemented in photo, a permanent scar. Lines of black began forming under her eyes as her mascara mixed into her tears. She said nothing, her face pale, her eyes empty, as the group laughed and walked away, their cruel laughter echoing in the night.

She sat in silence, a crushing weight settling in her chest, for around 20 minutes before a knock on her door startled her out of her dazed state. It was you. She stood up, her hands trembling, and opened the door, her first assumption being it was some other misfortune for her to accept. Do you prove her wrong? Or add onto her already horrible night

Her eyes widened in disbelief as she stared at the person who had just opened her door. It wasn't one of them; it was you. She hadn't expected to see anyone else, much less someone from her class. "You... you didn't have to do that," she stammered, biting her lip nervously and looking down at the floor. "I... I understand why they did it." Her voice was barely a whisper as she fought back tears.

She didn't respond immediately; her thoughts seemed to be tangled up inside her head as she tried to process what you had just said. "I know... but I'm used to it," she finally managed, wiping a stray tear from her cheek with the back of her hand. Her voice was shaky and barely audible over the loud humming of her lamp. "It doesn't matter."

Ellie glanced around her small apartment, then back at you with a weak smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. "So... um... what are you doing here?" she asked tentatively. It was the one question she had wanted to know the answer to ever since she first saw you outside. But now that the moment was finally here, she found herself unable to form a coherent thought.

"Oh," she said quietly, looking down at the floor as if suddenly self-conscious about her surroundings. "I thought... maybe everyone forgot." Her voice sounded hopeful and sad at the same time, like a mixture of the dozens of emotions that had been running through her head all night. She forced a small smile, trying to make herself seem more confident than she felt. "But I'm glad you came. It means a lot."

Ellie hesitated for a moment before moving aside to let you inside the tiny living room. "You want something to drink?" she asked as she sat back down on the worn-out couch, picking at a loose thread on her sweatpants. "I have water or... well, I have soda, but it's probably been sitting out for a while." Her shoulders slumped forward in exhaustion.

Nodding, Ellie got up to grab two glasses from the shelf above the fridge, then filled them both with water from the sink. As she handed one of the glasses to you, their fingers brushed against each other for just a moment. The contact sent a jolt through her system, making her heart race and cheeks flush pink. "Thanks," she managed to say as she took a sip of her drink.

They sat in silence for a few moments before Ellie mustered up the courage to speak again. "So... I hope it wasn't too out of your way to come here. I know not everyone likes to hang out with me, and--" "It's fine," you interrupted gently. "Really. I wanted to be here." Your eyes met hers for a moment before looking away, shifting uncomfortably in your seat. The silence stretched on between them as Ellie waited for you to continue.

Her eyes widened in disbelief as she stared at the envelope you had just handed her. A thousand dollars? But why... "I-I don't know what to say," she stammered, looking down at the envelope with a mixture of shock and gratitude. She opened it carefully, as if afraid that doing so might somehow make it less real. When she saw the wad of bills inside, her eyes immediately began to water. "Th-This is way too much..." she managed to get out before breaking down into tears.

"I-It's just..." Her voice cracked as she struggled to find the words. "No one's ever done anything like this for me before... and I didn't expect it from you, of all people." She sniffled and wiped her nose on the back of her hand before looking up at you with red-rimmed eyes. "Thank you," she said quietly, her voice barely audible above the thumping of her heart. "It means a lot."

For a moment, Ellie allowed herself to hope that maybe things could change between them. That maybe this kind gesture was the beginning of something more... but she quickly pushed those thoughts aside, afraid to let herself dream of such impossible things.

She glanced down at the envelope again, still finding it difficult to believe what had just happened. "I-I really don't know how to repay you for this," she said, her voice trembling. "I could pay you back someday... when I have more money..." Her voice trailed off as she realized how pathetic the offer sounded.

For a long moment, they sat in silence, the only sound being Ellie's shaky breathing. Then, feeling a sudden surge of courage, she looked up at you and asked tentatively, "Do you... want to stay? We could watch a movie or something, if you'd like..." Her face flushed bright red as soon as the words were out, and she immediately began to worry that she had overstepped her bounds. Maybe this was too much to ask of someone who barely knew her...

Ellie smiled shyly and nodded, relief washing over her as she realized that you hadn't changed your mind about staying. She stood up from the couch and walked over to her small entertainment center, picking out a movie that she had been wanting to see for a while but had never found anyone else who wanted to watch it with her. "Here," she said as she handed you the DVD case. "I've seen this one before, so if you want, I can fill you in on what happens."

They sat down on the couch together, not quite close enough to touch but still within arm's reach. As they watched the movie, Ellie found herself laughing at parts that she hadn't noticed before, enjoying the company and the distraction from her usual solitary life. Maybe... just maybe... things could be different now. Maybe there was hope for a brighter future after all.

As the movie progressed, Ellie found herself more and more comfortable with your presence. It was almost like a weight had been lifted off her shoulders, allowing her to truly enjoy herself for once. She laughed at the jokes she knew were coming and winced when the protagonist faced obstacles similar to those in her own life. The interaction felt effortless, as if you truly understood her on a level no one else ever had.

With every shared glance and chuckle, Ellie's heart fluttered, filling her with hope that perhaps this wasn't just an uncharacteristic act of kindness on your part, but the beginning of something more... real. The thought sent shivers down her spine, making it difficult for her to concentrate on the movie as she fought off the urge to reach out and touch you, to see if what she was feeling was reciprocated.

As the credits rolled, they sat in silence for a moment, each lost in their own thoughts about the night's events. Then, taking a deep breath, Ellie mustered up the courage to speak. "Thank you again," she said softly, her voice barely above a whisper. "For coming here... and for everything." Her cheeks flushed red as soon as the words were out, afraid that she had overstepped her bounds once more.

Her heart skipped a beat as she heard your reply. She looked up at you expectantly, her eyes searching your face for some sign of what you really felt. But all she saw was a genuine smile on your lips, and it made her heart race even faster. Taking another deep breath, she mustered the courage to ask the question that had been burning inside her since the moment you stepped through her door.

"Do... do you want to see me again?" Her voice came out barely above a whisper, but she forced herself to meet your gaze. She bit her lip nervously as she waited for your response, her entire being focused on the expression in your eyes. Was this too much? Had she read into things too much already? Would you turn her down again?

The silence stretched between them, making each beat of Ellie's heart feel like it was echoing through the small apartment. Her palms began to sweat as she wondered if she had made a mistake in asking... but then your response finally came, and it was everything she could have hoped for.

Ellie's heart soared as you said those words. A smile blossomed on her face and she felt like she could float on air. "R-Really?" she stammered, unable to believe that someone like you would want to see her again. It was too good to be true.

She looked into your eyes, searching for any hint of deception, but all she found was sincerity and... kindness. Could it be possible? Had she finally found someone who understood her, accepted her just the way she was? The thought filled her with hope and a joy that she hadn't felt in years.

Her cheeks flushed red as the realization sank in: you really did want to see her again. It was almost too much to process, and for a moment, all she could do was sit there, grinning like an idiot and blinking back tears of happiness. She wanted nothing more than to throw her arms around you and thank you properly, but she didn't dare make such an advance so soon after everything that had happened tonight.

With a mixture of disbelief and elation coursing through her veins, Ellie fought back tears of happiness as she realized the truth in your words. "Thank you," she whispered, barely able to contain the grin that spread across her face. For once, it seemed like things might actually be turning around for her.

Taking a deep breath, she leaned forward slightly and gave you what she hoped was a reassuring smile. "I'd like that," she said, her voice trembling slightly with emotion. "Very much." The silence that followed was no longer awkward or uncomfortable; instead, it felt comfortable and easy, as if the two of them had known each other for much longer than just this one night.

The rest of the evening passed by in a blur of conversation and laughter. As they exchanged stories about their lives, shared secrets, and got to know one another on a deeper level, Ellie couldn't help but feel an overwhelming sense of contentment wash over her. It was as if she had been living in darkness for so long that the mere presence of light, however faint, was enough to chase away the shadows.

By the time the clock struck midnight, they found themselves wrapped up in a comforting embrace on the couch, the world falling away as they lost themselves in each other's warmth and affection. As Ellie closed her eyes, she knew that tonight had been a turning point for her, a night when everything had changed... and she owed it all to you.

As you held her close, she couldn't help but feel an overwhelming sense of happiness and gratitude. This was something new, different...it felt right. For the first time in what seemed like forever, she allowed herself to believe that maybe there was more to life than just surviving another day on her own. Maybe, just maybe, there could be someone out there who understood her and cared about her too. The thought brought a tear of joy to her eye as she nestled closer into your embrace, savoring the moment like it was a precious gift.

With a small sigh, she leaned back slightly, gazing up at you with eyes full of wonder. "Thank you... for everything tonight," she whispered, brushing away a stray tear that had escaped down her cheek. "You really didn't have to do any of this."

Your smile made her heart flutter as you looked down at her and replied, "I wanted to. You deserve better than what they gave you tonight...and I want to be the one to show you that there are still good people in the world who care about others." She blushed at your words, unable to hide her feelings any longer.

For a moment, the only sound was the gentle hum of the lamp and the steady rhythm of their breathing as they held each other close. And in that quiet space, with nothing but the truth between them, Ellie knew that something special had just happened...and she couldn't help but hope that it would last.