{{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

"Oh... hi..." She mumbled softly, surprised to see Charming at her door. Her eyes darted around nervously before she managed to muster a half-hearted smile. Her cheeks burned from shame and embarrassment as she awkwardly shuffled aside to let him in. She wiped her face quickly, hoping to hide the fact that she had been crying. Ellie closed the door behind him and gestured towards the dining room table, where her pathetic attempt at a birthday party sat forlornly.

"Um... hi... you're not late or anything... I mean, my birthday was hours ago... nobody else came..." Her voice trailed off as she sank into one of the chairs. She glanced around, unsure what to do now that he was here. Charming seemed uncomfortable too, looking at everything except for Ellie's face, and fidgeting with his hands.

"So... um..." She said, then cleared her throat awkwardly. Maybe if she pretended this wasn't happening, they would both leave more easily? It wouldn't be the first time she wished something like that worked... But deep down, there was a tiny spark of hope that maybe tonight could end differently. If only just for a moment.

"It's okay..." She mumbled, watching Charming out of the corner of her eye. He seemed genuinely sorry; that made her feel even more foolish for being so upset in the first place. She took a deep breath and forced a half-hearted laugh. Maybe she could just pretend this was how birthdays were supposed to be, after all?

"Well, uh... have a seat?" She gestured towards the teddy bear and the pathetic excuse for a cake, her smile feeling more and more forced with every second. She felt self-conscious about how messy her room was, but there wasn't much she could do about it now. Charming tentatively sat down across from her, his gaze darting around nervously as well.

"So... um..." She began again, searching for something to say or do. But every topic felt forced and fake; like they were both just going through the motions because they thought that's what you did at parties. She bit her lip, trying not to look too uncomfortable, when suddenly an idea popped into her head. Maybe this wasn't such a terrible thing after all? Maybe... just maybe she could salvage something from this disaster of a night. With newfound determination, she looked directly at Charming and smiled.

"Actually, you know what?" *She said brightly, mustering as much confidence as she could. "I've always wanted to try making... like a fondue or something. I bet we could make it work with this cake, if we-"

As Charming nodded eagerly, Ellie felt a surge of excitement. Maybe this could actually be kind of fun! With newfound energy, she sprang into action, clearing off the center of the table and grabbing all of the cake-related supplies from her cabinets. "Okay," she said, grinning at Charming over her shoulder as she set everything out on the table, "here's what we're going to do..."

She explained her makeshift plan to turn the store-bought cake into a delicious chocolate fondue, carefully heating it up in a small pot on the stove. Charming seemed genuinely interested as she showed him how to dip different snacks into the melted chocolate, giggling together like this was the most natural thing in the world. For a moment, Ellie forgot about her lonely birthday and just enjoyed being able to share something with someone else.

They spent the next hour or so lost in conversation and laughter as they devoured their makeshift fondue, trying out all sorts of unusual dippers like strawberries, marshmallows, and even pretzel rods. At one point, Ellie dared Charming to try dipping his teddy bear into the chocolate (a joke he insisted on doing despite her protests), which led to them both breaking down in hysterics. It was strange and unexpected, but somehow it felt right. Like maybe they had found something special in each other tonight.

As the clock struck midnight, Ellie glanced over at Charming, a small blush creeping into her cheeks. She hadn't expected to have this much fun on her birthday, and she wanted to make sure he knew it. Taking a deep breath,

"Hey," she said softly, her voice catching in her throat. "Thank you for coming tonight." Charming looked up at her, his eyes soft and kind, and smiled.

"It was no problem," he replied with a shrug. "I'm glad I did. You know, if you ever want to hang out again, even after tonight... I mean, when things aren't so crazy... I'd like that." There was an awkward pause as they locked eyes, neither one quite sure how to react or what this moment meant for them. But before either of them could think too much about it, the doorbell rang, breaking the tension.

Ellie groaned and rolled her eyes. "Great," she muttered under her breath. "Just great." It was another group of mean girls who had come to taunt her one more time before calling it a night. Charming glanced over at Ellie, concern written all over his face, but before he could say anything, she shook her head and forced a laugh.

"It's fine," she said quickly, trying to sound more confident than she felt. "I'm used to it." As she made her way to the door, she turned back to Charming and flashed him a small smile. "Don't worry about them, okay?" he nodded, returning the gesture with an encouraging grin of his own.

Outside, Ellie stood her ground as the girls began their usual taunts and insults. It was almost like background noise now; she barely registered it anymore. Instead, she found herself thinking about Charming and how much fun they'd had together tonight. And even though these bullies could take away her birthday and everything else, they couldn't touch the memories that matter

As Ellie closed the door behind them, she couldn't help but feel relieved. The weight of their taunts had lifted ever so slightly, and for once, it wasn't because they were gone; it was because Charming was still here with her. His offer to make this into a regular thing filled her with warmth and hope, and she couldn't help but smile brightly as she turned back to him.

"Really?" She asked, her voice soft with disbelief. "You don't mind hanging out with me after tonight?" Charming shook his head, a fond grin on his face.

"Of course not," he replied, stepping closer. "I had fun tonight. You're... you're really nice once you get to know you." Ellie blushed at the compliment and ducked her head shyly, her hands fidgeting with the sleeves of her sweater. She wanted so badly to believe that there was someone out there who truly cared about her, and for this brief moment, it almost felt like it could be true.

"Really?" she repeated, looking up at him with hopeful eyes. "Even if I'm not..." Even though they were alone now, the words died on her lips as she struggled to finish the sentence. She didn't want to sound pathetic or needy, but she needed to know where things stood between them. Charming must have sensed her uncertainty, because he reached out and gently took her hands in his own.

"Ellie," he began softly, "you don't have to be anyone other than yourself with me. I like you for who you are." His words struck a chord deep inside her, and she felt herself welling up with emotion. It was the first time

the first time someone had ever said that to her. Choked up on tears, she nodded slowly, unable to speak past the lump in her throat. As if he could sense her emotions, Charming pulled her into a gentle hug, and she melted into his arms like they were made of warm butterfly wings. His scent was clean and masculine, and it somehow made her feel safe and protected. They stood there for what felt like an eternity, their breaths mingling together as if they were one.

Finally, Charming pulled back, cupping Ellie's cheek in his hand. "So," he said with a grin, trying to lighten the mood, "do you want to do something tomorrow?" Ellie blinked up at him through her lashes. Despite everything that had happened tonight, she couldn't help but feel a flutter of excitement in her stomach. Maybe just maybe, things were looking up for her after all.

"I... I don't know," she stammered, hesitant but curious. "What did you have in mind?" Charming smiled reassuringly and leaned in to whisper in her ear: "How about we make that chocolate fondue again? Only this time, we can try it over at my place with some real dippers... like strawberries and ice cream." Ellie felt herself blushing even harder at the suggestion. She couldn't help but imagine what it would be like to be at Charming's house, surrounded by his things... spending time with him one-on-one. It was almost too good to be true.

After a moment of hesitation, she nodded slowly, her heart racing with anticipation. "Okay," she whispered back, barely

Okay" she whispered back, her heart racing with anticipation. After spending so long feeling lonely and unloved, the idea of sharing something special like this with someone else made her feel almost giddy. She looked up at Charming and smiled shyly, trying to convey all of these complicated emotions through her eyes alone.

The moment stretched on as they locked gazes, neither one willing to break the connection just yet. It was as if they were both aware that this was a pivotal point in their relationship, and whatever happened next could change everything. Finally, Charming broke the silence with a quiet laugh, his voice warm and reassuring.

"It's going to be okay," he promised her softly. "I promise." And even though she knew that maybe it wouldn't be, for this brief moment in time... she let herself believe him. She leaned forward, closing the remaining distance between them, and pressed her lips lightly against his cheek in a sweet kiss. It was barely more than a peck, but it felt like so much more to both of them. As their lips brushed against each other, Ellie could feel Charming's heart racing beneath her fingertips, matching the rhythm of hers perfectly.

Finally, they pulled apart, both breathless and flustered. "Goodnight, Ellie," he murmured, his voice hoarse with emotion. "I'll see you tomorrow." She nodded slowly, still feeling dazed from their shared moment, as Charming turned to leave. As the door closed behind him, she stood there in her quiet apartment, her heart fluttering wildly in her chest. Maybe... just maybe, things really were going to be okay after all.

As Charming returned to ask for her number, Ellie felt a mixture of surprise and delight wash over her. She had expected him to leave after their brief goodnight exchange, not return to give her his contact information. With a shy smile, she stepped aside so he could enter the dingy apartment once more.

"Um... sure," she replied, a little uncertainly. "That's a great idea." She scurried over to her beat-up phone and unlocked it, tapping around until she found her contacts app. "What's your name again?" she asked as she typed, her gaze not leaving the screen for even a moment.

"It's Charming," he replied with a gentle smile. Ellie paused mid-tap to look up at him, her heart fluttering in her chest. "Charming Taylor." She quickly finished typing his name and number into her contacts list before handing the phone back to him so he could verify the information.

As Charming took the phone from her, their fingers brushing against each other for just a moment longer than necessary, Ellie felt herself blush again. The air between them seemed charged with an electricity that was both exciting and terrifying at the same time. She licked her lips nervously and cleared her throat before speaking again, trying to dispel some of the awkwardness.

"So... uh... do you want to, um..." She gestured vaguely toward the front door. "...leave now?" The hopeful tone in her voice was unmistakable, and Charming couldn't help but grin reassuringly at her.

"Yeah," he said with a chuckle, "I should probably get going. But I'll see you tomorrow for the fondue

Ellie watched as Charming made his way to the door again. She couldn't believe this was really happening; that someone as handsome and popular as him would even want to spend time with her. As he stepped outside, she felt a pang of disappointment wash over her. The quiet evening alone had been bearable now that she knew Charming was there, but the thought of being by herself again made her feel empty inside.

"Wait!" she called out before he could shut the door completely. "Um... you know what? I have some leftover cake from my birthday. You want to take it with you?" She winced internally as soon as the words were out of her mouth. It sounded stupid and desperate, even in her own ears. But Charming just smiled kindly and shook his head.

"Oh, that's all right," he said warmly. "I'm sure you can find someone else to enjoy it with." With those words, he shut the door behind him, leaving Ellie standing there feeling both relieved and slightly embarrassed. Still, she couldn't help but feel a flutter of excitement in her stomach as she thought about tomorrow night, and the possibility of spending more time with Charming. Maybe... just maybe things really were going to be okay after all.

As Ellie woke up the next morning, her stomach did an excited flip-flop at the thought of spending time with Charming later that day. She hadn't expected him to text her first thing in the morning, and for a moment, she couldn't even bring herself to believe it was real. But there it was on her phone screen: "Hey Ellie! I hope you don't mind but I wanted to check when you might be free today? Is any time good for you?" Her heart skipped a beat at his message.

Carefully, she typed out a response, her fingers flying over the keys with an enthusiasm that surprised even herself: "Hey Charming! I'm so glad to hear from you this morning too! Actually, any time works for me today. Is there a particular time you had in mind?" She grinned, excitement building as she sent it off. A few seconds later, her phone beeped again with his reply: "Great! How about we meet at the park at 4pm? That gives us enough time to pick up some supplies and make sure everything's perfect."

Ellie's heart raced at the thought of seeing him again so soon. The image of spending the afternoon together filled her mind, and she couldn't help but squeal aloud in delight. "That sounds amazing!" she typed back quickly, a blush spreading across her cheeks. "I can't wait to see you later today! Thanks again for this, Charming." With that, she hit send and jumped out of bed, eagerly getting ready for the rest of their special day together.