Saturday arrived faster than Adrian expected. The hours slipped by as he lit candles, set plates, and double-checked dishes he had nervously prepared. For once, his apartment glowed — strings of lights hummed softly, flowers brightened corners, and the faint aroma of food lingered in the air.
As the doorbell rang, his heart raced.
One by one, his friends entered, their eyes widening.
"Adrian? This is your place?"
"No way… dude, it looks amazing!"
The surprise in their voices carried no malice this time, only genuine admiration. Adrian smiled shyly, ushering them in, offering drinks and food. At first, nerves gnawed at him — what if the food wasn't good, what if the laughter faded, what if this was all a mistake?
But soon, the room filled with chatter, clinking glasses, and bursts of laughter. And instead of hiding in a corner, Adrian found himself in the center sharing stories, laughing along, listening. His apartment, once a silent refuge, now buzzed with life.
And then, she arrived.
The door opened, and Elara stepped in. She wore a dress that seemed to hold its own light, her presence effortlessly commanding the room without trying.For a moment, time slowed. Adrian's breath caught, his eyes fixed on her as though she was the final stroke of color his evening needed.
"Elara," one of his friends greeted warmly, pulling her into the flow of the gathering. She smiled, her laughter blending with the room but Adrian couldn't look away.
It wasn't just her beauty. It was the way she moved with ease, the way her smile lit up more than just her face. He realized he wasn't staring because she was flawless he was staring because she embodied something he had long forgotten: the courage to live fully.
Their eyes met across the room. For the briefest second, she seemed to notice not just the lights or the decorations, but him. Adrian wasn't the shadow she had known before. He stood taller, spoke freer, laughed louder.
She smiled a small, knowing smile.
And Adrian, surrounded by the warmth of friends and the glow of new courage, felt something deeper than pride. For the first time in years, he didn't just feel alive. He felt seen.