Riley, a seventeen-year-old girl, was helping an elderly woman in a hospital room. She brought her clothes and fresh fruit.

The room was bright and clean, filled with the hum of medical equipment. Riley moved with practiced ease, her hands steady as she inspected the equipment.

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Pexels

“Riley, dear, you’re always helping me. You’re still in school. Don’t you have more fun things to do than sit with old folks like us?” Mrs. Roberts asked, her voice gentle and caring.

Like a nurse, Riley knew everything about the medical equipment, even though she wasn’t permitted to use it yet. “Mrs. Roberts, don’t worry about me. You know I want to be a doctor. How can I be a doctor if I’ve never been in a hospital?”
Mrs. Roberts chuckled softly. “You’re in the hospital more often than you are in school. I’m sure you know more than medical students.”

Riley smiled, pleased to hear such words. She had known a lot from a young age, not just by chance but because her mother was a doctor, and she always dreamed of being like her.

She remembered following her mom around the hospital, fascinated by the world of medicine.

“Don’t exaggerate, Mrs. Roberts. I still have a lot to learn,” Riley replied modestly, though she felt a warm glow of pride.

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney

“Graduation is coming up. Don’t you need to go on dates with boys? Choose your prom dress?” Mrs. Roberts asked, her tone shifting to one of concern.

Riley suddenly felt sad. She wasn’t filling her time with work and volunteering for no reason.

She was trying to distract herself from personal matters, knowing that if she were alone with her thoughts, she wouldn’t be able to handle them. The idea of prom brought a lump to her throat.

“Mrs. Roberts… I’m not going to the prom. No one invited me,” she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper.

“Nonsense! A beautiful and smart girl like you should go to prom. Don’t you have a boyfriend?” Mrs. Roberts asked, clearly perplexed.

“Not anymore… He broke up with me right before prom. I don’t want to talk about it,” Riley said, trying to hold back tears. The memory of her breakup was still raw.

“Well, he’s an idiot. Only an idiot would let a girl like you go,” Mrs. Roberts declared firmly, squeezing Riley’s hand for comfort.

“Thank you, Mrs. Roberts,” Riley said, appreciating the woman’s kindness.

“You will go to prom! My grandson will take you. He’s a good boy, and you’ll have fun with him,” Mrs. Roberts said decisively.
“Mrs. Roberts, I can’t do that…” Riley protested, shaking her head.

“It’s not up for discussion. He’ll pick you up right before prom,” Mrs. Roberts insisted with a wink.

Riley nodded reluctantly, not wanting to disappoint Mrs. Roberts. She couldn’t help but feel a small glimmer of hope that maybe, just maybe, prom wouldn’t be so bad after all.

Right Before the prom, Riley stood in front of her mirror, staring at her reflection. She wore a beautiful gown her mother had bought for her, a delicate shade of blue that brought out her eyes.

The dress fit perfectly, but Riley couldn’t shake the feeling of unease that gnawed at her. She smoothed the fabric nervously, her mind racing with thoughts of all the reasons she shouldn’t go.

“What if I run into Terry?” she whispered to herself, the thought of facing her ex-boyfriend filling her with dread.

The humiliation of their breakup still stung, and she feared seeing him with someone else would only make it worse.

“Honey! Your ride is here!” Her mother’s voice called from another room, snapping Riley out of her anxious thoughts. Panic surged through her, and her heart began to race.

“Mom, I think I won’t go… I…” Riley’s voice trembled as she tried to find the words to explain her fear.
Her mother burst into Riley’s room, determination written all over her face. She grabbed Riley’s hand and gently but firmly led her to the door.

“Is he at the door? Did you meet him?” scared Riley asked her mother.

“He is not at the door now. I’ve met him, and he is sweet; he is waiting on you in the taxi already!”

“But!” Riley tried to stop yet again.

“I don’t want to hear it. You’re going to your prom. You’ll thank me when you’re older,” she said, her voice leaving no room for argument.

Riley found herself outside, her mother waving for good luck. A taxi waited at the curb, and inside was a handsome boy waving at her. She took a deep breath and walked over, opening the car door and getting in herself.

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Pexels

“You look charming. You must be Riley, right? I’m Caleb. Nice to meet you,” Caleb greeted her with a warm smile from inside the car.

“Yes, it’s nice to meet you too,” Riley responded awkwardly, her smile nervous. Caleb seemed to notice her discomfort and quickly tried to lighten the mood.

“People think they’re afraid to finish school because they must move on to adulthood. Actually, it’s because it’s just scary to go to prom,” Caleb said with a grin, waiting for Riley’s reaction.

“True,” Riley replied seriously, though she appreciated his attempt at humor.

“It was a joke, maybe not a very good one,” Caleb added, his smile widening when Riley finally smiled back.

As the car started moving, Riley felt some of her anxiety begin to fade. Caleb’s easygoing nature was comforting, and she started to believe that maybe the night wouldn’t be so bad after all.

Arriving at the school where the prom was being held, Riley stepped out of the car without waiting for Caleb to open the door. She smoothed her dress, taking a deep breath to calm her nerves.

But as she turned to look back, she was shocked to see Caleb taking out a wheelchair from the trunk and transferring himself into it without using his legs.

“So that’s why he didn’t come to the door,” Riley thought, her face flushing with shame. She felt embarrassed for judging him in her thoughts, and even though he didn’t know, she felt guilty. Determined to make up for it, Riley ran over to help him.

Caleb looked up and smiled sincerely. “Thank you! You’re very kind.”

Riley took hold of the wheelchair, guiding it towards the entrance. She tried to push away the lingering embarrassment and focused on making the evening enjoyable for both of them.

As they approached the entrance, Riley’s heart sank when she saw her ex-boyfriend, Terry, standing there. But what hurt even more was seeing him hug Sam, her best friend. Riley forced a smile, but inside, she felt like she was falling apart.

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Pexels

“Hi, who’s this?” Terry asked, his tone casual as if nothing had happened between them. He glanced at Caleb and his wheelchair, smirking slightly. Riley felt the urge to disappear, feeling awkward and uncomfortable.

But she wasn’t about to justify herself for coming to prom with another guy, and certainly not for his physical condition. She gathered her strength and returned the smile.

“This is Caleb. He invited me to prom. Caleb, this is Terry, my ex-boyfriend… And this is my friend, Sam,” Riley introduced everyone politely, maintaining her composure.

Terry and Sam just nodded and walked away, laughing loudly after a few steps.

Riley held on, but it was clear she felt awful. Caleb gently took her hand and looked into her eyes, his expression kind and understanding.

“Thank you for not being ashamed of coming with me. I really appreciate it,” he said softly.

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Pexels

“It’s nothing…” Riley replied, trying to hold back her tears. She was grateful for his support.

“We came to this prom together, so let’s have fun together,” Caleb said, his smile encouraging.

Riley smiled and nodded. They entered the prom, and as the evening continued, Riley and Caleb laughed and talked without getting tired.

Caleb’s easygoing nature and sense of humor made Riley forget all her worries. He joked, made her laugh, and made her feel beautiful and happy.

“Do you want to dance?” Caleb asked suddenly.

Riley looked at him, a bit surprised. “Can we?” she asked.

“Of course!” Caleb replied with a grin. “I’ll lead.”
Riley laughed and took his hands. They moved around the dance floor, and Riley felt her spirits lift with every twirl and laugh.

After a while, Caleb turned to Riley and said, “It’s pretty noisy here. Let’s get out of here.”

“With pleasure,” Riley replied, not wanting to stay at the party either. She was enjoying her time with Caleb more than she ever thought possible.

They left the prom and wandered outside, finding a quiet spot under the stars.

They sat together, talking about everything and nothing, their laughter echoing in the night. Riley felt genuinely happy and at peace for the first time in a long time.Caleb walked Riley home, and as they strolled down the quiet, deserted street, it felt like a fairytale. The moon cast a gentle glow on the sidewalk, and the air was filled with the sweet scent of blooming flowers.

Riley felt happy, completely forgetting about what had troubled her in the morning and the evening, which had turned out to be magical, much to her surprise.

“Stop for a second by that fountain and come closer. I want to tell you something,” Caleb said suddenly, breaking the comfortable silence.

Riley stopped, turned Caleb’s wheelchair towards the fountain, and leaned closer to him. The water in the fountain sparkled under the moonlight, creating a serene backdrop for their conversation.“Closer, please…” Caleb’s voice was soft but insistent. Riley obeyed and leaned in, curious about what he wanted to say. Just as she got closer, Caleb leaned in, too, and kissed her.

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Pexels

It was unexpected, but Riley didn’t mind. At that moment, it felt like everything was going as it should.

The kiss was gentle and sweet, making Riley’s heart flutter. They slowly pulled away, and Riley looked down, feeling a mix of shyness and happiness. She didn’t know what to say.

“Sorry… I just felt like it,” Caleb said, his voice a bit nervous.

“It’s okay, it’s all good… Let’s go home,” Riley replied, trying to steady her racing heart.

They continued their walk, the air now filled with a new kind of excitement. They stopped at the door, and Caleb turned to Riley with a warm smile.

“Thank you for the evening. It was wonderful,” he said sincerely.

“Thank you, too. Will we see each other again?” Riley asked playfully, her eyes sparkling with hope.

Suddenly, Caleb stood up from his wheelchair, towering over her. Riley’s eyes widened in shock; he was much taller than she had imagined. Her mind raced with confusion and curiosity.

“How… So you’re not…” Riley’s voice trailed off, unable to form the complete question.

“Sorry, I have this silly habit of testing people. My grandmother said you were a kind and genuine girl.

I just wanted to make sure. And yes, I would love to see you again,” Caleb explained, his smile reassuring and kind.

Caleb smiled again, and Riley walked into her house, leaving Caleb in awe.

As the door closed behind her, Riley stood grinning from ear to ear.

As Riley went to her room, she reflected on the evening. The night had been filled with unexpected turns, but in the end, it confirmed something she always believed: kindness always pays off.

Tonight, she felt a new sense of optimism. When one door closes, another one opens, sometimes leading to something even better than she could have imagined.

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