The teacher gave some things to a poor student. But when she saw who came to pick...

Gloria eagerly awaited the beginning of the new school year. She had been working as a French teacher at a boarding school for quite affluent families for a year, and she really liked it. The school was located in a beautiful, remote area away from the city; pine trees dotted the landscape, and a river flowed nearby.

Gloria was fortunate: the small cottage she shared with the geography teacher was right nearby, and at night, she fell asleep to the sound of flowing water. She had a favorite class: the students, who were all 12 years old this year, were cheerful and ambitious, eager to learn, and supportive of any initiatives from their mentors. They went on hikes, organized concerts, put on plays, and helped organize fairs and festivals.

Gloria already missed the kids and couldn't wait for them to return from home. Fortunately, preparing for the new school year kept her busy, and time flew by unnoticed. On the night before the first day of school, Gloria struggled to fall asleep; she was nervous.

Not even the sound of the river could calm her. She was very anxious about meeting the students, trying to imagine how they had changed over the summer. In the morning, she woke up long before the alarm clock rang, realizing she wouldn't be able to sleep anymore.

She got up and headed to the shower; the hot streams of water finally woke her up completely. Gloria went downstairs to the kitchen, made herself some cheese toast, and brewed coffee. Then, she returned to her bedroom, put on a new blue blouse with a fancy bow and a strict skirt, pinned her hair up at the back, put on her favorite silver earrings, and nodded approvingly at her reflection.

She was ready to meet the students. Gloria left the cottage and headed towards the school building, inhaling the pleasant pine scent and thinking about the upcoming lesson. Yesterday, she had already seen some of the kids; they had grown taller and tanned over the summer.

Today, she would ask them and the others to tell her about their vacations in French. Besides, Gloria planned to introduce a new grammar topic to dive into studying without wasting time. Entering the building, she climbed to the second floor, where the French classroom was located, and, opening the door, stood on the threshold for a moment.

It had become her little tradition; Gloria had done the same thing last year, mentally wishing herself and the kids a successful year. Then, she approached the bookshelf and took out the necessary textbooks. There was still half an hour left before the lesson.

Gloria sat down, opened a clean notebook, and started writing down the names of the students. She was surprised to see a new name: Karad Fernandez. She wondered who she was.

Finally, there was noise in the corridor, and the first students began to enter the classroom. They smiled happily at Gloria, greeting her in French, which flattered her. When all the students took their seats, Gloria stood up and greeted them again, congratulating them on the beginning of the new school year.

She was about to start the lesson when suddenly the classroom door opened without a knock, and an unfamiliar girl appeared in the doorway. She had long red hair tied in a ponytail at the back of her head and bright brown eyes. Gloria stared at her in disbelief, completely forgetting that there was supposed to be a new student in the class.

The girl was dressed in worn-out jeans with holes at the knees and an old faded t-shirt. The soles of her sneakers were cracked from long wear, and threads stuck out from the canvas bag she held in her hands. "You seem to have mistaken the classroom," Gloria stammered, feeling flustered.

But the girl shook her head in response. "No, my schedule says I have French class now," she said confidently, and added, "My name is Karad Fernandez. I'm new here.

" "Oh yes, I saw your name on the list," Gloria recovered, calling furrowing her brow. "But why aren't you in the school uniform? " The girl shrugged.

"I thought on the first day you could wear anything. " With these words, she surveyed the class, which had fallen into surprised silence. The students looked at her agape.

"Where should I sit? " Karad asked. Gloria pointed to one of the empty seats by the window, and the girl headed towards it.

"Is she from the slums? " someone whispered among the students. The others laughed.

Gloria didn't like this remark, but she chose not to say anything; she didn't want to be further distracted from the lesson. She went on to ask the students one by one about their summer, asking them to speak in French, but it wasn't easy for everyone. When it was Karad's turn, she stood up and fluently recounted in French how she had visited Disneyland Paris over the summer and then vacationed on the islands.

Gloria was impressed by Karad's knowledge but doubted if the girl was telling the truth. The students were also excitedly whispering among themselves. "This can't be true," someone said.

"She's lying, of course. Just look at her clothes! If her family had money for a trip to Paris, she wouldn't be wearing shabby clothes!

" Gloria became angry, and, tapping the desk with her pen, asked the students to be quiet. "I hope you haven't forgotten that you're in class," she said sternly. "Besides, the rules of our school prohibit such disrespectful remarks towards any of the students.

You wouldn't want to be expelled, would you? " The students fell silent. "Being expelled because of her?

Never," someone quietly said from the back row. "That was the last warning," Gloria said, feeling annoyance and frustration. This wasn't how she imagined the first lesson of the new school year.

When the class ended, Gloria asked Karad to stay behind briefly. The other students began to… "Leave the classroom. " Many of them glanced back, smirking at the newcomer.

Kari Da responded to them with a cold and faint indifferent gaze. "Do you want to talk to me about something, Señorita Lazaro? " The girl addressed the teacher.

Gloria wearily sat down at her desk. "Kadi, I wanted to ask you not to attend classes in regular clothes anymore. " "Of course, Sorita.

My uniform just didn't dry in time after washing. I was brought here at the last moment. " Gloria nodded understandingly and twirled the pencil in her hand.

"Can I go, Señorita Lazaro? " Kadi asked. Gloria nodded, but when the girl approached the door, she stopped her.

"Oh, and about your story, you have excellent French. " Kadi shrugged as if it meant nothing to her. "My uncle spoke to me in French since I was a child and read me French books," she said in a bored tone and added venomously, "He's just a French fanatic.

" Gloria raised her eyebrows in surprise. "You don't seem to like your uncle very much, do you? " she asked.

"Not after he brought me here," the girl admitted. There was bitterness in her words, and Gloria didn't pry further. "I need to learn more about this girl," she thought.

When Kadi left, the teacher neatly stacked the textbooks and headed to the school principal's office. He happened to be in his office, and the secretary informed him of Señorita Lazaro's visit. The principal was available and invited her in.

"Today there was a new student in my class named Kadi Fernandez. She came in shabby clothes; other kids laughed at her. " The principal glanced down, pretending to search for some important document.

"Kadi is enrolled with us under special circumstances; she's been granted a scholarship," he quickly said. "But you need to treat her like any other student whose wealthy parents paid for their education. " With that, the conversation with the principal ended.

The next day, Kadi showed up in her uniform, which also looked far from new, as if it had been handed down from an older sister. The shirt, once white, had turned gray with time, and the vest had developed pills. The skirt was clearly too big for her.

Gloria looked at Kadi with pity as she passed by. The other kids looked down on her, yet Kadi seemed unfazed, paying no attention to anyone as she took her seat and opened her textbooks. "It smells bad here," murmured the girl sitting in front of Kadi, demonstratively getting up and moving to another seat.

Gloria frowned but said nothing. She couldn't understand how to convey to these wealthy kids that clothes weren't everything. Coming from a humble family herself, she never looked down on anyone.

Gloria decided to have Kadi give a presentation in French, thinking it might help her earn respect from her classmates. "Maybe this will help them start to appreciate her as a person," thought the teacher, but things turned out differently. Kadi gave a brilliant presentation in flawless French, boldly looking at the class.

It clearly didn't sit well with anyone, but Gloria's stern gaze kept the students from commenting. However, their thoughts were written all over their faces; they saw Kadi as a show-off and a teacher's pet. The situation escalated with each passing day.

Gloria started having trouble sleeping; she lay awake at night staring at the ceiling, pondering how to help Kadi integrate into the group. She believed that the most important thing in a class was an atmosphere of mutual respect and always tried to maintain it, but with Kadi Fernandez's arrival, everything became very difficult. The tension in the classroom did not contribute to good and productive learning.

Then one night, an idea struck Gloria; she decided to go to the city and buy Kadi some new clothes. The next day was Sunday, so Gloria began executing her plan early in the morning. She showered, had breakfast, and set off for shopping.

She managed to find an affordable, but decent store with teenage clothing and bought simple jeans, a couple of t-shirts, a hoodie, and a cute yellow dress. Then she went to a bag shop and found a nice canvas bag to replace Kadi's old one. Pleased with herself, Gloria went to a café and enjoyed a cappuccino and a croissant.

Soft French music played in the background, and Gloria drifted off into dreams of Paris. She never got the chance to visit, although she had wanted to when she was in university. Once, she even had the opportunity, but fate had other plans.

Gloria sighed heavily and pushed the bitter memories aside. Her thoughts returned to Kadi’s story of visiting Disneyland Paris. Gloria shook her head; no, that couldn't be true.

Surely Kadi just wanted to impress her new classmates. Unfortunately, the effect was quite the opposite. Gloria suddenly realized that she was constantly thinking about school and her students, and even on her day off, she couldn't get work out of her head.

Since when had she become so obsessed with it? Did she have other interests besides French? What about her personal life?

Gloria smirked; it had been ages since she had been on a date, and she had ventured into town for the first time in months, and that wasn't even for her own affairs. Gloria sighed again and asked for the bill. Perhaps it was time for a change.

She wasn't sure; an old, unhealed wound still ached in her heart. Gloria strolled through the center for a bit, sat by a beautiful fountain, and then headed back to school. She returned closer to evening and went straight to the girl's dormitory.

She asked the dorm supervisor where Kadi Fernandez lived, and when he answered, she headed to the fourth floor. Kadi lived alone; none of the girls wanted to share a room with her. Gloria knocked on the door and heard a loud voice.

"Come in! It's open. " She pushed it open.

Karad was sitting on the bed, her legs tucked under her, reading some book. She didn't look up until Gloria greeted her, recognizing the voice of the French teacher. Karad closed the book and got up from the bed.

"Sorry, I thought it was someone else," the girl confessed. "But who? The cleaners often come to me and ask me to wash dishes in the common kitchen.

I thought it was one of them and wondered why she was silent for so long. Usually, they burst in with indignant remarks. " Gloria's eyebrows rose.

"But why don't you wash your dishes yourself? " "I'm not used to living in a dormitory," Karad replied calmly. "At home, maids did everything for me.

" Gloria shook her head. Perhaps the girl just had a rich imagination and believed what she said. "All the girls who live under the same roof with you come from wealthy families.

Many of them have maids, but they know that here they have to clean up after themselves. " "I'm new," shrugged Karad, sitting on the edge of the bed and fiddling with a ribbon bookmark from the book. This girl has her own mind; nothing can make her flustered, thought Gloria.

Then she remembered why she came. "Listen, Kad, I bought you a gift. " With these words, the teacher handed the girl the bag with things.

She looked at Gloria in surprise as she took it in her hands. "A gift for me? But why?

" Gloria was a little embarrassed. "I thought you might need it. " Karad peeked into the bag.

"New clothes? " She started taking things out of the bag. "Thank you, Señorita Lazaro!

That's so kind of you," said Karad, examining the yellow dress. But Gloria didn't hear any emotion or sincere gratitude in her voice. It seemed the gift caught the girl off guard, and she didn't know how to react to it.

"I hope you like what I chose," Gloria said finally, feeling embarrassed. "You have great taste," Karad replied evenly. With that, the teacher said goodbye and left, feeling more than ever that something was wrong with this girl.

Time flew by very quickly; the end of the first semester was approaching. Students were supposed to leave for vacation. Gloria had seen Kad in new clothes several times but bitterly noted that her classmates' attitude toward her hadn't changed.

The teacher couldn't do anything about it. Finally, the last school day arrived. There were few classes, and by noon, parents started arriving for their children.

Gloria really wanted to see Kad's family and talk to them about the difficulties the girl was going through. Gloria went to the girl's dormitory and entered Kad's room to warn her of her intentions. "I don't have parents.

They died two years ago," the girl said calmly, packing her things. "My uncle will come for me. He is my guardian.

" Gloria was momentarily stunned but quickly composed herself and said, "I'm sorry. All right then, I'll talk to your uncle. " Kad silently shrugged her shoulders.

She closed a modest old suitcase, and together with Gloria, they went downstairs. "Let's wait for my uncle in the parking lot. He should be here any minute," the girl suggested.

Gloria nodded, and they headed towards the school's main gates. Today, they were open all day. The gatekeepers saw no point in closing them when new parents arrived every five minutes.

Gloria and Kad sat down on a bench and waited. Finally, a luxurious car drove through the gates. Gloria stared at it with all her eyes; it was so expensive and presentable.

"That's Uncle," Kad said with a bored tone, reluctantly getting up from the bench. Gloria couldn't believe her ears—the uncle of a poor student, driving such a car! She stood up excitedly.

What if Kad was fantasizing again? The car parked, and a young man got out of it. For a moment, Gloria felt like she had seen him somewhere before but quickly dismissed the thought.

She didn't have such well-off acquaintances. The man had dark curly hair styled with gel into a fashionable haircut. He was dressed very stylishly in a shirt of a beautiful mint shade, light blue jeans, and pristine white moccasins.

His eyes were hidden behind sunglasses. Gloria stared at the man intently, wondering what would happen next. Kad also looked at him, but her eyes showed indifference and steadfastness.

The man, noticing the girl, headed straight towards her. "Kad, hey! Are you ready to go?

" he asked, his tone conveying parental care. His voice seemed painfully familiar to Gloria. The young man tried to embrace the girl, but she pushed his hands away and demonstratively headed towards the car.

She didn't take the suitcase. Halfway to the car, Karad turned around and waved to Gloria. "Goodbye, Señorita Lazaro.

" Gloria waved back, noticing out of the corner of her eye that the young man was staring at her intently. "Lazaro? Did I miss you?

" he asked, taking off his glasses. Gloria looked at him, and for a few moments forgot how to breathe. "Francisco!

" she whispered quietly. She had seen him in her dreams for years, and here he stood before her in reality. And how he had changed!

Gloria awkwardly adjusted her hair. She looked more than modest against him in her strict teacher's blouse the color of coffee with milk and classic black pants. She lowered her gaze, but a moment later felt Francisco enveloping her in his arms.

"How many years has it been since we last saw each other? " "Eight years and three months," Gloria whispered quietly with such precision. "Did you count?

" Gloria blushed. She couldn't say that for all those eight years she had been trying desperately to forget him. "You left right after my birthday, so I easily counted it all in my head," Francisco laughed.

"So, you became a teacher? " Gloria nodded. "French language," she added.

"Didn’t doubt it," Francisco smiled. He affectionately ran his hand through her hair, then he hastily withdrew his hand. "Sorry, couldn’t resist," Gloria said nothing; she felt tears welling up in her eyes.

Suddenly, she felt very sorry for herself, her shattered hopes and dreams buried under the ashes of time. "And I've never been to France," she blurted out. Francisco looked her in the eyes intently.

"Listen, Gloria, perhaps you wouldn’t mind meeting somewhere, talking," he murmured. The girl's heart beat faster; was he inviting her on a date? "I don’t mind," she replied.

Francisco nodded, and they exchanged phone numbers. Then he hugged her again in farewell, put his suitcase in the trunk, got into the car, and drove away. Gloria watched the car for a long time until it disappeared from sight.

When she got home, she fell onto her bed and buried her face in the pillow. The extraordinary encounter stirred up half-forgotten feelings in her and brought back memories of when the girl enrolled in the Foreign Languages Department. She didn’t yet know which specialization to choose.

Students were given a month to ponder, and at its end, large sheets of drawing paper with the names of languages were posted so that everyone could write their surname in the appropriate list. Gloria stood in front of the boards for a long time, still undecided. She liked Italian, French, and even Chinese.

What should she choose? Then, a tall young man with curly hair approached the boards. He smelled pleasantly of cologne.

Gloria looked at him with interest; he was wearing a t-shirt with an image of the Eiffel Tower and simple blue jeans. Taking a marker, he boldly wrote his surname on the sheet under French language. He then smiled at the blushing Gloria and disappeared as suddenly as he had appeared.

After this fleeting but exciting episode, the girl had no doubts; she too would study French. On the morning of her first French class, Gloria felt oddly nervous. She couldn't decide what to wear—a dress or jeans and a sweatshirt.

Settling on a dress, she added a cocoa-colored cardigan and, glancing at the clock, realized she was late. The lesson had already started when the breathless Gloria appeared at the classroom door. "Come in, señorita," the professor said sternly, "but I will ask you not to be late again.

" Gloria apologized and surveyed the audience; all the seats were taken except one. She hurriedly walked to it, sat down, and only then realized that the boy with the Eiffel Tower on his t-shirt had become her neighbor. "I was afraid you chose a different language," he whispered to her.

Gloria was surprised he was thinking about her. Not knowing what to say, she randomly blurted out her name. "Pleased to meet you; Gloria, I'm Francisco," the boy charmingly smiled in return.

The girl's heart melted. Since then, they went everywhere together, sat side by side in lectures, had lunch in the university cafeteria, did homework together, and attended student concerts. Once, Gloria fell ill and didn’t come to class.

Her temperature was so high that she couldn't even write a message to warn any of her friends. She slept until noon, and when she finally picked up her phone, she saw several missed calls from Francisco and a message saying, "Where are you? What happened?

" Gloria typed that she was at home with a fever and sent a message. The reply came almost instantly. "Do you need anything?

I'll bring it," the boy replied. "No, thank you. I'm fine," Gloria wrote back.

She didn’t want to bother him, but half an hour later, the doorbell rang. Gloria was home alone; her parents were at work, and her brother and sister were at school. She threw on a robe and went to open the door.

Francisco stood on the doorstep with a bouquet of flowers. He also brought oranges, jam, and chocolate pastries. Gloria was very touched by his care.

Francisco sat by her bed for a long time; he talked about what happened in class, played her favorite music on his phone, and joked. Gloria had never laughed so much. She was very grateful to the boy for coming to support her.

The next day, the girl felt much better and went to class. Francisco seemed somewhat excited and answered her question that he would tell her everything later. Gloria was intrigued.

After lectures, they went to their favorite café nearby. They sat at a table near the aquarium and ordered fried potatoes and cocoa. Then Francisco looked at Gloria with eager eyes and pulled out a bright brochure from his backpack.

Gloria noticed a familiar image of the Eiffel Tower on the cover. "What's this? " the girl asked with interest.

"Our ticket to the future," Francisco mysteriously replied, handing the brochure to Gloria. She glanced at the cover: “Study Exchange in the Heart of France,” she read. "What do you think?

" he asked. "Do you want to study in France? " Gloria asked with a dropped voice, looking into Francisco's eyes.

"Of course I do," he replied, and his eyes sparkled with joy. "But not alone. With you.

" Gloria's heart warmed sweetly. "It will be a magical adventure, won't it? " dreamily said Francisco.

"We'll discover so much new and interesting together. " Gloria smiled; the prospect of going to France with Francisco appealed to her more with each passing minute. She thoughtfully flipped through the brochure.

"But does the trip require a lot of money? " she cautiously asked. "Yes, for the ticket and accommodation," Francisco nodded.

Gloria knew that Francisco's family was quite wealthy; his parents wouldn't have trouble paying for his trip. Her situation was different. She was fortunate to have received a scholarship for university; otherwise, she would have had to give up on her studies.

Her family wasn’t well off; her dad worked as a car mechanic and her mom was. . .

A nurse, moreover, unlike Francisco, Gloria wasn't the only child in the family; she had a younger sister and brother. "I'll ask my parents tonight if they can afford to pay for my trip," Gloria promised. "They must!

" Francisco exclaimed fervently. "Such an opportunity comes once in a lifetime. Only first and second year students can participate in the program.

" Gloria nodded and quickly changed the subject; she didn't want to make plans prematurely. During dinner, she told her parents about Francisco's proposal. They exchanged puzzled looks, and her dad, clearing his throat, said, "Gloria, dear, we understand how much you want to go, but the amount needed for your ticket and stay in another country is beyond our means.

We spend a lot on Pedro's clothes; he's a boy and tears his pants almost every day, and Louisa is graduating soon and going to university. " Gloria didn't lift her gaze from her plate. "Forgive us, honey," her mom said gently, stroking her hand.

Gloria nodded understandingly and didn't mention the trip anymore. After dinner, she sent a message to Francisco: "Sorry, but I won't be able to go. " Then she buried her face in the pillow and cried bitterly.

The next day, Francisco was waiting for her at the entrance to the academic building. "Didn't work out? " he asked anxiously.

Instead of greeting, Gloria shook her head. "My parents can't afford it," she said. Francisco bit his lip, taking her bag.

He let her go ahead and followed her into the building. "Listen, what if I ask my parents? " he said on the go.

Gloria looked at him in alarm. "No! What are you thinking?

It's not appropriate; they'll think I'm using you. " Francisco stopped her, turned her to face him, and gently took her shoulders. "Don't say that.

They'll understand that you mean a lot to me, and I don't want to part with you. I don't want to give up on our dream. If it's just about money, it's not a problem.

" Gloria was embarrassed by Francisco's words, but she knew her dignity would never allow her to travel at someone else's expense. "I can't do that," she answered quietly. Francisco looked into her eyes for a long time, then he finally said decisively, "Then I'll find a job and earn money for your trip.

" Gloria was stunned. "You'd do that for me? " she asked, amazed.

"Why not? " he replied and gently ran his hand through her hair. "I've already said you mean a lot to me.

" Everyone watched them with curiosity, and Gloria felt completely embarrassed. Francisco leaned toward her ear and whispered, "You mean more to me than just a friend. " Gloria felt a pleasant warmth spread through her body.

She wanted to hug Francisco, but she knew university was not the place for such displays of affection. She held back. Francisco took her hand, and they began to climb the stairs.

The young man kept his word and found a part-time job on the same day. Gloria felt uncomfortable that she was causing Francisco so much trouble, but when she mentioned it to him, he just waved it off. "It's not a problem at all; I like my new job.

This experience will be useful to me. " "But why do you need experience as a courier? " Gloria asked.

"You dream of something else. " "You have to start somewhere," the guy shrugged. "Every director was at the bottom of the career ladder at some point.

" Gloria was amazed by his wisdom, and with each passing day, she liked Francisco more and more. Many girls from the faculty admired him, but they all knew they didn't stand a chance; the guy only had eyes for Gloria. There was just over a month left before the trip.

The girl told Francisco that she could also find a job somewhere to help him, but he just shook his head in response. "I'll handle the financial issue myself, and you'd better focus on your studies. The better your French is, the quicker you'll adapt to the new country.

" Time flew by very quickly, and two weeks before departure, Francisco and Gloria bought tickets to Paris. The girl couldn't believe her luck. Would everything really work out?

Would their dream become a reality? "If you really want something, act. It's all in your hands," Francisco said to her, and Gloria looked at him gratefully.

If not for him, she wouldn't stand a chance; it wouldn't even occur to her to try. Gloria had been used to making do with very little since childhood. "Imagine, we'll celebrate your birthday, and the next evening we'll be strolling around Paris.

" Gloria nodded with a smile. Everything was going wonderfully well, and to this day, the girl felt like it was a dream. But a week before her birthday, something happened.

Gloria's sister, Louisa, came home from school with a high fever. At night, they had to call a doctor. The doctor examined the girl with concern and said she needed to be hospitalized urgently.

Louisa's mom went with her; Gloria wanted to go with them, but her mom reminded her that she had lectures early in the morning the next day. Gloria had to stay home, but she couldn't sleep anyway; she was so worried about her little sister. The news the next day was grim.

The fever remained high, and the doctors ordered a thorough examination for the girl. Gloria couldn't sit still but still went to her lectures. Francisco immediately noticed that something was wrong with the girl.

Almost in tears, Gloria told him everything, and the guy hugged her tightly. "All we can do is hope for the best," he whispered. But Louisa was getting worse.

Doctors feared the illness was more serious than it seemed. "There's a risk that Louisa will be disabled for life," the doctor sighed sadly, addressing the girl's family. Gloria's mom and the girl herself couldn't hold back their tears.

Only their dad held himself together as best he could. "She will need careful care and all your love," the doctor added. There were only three days left before the trip and two before Gloria's birthday, but the girl couldn't think of anything else; all her thoughts revolved around her sister.

Francisco supported his beloved with all his might. Without asking any questions, he understood what state Gloria was in. After the examinations, they brought Louisa home; she needed bed rest and care.

Someone always had to be by her bedside. Gloria's mom took on this role; she quit her job and spent the whole day sitting beside Louisa, holding her hand. Gloria helped as much as she could.

"We won't be able to hire a caregiver," the girl heard her mom say to her dad one day when she came out of Louisa's room to bring her some water. "I don't know how we'll cope after Gloria leaves," the girl sighed. No one in her family even thought that she should give up the trip for her sister's sake, but Gloria herself thought differently.

She couldn't be so selfish. Her heart ached when she made the only right decision, in her opinion. A day before her birthday, the girl called Francisco and said she wouldn't go to Paris.

The young man silently listened to the sad news; he didn't try to convince the girl, knowing it would be pointless. Gloria hesitated for a long time, but once she made a decision, it became final and irrevocable. "But can we at least celebrate your birthday together?

" he asked. "I'm sorry, but I can't leave home. I'm needed by my sister and mom," Gloria replied almost in tears and quietly hung up.

However, the next morning, someone rang their doorbell. Mom was upstairs with Louisa, her brother was at school, and Dad was at work. Gloria opened the door.

Francisco stood on the threshold holding a huge bouquet of crimson roses. "Happy birthday, my love," the boy whispered and kissed the girl on the cheek. She almost cried with happiness.

"I brought not only flowers," Francisco confessed. "We'll have a great celebration of your birthday right here in your kitchen. " And without waiting for permission, he headed to the kitchen and started unpacking the bags.

There was so much: salmon, sandwiches, olives, chocolate pastries, four types of cheese, and other delicacies, the aroma of which made Gloria's head spin with sweetness. "You’re making so much effort for me, Francisco," the girl said gratefully. "You didn't have to; it's just a birthday.

" "Not just a birthday," the boy disagreed. "It's your birthday, and you deserve the best. What I brought is nothing.

I wish I could give you much more. " He sadly looked into her eyes. "I dreamed of showing you the world.

" With these words, Francisco lowered his head and sighed heavily. "I can't believe that tomorrow I'll fly to Paris alone. " Gloria gently hugged him and stroked his hair.

"It's not forever; Louisa will recover. I believe in that, and you'll come back to me, and we'll fly somewhere else together. " Francisco looked up hopefully.

"Promise? " Gloria nodded decisively. "Yes, I promise," she replied.

They had a wonderful time talking and laughing. Then Mom came down to the kitchen, saying Louisa had fallen asleep and stayed with them for a while. Gloria wanted to take her mom’s place by her sister's bedside, but she gently declined.

"Today is your day; you two better go for a walk in the park. The weather is wonderful. " Francisco immediately seized upon the idea.

"I'll take the boat and give you a ride, Gloria! " he exclaimed. Before the girl could understand anything, the boy was already pulling her towards the door.

"Mom, I'll be back soon," she said. It was a wonderful walk, which Gloria later couldn't remember without pain. Francisco was so close; he never let go of her hand, hugged her, and kissed her.

When it was time to say goodbye, both couldn't hold back their tears. "I cannot go," suddenly said Francisco, but Gloria covered his mouth with her hand. "You have to go for both of us!

And remember, it's just one semester, and then I'll come back. " Francisco finished for her. "You'll wait for me, right?

" Gloria nodded. "Absolutely, I'll write to you every day," Francisco vowed. He hugged Gloria tightly before parting.

The next day he flew away. He really did write to Gloria every day, and on weekends they would talk for a long time on video calls. Several months passed.

Louisa's condition remained the same. Gloria eagerly awaited Francisco's return, but when he called her before his supposed departure, the girl immediately felt that he wanted to tell her something important. "I canceled the ticket," Gloria.

Francisco confessed. The girl's heart sank heavily in her chest. "Why?

" she asked. "It's because I was offered a job here," the guy replied. "It's a very promising young company.

Can you imagine? They noticed me and offered me a position. Not the highest one, as you understand, but they're willing to pay for my accommodation.

" "So you're staying in Paris? " Francisco nodded. "But you'll come to me?

" he asked hopefully. Gloria wanted to say yes, but she knew it was impossible; Louisa was still very ill. Francisco understood everything without words.

They continued to communicate for a while, but gradually their communication faded away. Life had finally separated the two lovers. Gloria's phone beeped.

She sighed, opened her eyes, and pulled away from the pillow. She looked at the display; there was a message from Francisco. "I want to see you.

Are you free tonight? " "Yes," Gloria replied, feverishly thinking about what to wear. "I'll come by at 7.

Be ready," Francisco wrote. Excited, the girl jumped out of bed and opened the wardrobe. Her eyes fell on a crimson silk dress which she had only worn once at last year's school prom.

Without further ado, she took it. . .

. . .

it off the hanger and carefully laid it out on the bed. Her hair could be nicely pinned up at the back of her head; yes, earrings too, and a glorious jewelry box lay long with golden earrings scattered with clear zircons, which she inherited from her mom. She wore them at her wedding to her father.

The girl tried on the earrings and was satisfied; she could hardly wait for the evening. Exactly at 7:00, she approached the parking lot and saw Francisco's car emerging from around the corner. Gloria felt a tremor throughout her body; she was very nervous.

Francisco had become so different, and Gloria felt like there was a gap between them. What would they talk about? So many years had passed, but the girl's fears were unfounded.

As soon as the car pulled into the parking lot, Francisco stepped out and kissed her on the cheek. Gloria noticed that he looked at her admiringly. "You look fantastic," the young man whispered.

He himself was dressed in a dark suit and a light shirt. Francisco opened the car door for Gloria, and she sat in the passenger seat. The man walked around the car and sat in the driver's seat.

Gloria didn't notice the crimson rose in his hand, the color of her dress. Francisco said softly, handing the flower to the girl, "Gloria. " She smiled as she took the rose and breathed in its fragrance.

Francisco began to talk about something, and casual conversation filled the salon. Gloria felt at ease; she realized she had been wrong to think Francisco had changed. In reality, he remained the same cheerful and straightforward guy; it seemed to her like the eight years that separated the present from the past hadn't happened.

"I feel like we never parted," Francisco confessed, as if reading Gloria's thoughts. The girl simply nodded in response. They arrived at the restaurant, where they were escorted to their table.

Francisco ordered champagne and pasta, while Gloria opted for risotto. A young waiter took their order and asked them to wait. "Tell me about Karad," the girl requested when the young man left their table.

"She's the daughter of my cousin. She and her husband died in a car accident two years ago," Francisco said sadly. Gloria reached out and touched his hand, expressing condolences.

"Since then, I've been her guardian," Francisco continued. "Poor thing has no one else. " Gloria nodded understandingly.

"So what she said about Disneyland and maids doing everything for her, it's all true? " the girl asked. Francisco only nodded awkwardly.

"But why did Karad come to school in shabby clothes? " Gloria asked, unable to shake off her curiosity. The man ran his hand through his hair and grinned.

"I'll explain everything," he began. Gloria prepared to listen. "When Karad's parents died, I was willing to do anything to make her happy.

I bought her expensive toys and designer clothes, took her to places most kids only dream about, and I spoiled her rotten. Karad became spoiled and arrogant; she didn't appreciate what was done for her. She thought it was all normal.

Karad became unbearable; she had no friends because she could only socialize with those who admired her. She never showed compassion or kindness to anyone. When I realized my mistake, I tried to talk to her, but she wouldn't listen to me.

She became a true narcissist. " Gloria nodded understandingly. Again, the waiter brought champagne and plates of steaming dishes.

Francisco thanked the young man, and then— "You decided—" Gloria began to guess. "I decided to send her to your school, disguised as a poor girl. I wanted Karad to learn something.

I talked to the principal, and he agreed to it, telling everyone that Karad received a scholarship. " Gloria remembered her strange conversation with the principal, and everything became clear to her. "But the kids laughed at her," she said.

"I felt so sorry for Karad that I went to the city and bought her new clothes," Francisco took Gloria's hand in his. "Yes, I know. Karad told me everything.

She grew very fond of you and attached to you. She said you're the kindest and most beautiful teacher in the whole school. " Gloria smiled hearing those words; it was gratifying to know her efforts hadn't gone unnoticed.

"Will Karad be returning to school next semester? " the girl asked. But Francisco only shook his head.

"No, she's had enough of this lesson. Besides, we're leaving again. " The smile faded from Gloria's face, pain pricking at her heart.

Again, she said sadly, "Back to France? " The man chuckled; it seemed he hadn't noticed the sadness in Gloria's eyes. "I have my own house there, with a pool and a garden.

I've always dreamed of this," the girl thought sadly. Francisco suddenly gently squeezed her hand. "And you know what?

" he said, mischievous sparks dancing in his eyes. "What? " Gloria exclaimed in surprise.

"You're coming with us! " Gloria couldn't believe her ears. "Me?

To France? " she asked. Francisco nodded.

"Or don't you want to? " He winked playfully. Gloria straightened her shoulders and took a deep breath before replying.

"I want to. I really want to," she said joyfully. Francisco reached for the champagne and popped it open with a loud pop.

"To dreams come true! " he solemnly declared, pouring the sparkling liquid into glasses and raising his own. Gloria responded with a smile.

Francisco took her hand and gently looked into her eyes. "Gloria, there's something I want to tell you. " The girl looked at him in surprise.

"Eight years ago, I made a mistake. I shouldn't have let you go. All this time, I've blamed myself, but fate has brought us together again, and now I won't make the same mistake.

I'll never leave you again. " Gloria listened to Francisco, and her heart opened up to love. Happiness, dear viewers!

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