Chapter 3
Charlie couldn't believe his ears. He had expected her to say no, but instead, she agreed. Shocked but happy, he nodded quickly and started leading the way. As they walked down the street, Charlie's mind was racing. He wasn't used to spending time with girls, especially one like her.
After a few moments of silence, the girl broke it. "So, what's your story?"
Charlie glanced at her, then looked down at the ground. "Um… well, my parents died when I was little. My uncle, George, he takes care of me now. He runs a bakery."
The girl looked at him with sympathy. "That must've been hard. Growing up like that."
Charlie shrugged. "It was... but I don't really remember them much. My uncle's been great."
She nodded, and they continued walking. Charlie didn't ask anything about her, partly because he was too nervous and partly because he didn't want to seem nosy.
They soon arrived at Charlie's house. As they stood at the door, Charlie said, "My uncle's probably out at the bakery, so it's just us."
He led her inside and straight to his room. When he opened the door, she stepped in, her eyes immediately widening as she looked around. The walls were covered with paintings of all kinds—landscapes, portraits, abstract art.
"Did you paint all of these?" she asked, amazed.
Charlie nodded. "Yeah… but they were all rejected. No one ever really liked them."
She walked closer to one of the paintings, studying it closely. "I can't believe that. These are amazing."
Charlie stood behind her, feeling a mixture of pride and sadness. "Thanks," he said quietly. "I tried to make each one special, but... it didn't work."
She turned to him, eyes still filled with wonder. "They don't know what they're missing."
Charlie smiled faintly, then said, "Shall we start the portrait now?"
The girl thought for a moment, then shook her head. "Not right now. I think I need a beautiful dress for the painting to really stand out."
Charlie blinked. "A dress?"
She nodded. "Yeah, something that'll make the painting look even more special."
Charlie scratched his head, then suddenly had an idea. "Wait here."
He quickly rummaged through his things, searching for something. The girl watched him, a bit confused, as he finally pulled out a small wooden box. Inside was a small stash of cash—money he had been saving up for a while.
"I've got enough here," he said, grinning. "Let's go buy you a dress."
The girl looked at him in surprise. "You don't have to do that."
Charlie waved it off. "No, really. I want this painting to be perfect. Come on, let's go."
He reached for her hand and gently tugged her toward the door. She hesitated for a moment but then followed, a small smile playing on her lips. Charlie couldn't believe this was happening. As they left the house together, he felt a mix of excitement and nerves. Maybe this painting would be different. Maybe this time, everything would work out.