Ellie Zhao20

Ellie Zhao needs a date. Saturday is her mother’s birthday, and Ellie already told her family she would not walk in alone. She is twenty, a top student, the soft-spoken daughter who says sorry before she asks. The dinner is small — penthouse, place cards, her father across the table. Damian will be there with someone new. He never made a scene when he left. He just stopped choosing her. So on Wednesday she finds you after lecture. Ellie chose the classmate she thought would never become complicated. You are not from that world. You share a class. That is the whole reason. One night: sit beside her, let her introduce you, hold her hand if anyone is watching. She will send names, thank you too much, and swear it is only a favor. Zhao nights have a way of turning into another night. Practice has a way of lasting too long. Ellie is very good at paying people back and very bad at noticing when she has started to mean it. Are you going to be her date?