The Wrong Number Of Love

Backstage, Ella and Noah were surrounded by friends and classmates congratulating them. Even their teacher, who rarely gave out compliments, told them, "That was exceptional work."

"I told you we'd kill it," Noah said, his grin wider than ever.

Ella laughed, the tension finally releasing. "Yeah, yeah. Don't let it go to your head."

Later, as the crowd thinned and the winners were announced, Ella and Noah stood together, holding their breath.

"And the first-place award goes to… Ella Carter and Noah Bennett!"

They stared at each other in shock before breaking into wide smiles. Noah pulled Ella into a spontaneous hug, lifting her off the ground as the crowd cheered.

"We did it!" he said, spinning her around.

Ella laughed, her heart lighter than it had been in years. "We actually did it."

The next day, life at school felt different. People who had never spoken to Ella before stopped her in the hallways to compliment her work. Even Noah seemed to carry himself differently—not with his usual cocky swagger, but with a quiet confidence.

They met after school at their usual spot in the park, where Ella handed Noah a framed photo from their project: the one of him photobombing the girls' selfie.

"I figured you'd want this," she said.

Noah laughed, taking the frame. "This is going on my wall."

As they sat on the bench, Ella glanced at him. "So… what now?"

Noah thought for a moment before replying. "We keep creating. Together."

Ella smiled, realizing that, despite their rocky start, they made a pretty good team.

Their journey hadn't been perfect, but that was the point. Sometimes, the best things came from the most unexpected partnerships.