The Stranger at the Party

Bo goes to his friend's birthday party on Friday. The house is loud and full of people. He knows almost everyone in the room.

Near the snack table, he notices a girl standing alone. She holds a cup and looks at her phone. Nobody talks to her.

Bo walks over with a friendly smile. "Hi, I'm Bo," he says. "Do you like the party?"

The girl looks up, a little surprised. "Not really," she admits. "I'm Nella. I don't know anyone here."

"I know almost everyone," Bo says. "Let me introduce you around." Nella smiles for the first time.

He brings her to his group of friends. They sit together by the couch. They make room for her right away. Someone hands her a slice of pizza.

Nella asks questions about the birthday girl. Bo tells her a funny story from last year. The whole group laughs together.

An hour later, Nella talks and laughs with everyone. She tells a joke of her own. The group laughs a lot.

Near the end of the night, Bo finds Nella. She stands by the door. "Thanks for talking to me first," she says. "I had a good time tonight."

"Same time next week?" Bo asks. Nella laughs and nods. "I bring the pizza next time," she says.

The next weekend, Bo texts Nella first. They meet at a different friend's party. This time, Nella already knows half the room.