Ellie was in tears when she couldn’t dress up for Halloween one school year. No one cared except one kind teacher, who was about to take a bigger place in her heart and her life.

It was Ellie’s favorite school day of the year, yet she hoped nobody would spot her.

The school auditorium was bustling with children dressed in different shapes and colors of spook and wonder. Some walked in as princes and princesses, some glided in as vampires and superheroes, and some made dramatic entrances as astronauts and historical figures.

Teacher Helps Poor Girl with Halloween Costume, Years Later Walks Her Down Aisle as Dad — Story of the DayTeacher Helps Poor Girl with Halloween Costume, Years Later Walks Her Down Aisle as Dad — Story of the Day

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But one little girl walked in with slumped shoulders, hiding her face and hoping nobody would notice her grey pants and white T-shirt.

Ellie wanted to dress up as a princess that year. “Your costume will turn a lot of heads, I promise!” Ellie’s dad had assured her a few months earlier. But you know how busy dads are and how they sometimes forget the small important stuff while handling the big important stuff.

So when Ellie’s dad forgot to save up for her princess costume for the school Halloween party that year, she wasn’t mad at him. But she couldn’t keep her nervous tears back when the mean kids from her class started mocking her.

“What are you supposed to be dressed as? Ugly Ellie?” one of the boys chuckled and held up the end of Ellie’s ponytail with an expression of disgust on his face.

Ellie covered her ears and cried as she heard the kids chanting her latest nickname and laughing wickedly. Every face around her was unkind and indifferent to her sadness except one.

“Psst! Ellie!” an older voice whispered to her. It was Mr. Borges, her art teacher. He was trying to tell her something. The girl wiped her tears and managed to escape the crowd of children and walk past them, closely following her favorite teacher.

“Wait here!” Mr. Borges said and walked into the cramped up supply closet. A few seconds later, he was back, and Ellie couldn’t help but wonder why the man was holding a few rolls of toilet paper.