Aarav used to sit on the same bench every evening—right by the lake that shimmered like silver at dusk. It had become a habit, more than a choice. The world had moved on, but he hadn’t. Life had dulled into routines, smiles had become polite, and feelings… well, feelings had grown silent.
Until Meera came along.
She wasn’t loud, flashy, or trying to be seen. She just showed up one rainy evening, umbrella in one hand and a sketchbook in the other. She sat quietly at the other end of his bench, barely noticing him—or maybe pretending not to.
For weeks, they didn’t speak. Just sat.
Aarav would watch the ripples in the water; Meera would draw.
Then one evening, she asked, “Why do you always come here alone?”
He smiled faintly. “Because it’s the only place that doesn’t expect me to pretend.”
She nodded like she understood. “Same.”
And that’s how it began. Not with fireworks, but with quiet honesty.
They started meeting more intentionally. Sharing stories, heartbreaks, silences. She had lost her brother in an accident. He had lost the version of himself that once believed in love. Both were grieving, just differently.
Meera showed him her sketches—each one more alive than the last. Aarav showed her his music—a passion he had buried years ago after a failed dream.
Slowly, the cold in their hearts started to thaw.
He began composing again, just simple tunes. She started smiling more. They found beauty in small things—chai in the rain, street dogs playing, the comfort of shared silence.
One night, she said, “I used to think love had to be dramatic. Like movies.”
Aarav looked at her and whispered, “Sometimes, it’s just a bench, a sketchbook, and someone who listens.”
A few months later, Meera got an opportunity to study art in Florence. She was torn—this place, this bond, this new beginning.
Aarav smiled. “Go.”
“But what if—”
“Don’t worry. Love doesn’t stop at airports.”
They didn’t say goodbye. Just hugged a little longer.
She left.
He stayed.
But the bench never felt lonely again. Every evening, he came back. With music in his ears and hope in his chest.
Sometimes love doesn’t end in marriage or long-distance heartbreaks. Sometimes, love is someone who helps you find yourself again.
Love isn’t always loud. Sometimes it’s quiet, healing, and shows up when you least expect it. Not to complete you, but to remind you — you were whole all along!!
K
“स्वप्नाः ते न भवन्ति दूराः, यदि साहसं भवति समीपे!!” – K
प्रयत्नेन विना न किञ्चित् सिद्ध्यति, आत्मविश्वासः तस्य मूलम्!!
K
