The morning sun filtered through the glass walls of the café, falling gently on Riya’s notebook. She was writing her last piece for college magazine — “Love, if it’s real, finds its way back.”
She smiled softly at the line, unaware that in a few minutes, life was going to introduce her to someone who would make that sentence true.
A tall boy walked in, late as always, holding a camera. “You’re Riya, right? I’m Arjun — the photographer assigned for your article.”
She looked up, surprised by his confidence, and for a moment, time slowed. His eyes had that rare warmth — like he had known her forever.
---
They started working together, sitting for hours in the café near their campus. Arjun would click photos, and Riya would write stories around them. Slowly, those meetings became less about work and more about unspoken connection.
She loved how he laughed at her silly jokes, and he loved how her eyes lit up when she talked about dreams.
Everyone around them saw the chemistry — everyone but them.
---
One evening, while editing pictures for the magazine’s final issue, Arjun looked at Riya and said softly, “You know, you’re the story I want to write someday.”
She blushed, pretending not to hear him. But her heart skipped a beat.
That night, she couldn’t sleep. The sound of his laughter echoed in her mind, and her heart whispered — this is what love feels like.
---
Their first official date happened unintentionally. It was raining, the city was glowing under streetlights, and both of them ran for cover into a small tea stall.
Riya’s hair was drenched, and Arjun handed her his jacket. She laughed, “You’ll catch a cold.”
He smiled, “Not if you’re around.”
It was that night — under the smell of rain and tea — that they fell in love without saying the words.
---
The next few months were a dream. Long drives, handwritten notes, movie nights, and silent hugs. Riya finally believed love could be simple — and pure.
Arjun taught her to live in the moment. She taught him to dream bigger.
He wanted to be a travel photographer; she wanted to be a writer. Together, they planned to travel across India — capturing stories and moments.
---
But life, as always, had other plans.
Arjun received an opportunity to work in Singapore — a photography internship that could change his life.
Riya was proud of him, but her heart felt heavy.
Their last night before his flight, they sat silently at Marine Drive.
“I’ll come back,” Arjun promised.
Riya smiled through tears, “And I’ll wait. Just don’t forget me when your photos make it to magazines.”
---
The first few months were filled with messages, late-night calls, and endless love notes. But as time passed, distance began to build invisible walls.
Arjun got busier with work, Riya with her writing.
Texts became shorter. Calls became rare.
Still, every night, she opened his old messages and smiled. She believed love couldn’t fade — not theirs.
---
Then one day, the silence became permanent.
No replies. No calls. No explanations.
Riya waited, cried, and finally, wrote a story titled “The Boy Who Forgot.”
It went viral — readers called it “heart-shattering.” But only Riya knew it wasn’t fiction.
---
Five years passed. Riya was now a successful author. Her stories touched hearts across India, but she still avoided writing love stories. They reminded her of Arjun.
One day, she was invited to a photography exhibition in Mumbai — “Moments of India” by a rising photographer named Arjun Mehra.
Her heart skipped a beat. Could it be him?
---
When she entered the gallery, her eyes met the first photo — a girl in rain, laughing with a cup of tea.
It was her.
And behind her, the nameplate read: “The Moment That Started It All.”
Tears blurred her vision. She turned — and there he was. Arjun, standing quietly, holding a coffee cup, just like old times.
---
“Why didn’t you come back?” she asked, voice trembling.
He sighed, “I tried. But I wanted to become someone worthy of you. I thought I’d return once I made something of myself. But the longer I stayed away, the more I lost the courage to face you.”
Riya’s eyes softened. “You didn’t need to become someone else, Arjun. You were always enough.”
---
They talked for hours — about dreams, mistakes, and all the years lost.
Finally, Arjun asked, “Do you think we can start again?”
Riya smiled sadly, “Maybe not from where we left, but from who we’ve become.”
---
A few weeks later, Riya wrote a new story — “When We Meet Again.”
At the end, she wrote:
> “Some love stories don’t end; they simply take a pause until the universe writes the next chapter.”
Arjun sent her a photo to match the story — two coffee cups on a rainy evening.
---
Their story didn’t return to what it once was, but something even deeper began — friendship, respect, and an unspoken love that time could never erase.
They didn’t promise forever. They simply promised to never forget again.
---
Sometimes, love doesn’t need a grand ending.
Sometimes, love just needs to be remembered. ❤️
---
The End
-By Tanya Singh
