Chapter 1: Counting Days
There is something about watching the moon that feels like pure hope—a quiet reminder that even in the deepest darkness, there will always be a light to catch you before you fall. It brings a rare kind of peace. Growing up, I used to foolishly believe the moon followed me wherever I went.
Suddenly, the screen of my phone lit up, breaking my trance. It was a message from Avi. My heart did a familiar flutter; I had spent the entire day waiting to hear from him. But the text was brief—he was buried in work and had an assignment to submit tonight.
Honestly, a part of me felt a sharp pang of disappointment because I had been so desperate to talk to him. Yet, looking at the bigger picture, maybe it was a blessing in disguise. If we spoke too long, it would only become harder to hide my secret: I was coming to meet him.
An electric wave of excitement rushed through me. It had been exactly six months and twelve days since I last saw him. We had been together for the past eight years—childhood lovers, a dynamic duo, everything.
I still remember the very first day we met. He was sitting all the way in the back row of the school bus. I had walked up, nervous, and asked, "Can I sit here?"
Being the most adorable, genuinely nice boy, he looked up with a broad smile. "Yes, of course," he replied. From that day on, we were inseparable.
We were best friends all the way through the tenth grade. Then, right after our board exams, everything changed at Alina's Cafe. Over our favorite chocolate truffle and mugs of hot chocolate, he looked at me and asked if I would be his forever girlfriend.
"Will you be my forever girlfriend, Rumi?"
It was, without a doubt, the easiest 'yes' I had ever spoken, marking the most momentous day of our lives.
Before I knew it, two years had flown by, and Avi left for Bangalore to pursue his graduation. To be honest, we had both applied to the same college and both got selected. But when the time came, I just couldn’t bring myself to leave Dehradun. I love my life here. It’s so peaceful and quiet. The weather alone has a way of refreshing your soul; every single morning feels crisp and new. And, of course, all our memories are rooted here—especially at Alina’s Cafe.
Actually, as much as I love her hot chocolate, I think I love Alina even more. I’ve always wanted to be just like her: bold, a true main character, and a happy soul running her own beautiful cafe in the mountains. The only difference is that she is happily single, and I definitely don’t want to be. Avi is woven into my very soul. He feels like that perfect, warm hug you desperately need on a freezing cold night. He is my light.
Oh! I completely lost track of time. I need to get some sleep. My flight is early tomorrow morning, and I absolutely cannot afford to miss it.
I am so incredibly curious to see how Avi will react. I know he’ll be ecstatic, but he’ll also be completely clueless. Since he moved to Bangalore, our crazy schedules have made it nearly impossible to talk properly. Lately, I've barely even seen his face on a video call. As far as he knows, there is no way I'm coming to see him. But his birthday is the day after tomorrow, and how could I possibly miss it? Landing a day early gives me the perfect amount of time to set up the ultimate surprise.
Finally, at least for a few days, we will get to be together again. I just know it’s going to be magical.
