Every night I planned conversations with Sneha, but every morning, my courage failed. Not a single word would come out.
As it's the New Year time, the air felt different - crisper, expectant, like the world was holding its breath for something new. I had spent the afternoon choosing a greeting card, one with soft colors and a quiet sparkle, nothing too loud. I picked two pens - one pink, one gold - hoping the colors would carry some warmth, some charm.
Inside the card, I wrote with trembling fingers - a small poetry, simple yet sincere:
"In my life there is no file, but I feel happy when you smile."
It wasn't perfect. The rhyme was playful, the meaning tender. It carried the weight of unsaid feelings, tucked inside a line that only she would read.
But then, doubt crept in like a shadow. Was it too much? Too personal? Too soon? I stared at the words, heart fluttering, and slowly rubbed them away. The ink faded, but the feeling lingered. I picked up the pen again, steadied my hand, and wrote:
Happy New Year from your new friend.
Simple. Honest. A little daring. It wasn't poetry, but it was real. A quiet offering. A beginning.
I rehearsed the moment in my mind a dozen times. What I'd say. How I'd hold the card. Whether I'd smile or just look down. But when the time came, all my rehearsals vanished.
She was walking toward the school gate, alone now - her friends had turned the corner, their laughter trailing behind them like fading music. The path between us felt long, but I stepped forward.
"Will you take a card from me?" I asked, voice barely above a whisper, heart pounding like a drum in my chest.
She paused, looked at me with curious eyes.
"Yes," she said.
I handed it to her, trying not to let my hand shake. She took it gently, her fingers brushing mine for a second that felt like forever. Then she smiled - a soft, surprised smile that lit up her whole face.
"Thank you," she said.
And in that moment, something shifted. The world didn't explode, no fireworks, no grand music. Just a quiet exchange, a smile, and the beginning of something I hadn't dared to hope for.