When love find you

 When love find you

Love had always felt like a distant dream to her something she had read about in books, seen in movies, or heard in late-night conversations with friends. But for herself? It seemed like an illusion, a fragile idea that always slipped away before it could become real. Every time she had let herself believe in it, she had ended up hurt, disappointed, left wondering if love was ever meant for her at all.

And then, he walked into her life.

Their first meeting wasn’t the kind of grand, cinematic moment one reads about in love stories. There were no stolen glances across a crowded room, no sparks flying instantly. Instead, it was just two people sitting across from each other over a cup of chai, talking about heartbreak like two soldiers exchanging war stories.

She listened as he spoke about his past, about the love he had given and the hurt he had received in return. His voice carried no self-pity, just quiet acceptance, as if he had long come to terms with the fact that love had failed him. She could relate.

After hearing his story, she smirked and said, “Bewakuf!  Kuch zyada nahi kar deya tumne? Yetna nahi karna hota han kisse k leye...”

He raised an eyebrow, a teasing glint in his eyes. “Oh, madam, look at yourself first. Do you even realize what you have done in the name of love?”

She paused, caught off guard. He wasn’t wrong.

She laughed it off, but later that evening when they was having their dinner.,

He receives a message from his ex, and for a moment, he doesn’t know what to reply. He just stares at the screen, lost in thought.

She notices his hesitation and casually reaches for his phone. Without looking at him, she types a response: "You deserve better."

Then, she sets the phone down and goes back to her dinner, as if nothing happened.

He watches her, surprised. She doesn’t glance at him, doesn’t wait for his reaction. She just continues eating, completely unbothered.

Then, she looked up at him and asked casually, "The food is good, right?"—her tone as light as if nothing had happened.

He nodded, and they finished their meal in silence.

Later, they both went their separate ways, heading home.

But as she walked alone, a question lingered in her mind—Did I do the right thing?

she found herself thinking about his words. Who even talked like that on a first meeting? Who dived straight into their wounds with a stranger? And yet, it hadn’t felt strange at all.

Some people don’t need an introduction. They just fit into your life as if they were always meant to be there.

As time passed...

Without realizing it, they became friends.

Somewhere between calling her Madam and teasing her as Mohtarma,

Somewhere between addressing her as Aap and slowly shifting to Tum and then effortlessly to Tu,

Something changed.

She had always been good at hiding her emotions. No one could tell when she was hurting not her friends, not her family. She had mastered the art of smiling through pain, of pretending everything was fine even when she felt like crumbling. But he saw through her. He didn’t need to look at her to know when something was wrong.

One evening, she stood in front of him, her eyes red and swollen, her face blotchy from tears she had wiped away too many times. He tilted his head, studying her.

“Were you crying?” he asked.

She blinked, forcing a smile. “No, something just got into my eye.”

He stepped closer, his gaze unwavering. “Really? Show me… what kind of dust makes you cry like this?”

She had no answer. She only looked at him, wondering how he could see right through her when no one else ever had.

Neither of them knew when it started this thing between them.

It wasn’t love at first sight. It wasn’t even something they could define. It was in the little things.

Like how he always made sure to walk on the side of the road where traffic was, instinctively placing himself between her and any potential harm. How he brought her chai without asking, how she waited for him to finish work even when she had nothing to do.

She loved poetry, so he started writing shayari. She loved books, so he began reading not just casually, but deeply, as if stepping into stories would bring him closer to understanding her.

He loved anime, something she had never cared for, but she started watching anyway. He was obsessed with music, so she listened sending him lyrics from songs she thought he would love, just to see him smile.

Before meeting him, she used to count her steps while walking, always making sure to meet her daily goal. But when he was beside her, the numbers stopped mattering. She would walk miles without realizing because, for once, she wasn’t counting steps she was lost in the conversations, in the laughter, in the quiet moments that needed no words.

It wasn’t about reaching a destination anymore.

It was about the journey.

It was about him.

And maybe, just maybe, it was about love after all.

Days turned into weeks, and weeks into months, but nothing between them changed at least, not in a way they could put into words. There were no confessions, no grand gestures, yet something unspoken lingered between them.

She caught herself waiting for his texts, checking her phone more often than she would like to admit. He, too, found excuses to meet her, always finding a way to be around, even when there was no real reason to be.

One evening, as they walked side by side, he suddenly paused, looking ahead at the busy street. Without a word, he stepped in front of her, placing himself between her and the passing car.

She frowned. “Why do you always do that?”

“Do what?” he asked, looking at her with innocent curiosity.

“Stand in front of me like a shield every time we walk.”

He shrugged, as if it were the most natural thing in the world. “I don’t know. It just feels right.”

She didn’t say anything, but her heart felt something unfamiliar something warm, something terrifying.

Love doesn’t always come with fireworks. Sometimes, it sneaks up quietly, in the way someone unconsciously protects you, in the way their habits become yours, in the way your world feels emptier when they are not around.

One evening, as they sat on a ground under a sky full of clouds and mountain, she turned to him and asked, “Do you think we’d ever fall in love with the right person at the right time?”

He thought for a moment before replying, “I think love doesn’t follow our timing. It just happens.”

She looked at him, wanting to say something but holding back.

Because deep down, she knew.

She knew that she had stopped looking for love the moment he had walked into her life. She knew that every time she laughed with him, every time he understood her without her having to say a word, every time he did something small yet meaningful, love was already there growing, waiting to be acknowledged.

And maybe, just maybe, he knew it too.

Maybe he had known it all along.

(Note- To know the full story, you'll have to read my novel though I haven’t written it yet. So, you'll have to wait a little! For now, read the highlights.)

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If you haven't found love yet, don't worry "I’m sure you will."

Maybe your first love wasn’t right. Maybe the second, third, or even the fourth wasn’t either. But one day, when you least expect it, love will find you. And this time, it will be the love that stays.

And when that love enters your life, you won’t even realize it at first. You’ll fall for them effortlessly, without even trying. No overthinking, no second-guessing it will just happen.

You may have convinced yourself that love isn’t for you. Maybe you’ve read countless books about love but never truly believed in it. But when you finally experience love, everything will start making sense. All those things you once dismissed as cliches? You’ll find yourself doing them without even realizing it.

Love is a beautiful feeling. Yes, for some, it can be terrifying too. But maybe that’s because you haven’t met the right person yet. When you do, they will change your world in ways you never imagined. They will make your life more beautiful, and you’ll start believing in love again.