Aditya’s POV:
The air crackled with nervous excitement. I met Jasmine. Me, a man sharp as my suits and smooth as my talk, feeling butterflies waltz in my stomach as I waited outside her favourite flower shop. Jasmine walking with sunflowers in her hand.
‘These for you,’ she said, her voice a melody to me. Can you imagine Jasmine as in my flower bringing sunflowers? I took them and said, ‘They suit you better, Jasmine. Bright, warm, impossible to miss.’
Our first date was of stolen glances and nervous laughter. We walked through Park. Her eyes, the colour of melted caramel. We were near the lake, the city lights painting dancing patterns on the water. An old couple nearby, their love a silent symphony.
For me, a date is spending time together and not going to some fancy restaurant and going shopping. I want it to be peaceful and simple. So I planned for a walk and then we will cook dinner in my penthouse or order something and then spend time watching a movie and at last cuddling with each other is all I want and that is what I wished for. I think she likes the same so I planned everything accordingly.
‘Do you believe in soulmates, Adi?’ She asked, her voice barely a whisper bringing me back to earth.
I, watching the moon paint silver streaks on the lake. ‘I believe in connections, Jasmine. Like this, two people drawn together by something invisible, yet undeniable.’
The music changed, a slow, romantic melody drifting from a nearby cafe. I extended a hand, my palm warm and inviting. ‘Dance with me, Jasmine?’
She hesitated, then placed her hand in mine, a fragile trust blossoming between us. I led her into the soft light, our steps hesitant at first, then blending into a rhythm. She fit perfectly in my arms, her laughter in the wind beneath the moonlit sky.
As the music ended, we stood breathless, hearts echoing the song's fading notes. I cupped her face, my thumb tracing the soft curve of her cheek. ‘You're incredible, Jasmine,’ I whispered, my voice was husky with emotion.
Her eyes, shimmering with unshed tears, met mine. ‘You too, Adi,’ she breathed, her voice thick with unspoken things.
‘I love your laughter,’ I whispered, ‘the way it chases away the shadows.’
‘And I,’ she replied, her voice choked with emotion, ‘love the way you look at my eyes, as if they hold all the answers.’
‘You're like a gentle breeze in a garden, Jasmine. Your presence brings calmness and beauty, and I can't help but be captivated.’
Jasmine, her eyes glistening with unshed tears, confessed, ‘I'm not who you think I am, Adi. My world is painted in shades of grey, not the colours you see.’ Her voice, raw and vulnerable, broke the dam of secrets. I don't know what she was trying to say. Maybe about the memory loss she had I thought.
I held her hand tighter. ‘Jasmine, your world may be different, but your heart isn't. And it's your heart that I love.’
‘You are the sun that chases away my darkness, Jasmine. You are the laughter that fills my silence.’
My heart is pounding like a drum, gathering my courage. I smiled at her, my eyes shining like the reflected moonlight. ‘There's something I need to tell you,’ I said, my voice a little shaky.
'You see, Jasmine,’ I began, ‘I know that you already know it but I didn't think of confessing like that in front of everyone. You're the sunshine after a storm, the calm in the chaos, the song that plays only for me. My heart beats to your rhythm, my soul dances to your laughter. I never knew I could feel this way, not until you. You know, you're more than just someone I laugh with. You're the person who makes my soul dance without music, who whispers hope into my darkest nights. The truth is…’
I locked my eyes with hers, before finally bursting out, ‘I love you. Completely, madly, head-over-heels in love with you. I love every bit of you. Now I don't want to leave without you I already had seen the hell without you these 10 years. Now all I want is you. Just you with our Advik and Aadhya.’
Her eyes welled up with emotion. ‘Oh, Adi,’ she breathed, reaching out to touch my hand. ‘I…’ Her voice breaked for a moment, then she gathered strength. ‘I feel it too. Like a piece of my puzzle was missing, and you somehow found it and fit it perfectly.’
I asked, ‘Do you love me?’
Her smile takes over her face. ‘Love you?’ she asked, her voice filled with laughter. ‘I'm hopelessly, beautifully, irrevocably in love with you, Adi.’
And then, under the watchful gaze of the moon and the stars, we seal our confession with a kiss, a promise whispered in the salty breeze. Our love story was just beginning.