The first time Aarav saw Meera, the sky was burning orange. It was the last evening of summer break, and the entire town had gathered near the old hilltop fort to watch the sunset festival. Lanterns swayed in the warm breeze, music drifted through the air, and laughter echoed between the ancient stone walls. Aarav hadn't planned on staying long. He was leaving for college in two days, moving to a city miles away. His heart felt heavy with the thought of goodbye - goodbye to the town, to familiarity, to everything he had known. And then he saw her. Meera stood near the edge of the hill, her long hair dancing in the wind, her soft blue dress glowing gold in the sunset light. She wasn't looking at her phone like everyone else. She wasn't talking. She was Simply watching the horiz,as if it held secrets ornly she could understand.Something about that quiet confidence pulled him in. He didn't know what came over him, but his feet carried him toward her. "Beautiful, isn't it?" he said, stopping a polite distance away. She turned, slightly startled, and then smiled. It wasn't just a smile. It was the kind that reached her eyes - warm, curious, and a little mischievous. "The sunset?" she asked. He shrugged ightly."That too." She laughed, and the sound felt like it belonged in that golden evening. They talked about small things at first - the festival, the music, the way the town looked from above. But small things slowly turned into bigger ones. Dreams. Fears. Plans. The future.I'm leaving in two days" Aarav admitted. "Leaving?" Her expression softened. "For college. It's... exciting. And terrifying" She nodded. "I get that. I leave next year. I've been counting the days - and also wishing they'd slow down." There was something honest between them, something rare. It felt as though they had known each other longer than just thirty minutes. As the sun dipped lower, painting the sky in deeper shades of amber and pink, the music around them grew softer. Lanterns were lit, tiny glowing stars rising into the darkening sky. "Dance with me" Meera said suddenly. Aarav blinked. "There's nodance foor" She stepped closer, here sparkling."There doesn't need to be."He placed his hand carefully at her waist, unsure at first. She rested her hand on his shoulder, her fingers light but steady. They moved awkwardly in the beginning, both laughing when they stepped on each other's feet. But soon, the awkwardness faded. The world around them seemed to blur - the crowd, the lanterns, the music. All that remained was the warmth of her hand in his, the softness of her presence, the way her eyes never left his. "You're staring" she whispered. "Can you blame me?" Her cheeks turned pink, though she didn't look away. The wind picked up slightly, sending a chill through the air. Without thinking, Aarav slipped off his jacket and draped it over her shoulders. She looked smaller somehow, wrapped in so *hing that carried his warmth.Thank you." she said softly. They stopped dancing but didn't step apart. Time felt fragile. Too fast. "I don't want tonight to end" Meera admitted. "Then lets not waste it" They walked away from the crowd, down a quieter stone path that curved along the hillside. Crickets hummed in the grass. The moon had begun its climb, silver and steady. "Can I ask you something?" Aarav said. She nodded. "If I hadn't come over... would you have talked to me?" Meera smiled slowly. "I was hoping you would." His heart thudded louder uian the distant music.They reached a small clearing where the town lights shimmered below like fallen stars. The view stole his breath - but not as much as she did when she turned toward him. There was a moment. A silent question. He stepped closer, slowly, giving her time to move away if she wanted. She didn't. Her fingers lightly touched his chest, feeling the rapid beat of his heart. "You're nervous" she whispered. "Very." "Good"she said softly. "So aml" And then he leaned in. Their first kiss wasn't rushed. It wasn't dramatic. It was gentle - a soft meeting of lips that felt like the beginning of something J er than the end of anything.It was warmth. It was promise. It was electricity wrapped in tenderness. When they pulled back, they didn't speak immediately. They just stood there, foreheads touching, breathing the same night air. "You're leaving" she murmured. "Yes." "Andljust met you" "know." Silence stretched between them, but it wasn't uncomfortable. "Then let's make a deal" Meera said. He raised an eyebrow. "A deal?" "You leave. You chase your dreams. l'Il chase mine. And one year from tonigl this exact spot, we meet again."He studied her face, searching for doubt. There was none. "What if things change?" he asked quietly. She gave a small smile. "Then we'll have changed too. But at Ieastwe'll knOw." It was bold. It was uncertain. It was perfect. "One year" he agreed. They sealed it with another kiss - slightly braver this time, a little less shy. When the festival ended and the crowd thinned, they exchanged numbers. Promises. One last lingering hug that neither wanted to let go of. The year that followed wacnt easy. There were late-night calls when assignments piled When the festival ended and the crowd thinned, they exchanged numbers. Promises. One last lingering hug that neither wanted to let go of. The year that followed wasn't easy. There were late-night calls when assignments piled up. Video chats filled with sleepy smiles. Occasional arguments born from distance and stress. Moments when doubt tried to sneak in. But every time, they remembered that hilltop. The amber sky. The first dance. And they chose each other again. Exactly one year later, Aarav stood at the same clearing. His heart pounded harder nan it had the first night.
