A COLLEGE LOVE STORY

new beginning

As the summer came to a close, both Atharv and Hania found themselves reflecting on the time spent apart. Their paths had certainly diverged, but something kept pulling them back to each other in quiet, unexpected ways. They had grown individually—Atharv with his tech career flourishing and Hania immersed in the cultural richness of Europe—but the thought of one another was never too far from their hearts.

One evening, as Hania strolled along the Seine River in Paris, her phone buzzed. It was a simple message from Atharv.

Hey, how are you? I’ve been thinking about you a lot lately.

Hania’s heart skipped a beat. She had thought of texting him too, many times, but had always stopped herself. Maybe it was fear, or maybe it was uncertainty about how they had left things. But this time, she felt a spark of hope.

I’ve been thinking about you too, she replied, her fingers trembling slightly as she hit send.

It wasn’t long before her phone rang, and when she saw Atharv’s name, her heart raced. She answered, the sound of his voice instantly comforting her.

“Hey,” Atharv said softly, the warmth in his tone making her smile. “I know it’s been a while, but I wanted to reach out. I’ve been thinking about everything, and... I miss you, Hania. I miss us.”

Hania’s breath caught. She had missed him too, more than she had allowed herself to admit. “I miss you too, Atharv,” she whispered. “I think about you all the time. But... I didn’t know how to say it after everything.”

“I know,” Atharv said. “We both needed the space. I’m so proud of what you’ve accomplished, and I wouldn’t change anything about the summer. But I’ve realized something, Hania... I don’t want to let go of what we have.”

Tears welled up in Hania’s eyes. “Me neither, Atharv. I thought that distance would make it easier to move on, but it only made me realize how much I still care about you.”

There was a pause, the unspoken feelings between them finally surfacing. Atharv took a deep breath before speaking again.

“I don’t want to make promises we can’t keep, but I think we owe it to ourselves to try again. I’m willing to put in the effort, Hania. Whatever it takes.”

Hania smiled through her tears, a sense of hope blossoming in her chest. “I want that too. I don’t know where this will lead, but I know I’m not ready to give up on us.”

When the summer finally ended and both of them returned home, they met at their favorite café—the same place where they had shared so many important moments. The air was filled with anticipation, but this time, instead of uncertainty, it was brimming with possibility.

Atharv arrived first, his heart pounding with a mixture of excitement and nerves. When Hania walked in, their eyes met, and it was as if no time had passed at all. The connection was still there, stronger than ever.

They hugged tightly, both of them holding on a little longer than necessary, savoring the moment. When they finally pulled apart, there was a lightness in the air that hadn’t been there before.

“I’ve missed you,” Hania said, her eyes shining with emotion.

“I’ve missed you too,” Atharv replied, his smile wide and genuine.

They sat down, talking for hours, catching up on everything they had experienced over the summer. But this time, there was no tension, no hesitation about what the future held. They had both grown, and they had learned that even though their paths had taken them in different directions, they could still walk those paths together.

As the evening came to a close, Atharv reached across the table and took Hania’s hand, just like he had so many times before. But this time, it felt different. It felt like a new beginning.

“Let’s not worry about the future right now,” Atharv said softly. “Let’s just take it one day at a time.”

Hania smiled, her heart full. “One day at a time.”

They left the café hand in hand, the cool night air swirling around them, but for the first time in a long while, the future felt bright. They didn’t know where life would take them, but they knew that as long as they had each other, they were ready for whatever came next.

A year later, Atharv and Hania were still together, stronger than ever. They had faced challenges, but each one had only brought them closer. Atharv’s career in tech was thriving, and Hania had been invited back to Europe for more research, but this time, they navigated their busy lives with the knowledge that they were a team.

And as they sat together one afternoon, overlooking the city, Atharv turned to Hania with a smile.

“I think we made the right choice,” he said.

Hania laughed, leaning into him and gave him a smooch and said ,  “I think so too.” ( HUGGED EACH OTHER IN HAPPINESS )

They had found their way back to each other, and this time, they knew they were ready to make it work—one day at a time.

THE END ❤️