Written In The Stars

Chapter 3: An Unexpected Revelation

Chapter 3: An Unexpected Revelation

Lucas sat at his desk in the early hours of the morning, surrounded by stacks of drafts and a half-finished cup of coffee. The magazine he worked for was releasing a special feature on up-and-coming writers, and he’d been tasked with photographing and interviewing several authors. It was the kind of assignment he usually enjoyed, capturing the essence of these passionate individuals and translating it into a story. But today, his mind kept drifting away from work, back to the fleeting memory of a girl he’d met in a bookshop over a month ago.

Emma.

He could still picture her laugh, the way her eyes lit up when they talked about their shared love for books. It was strange how one brief encounter could linger like this, but something about her had stayed with him. He had felt an instant, unexplainable connection, one that his logical mind couldn’t quite reconcile.

Trying to clear his head, he absentmindedly clicked through articles online, skimming headlines without really taking them in. He scrolled through a list of suggested blogs, and one title caught his eye: Written in the Stars. The phrase tugged at something in him, and he clicked on it, intrigued. As the page loaded, a post titled “When the Universe Decides” appeared at the top, and he started reading.

As he absorbed the words on the screen, his heart skipped a beat. The story, though told in vague terms, was unmistakably familiar. The mention of a chance meeting, the description of reaching for the same book, the spark that had seemed to connect them—it was all there. He read the post again, slower this time, lingering over each sentence as he realized that Emma had written it.

Lucas leaned back, running a hand through his hair, a smile creeping onto his face. Of all the things he’d expected to stumble upon, finding her blog had never crossed his mind. He could hardly believe it. She had felt the same spark, the same sense of something more. It made him wonder if fate really had been at work that day.

The urge to reach out was almost overwhelming, and he found himself scrolling down to the comment box, his fingers hovering over the keyboard. He typed a few lines, but just as he was about to hit “post,” the screen went blank. His connection had dropped. He groaned, refreshing the page repeatedly, but the comment hadn’t posted, and the connection wasn’t coming back.

After a few futile attempts, he closed his laptop, deciding to take it as a sign. Maybe now wasn’t the time to reach out. Still, he couldn’t deny the thrill that surged through him at knowing she’d been thinking about him too.

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A few weeks later, Lucas found himself at a book launch event, camera in hand. The room was filled with the buzz of conversation, a crowd of writers, editors, and literature enthusiasts milling around as they awaited the featured speaker. He scanned the room through his camera lens, focusing on capturing candid moments, until a familiar figure came into view.

Emma.

He froze, lowering the camera. She was here, standing across the room, her back turned as she chatted with a group of people. His heart beat faster. It felt surreal, as though he’d conjured her up just by reading her words on that blog post. For a second, he considered staying back, observing her from a distance. But then, as if she could sense his gaze, she turned—and their eyes met.

Emma’s mouth opened slightly, surprise flickering across her face. She blinked, as if checking to see if he was real, and then a smile spread over her lips. Lucas smiled back, his heart racing, and he moved toward her, weaving through the crowd until he was close enough to speak.

“Emma,” he said, his voice filled with a mixture of surprise and warmth. “I didn’t think I’d see you here.”

She laughed softly, a little flustered. “Lucas! Wow, I didn’t expect to see you either.” She paused, as if searching for the right words. “Are you covering this event?”

“Yeah, they’ve got me here as part of a magazine feature. And you? Are you… one of the authors?” he asked, trying to keep his tone casual.

Emma nodded, her cheeks coloring. “Yes, actually. My first short story got published in an anthology, so they asked me to speak tonight. It still feels surreal.”

“Congratulations,” he said sincerely. “That’s amazing, Emma. I knew there was something special about you when we met.”

They exchanged a long look, each of them silently acknowledging the pull that had lingered since their first meeting. The hum of conversation around them faded, and it felt like they were in their own little world, suspended in a moment that felt too good to be true.

“So, have you been writing anything else?” Lucas asked, his curiosity piqued, knowing the answer but wanting to hear it from her.

Emma’s gaze dropped, a shy smile gracing her lips. “I… I actually wrote about our encounter, in a way. It was just something I felt like I needed to get out there, a way of processing it.”

He chuckled softly. “I may have stumbled across it, actually. I think I read a post called ‘When the Universe Decides’ on a blog called Written in the Stars.”

Her eyes widened, and a mix of embarrassment and amusement flickered over her face. “You… you read that?”

“Yeah,” he admitted, his gaze warm. “And I tried to comment, but I think the universe didn’t want me to because my internet decided to cut out at the last second.”

They both laughed, the tension between them easing as they fell into an easy rhythm, the same natural flow that had marked their first meeting.

“I’m glad you read it,” she said softly, looking up at him. “I don’t know if I was ready to say it out loud, but writing about it made it feel real. Like it wasn’t just some fleeting, magical moment.”

“It was more than that,” he agreed, his voice barely above a whisper. “And maybe… maybe it wasn’t our last moment either.”

They exchanged a look that spoke volumes, the connection between them undeniable, as if they were both silently daring fate to step aside and let them truly meet. The conversation flowed, each word deepening the spark that had first ignited between them. For once, it felt like the universe was on their side, bringing them together in ways neither could have planned.

As the evening wore on, Emma found herself agreeing to a quiet dinner with Lucas after the event. It was a chance to escape the crowd, to finally talk without interruptions or the noise of the world around them.

And as they walked out into the night, Emma felt a new certainty, a feeling that she was exactly where she was meant to be.