November 11th dawned, a date etched in Ariana's heart as her own. It was the day she had been eagerly awaiting—a birthday nestled within the luxurious stretch of study leave and the lingering warmth of the Christmas holidays. She woke at 6 a.m., the morning light soft and hopeful, her first thought drifting to her phone. She waited for a message from Kian, a flutter of anticipation in her chest. She had never told him the date, but she had quietly discovered his was on June 18th. Surely, he would have done the same? 📌
But her phone remained silent. The morning stretched on, the initial excitement slowly curdling into a quiet disappointment. Finally, a notification appeared. Her heart leapt, only to sink as she read his words.
"Ariana, I was asked by a person today to draw a rough plan of his land, so I'm going to the next town to meet him. We can't meet today, sorry, we'll meet soon."
It was so practical, so utterly devoid of the warmth she had hoped for. Her eyes stung with unshed tears. Swallowing her hurt, she typed a simple reply: "Okay, take care, I'll be waiting for you to come back." She tossed her phone onto the bed, its silence now a heavy weight, and fled her room for a long, solitary walk to clear her mind. "The day isn't over yet," she whispered to herself, a fragile thread of hope still clinging on. 😣
By evening, that thread had grown thin. Returning to the dormitory, she found her phone as silent as she had left it. Just as a profound loneliness began to settle in, her neighbor, Hilda, burst into the room, her eyes wide with excitement.
"Pari told me some boys were fighting in the small hall near the pond! I'm going to see. Come with me!" Before Ariana could protest, Hilda grabbed her hand and pulled her out into the cool night air.
But the path to the hall was not dark. It was magically illuminated, lined with soft lights that twinkled like fallen stars, guiding their way. Puzzled, Ariana let Hilda lead her inside.
"SURPRISE!" 😍
The shout erupted as the door swung open, making her jump. The hall was filled with her friends, their faces beaming, their hands holding bouquets and brightly wrapped gifts. Ariana stood frozen, her hands flying to her mouth in genuine shock.
"Kian was the one who reminded us that today was your birthday," one of her friends explained, laughing. "He planned this whole thing! We all pretended to forget so we could surprise you tonight."
And then she saw him, standing a little apart from the crowd, a soft, triumphant smile on his face as he watched her reaction. The day' earlier disappointment melted away, replaced by a wave of overwhelming joy and belonging.
With a heart full to bursting, she blew out the candles on a beautiful cake and cut the first slice, which she offered directly to Kian—a silent thank you for the beautiful lie. "This is the first birthday I've ever celebrated with so many people," she announced, her voice thick with emotion. "Thank you to everyone who worked so hard for this." 🎂
As the night wound down and the crowd dispersed, Ariana and Kian were finally left alone in the hall, surrounded by the remnants of celebration. The twinkling lights cast a romantic glow around them.
"You remembered, then?" she asked, her voice barely a whisper. 😌
"Yes," he said, his gray eyes soft and earnest. "I will never forget anything that is important to you." He stepped closer, his voice dropping. "I wish my princess a very happy birthday." Gently, he leaned in and pressed a tender kiss to her forehead, a gesture so pure it made her heart ache.
He then handed her a gift. She unfolded the tissue paper to reveal a beautiful red dress, elegant and perfectly her style. "It's the most precious gift I've ever received," she whispered, her eyes glistening.
As the clock neared 10 p.m., they worked together to take down the decorations, their movements in sync. The night that had begun with loneliness ended wrapped in the warmest happiness. With a final, lingering goodnight, they parted ways for their dormitories, both carrying the silent, shared magic of the surprise deep in their hearts. 💞