Every morning, as the sun peeked over the eastern horizon, Kaivan awoke to the pounding of his own heart. The golden rays slipping through the gaps of his curtains seemed like reminders that each day brought another chance, another fragile hope. He stared at his reflection in the mirror, but behind it, restlessness lingered.
"Maybe… today is the day."
Kaivan had been carrying his feelings for Rina for a long time. She was the bright, clever girl always at his side, her sweet smile etched deep into his heart. Often, he found himself watching her from afar, his thoughts drifting, his pen scribbling poems into the pages of his diary. Each verse was a mirror of emotions too deep, too fragile, to ever speak aloud.
That morning, Kaivan prepared himself with deliberate care. He pulled out a weathered brown notebook, his hands trembling slightly as he flipped through the pages, poems he had written for Rina, verses he believed captured his deepest feelings.
The day was bright, the breeze carrying with it the faint aroma of coffee from the café where they often gathered. As Kaivan stepped onto the school grounds, he spotted Rina sitting at a desk, absorbed in her book. Her lips curved into a gentle smile whenever she stumbled upon something amusing, and the sight rooted Kaivan in place.
"This is it!" he told himself.
He clenched his fists, steadying the storm in his chest. When the school day ended, he took a deep breath and approached her desk, each step slow but resolute.
"Hey, Rina," he greeted, his voice trembling yet filled with sincerity.
Rina looked up, her warm smile instantly lighting up her face. "Oh, Kaivan! Hi! What's up?" she replied cheerfully, closing her book and turning her sparkling eyes toward him.
"I… I want to tell you something," Kaivan said softly but firmly. He forced himself to meet her gaze, though his heart felt as if it were caving in.
Rina tilted her head slightly, curiosity flickering across her expression. "Oh? What is it? You look so serious today," she said, her smile easing the tension in his chest.
But before Kaivan could continue, hurried footsteps cut into the moment. Dandi appeared at Rina's side, clad in a black leather jacket that gave him an effortlessly striking presence. "Babe! Finally, I made it. Sorry I'm late," he said, gently resting a hand on her shoulder.
Rina's face brightened as she welcomed him. "Ah, you're not late at all. I was just chatting with Kaivan," she replied, shifting her seat slightly to make space for him.
The word babe struck Kaivan like a slap. It echoed in his ears, shattering every fragile hope he had built. He remained frozen there, trying to mask the ache spreading through his chest.
"So, babe, how about a movie this evening?" Dandi asked, seemingly oblivious to Kaivan's presence.
"Sure! That sounds like fun," Rina answered enthusiastically. Their laughter filled the space around the desk, clashing harshly with the silence pressing down on Kaivan.
He tried to summon the courage to speak, but his tongue felt heavy, useless. All he could do was watch, feeling smaller with every second. At last, he stood slowly.
"Never mind… I just remembered I have something to do," he muttered. His voice was so faint it was drowned out by their laughter.
"Oh, you're leaving already? Take care, Kaivan!" Rina called out, still smiling.
He nodded weakly before stepping away. The bright sky no longer felt beautiful. All the colors seemed drained, swallowed by the darkness gathering inside him.
Beneath the crimson evening sky, Kaivan walked along the sidewalk with aimless steps. In his hand, he clutched the battered notebook. The poems inside, once brimming with love, now felt empty and meaningless.
The Star Beyond Reach.
The title on the page stared back at him, a mirror of his own existence. His eyes lingered on the words with quiet agony, his chest heavy as if carrying the weight of the world.
"When will I ever meet someone who truly loves me… and whom I can truly love, forever?"
The question slipped out in a whisper, nearly drowned by the roar of passing traffic. Tears pooled in his eyes, yet he forced them back, unwilling to show weakness, not even to himself.
At the busy crossroads, Kaivan brushed past a girl with dark pink hair and bright violet eyes. She strolled leisurely, tapping away at her phone, but Kaivan was far too lost in his own storm of thoughts to even notice her.
That night, beneath the quiet canopy of stars, Kaivan sat alone in the park near his house. The night breeze carried the scent of damp grass, but it did nothing to ease the heaviness in his chest. Tears streamed down his cheeks, unstoppable.
"Why, Rina? Why? I was always kind to you, always invited you to eat together…" he whispered, as if the twinkling stars above might listen. But the sky offered no answer. His words scattered like empty wishes, unheard, uncared for.
And then, like a sudden breeze in midsummer, Tania appeared in his life. One morning at school, she walked over to him with her long brown hair flowing softly and a sweet smile that seemed able to thaw even the coldest of hearts. She placed a bottle of juice and a bar of chocolate on his desk.
"Kaivan, you've looked down lately. Is something wrong?" she asked gently, her voice filled with concern.