#54 WHEN I WAS HIGH SCHOOL

pict by pinterest 

I’ll start this story with a question—what is love, really? Is it the way hearts race in the presence of someone special? Or is it the quiet, unspoken understanding between two souls? Perhaps love is neither the grand confessions nor the dramatic moments we see in movies. Maybe it is something simpler, softer like a quiet road we walk, unaware of where it leads, until we look back and realize how far we’ve come.

I never thought I would write about this, but some stories are meant to be remembered, even if only in whispers. This is not a love story in the way people expect. It has no grand beginning, no perfect ending. But it was real. It was the kind of love that arrives gently, like a familiar melody, slipping into the corners of your heart before you even realize it’s there.

It happened in a time when love was just a word I had read about in books. A time when I believed that love was meant to be loud, obvious, undeniable. But what I felt back then was different. It was not a fire, not a storm. It was something quieter, like the way sunlight lingers on a winter morning—soft, subtle, and impossibly warm.

This is the story of my first love. Or perhaps, it is the story of how I first understood what love could be.

It has been almost seven years since that accidental meeting, one that I never expected but will always cherish. I met him by chance—through friends, through moments that felt like coincidences but unfolded with quiet meaning. At first, it was nothing more than a simple introduction, just another face in the crowd. But then, another accident happened, one that felt strangely like fate. Our class had a rule—seats had to rotate so everyone could get to know each other. And on that particular day, he ended up sitting right behind me. That was when everything slowly began to shift.

We started talking, discovering little things we had in common. Music, for one. We both loved Tulus, an artist whose songs carried the kind of emotions that words sometimes couldn’t. Maybe that’s what made our connection feel effortless—like a song you already knew the lyrics to. What began as small conversations turned into something more, a quiet understanding that grew between us. And just like that, we became closer, as if the universe had planned it all along.

As the days passed and coincidences kept bringing us closer, I finally told my best friend. She had always been my safe place, the one who knew my heart better than I did. But when I revealed who I liked, her eyes widened in shock. “Are you serious?” she asked, almost in disbelief. He wasn’t just anyone—he was one of the so-called “school stars,” the kind of person everyone seemed to admire from a distance. And for a moment, doubt crept in. What if I wasn’t enough? What if I was just another face in the crowd to him?

My best friend, as always, refused to let me sink into insecurity. “You’re smart,” she reassured me. “A real man values a smart girl more than just beauty.” Her words felt like a warm hug, a quiet reminder that I was worth more than my self-doubt.

Then, one day, something small yet unforgettable happened. I crossed paths with him, and for a fleeting second, he looked straight into my eyes. He didn’t say a word—just smiled. And in that moment, nothing else mattered. That simple, effortless smile was enough to make my day.

As if fate was playing along with my feelings, we kept running into each other more often. And then, thanks to the same rotating seating rule that had first placed him behind me, I found myself sitting right behind him this time. I wanted to say something, to start a conversation, but words refused to come. So instead, I just smiled—probably all day long. At this point, he had no idea how I felt. Or maybe he did, but if he knew, he never let it show.

Sitting next to him every day felt like discovering a new world, piece by piece. We talked about everything—our favorite songs, the things that made us laugh, the little annoyances we couldn’t stand. With every conversation, we grew closer, as if an invisible thread was quietly pulling us together.

Then, one day, something unexpected happened. A friend invited me to her birthday party, and as I held the invitation in my hands, a thought crossed my mind. Would he be there too? Without hesitation, I turned to him. “Did you get an invitation too?” I asked. He didn’t say anything at first—just pulled out the exact same invitation and smiled. That smile, so simple yet so full of meaning, made my heart race.

And then, with the same ease as our daily conversations, he asked, “Do you want to go with me?”

At that moment, my heart pounded so fast I thought he might hear it. I couldn’t hide my excitement, and before I even had time to think, the word slipped out— “Yes.”

He chuckled at my quick response. “I’ll pick you up, so dress well and don’t be late,” he said with a playful tone.

That sentence alone was enough to make my entire day. As soon as school ended, I rushed to the mall with my best friend, searching for the perfect outfit. She was worried—she always was when it came to me and him. “People will talk. They’ll hate you for this. Are you sure?” she asked, concern written all over her face.

But I didn’t care. Not this time. “Let them talk,” I said. “I’m going with him, and that’s all that matters.”

That night, as we prepared for the party, my heart was full. At least for now, I was happy.

Looking back, I realize that love—true, innocent love—has always been spontaneous. It doesn’t ask for permission, nor does it follow logic. It just happens, like a quiet spark in the middle of an ordinary day. You see someone, and suddenly, something shifts. Something feels different.

For me, love was in the little things. It was in seeing him, in catching a glimpse of his gorgeous smile, in the way the universe somehow allowed me to be close to him, even for a short while. It was in the air we shared, in the conversations that felt like they could stretch endlessly. It was happiness in its purest form.

Love, I learned, is magical. It makes your heart race with excitement, fills your days with unexplained smiles, and gives you something to look forward to. More than anything, love makes you feel—truly, deeply, and wholeheartedly. And in that feeling, you realize that love, in all its fleeting moments and quiet wonders, is what keeps you alive.