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I still remember the night when the stars seemed to burn just a little brighter, as if they knew that something extraordinary was happening down here on Earth. It was a summer evening, the kind where the warmth of the day lingered in the air, and the soft breeze carried the scent of blooming jasmine.
I had known Emily for years. We grew up in the same small town, went to the same school, and had the same group of friends. But somehow, in all that time, I never really saw her. Not until that night.
It was the town’s annual summer festival. The streets were alive with laughter, music, and the glow of string lights hanging between the trees. Emily and I had agreed to meet by the old oak tree in the town square, a place where countless memories had already been made.
When I arrived, she was already there, her back against the tree trunk, her eyes scanning the sky. She looked different that night, though I couldn’t quite put my finger on what had changed. Maybe it was the way her hair caught the light, or the way her dress swayed gently in the breeze. Or maybe, it was the first time I was truly noticing her.
“Hey,” I said, trying to sound casual, though my heart was beating a little faster than usual.
She turned to me and smiled, a smile that reached her eyes and made something inside me shift. “Hey,”…
