February 14, 1995, marked a pivotal day when a friend, whom I eagerly looked forward to seeing daily, handed me a letter. It read, “I see you as a good friend. But I can’t meet you any further. My parents are strict, and it’s tough for me to see you anymore.”
This letter came after we, four of us (two couples), had excitedly planned a grand celebration a month earlier to meet on February 14. The girls had orchestrated a cake-cutting ceremony, and we intended to spend the entire day together, until the classes at MCM DAV College concluded. That is the time the girls were expected to be home.
On February 14, upon meeting, we were tasked with buying a cake, and we celebrated our first Valentine’s Day together. It was blatantly obvious that we were in love and this was our first official date, even though we hadn’t explicitly confessed our feelings.
After reading the letter, I was upset. Meanwhile, my friend was overjoyed as his girlfriend had proposed, clarifying their feelings for each other.
I told her, “No issues. I remain your friend. Don’t take risks and don’t force yourself. Please feel free to meet when possible.”
Back then, I was a 19-year-old, and today, I might be laughed at for using corporate jargon in a personal situation.
My love laughed with her friend. I was confused. They said, “We knew you wouldn’t get it.”
I was still missing the message until two hours later when the girls left, only for mine to return and ask me to bend down. She then kissed me on my left cheek. Yes, it was the left cheek, a detail I remember vividly even today.
We fell in love, and our relationship was an intense and serious one. Today, I am the husband of my love, and together we are parenting two daughters.