Shmily : See How Much I Love You

By Ritika Garg

I never imagined I would fall in love again. After the pain of betrayal and six years of being alone, the thought of opening her heart to someone new seemed impossible. Yet life has a way of surprising us when we least expect it, and that’s exactly what happened when he came into my life.

At first, I thought it was just an attraction, maybe even the comfort of habit—just someone to talk to. But soon, I realized that attraction and habit can only grow where there is love. And this felt like love.

Everyone defines love differently, but for me, it has always meant one thing: being with someone whose face I can see, even with my eyes closed. That was how I began to feel about him.

He entered my life like a breath of fresh air. Like most relationships, ours began with friendship. We would stay up all night talking, sharing our thoughts, our feelings, and our experiences. There was something effortless about it, something real. It was even more special because we worked the same night shift. We’d chat while doing our office tasks side by side, so lost in conversation that we never noticed when the night turned into morning.

I’ve always been more of a listener, someone who lets others speak, but he talked so much, filling the silence with his stories and laughter. And I loved listening to him. There was something about his smile, his deep eyes, his quick wit, and his charming voice. Every little thing about him seemed to draw me in. He was intelligent, funny, and so many other qualities that girls like me look for in a partner.

The first time we talked on a video call, it was his birthday. I remember sending him handmade gifts and seeing the joy light up his eyes—it was a moment I will never forget. That glow in his expression stayed with me long after the call ended.

Then came the day we finally decided to meet in person. We planned to go see a movie together. He picked me up from the metro station, and I remember every detail about how he looked. He wore an off-white shirt, black cargo pants, and blue sports shoes. He looked so handsome that it took everything in me not to stare. I was blushing the whole time, avoiding his eyes, but I couldn’t hide how I felt.

In the car, he gave me a side hug—our first physical contact. Then, in a move straight out of a movie, he told me there was dirt on my face. He suggested I check in the sun visor, and when I did, a note fell into my lap. It was a sweet message he had written for me, along with some chocolates he’d hidden away. I was completely caught off guard. It felt like I was living in a dream world.

Wanting to test him, I booked corner seats in the theatre, even leaving an extra seat besides us just to see what he would do. But he surprised me yet again—he didn’t make a single move to hug me or cross any boundaries. And later, as we returned to the car, I thought he might finally kiss me, given the privacy of the moment, but he didn’t. That was the day he won my heart.

In today’s terms, he isn’t just a "green flag"—he is a whole green garden, a rare and beautiful find. Als he isn’t ready to bloom with me.

As of now, we’ve been together for one year and two months. In that time, we’ve shared countless memories, moments that brought us closer than ever. I’m certain that he loves me too, even though he continues to tell himself that he doesn’t. I can see it in the way he acts, in the little things he does. But perhaps he’s just not ready to admit it yet. And it’s this uncertainty that keeps tearing at me with watery eyes and leaving me awake at night, wondering if I’m just waiting for a love that may never fully arrive.

I don’t know what the future holds for us, but I believe we are meant to be together. Our connection feels like it comes from another lifetime, as though we are soulmates destined to find each other again and again. Maybe he’ll only realize this when I’m no longer by his side, because sometimes we don’t understand the value of someone until they’re gone.

For now, he is my everything—my stubbornness, my need, my love, my life, my happiness. He’s the song in my heart, the melody I want to sing every day. I just hope he understands how deeply I love him, and that he will never find anyone who loves him the way I do.

If he ever does commit, I’ll treat him like a king. As they say, if you treat your partner like royalty, he’ll move mountains to keep you as his queen. But until then, I’ll carry this one regret—that I love him madly, while he still searches for something he may never find.

One day, he’ll definitely realize that in the pursuit of a simple stone, he let a diamond slip through his fingers.

By Ritika Garg