Under the Midnight Lanterns
"Hey, can you walk out to the old stone bridge near your house?"
Rohan blinked at his phone in confusion. "It’s past ten at night. Are you visiting someone nearby? If so, I’ll just open the front gate."
"No questions asked for once," Maya replied over the line, her tone playful yet unusually taut. "Can’t you just do it because your best friend asked?"
"Alright, calm down! I’m going." Rohan slipped on a jacket and headed out into the cool night air. Maya was easily the most vibrant person he had ever met—outgoing, fiercely independent, and the rock everyone turned to in times of trouble. But Rohan was one of the very few who knew that beneath her radiant exterior lay a deeply guarded vulnerability, a fear of being left behind.
Rohan, on the other hand, had spent years keeping his distance from romance. After a devastating betrayal by an ex-partner, he had built emotional walls. It was Maya’s stubborn, unwavering presence over the past two years that had gradually drawn him out of his shell. They had become inseparable, though he rarely voiced his gratitude out loud, still spooked by the ghosts of his past.
A text notification chimed on his screen.
“Are you at the bridge yet? Look up. Do you see the harvest moon?”
"I always see the moon, Maya. Did you really drag me out here just for a astrology check?"
“Shh! Don't ruin it. Tell me, is the moon beautiful tonight?”
"Of course it is. It's stunning."
“Our bond is far more beautiful than that.”
Rohan paused, sensing something unusual. "Alright, what’s going on? You’re never this poetic."
“Answer a few quick questions first, promise? Is the depth of the ocean obvious?”
"Yes, obviously. Where is this going?"
“Is the sky boundless?”
"Yes, Maya."
“Am I a good person in your life?”
"You're the best person I know. Now please tell me what’s happening."
A long silence followed before a dense paragraph appeared on his screen:
“Rohan, my feelings for you are as deep as that ocean and as boundless as the sky. I know you’ve been hurt, and I know you’re afraid of letting anyone in completely. I don't expect perfection, and I can't promise we won't face hurdles, but I want to stand beside you through all of it. I couldn't be your first love, but I want to be your last. So, Rohan… will you give us a chance and let me be your girlfriend?”
Panic surged through Rohan. The familiar terror of emotional vulnerability hijacked his thoughts. Fearful of losing the only pure friendship he had left, his anxiety curdled into anger. He closed the message and sent nothing back.
Two days later, when Maya finally called to address the silence, Rohan’s voice was cold and sharp. "No, Maya. I don't feel that way about you, and I never will. You ruined the one good friendship I had. Don't call or text me again."
The line went quiet except for her soft, choked breath. "I'm sorry, Rohan. I just wanted you to know... Goodbye."
For the next two months, complete silence stretched between them. They crossed paths on campus, but Rohan’s stern expression kept her at a distance, even as a profound emptiness grew inside his own chest.
On New Year’s Eve, the university hosted its annual gala in the main auditorium. Maya had dragged herself there in a sleek emerald-green dress, intending to ring in the new year with her friends and leave the pain of the past months behind.
Midway through the evening, the blaring music suddenly cut out. Whispers echoed through the hall as Rohan walked onto the main stage holding a microphone, wearing a crisp white shirt, looking more resolved than ever.
"Hey everyone, sorry to interrupt," Rohan spoke into the mic, his voice steady. "I need just one minute."
The overhead lights dimmed, leaving two spotlights—one on Rohan at the stage, and the other pinning Maya in the center of the crowd.
"It has been exactly 62 days since I last spoke to the most important person in my life," Rohan said, staring directly into the beam of light where Maya stood frozen. "I spent those two months convincing myself that I was angry. But the truth is, I was terrified. I was terrified of getting hurt again, so I pushed away the only person who ever truly saw me and cared for me unconditionally."
He stepped off the stage, walking through the parted crowd straight toward her.
"I thought I wanted to protect our friendship, but the reality is that I can't imagine my future without you in it. I was a fool to run away."
Rohan stopped a step away from her, his eyes shining with emotion as he knelt down on one knee. "Maya, I am completely, deeply in love with you. Will you forgive me, and give me the honor of being yours?"
Gasping, tears welled in Maya's eyes as the room erupted into cheers and applause. Overwhelmed, she couldn't find her voice, but she smiled brightly and nodded her head.
Rohan stood up immediately, pulling her into a tight embrace as soft music filled the room once again. Resting her head against his chest, Maya whispered, "I love you."
Rohan held her closer and replied, "I love you more."
As the midnight countdown began, the crowd cheered for the new year, marking the start of a chapter neither of them would ever let go.