It was a rainy evening, the kind that makes everything feel cozy and nostalgic. Aisha loved rain, especially with a cup of hot chai in hand, sitting by her window. She had always been a dreamer, losing herself in the sound of raindrops and the aroma of wet earth. Little did she know, her quiet admirer, Arjun, also loved rain but for a different reason—because it was the only time he could see her, from his balcony across the street.
Every evening, without fail, Arjun would grab his own cup of chai and sit at his window, pretending to read a book, though his eyes always searched for Aisha’s face. He knew everything about her rainy evening routine, the way she would close her eyes while sipping chai, how she would smile at nothing in particular, lost in her thoughts. It was the most beautiful thing he’d ever seen.
He had moved into the apartment opposite hers six months ago, and since then, his quiet crush had grown into something deeper. But Arjun never had the courage to talk to her. To Aisha, he was just the guy from across the street, someone she occasionally waved at in passing. She never knew that her rainy evenings had become the highlight of someone else’s life.
One day, during a particularly heavy downpour, Aisha’s chai spilled on the window sill. As she hurried to clean it up, she glanced out the window and saw Arjun laughing to himself, having witnessed the entire scene. Embarrassed, she laughed back. It was their first real interaction.
Over the next few days, their smiles became waves, and waves turned into short greetings. But still, Arjun never mentioned the countless evenings he had spent watching her, finding joy in her quiet moments. He didn’t know if he ever would.
For now, it was enough to sit by the window with chai in hand, knowing they were connected by the rain, even if only from a distance.
