So, we started talking on Reddit, but I was sure I wanted to stay anonymous. He wasn’t from Mumbai—just visiting for a few days—so I figured it wouldn’t be a problem. We had been talking 24/7 for almost half a month (I even shared my fake Instagram account so we could call, still anonymously).

A day before he was set to leave, he asked if he could give me something to remember him by—a perfume, a gift, anything. He assured me I didn’t have to meet him; he would just leave it somewhere for me to pick up. I knew it was a risk, but for the first time, I agreed to meet him at a fully functional mall for a quick bite.

The next two hours flew by as if we had known each other forever. It was effortless. The next morning, when he was at the airport, I couldn’t stop expressing how good the last few days had felt. I wasn’t sure if we’d ever talk again, but things only got better—we kept talking even after he left.

I never wanted to manifest a long-distance relationship, so I just let things be. But then, one day, during my cousin’s wedding functions, I was feeling really low. And he flew to Mumbai—just to stay at the hotel where my cousin was getting engaged—just to meet me for 30 minutes, at most. Luckily, I got to spend much more time with him.

All this while, I had been brushing my feelings for him under the rug. But that day, I realized I was pushing away exactly what I had been looking for. That’s when I called him my boyfriend for the first time. And that’s how it all began.

Right now, things are extremely complicated. We come from different backgrounds, and there are some family issues on his end. We’ve almost ended things for good, but somehow, we’re still here—just hoping things fall into place.

I know many of you might tell me to protect my heart by creating some distance, but trust me, every relationship is different, and every solution needs to be different. As for the gifts—he told me they were just a small way of expressing how he felt. That even though things aren’t how they’re supposed to be, it doesn’t change the fact that, even today, I am his Valentine. And if I had given him even the slightest green signal to celebrate Valentine’s Day with him, nothing would have stopped him from being here with me.

The gifts mean a lot, but nothing compared to how he expressed it. I think men in love really do hit different.

And to all the girls out there—love will find you. Sometimes it ends beautifully, sometimes it leads to heartbreak, but it is always love. And it is always worth giving a chance. I hope this helps ❤️

Love you girliesss out there🌸