The Exhausting End of a Long Year
Being an event manager is never easy, but December always takes it to a whole new level. The chaos, the constant deadlines, the planning, and then… New Year's Eve. It's supposed to be the grand finale, but for me, it always felt like the culmination of a month’s worth of exhaustion. As I ran around checking last-minute details for the biggest event of the year, I couldn’t shake the discomfort. It was that time of the month, and I was feeling drained both physically and emotionally.
It was 9 PM when I finally took a moment to breathe. Glancing at my phone, I saw the wallpaper: a picture of him. The boy I had met on a trip three years ago. The boy I could never get out of my head. The boy who never knew how much I loved him. The boy who, for all these years, had been my unspoken desire.
I needed a break. I couldn’t take it anymore.
The Need to Escape
I made a snap decision—I called my assistant to take over the event and hopped into a cab. It wasn’t just the stress of the event that overwhelmed me, but a deeper, more personal longing. I wanted him.
As the cab drove through the busy streets of the city, I found myself imagining him beside me. I could almost feel his fingers tracing my shoulders. I was lost in the thought of his touch, something I had fantasized about so many times. Every red light seemed to make the ache in my heart stronger, especially when I saw couples holding hands, laughing together. I longed for that closeness, for his presence.
I closed my eyes and let myself imagine it: him sitting next to me, our fingers intertwined, his warmth beside me.
The Surprise That Changed Everything
By the time I reached home, the weight of the day seemed to follow me. But all I wanted was a hot bath, some comfort, and my tradition: watching Yeh Jawani Hai Deewani to ease my mind.
Just as I settled on the couch, ready to escape into the world of movies, the doorbell rang.
I froze, confused. It was almost midnight. Who could it be?
I opened the door, and there he was—him—standing there with two Kraft paper bags, holding them with an almost nervous energy. My heart skipped a beat, and before I could say anything, he leaned in and kissed me, a kiss so gentle, so real.
“I’ve run away enough,” he said, his voice soft, full of sincerity. “There’s nothing as homely as you. I want to spend every New Year with you.”
I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. Was I dreaming? Was this real? Had I finally lost my mind, or was this truly happening?
The Gift That Meant Everything
He handed me the first Kraft paper bag, and I carefully opened it. Inside was a Babushona frame, intricately designed with a customized illustration of the two of us. I stared at the image for a moment, taking in the fact that this was a piece of art that captured us—our time together, the connection we had, even though I had never spoken the words I longed to say.
He smiled, looking a little hesitant, and said, “I was about to catch a flight to Italy, but then I realized something. There’s no place like home, and there’s no one like you.”
Tears began to well up in my eyes. Was this real? Had he truly been feeling the same way for all this time?
As I looked up at him, he reached into the second bag, pulling out a handwritten letter. The words on the paper were simple but so full of meaning:
"I’ve run away from this feeling for too long. But not anymore. Will you marry me?"
I couldn’t believe it. My heart raced, and for a moment, the world outside didn’t matter. He was here. With me.
A New Year, A New Beginning
From the balcony, we could hear the countdown from the streets. The clock was ticking, and with it, my entire world was shifting. The last 30 seconds of the year echoed in the distance. I could feel the weight of the moment. This was my new beginning. This was the year that would change everything. I looked at him, and with tears running down my face, I whispered, "I love you."
And in that moment, everything I had ever dreamed of became real. I love you too.
We both held each other tight as the clock struck midnight. And with the new year, we chose each other. In 2025, we would start a new chapter. Together.
The Unexpected Gift of Love
As the celebrations outside faded into the background, I reflected on how, sometimes, the most unexpected gifts are the ones that truly matter. The Babushona frame wasn’t just a beautiful gift—it was a tangible representation of the love we had quietly nurtured for so long.
It wasn’t just a New Year’s Eve. It was our New Year. The year I had been waiting for. The year we both chose to finally stop running and start living.
In the end, some gifts are more than just material—they’re a promise. And as I held him in my arms, I knew that my life was about to get infinitely better.