I just arrived at the party, my eyes immediately drawn to the grandeur of the celebration. The decorations were spectacular—golden balloons arching over tables covered in intricate floral arrangements and trays of beautifully designed pastries. It felt surreal that all of this was for a one-year-old girl’s birthday party. I couldn’t help but feel a pang of envy for the sheer extravagance, but it was quickly drowned out by curiosity.

“Yanie! Yanie! Over here, this way!”

I turned toward the familiar voice. It was Dani, my best friend since elementary school, waving enthusiastically from across the room. I felt an immediate rush of warmth and nostalgia. Without hesitation, I rushed to her side and hugged her tightly.

“I missed you so much!” I said, my voice thick with emotion. “After so many years, we finally get to see each other again.”

Dani laughed, squeezing me back just as hard. “Aww, girl, of course, I missed you too! But wait—there’s someone I want you to meet. Yanie, this is my daughter, Annie.”

She gestured to a little girl being carried by one of her friends. I looked at the child, my heart softening instantly. She had Dani’s curly brown hair and the most expressive eyes I had ever seen. But something about her felt… familiar in a way that sent a ripple of unease through me.

“Oh my gosh,” I said, smiling despite the strange sensation building inside me. “Is this Annie? She’s so cute! She has your hair… and—” My voice caught slightly. “And those eyes.”

Before Dani could respond, a voice broke through the noise around us.

“Love.”

It was a man’s voice, deep and steady, but it hit me like a lightning bolt. The familiarity of it made my stomach churn. Slowly, I turned toward the source, and my heart stopped.

It was Enzo.

He stood only a few feet away, dressed sharply in a tailored suit. His hair was neatly styled, his presence as commanding as ever. My ex-boyfriend. My first love. The man I had spent years trying to forget.

“Love, are you still not done?” he said again, looking at Dani with a soft smile. “The guests are waiting for us to cut the cake with Annie.”

His words struck me like a hammer. He called her “love.”

Our eyes met, and for a moment, neither of us spoke. The shock was mirrored in his expression as he registered my presence. Tension buzzed in the air, thick and suffocating.

Dani, oblivious to the charged atmosphere, turned to me with her ever-cheerful smile. “Oh, then let’s go now! Yanie, come with us. Since you’re part of the family, we’ll cut the cake together with Annie.”

I could barely process what she was saying. Part of the family? Did she not know about us? Did she not realize that Enzo and I had once been everything to each other?

I stood frozen, my mind flooded with memories of the man who had been my first and last love. The man I thought I’d spend my life with. The man who now belonged to someone else.

We first met when I was in college in China. I had transferred from the Netherlands, and everything was so new and overwhelming. Enzo, on the other hand, was a natural. An honor student, confident, always surrounded by people, he had a way of standing out without trying.

One day, I was walking through the campus, carrying a huge pile of textbooks. I had no idea where I was going and, of course, I was late for my first class. The books were heavy and awkward, but I didn’t want to make another trip to my dorm, so I carried them all at once.

Then, it happened. I didn’t see him coming. I turned a corner, and before I could react, we collided. The stack of books I was holding tumbled from my arms, and one of the heaviest books landed right on his foot.

“Ahhhh! Ow! What kind of book even is that? How is it so heavy?” he exclaimed, his face twisting in pain.

“I’m really, really sorry!” I said, panic rising in my chest. “I didn’t mean to—”

“No, it’s okay,” he said, trying to wave it off, but I could tell he was still grimacing. “It’s my fault for bumping into you.” He paused and then added, “But, uh… could you help me to the school nurse? I don’t think I can attend class like this.”

I felt a rush of guilt, mixed with an odd sense of responsibility. “Sure, sure. Just lead the way while I assist you. I’m a transfer student, so I don’t know where the nurse is yet.”

He gave me a half smile, and, without thinking, I placed my arm around his waist to help him walk. His arm draped over my shoulder for support as he limped. I felt the heat of his body close to mine, and despite the situation, I was strangely aware of the closeness.

As he guided me through the hallways, he gave me directions, telling me where to go. We made small talk along the way, and I learned that his name was Enzo. He was the president of Class AC3, and though I had never seen him before, it was clear that he was popular.

When we finally reached the nurse’s office, I felt a mix of relief and anxiety. I had already missed half of my class.

“Thank you for bringing me here,” Enzo said, his voice sincere. “I don’t think I could’ve made it without your help.”

“No problem,” I replied, shrugging it off, though I couldn’t shake the sense that this was my fault in the first place. “Are you sure you’ll be okay here? I need to head to my next class. I think the nurse will be here any minute now.”

“I’ll be fine,” he assured me, giving me a soft smile. “But before you go… could I get your name?”

I blinked, surprised by the request. “Oh, how thoughtless of me!” I said, realizing I hadn’t even introduced myself. “Hi, I’m Yanie. I’m a transfer student from the Netherlands .”

“Yanie…” He said my name slowly, as if testing it on his tongue. “Yanie. Hmm, that’s a lovely name.” He smiled, and I felt my cheeks flush.

While he was talking, my mind was racing. I was already late for class, and I couldn’t afford to waste more time. I knew I had to leave, but something about him made it hard to walk away.

“It’s nice to meet you, Enzo,” I said, forcing myself to sound casual. “But I really need to go now. If there’s a chance, I’d love to talk to you more later.”

Just as I turned to leave, I heard him call my name.

“Yanie! Could I get your number?”

I paused, hesitating for a moment before pulling my phone out of my pocket. “Sure, but quickly! I’m in a hurry. It’s 1618343375. I really need to go. See you around!”

I ran off, waving goodbye to him over my shoulder, my heart racing. Secretly, I wished I could see him again.

It had been five months since I first met Enzo. Over that time, we’d grown close, spending hours talking and getting to know each other. He had this warm, unassuming charm, the kind that made you feel safe and seen. He started texting me more often and taking me out. Then one night, everything changed.

We were at the movies, sitting side by side in the dim light, the sounds of the action on screen a distant hum in my ears. I felt him glance at me, his posture slightly tense.

“Yannie,” he began softly, leaning a little closer. “Do you know what the guy in this movie and I have in common?”

I raised an eyebrow, smiling at the unexpected question. “Uh, you’re both human?” I teased.

He shook his head, clearly serious, his tone dropping lower. “No, it’s that we both like our girl best friend.”

My breath hitched, and my heart skipped a beat. I knew instantly who he meant—he didn’t have any other girl best friends besides me. He must have noticed the surprise in my eyes because he pressed on before I could respond.

“I like you, Yannie,” he said, his voice trembling but steady. “Since the first day I saw you struggling to carry that stack of heavy books, I knew it. I knew in my heart that I liked you, and over time, I realized I was falling in love with you.”

I wasn’t entirely shocked. Everyone around us seemed to know our relationship was different, more than just friendship. Still, hearing him say it out loud felt surreal.

I smiled shyly. “I… I like you too, Enzo. You’re the first guy I’ve ever felt this comfortable with. I’d love to get to know you more.”

That was the moment everything shifted. He began courting me with such sincerity that it melted every wall I had built around my heart. For seven months, he showed me how genuine he was. He’d wait for me after class, often with flowers or my favorite snacks in hand. He didn’t just tell me he cared—he showed it in every small gesture.

By the time his birthday came around, I knew I couldn’t wait any longer. I had planned everything in my head, deciding that my gift to him would be the answer he had been waiting for.

“Happy birthday, Enzo,” I said, trying to keep my voice steady as we sat together. “I’m sorry I didn’t get you a proper present. It’s test week, and I’ve been so busy.”

He gave me a small smile, shaking his head. “It’s okay. I’m used to not celebrating my birthday much anyway.”

I bit my lip, feeling my nerves kick in. “Well… I did prepare a little something. Do you want to hear it?”

He tilted his head, curious. “Of course.”

I leaned toward him, motioning for him to lower himself slightly since he was so tall. As he bent closer, I whispered into his ear, my cheeks burning. “My gift is me.”

He pulled back, his expression confused. “What do you mean, ‘the gift is you’?”

I took a deep breath, gathering my courage. “I mean… this girl would like to be your girlfriend.”

For a moment, he just stared at me, his eyes wide. Then they softened, filling with emotion. Tears welled up as he blinked rapidly, trying to hold them back.

“Yannie,” he said hoarsely, his voice breaking. “You have no idea how long I’ve waited to hear that.”

And in that moment, I knew I’d made the right choice.