It all started on Christmas in Texas.

There was no snow, just cool air and wide skies glowing under strings of bright lights. Houses shone in red and gold, music drifting from open doors, laughter filling warm rooms scented with cinnamon and pine. Christmas here was loud, alive, and full of warmth.

And beneath all that light, something was about to begin.

Sera’s cousin, Jessica, arrived at her house just as the evening lights began to glow.

“Hey, Sera! Let’s go Christmas shopping,” Jess said, already buzzing with excitement.

Sera looked up from her desk and smiled faintly. “Hey, Jess. Can we go tomorrow? I have an assignment to finish.”

At sixteen, Sera was ambitious and focused beyond her years. She was tall, with a graceful posture that made her presence quietly striking. Her long hair fell smoothly down her back, and her grey eyes..calm and observant..often reflected thoughts she rarely spoke aloud. Beautiful without trying.

“Come on, Sera. Let’s go today, please,” Jess insisted. “I have some other work too.”

She winked.

Sera immediately understood. That other work had a name and it was Jess’s boyfriend.

Sera sighed softly, then smiled. "Okay. Give me a minute. I’ll change, then we’ll leave."

Ten minutes later, they stepped out into the market.

The streets were alive. Christmas lights hung across shops and street poles, glowing in warm colors. People filled the sidewalks. Laughing, talking, carrying shopping bags and wrapped gifts. The air felt festive, busy, and bright, as if the entire street was celebrating together.

They were looking for a Christmas tree when a boy walked up to them. He was Jess’s friend.

He smiled and asked Jess to come aside for a minute.

Jess : Hey How are you Long time no see

Friend : I’m good How are you doing?

Meanwhile Sera was busy checking the Christmas lights in a nearby shop, completely lost in their glow.

Jess : I’m doing great.

Friend: By the way who is that girl with you She’s beautiful.

Jess: She’s my cousin, Sera.

Friend : Don’t mind but do you see that guy sitting there. He’s my best friend He likes her a lot. Can you tell Sera for me.

Jess hesitated for a moment.

Jess

Actually she’s not interested in relationships right now Still I’ll ask her

Friend

Okay great See you around

Jess

See you

Jess’s friend left after saying goodbye.

They continued shopping and soon finished everything they needed. The streets were calmer now and the lights felt softer as they walked back together.

On the way home Jess finally spoke. She told Sera about her friend and how he had asked about her almost like a proposal made in passing. Jess expected curiosity or at least a few questions.

But Sera had said no immediately.

She did not pause

She did not think

She did not ask who he was or what he did

The word had left her mouth before the idea could even settle. It was instinctive, certain and final. She had never dated anyone before, never even came close and yet the refusal came with absolute clarity.

The next day they went to the park together. The boy was already there. Jess told Sera about him and Sera was shocked. She knew nothing about the boy yet her heart skipped a beat. Deep inside she liked him. His name was Aron. He was three years older than Sera. There was something mysterious about him that always caught her attention. She had seen him many times before from a distance but never had the courage to talk to him. Now it felt too late. She had already rejected him without even knowing him and there was nothing she could do about it.

After a month her cousin bought a new cellphone. One day Aron sent a friend request. Jess accepted it without thinking twice. Slowly they started talking. Aron told Jess that he found Sera cute and that he wanted to talk to her. Sera did not have her own private phone so all their conversations happened through Jess’s phone.

One day Aron proposed to her. Sera was scared. Her family was conservative and love was never an easy topic in her house. Around the same time Jess left for her studies in another city. After that Sera and Aron could not talk often.

A few days later Sera decided to reject his proposal. Not because she did not like him but because she was afraid. She had no way to contact him anymore. So she wrote all her feelings on a piece of paper and kept it in her pocket.

The next day she went to college and later changed her clothes leaving the note inside her night suit. Her mother took the clothes to wash. That was when she found the note.