She texted him, Hey, are we still on for our golgappa date?
He replied almost instantly, Of course yes. I’ll pick you up from the metro station.
It was their third time meeting. The plan had come up casually—just a mention of golgappas that turned into an actual plan. Neither had noticed the date.
At work, a colleague asked her, What should I gift my girlfriend today for Valentine’s?
That’s when it hit her. February 14th. She brushed the thought off. This wasn’t that kind of evening.
They were still figuring each other out—sharing stories, learning silences, finding comfort in conversation. It felt too early to read into anything.
As she left work, she texted him: I’ll be there in 20 minutes.
The metro was crowded. Couples stood close, exchanged roses, held hands. There was warmth in the air.
She spotted his car and got in. He greeted her with his usual warmth and began driving toward his favorite golgappa stall.
Being around him had started to feel familiar in a quiet way. Their conversation flowed easily—work, random updates, little things.
Then, mid-conversation, he asked, Do you read vampire novels?
She turned to him, slightly puzzled. She loved reading, but vampire stories were something she had long left behind.
I used to, years ago. Not so much now,
she replied.
Okay,
he said. Just open my bag. There’s something for you.
She unzipped the bag slowly, unsure of what to expect.
Inside was a book—The Vampire Diaries.
For a moment, she didn’t know how to react. A book? On Valentine’s Day? She hadn’t expected anything. Certainly not this.
She smiled, caught somewhere between surprise and amusement.
Of all the books in the store, this one?
It’s not really my genre anymore,
she admitted, but this means a lot. I didn’t expect this, and I don’t know how to react.
He looked over, slightly embarrassed, but smiling. I didn’t know what kind of books you read. I just knew you liked reading. Next time, I’ll ask you before picking one.
That made her smile wider.
She told him how everyone had been talking about Valentine’s Day all day, and for a moment, she’d even considered postponing their plan.
He laughed. Honestly, I didn’t remember either. One of my colleagues asked me to come along to a bookstore to get a gift for his wife. That’s when it hit me.
And somehow, that made it even better.
No pressure. No expectations. Just a book. Imperfectly chosen, but picked with her in mind.
They stood by the street stall later, teasing each other over spice levels. And in that moment, she felt quietly content.
Sometimes, it’s not about doing things perfectly. It’s about the little ways someone shows they’re paying attention.
She wasn’t sure about vampires anymore, but she was starting to believe in small magic.
