"A Rooftop, A Ribbon, and a Red Dress"
As Saraph and I stepped out of the elevator and onto the rooftop, I paused, completely stunned.
Warm fairy lights danced across the beams like fireflies, casting a soft golden hue over the rooftop.
Rose petals were scattered across the ground, creating a delicate trail that led to the center, where a table for two stood,
surrounded by candles, balloons, and a gentle breeze that whispered secrets only the stars knew.
My eyes widened. "Saraph… what's going on?" I asked in a hushed voice.
"What are we celebrating? You did all this? Is… is it for me?"
Before she could even answer, the silence was broken by a loud chorus of voices:
"Surprise!"
I jumped as Daniel, Timi, Caleb, Jordan, and a few other friends popped out from behind a decorative wall of twinkling lights, singing loudly:
"Happy birthday to you…"
Tears welled up in my eyes as the realization hit.
I had genuinely forgotten my birthday was this week, let alone today.
Everyone joined in clapping, singing off-key with joy, and some even harmonizing badly just to make me laugh.
Saraph stood beside me, her face glowing with pride and love, as if she had just pulled off a top-secret mission
(which she kind of had).
I turned to her, laughing and crying at the same time. "I can't believe you did this. All of you… Thank you."
She squeezed my hand. "You deserve the world, Nuella. And a little sparkle doesn't hurt either."
I looked around at the beautiful decorations, the friends who came, and then finally… I saw Daniel.
Standing a few feet away, dressed in a crisp shirt, his hands nervously behind his back, eyes locked on mine.
I didn't even hesitate. I rushed over and wrapped my arms around him tightly.
"Thank you," I whispered into his shoulder. "This is… unbelievable."
He hugged me back, his touch warm and grounding. "Just wait," he said softly.
The party unfolded like a dream.
Music flowed gently through the speakers: jazz, R&B, soft love songs.
Laughter filled the air as friends handed me small, thoughtful gifts and shared stories.
There were candles on a heart-shaped cake, dancing under the stars.
I made a wish but didn't say it aloud—I wanted to savor the moment.
Then Daniel stood up in the center of the rooftop, clearing his throat.
Everyone slowly fell quiet, the music turning to a soft instrumental in the background.
Holding a folded piece of paper, he stepped toward me.
"I uh I didn't want to just give you a gift," he began, nervously scratching his neck.
"I wanted to give you my words. The truth. Everything I've felt and sometimes failed to express."
He looked into my eyes and began to read aloud.
" My Dearest,"
"I could start this by apologizing for everything I got wrong, and I will, but before that, let me say: thank you.
Thank you for being patient with me. For being brave enough to keep growing even when I stood still."
"There were moments I let you down, moments I let my fear speak louder than my love.
But every day I've woken up since, I've known one thing for sure, I miss you, not just as someone I love, but as my peace, my joy, my partner."
"You are everything soft about life, and I almost lost that.
So today, I don't just say sorry… I say I'm here. All in. If you'll have me."
He paused, unfolding another sheet, a poem this time.
THE POEM:
She walks in red, the stars bow low,
A heart of fire wrapped in glow.
The world forgets to spin tonight,
For she alone holds all the light.
I stood too far, I let you fade,
But love like yours is never late.
So here I stand, beneath the skies,
With trembling heart and open eyes.
If second chances bloom like spring,
Then let this night be everything.
A vow, a hope, a whispered plan
To love you right, as best I can.
A whisper in the wind that teaches broken hearts to breathe.
She laughs and stars learn rhythm, the moon learns how to dance,
She speaks, and even silence leans forward for the chance.
I lost her once, a foolish boy caught in his clouded head,
But every heartbeat since has carried what I never said.
So let this page remember what my voice once forgot
That I am hers completely, whether she gives me another chance or not, I will still be here by your side.
I've hurt you.
I walked through a season of confusion and distance, and in doing so, I let go of something priceless: you.
There hasn't been a single day I haven't regretted the pain I caused.
And while I know apologies can't rewrite the past, I hope they can help heal the present.
But this letter isn't just an apology.
It's a celebration of you.
Your laugh is the melody I never want to stop hearing.
Your strength, the kind that holds people up without asking, is breathtaking.
And your heart… your beautiful, forgiving heart… It's the home I'm longing to earn back.
So on this birthday, I want to give you more than balloons and cake.
I want to give you this promise:
To show up.
To listen.
To grow with you.
To love you in the light and the storm.
Happy Birthday, Nuella.
The world got brighter the day you were born, and my world got warmer the moment I met you.
By the end, I was crying openly, tears streaming down my face, my hand covering my mouth.
Daniel gently set the paper aside, took both my hands, and with a deep breath...
He went down on one knee.
Gasps rang out.
Caleb dropped his drink. Saraph let out a half-choked squeal.
Even Jordan and Timi were blinking more than usual.
"I know," Daniel began, smiling nervously, "this isn't a marriage proposal.
But… with everything we've been through, everything we've rebuilt here, with everyone who matters around us, I wanted to do this right."
He looked up at me, sincerity pouring from his voice.
"Nuella… would you do me the honor of becoming my girlfriend officially?
I want to love you, grow with you, and never take you for granted again."
I stood frozen for a second, barely able to breathe.
Then I heard Saraph's voice whisper behind me, "Say yes, Nuella."
Timi chimed in next. "He didn't let us eat until this was perfect."
Caleb added with mock seriousness, "Please. I need closure. We rehearsed this."
The whole group looked at me with hopeful eyes.
I looked at Daniel kneeling, vulnerable, hopeful. My heart was racing, but it was steady in what it wanted.
I pulled him up gently, tears still in my eyes.
"Thank you," I said softly. "For the letter… the poem… this whole magical night.
I honestly forgot it was my birthday. But because of you, because of all of you, it became unforgettable."
Then I turned to him fully.
"Daniel… here and now, I'm willing to give us a second chance."
His breath caught. "You mean it?"
Before I could even nod again, he wrapped his arms around me and whispered, "Thank you so much.
I won't mess this up."
Then, to everyone's delight, he leaned in and kissed me gently at first, then deeper, a kiss full of gratitude, longing, and renewed love.
Cheers erupted all around.
Someone yelled, "Finally!" and another person threw rose petals in the air dramatically.
"I love you," Daniel whispered against my lips.
"I love you, too," I replied, resting my forehead against his.
We ended the night on the dance floor, the fairy lights above twinkling like stardust.
The music swayed, and so did we step by gentle step, our bodies moving in quiet rhythm.
Each movement was a new promise.
And as I leaned into Daniel's arms, the city below glowing like a galaxy of dreams, I realized something:
Love, when real, never leaves. It only waits until you're ready to feel it again.
And I was finally ready.