A Love Written in the Stars

The city lights twinkled like distant stars as Emily leaned against the railing of the rooftop garden, the cool night air brushing against her skin. It was the night of the annual stargazing event at the observatory, a place she had frequented for years. She had always come alone—until tonight.

“Mind if I join you?” a warm voice asked.

She turned to find a man with dark tousled hair and deep brown eyes standing beside her, hands tucked into his coat pockets. His smile was soft, hesitant.

“Sure,” she said, offering a small smile of her own.

He stepped closer, tilting his head toward the sky. “Orion is especially clear tonight,” he murmured.

Emily arched a brow. “You know your constellations?”

He chuckled. “A little. My grandfather taught me when I was a kid.” He extended a hand. “I’m Daniel, by the way.”

She took his hand, his touch warm against the cold. “Emily.”

They stood in comfortable silence, the universe stretching infinitely above them. The telescope behind them was already occupied, but neither minded. The night was beautiful as it was.

After a moment, Daniel spoke again. “You come here often?”

Emily nodded. “Every year. It’s a tradition.”

“For someone special?” he asked, a touch of curiosity in his voice.

She hesitated, then exhaled. “For my father. He was an astronomer. He used to bring me here when I was little. Even after he passed, I kept coming.”

Daniel’s expression softened. “That’s a beautiful tradition.”

She glanced at him. “What about you? What brings you here?”

He smiled wryly. “A rather cliché reason. I had a terrible day and needed to clear my head. I figured staring at the stars would remind me how small my problems are.”

Emily laughed lightly. “I get that. Perspective is everything.”

They talked for what felt like minutes, but the clock tower chiming in the distance told them an hour had passed. They shared stories—his love for photography, her dream of traveling to Norway to see the Northern Lights. Their words wove effortlessly together, as if they had always known each other.

Then Daniel glanced at his watch and sighed. “I should probably go. But…” He hesitated, then reached into his pocket and pulled out a small notebook. He flipped to an empty page and scribbled something down before tearing it out and handing it to her.

“What’s this?” she asked, unfolding the paper.

“My number.” He grinned. “In case you ever want company for next year’s stargazing.”

Emily stared at the paper, warmth spreading through her chest. She looked up at him, her heart thrumming. “Maybe I won’t wait that long.”

His eyes lit up. “I’d like that.”

As Daniel turned to leave, Emily glanced at the stars once more. For the first time in years, they didn’t feel so distant.

Tonight, the universe had aligned in her favor.