The afternoon sunlight fell unevenly across Lili's desk, catching on her textbooks and half-finished notes. She tried to focus, but her mind kept wandering to Dewdrop — his laugh, the teasing glint in his eyes during their video calls, the way he somehow made her feel lighter even when her world felt heavy.
A soft ping made her jump slightly. Her phone lit up with a message from him.
Dewdrop: Hey… are you busy?
Lili: Kind of. But I can take a break. What's up?
Dewdrop: Just thinking… what if your parents found out?
Her chest tightened. She knew the day would come when someone might notice. She had kept their connection secret for months, hiding messages and muting calls whenever someone walked in. The thought of losing him — or worse, being scolded into cutting him off — made her stomach knot.
Lili: I… I don't know. I'm careful. But yeah, it's scary sometimes.
Dewdrop: I don't want to mess this up. I don't want to ruin us.
She stared at the screen, feeling both the pull of his words and the weight of the distance. "Dewdrop… it's okay. We'll figure it out. I trust you."
Dewdrop: You're stronger than I am. I worry that… I don't know… maybe I'm not enough for you.
Her fingers hovered over the keyboard. "You are. Don't even think that. You've been my safe place for months. Just… don't doubt us yet."
Dewdrop: Okay. I'll try.
They sat in silence for a moment — not awkward, but heavy with everything unsaid. She imagined him in India, looking out over his balcony, the city moving beneath him. She imagined herself, halfway across the world, feeling the same heartbeat, the same quiet tension.
Then she shook her head slightly, trying to lighten the mood. "Hey… remember Waffles?"
Dewdrop: Oh no.
Lili: Yes! She tried to attack my screen last call. Do you think she's mad I'm stealing your attention?
Dewdrop: Definitely. She's territorial. But… I kind of get it.
She laughed softly, and for a moment, the weight lifted. They shared a smile through the screen, the distance shrinking just a little.
Lili: We'll be okay. We always find a way.
Dewdrop: Yeah… we do.
Even though the shadows of doubt lingered — her parents' scrutiny, the miles between them, his insecurities — something stronger held them together: their promises, their shared laughter, and the belief that love could endure the unseen obstacles.
As the sun dipped below the horizon, Lili set her phone aside and whispered a quiet prayer: for strength, for courage, and for the love that felt bigger than every worry and every mile.
And somewhere, far away, Dewdrop sat in his room, staring out at the fading light, thinking the same thing:No ocean is too wide. No shadow too dark. She's worth it.