LOVE n FICTION

"In the Blue Sky of New York"

New York City—a city of glittering lights, fast-moving traffic, and magical dreams.

Ariba, a girl from Dhaka, set foot in this city. She came to New York University to pursue a master's degree in technology. She left behind her quiet neighborhood, her mother's face, and the image of her father sitting with a cup of tea in his hand. However, New York is not just about studying for Ariba. It is the beginning of living for herself. Her life in Dhaka was confined to the rules of a conservative family. But here, it was as if she could breathe on her own for the first time.

Ryan met her in the first semester. Ryan is a boy from New Jersey, but he spent his childhood in Brooklyn. Half Bangladeshi, half American. He has light curly waves in his hair, glasses in his eyes, and a gentle smile on his lips. The first time he spoke to Ryan was while standing in line in front of the library. Ariba couldn't find a book. Suddenly, the boy standing next to him took out the book and handed it to her.

— "You were looking for this book, right?"

— "Yes… thank you!"

— "You're from Bangladesh?"

— Areeba was surprised. "How did you know?"

— "There's a slight Dhaka accent in the accent. My mother used to say, 'Dhaka girls talk sweetly, but when they get angry, they're like lightning!'" Their friendship quickly blossomed. First coffee sharing, then coding projects, then hanging out outside of class. Ryan had a familiar image of New York in his eyes, and Areeba had a new color in that image. New York was a kind of addiction. Every evening was like a new birth for Areeba.

Walking along the Brooklyn Bridge with friends, the bright lights of Times Square, or a midnight chat in a small cafe—she seemed to be discovering herself in everything. But behind every liberation there was some responsibility.

In Dhaka, her mother would remind her every day on video calls— "You're a woman, don't act like them. Don't stay out too late, you understand?"

The conflict between Ariba and her grew. On one hand, she wanted to fly away, on the other hand, the shackles pulled her back. Ryan was a calm harbor in the middle of everything.

When Ariba spent time with him, she felt like everything would be fine. But one night, sitting by the Hudson River, Ryan said, "You know, I love technology. But there's another thing I love even more—filmmaking. I'm applying to film school."

Ariba was surprised. "You're interning at a tech startup!"

Ryan smiled, "Yes, but my dream is different. I want to give people the opportunity to tell stories on camera."

Ariba remembered her mother saying in Dhaka, "What's the use of dreaming? Let's understand reality." But Ryan was a man standing in her dream, who knew how to build reality separately.

By the end of the semester, the distance between them had begun to creep in. Ryan was busy with his film project, and Ariba was busy with her data science internship.

One late night, Ryan called. — "Do you know, I miss you?"

— "You don't have time anymore, Ryan. Always your scripts, locations, festivals..."

— "I'm creating dreams. But I want to know if you're in that dream or not."

Ariba felt like she was slipping back into chains. She had come to this city to find freedom, not to be bound by love. But what does love mean to be bound? One winter night. A light snowfall had begun in New York. Ariba was walking alone on the streets of Manhattan. Earphones in her ears, indie folk on her playlist. Just then, Ryan stood in front of her. An old camera in her hand.

— "If you tell me, I'll throw everything away. I'll go back to Bangladesh with you.

But just tell me one thing—do you love me?" Tears welled up in Ariba's eyes. She quietly approached and rested her head on Ryan's shoulder.

— "I love you… but I still want to develop myself. If you can stay by my side, our paths will be the same."

Ryan smiled. "I'll set up the camera on your path."

Six months later. Ariba's thesis has been submitted. Ryan's short film has been selected for the Sundance Festival. One morning they sit in Central Park.

— Ryan says, "You know, your life is like a movie. Only you yourself don't understand it."

Ariba looks up at the sky and says, "But you capture it on camera, I'm the character." Suddenly, the sun rose in the sky. And the two of them walked hand in hand across the New York sky, towards a new life.