Is It Time to Say 'I Love You'?

1. The Longest of Waits

While Aanya was in the café, she held her coffee cup and stared lightly out the window at the passing street. Light rain outside was tapping on the glass window. Indie music played in the room, but her internal thoughts were occupied by just one question: Is now the right time to tell him?

Ravi was always five minutes late—something Aanya used to find annoying. Now, it made her heart race. Every second ticked louder than the last. Not because she was angry. But because those five minutes felt like five heartbeats closer to a turning point, she wasn’t sure she was ready for it.

People always say, “You just know when it’s time to say it.” But what if you’re wrong? What if I love you isn’t a beginning, but the end?

2. Trending Trouble: When Do You Say It First?

Google searches like “When to say I love you?” or “Should the guy say it first?” are more common than people admit. Aanya had read them all. None of the articles, Reddit threads, or TikToks with dramatic voice—overs helped.

In some of those videos, people said they waited six months, and others, six days. Aanya and Ravi were somewhere in between—two and a half months of daily texts, weekend coffee dates, shared playlists, and glances that lingered a second too long.

But still, no words.

And so the silence grew roots.

3. The Perfectly Imperfect Boy

When Ravi entered, his hair was wet, and he was wearing his hoodie, crookedly zipped. He said sorry for being late as he sat down at the table.

With a smile, Mona said, “You always seem to be late,” partly because she enjoyed the drama he created.

They talked like usual—books, movies, how weirdly addictive it was to Google your symptoms, only to be convinced you’re dying. It was comfortable. Real. The kind of connection people chase their whole lives.

But as Ravi laughed at something she said, Aanya's heart thumped wildly. She looked at his hands, his eyes, his lips. Everything in her screamed: Say it now. Say it before it’s too late.

4. The Invisible Wall

“Ravi…” she started, then paused.

He looked up. “Yeah?”

Aanya swallowed. This was it.

But the moment froze.

“Sleepyhead, have you ever really been in love?”

Ravi blinked. “Whoa. That is certainly a big question.

She tried to keep things casual by shrugging. “Just curious.”

He thought for a moment. “I think I’ve come close. But I’ve also learned not to say it too fast. Words like that... they can trap you.”

Her stomach twisted. Trap you? Was love a cage to him?

“What about you?” he asked.

She looked down. “I’m not sure.”

Lie. She was sure. She loved him. But now it didn’t feel safe to say.

5. Social Media Love vs. Real Love

Later that night, Aanya scrolled through Instagram. Couples posted grand gestures—balloon-filled rooms, candlelit letters, proposals in Paris.

Under each post were captions:

“He said it first 💘”

“It took him 6 months to say I love you. Worth the wait.”

“There’s a certainty that comes with knowing.”

However, have you reached this position in your mind? Are you ever certain that you know?

In real life, there’s no perfect moment. There’s just a messy one—filled with fear, doubt, and a racing heart.

6. The Moment She Almost Said It

The following evening, they were catching a movie on his couch. Her hand was tied with his. The screen had a brief issue, but Aanya still wasn’t paying attention.

She leaned against him, and the scent of his cologne made her feel like she already knew that scent from somewhere.

She hoped that time could stop and stay the same as it was now.

He turned slightly. “Me too.”

Say it now.

Say it.

She opened her mouth.

But the words didn’t come.

Not because she didn’t mean them.

But because she finally understood, love isn’t just about saying it. It’s about timing. And sometimes, silence speaks the loudest truths.

7. A Soft Cliffhanger

The next morning, Ravi texted her:

“Hey, about last night... I wanted to say something. Can we talk tonight?”

Aanya stared at the screen. Her fingers hovered above her phone.

She replied:

“Yes. Let’s talk.”

She didn’t know what he wanted to say. Maybe it was goodbye. Maybe it was everything she had been waiting for.

But either way, the moment was coming.

And she would be ready, with three words that could change everything.

THE END