It happened when I was 17, back in the 11th grade. Unlike many others my age, I had never been in a relationship. I was a firm believer in the kind of "true love" you read about in books -pure, patient, and rare.
One day, while walking home from school, my eyes drifted toward a balcony in the nearby building. There she was, standing gracefully. I froze. I stood there for a full two minutes, unable to look away, as if time had suddenly stood still.
Coincidentally, my close friend lived in that very same building. I rushed to him and asked, "Who is she?" I was hoping for an introduction, but his response crushed me. He refused to help, revealing that he liked her too.
Since I lived in the building right next to hers, my daily routine changed. Every day, I would go to my balcony and wait, hoping for just one glimpse of her. One afternoon, while I was buying groceries at a local shop, she suddenly walked in. She was right there, next to me. My heart started racing so fast that I could hear it in my ears. It was the first time in my life I had felt such an intense rush of emotions. I desperately wanted to say something, but my voice failed me.
I went home and spent hours thinking only about her. I kept pleading with my friend to introduce us, but he remained stubborn. Finally, destiny took a turn. I was talking to a classmate who happened to be that girl's neighbor. I nervously asked her about the girl, and she told me everything. But it was the very last thing she said that made my heart leap with joy...