Lila watched the sun dip below the horizon, painting the sky in shades of orange and pink. Her heart felt heavy with the weight of her parents' expectations. They meant well, she knew, but the idea of an arranged marriage felt like a chain around her neck.
"Why can't they see me as I am, not as someone to be married off?" she whispered to the evening air.
Ethan had always been captivated by the village's charm. But today, his attention was drawn to Lila, who walked through the market with a quiet grace, her eyes reflecting a depth of emotion that intrigued him.
"There's something special about her," he murmured to himself, sketching her likeness with a gentle hand.
Ethan hesitated, unsure if he should interrupt her solitude. But something about Lila's serene presence drew him in.
"Mind if I join you?" he asked, a hopeful smile on his face.
"Not at all," she replied, surprised but pleased by his company.
Lila found herself opening up to Ethan in a way she hadn't imagined possible. His understanding and kindness felt like a balm to her troubled heart.
"It's rare to find someone who sees beyond the surface," she said, her voice soft and sincere.
"I've always believed that true beauty lies within," Ethan replied, his eyes meeting hers with warmth and admiration.
Lila knew that Ethan was different. He saw her not as a girl defined by her illness or her parents' plans but as an individual with dreams and desires of her own.
"Thank you for seeing me," she said, her voice filled with gratitude.
"Thank you for letting me," Ethan replied, taking her hand gently in his.
Together, they faced the uncertainties of the future, guided by their love and the courage to challenge the norms that sought to bind them. In each other, they found strength, and in their love, hope for a brighter tomorrow.
