Some stars shine loudly.
Others shine quietly, afraid of being noticed.
Rumi believed she was the second kind.
She never asked for attention, never chased love, and never expected happiness. Life had taught her one thing very clearly—people leave, but loneliness stays.
Every night, when the world fell asleep, Rumi looked at the sky and wondered if there was a star that felt the same way she did. A star that existed without being seen. A star that shined only for itself.
She didn't know it yet, but that belief was about to be challenged.Chapter 1: The Lonely Star
Rumi liked the night sky more than people.
People talked too much, expected too much, and left too easily. The stars never did. They stayed silent, distant, and honest. Every night, Rumi sat by her small window and looked up, searching for the brightest star. She called it her twin—the lonely star.
She was nineteen, but loneliness had been her companion for as long as she could remember.
At college, she was invisible. Not because she was strange, but because she chose to be quiet. While others laughed in groups, Rumi listened. While others shared dreams, she kept hers locked inside her heart.
That evening, the sky was unusually clear.
Rumi whispered softly, "You're alone too, aren't you?"
Suddenly, a voice answered from behind.
"Stars are never alone. They just look that way."
Rumi turned, startled.
A boy stood there, holding a book against his chest. He looked just as surprised as she was. His eyes were calm, but curious.
"I'm sorry," he said quickly. "I didn't mean to scare you. I just… heard you talking."
Rumi felt her cheeks warm. "It's fine," she replied. "I was just thinking out loud."
The boy smiled. "Thinking out loud is brave."
No one had ever said that to her before.
"I'm Arif," he said. "I come here to read when it's quiet."
"I'm Rumi," she answered.
They stood in silence for a moment, but it wasn't uncomfortable. It felt… gentle.
"You like stars?" Arif asked.
"Yes," Rumi said. "Because they shine even when no one notices."
Arif looked at the sky, then back at her. "Maybe some people are like that too."
That night, Rumi went back to her room with a strange feeling in her chest. It wasn't fear. It wasn't sadness.
It was hope.
For the first time, the lonely star didn't feel so alone.