A Love Written in Stars, Etched in Tears

The opinions expressed in this article are the writer’s own and do not reflect the views of Her Campus.

This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at MUJ chapter.

Love. It’s that enchanting force that catches us off guard, like a gentle breeze on a warm summer evening, filling our hearts with a warmth we didn’t know we needed. It feels as if the universe has conspired to bring two souls together, aligning the stars to craft a story that only the two of you could tell. In those early days, everything feels electric—every word exchanged is layered with meaning, every laugh shared resonates like a beautiful song, and every glance carries a spark that leaves you breathless. The world around you transforms, painted in vibrant colors of joy and possibility, as if everything around you has come alive just for this moment.

But just as quickly as that magic appears, it can also fade. The very love that once felt unbreakable can become a mere whisper, leaving behind echoes of what once was. What began as a beautiful connection can quickly shift into something bittersweet, where one heart clings to the memories while the other drifts away, becoming a distant shadow. Suddenly, you find yourself grappling with the reality of loving someone who no longer feels the same way, holding onto a love that has become one-sided—a profound ache that lingers, like an old song stuck in your head, reminding you of what you’ve lost.

As you navigate this confusing terrain, you can’t help but wonder how something that felt so perfect could unravel so completely. It’s painful to watch the light of that love dim, leaving only the shadows of what it used to be. And yet, amidst the sadness, there’s a part of you that cherishes those beautiful moments—the laughter, the shared dreams, the connection that once made everything feel possible. Those memories become a bittersweet reminder of love’s splendor, a testament to its power and its fragility. Even as you grapple with the heartache, you realize that those moments, however fleeting, have left an indelible mark on your soul, shaping who you are and reminding you of the beauty of having loved deeply, even when that love is no longer returned.

WHEN STARS ALIGN

The beginning of a love story feels like stepping into a dream. It’s as if the universe has conspired to unite two souls, with every sign and moment pointing toward something destined. The initial connection is electric, almost magical, as if you’ve known this person in another lifetime. Every touch and word resonates with a profound significance, charged with an energy that feels inexplicable. You believe in the magic, for it’s right before you—a cosmic dance drawing you closer, as though the stars have woven this love into the very fabric of your existence.

When I saw you, I fell in love, and you smiled because you knew.

William Shakespeare

You find yourself lost in hours of conversation, discussing everything and nothing, all while basking in the warmth of their presence. Each moment together feels like a precious gift, a piece of a larger puzzle you’re only beginning to assemble. There’s a comforting sense of certainty that you’ve discovered your person—the one who will walk beside you through all of life’s twists and turns. The world appears brighter, more vibrant, as if love has gifted you a new lens through which to view it. It’s intoxicating, and you convince yourself this love is everlasting; nothing could sever the bond you share.

In these early days, love feels invincible, like a promise etched in the stars. You start to believe in forever because everything aligns so perfectly. The dreams you begin to weave together, the plans for a shared future, all seem attainable. You think, “This is it. This is the love that inspires songs and poetry.” For a time, it feels as though you’re living in the heart of a beautiful love ballad.

FADING CONNECTION

Yet, love, as beautiful as it may seem, isn’t always permanent. Sometimes, even the brightest stars fade over time. What once felt so real and destined begins to shift. At first, the changes are subtle, almost imperceptible—a delayed text response, a lack of enthusiasm in their voice when they speak to you. You brush it off, convincing yourself it’s just a phase, that relationships naturally ebb and flow. But soon, those small changes become more frequent, and the distance between you begins to widen.

The silences grow heavier. Conversations that once flowed effortlessly now feel forced, as if both of you are clinging to something that’s slowly slipping away. You notice how they no longer light up upon seeing you, how their attention drifts when you’re together. You tell yourself it’s just a rough patch, that every relationship has its ups and downs, but deep down, you sense something has changed. They seem to be pulling away, morphing into a stranger with each passing day.

The hardest part is the uncertainty. You don’t understand what went wrong or if you played a role in the shift. The person who once felt like home now seems like someone you hardly know, yet you cling to the memories of who they used to be. You convince yourself that if you just try harder, if you say the right things, you can bring them back. But no matter what you do, the gap between you continues to widen, and they keep slipping away.

EMPTY DANCE

Then comes the moment you dread most: the realization that you’re the only one still holding on. It’s a heartbreak that’s uniquely cruel—knowing that the person you love no longer feels the same, yet you can’t bring yourself to let go. You replay every moment in your mind, searching for answers, wondering where it all went awry. Did you miss the signs? Were you too blind to see they were drifting away? Or perhaps they never loved you as deeply as you loved them.

You don’t get to choose if you get hurt in this world, old man, but you do have some say in who hurts you. I like my choices. I hope she likes hers.

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

You start to recognize the patterns of unrequited love—the way you reach out first, always the one making plans, the one trying to keep the connection alive. Their responses grow colder, shorter, and soon you realize you’re bearing the weight of this love alone. It’s devastating, yet you can’t stop. Your heart is too intertwined, too invested to simply walk away.

When you love someone, accepting that they no longer love you back feels nearly impossible. You cling to hope, for that hope is all you have left. You treasure the rare moments of affection, reading too much into them because the alternative—accepting that it’s over—is too painful to bear. In your mind, you romanticize the notion that they just need more time, that they’ll eventually realize what they’re missing. But deep down, you know that love, once lost, is rarely reclaimed.

BITTERSWEET ECHOES

There’s a tragically beautiful aspect to unrequited love, though. It’s the kind of love that exists purely in your heart, untouched by reality. It’s the love of poets and dreamers, lingering long after the other person has moved on. You find yourself thinking about them constantly, even if they’ve likely forgotten you. Imagining them with someone else crushes you, yet you can’t seem to let go.

This love is quiet and lonely. You can’t share it with others; it feels too personal, too raw. You fear their judgment and pity, so you carry this burden in silence. Each memory of them feels like a dagger, yet you don’t want to forget. Even though they’ve become a stranger, you hold onto the moments that made you fall in love because those fragments of them still belong to you.

In your quiet moments, you wonder if they ever think of you. Do they, even for a fleeting second, miss what you once shared? But you know the truth: they’ve moved on, their life continuing without you. And yet, here you are, stuck in the past, loving someone who no longer exists in your present.

EMBRACING THE EXIT

Healing from one-sided love is a slow, painful process. It doesn’t happen overnight, and there’s no clear path to follow. Some days, you wake up feeling stronger, as if you’re finally ready to move on. Other days, it feels like you’ve made no progress at all, the hurt as fresh as the day they walked away. But with time, you begin to see that the love you experienced wasn’t entirely in vain.

Love is not a matter of what happens in life. It’s a matter of what’s happening in your heart.

Rainer Maria Rilke

Loving deeply, even when that love goes unreturned, teaches you something profound about yourself. It reveals your capacity for immense feeling, for giving your heart fully, even when it’s not reciprocated. That vulnerability is rare, and while it may lead to heartbreak, it also fosters growth. You come to understand that love, in all its forms, is worth experiencing, even when it ends in pain.

Letting go isn’t about forgetting the person who left; it’s about learning to love yourself more than you loved them. In the end, not all love stories are meant to conclude with a happy ending. Some are crafted to teach us, to shape us, and to leave us stronger than before. The love once written in the stars may now be etched in tears, yet that doesn’t diminish its beauty. It was real, even if it was one-sided. Perhaps the most important thing to remember is that you loved—and you loved deeply.

With time, the tears will fade, and the love you once clung to will become a distant memory. But it will always be a part of you, a chapter in your story—one that taught you the most important lesson of all:

you are whole, even if someone else doesn’t see it.

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And if you’d like to explore more of my world, visit my corner at HCMUJ — Aditi Thakur