Is It Too Much to Ask For?

Ananya sat on the edge of her bed, staring at her phone. The familiar ache settled in her chest, a heaviness she had grown used to. The constant ping of messages and notifications—none of them were for her. They were always for someone else. Friends, family, even colleagues seemed to prioritize everyone but her. She felt like she was always the second choice, an afterthought, never the one someone truly fought for.

She sighed, the loneliness in her heart speaking louder than any words she could form. "Is it too much to ask for?" she whispered to herself. "At least for once, I just want someone to choose me. I want to be at the top of someone's priority list, to know what it feels like to be truly valued, to be picked first without hesitation."

Ananya had spent her whole life giving. She was the one who remembered everyone's birthdays, sent thoughtful messages, and was always there when someone needed a shoulder to cry on. But when the tables turned, and she needed comfort, she often found herself alone, her phone silent. She wasn’t bitter, but she was tired. Tired of feeling invisible, tired of being the one who cared more. She longed for someone who could understand her without needing to be told—someone who would notice the small things about her: the way she twirled her hair when nervous, the sparkle in her eyes when she talked about something she loved, or the way her voice softened when she was sad.

"Just once," Ananya thought, "I want someone to fight for me, to choose me first."

One evening, after a particularly rough day at work, Ananya found herself sitting alone at her favorite café. She had been there dozens of times before, always by herself, a book in hand to keep her company. But tonight, she didn’t even open her book. She just sat, lost in thought, wondering if she was asking for too much.

As she sipped her coffee, a familiar face walked through the door. It was Aarav, a guy she had known from college. They had been friends once, but life had taken them in different directions. Ananya hadn’t seen him in years, but there was a time when they had been close—closer than she had realized.

Aarav spotted her instantly and smiled, his face lighting up as he approached her table. "Ananya?" he said, his voice full of warmth. "I haven’t seen you in ages!"

Ananya looked up in surprise, a small smile forming on her lips. "Aarav! Wow, it’s been forever."

They talked for hours, catching up on old memories and sharing stories about their lives since college. Ananya felt a warmth she hadn’t felt in a long time—a sense of being seen, heard, and valued. Aarav remembered things about her that even she had forgotten: the way she used to doodle in her notebook during lectures, her love for rain-soaked evenings, and her tendency to smile just before she started laughing.

As the evening went on, Aarav started teasing her, slipping into the light-hearted banter they had shared in college.

"Do you still doodle those weird little stick figures?" Aarav asked, grinning as he sipped his coffee.

Ananya rolled her eyes but laughed. "Hey, those stick figures were masterpieces! You just didn’t appreciate abstract art back then."

Aarav chuckled. "Right, right. And you used to give them dramatic little backstories too. You know, I always thought you’d become an artist."

"Well," Ananya said, raising an eyebrow, "I still doodle. I guess some things never change."

Aarav leaned back in his chair, smirking. "I’d be shocked if you didn’t. But honestly, I’ve always admired that about you. You’ve got this way of making everything a little more... interesting."

Ananya blushed, caught off guard by the compliment. "Thanks, Aarav. You haven’t changed much either—you’re still charming and way too smooth for your own good."

He grinned mischievously. "Guilty. But you missed me, admit it."

Ananya laughed softly, shaking her head. "Maybe a little."

As the evening wore on, Ananya began to feel something she hadn't in a long time: hope. Aarav wasn’t just catching up—he was truly interested in her, asking questions, noticing her small habits, and remembering things about her that no one else had bothered to remember. It felt like, for the first time in a long time, someone had chosen to see her for who she was.

Weeks passed, and Aarav became a constant presence in Ananya's life. He would text her good morning and good night, check in on her after a long day, and even remember the small things, like her favorite type of tea or the way she liked her bookshelves organized. It wasn’t dramatic, like a sweeping romance in a movie. It was quiet, steady, and real. Aarav showed up, time and time again, choosing her every day in ways that Ananya had always longed for.

One afternoon, as they strolled through the park, Aarav nudged her playfully. "So, what’s the deal with that twirling-your-hair-when-you’re-nervous thing? I’ve noticed it every time we meet up."

Ananya’s cheeks flushed. "Oh my god, do I really do that? I didn’t even realize!"

"Yeah, it’s kind of adorable," Aarav teased. "Like a secret signal that says 'I’m thinking too much.'"

"Great," Ananya groaned, but she was smiling. "Now I’m going to be hyper-aware of it every time I’m with you."

Aarav laughed. "No need. I think it’s cute."

She shot him a mock glare. "Stop saying cute things. I’m trying to stay cool here."

"Too late," he replied, grinning. "You were never that cool anyway."

They both laughed, their conversation easy and full of warmth. As they continued walking, Ananya felt the familiar comfort of being with someone who truly saw her, quirks and all.

That evening, as they sat on a park bench, Ananya felt a rush of emotion. She turned to Aarav, her voice soft but filled with sincerity. "Is it too much to ask for someone to choose me?" she asked, her heart vulnerable in the question.

Aarav stopped walking and looked at her, his eyes filled with understanding. "Ananya, I’ve already chosen you," he said gently. "I choose you every day, and I’ll keep choosing you, because you’re worth it. You don’t need to ask. You deserve to be someone’s priority, and I want to be that person for you."

Tears welled up in Ananya’s eyes, not from sadness but from the overwhelming relief of finally being seen, of finally being chosen. Aarav had understood her heart’s deepest longing without her even needing to say it out loud.

For the first time in her life, Ananya felt like she was at the top of someone’s priority list. It wasn’t a grand gesture or a dramatic moment—it was in the small, everyday actions that Aarav showed her she mattered. He noticed her, he chose her, and he fought for her in the quiet, steady ways that truly counted.

And in that moment, Ananya realized that it wasn’t too much to ask for after all. She just needed to wait for the right person who could see her worth, someone who would pick her up, fight for her, and love her for exactly who she was. Aarav was that person, and for the first time, Ananya felt like she was exactly where she was meant to be—chosen, loved, and at the top of someone’s heart.