Destiny Helper

The morning sun spilled gold across Katriel's room, brushing her eyelids with warmth. She stirred, a soft smile playing on her lips, savoring the calm before the day truly began. Her thoughts were gently interrupted by the familiar ping of her WhatsApp. A message from a friend Zack, led her to a new name she hadn't expected: Trez Yilmaz a 2nd-year engineering student in Turkey, reaching out with a smiley greeting. She had replied casually, yet something about it lingered in her mind. The next day, another ping this one from an unknown number with a +90 code.

She froze as she read: "Merhaba, guzel." Her heart skipped. Her cheeks warmed, and for a heartbeat, she simply stared at her phone, unsure if she was ready to admit how much that small greeting made her flutter. She typed carefully: "Hello, and who is this if I may ask?" "It's Trez." And just like that, a connection sparked. Over the weeks, their messages grew longer, laughter weaving through words, glimpses of life shared across thousands of kilometers. Video calls became their secret universe. Gifts arrived unexpectedly at her door a bouquet here, a note there each one carrying his affection, each one tightening the invisible thread between them. A year passed. Every sunrise, every small interaction had strengthened their bond. Now, finally, it was time to meet. Trez's flight from Istanbul to Lagos was long fifteen hours but the miles seemed trivial compared to the anticipation building in his heart. Katriel, unable to sleep the night before, had imagined every detail -the hug that would finally erase the distance, the warmth of his hand, the familiar smile she had long admired only through a screen. She dressed carefully, her heart pounding in rhythm with the excitement thrumming in her veins. Then, the moment arrived. The flight doors opened. People spilled into the arrivals hall. And there, through the crowd their eyes met.Time slowed. The world faded. Fifteen hours of travel, a year of longing, countless messages all converged into that single instant.Trez stepped forward, breath catching, a smile breaking across his face as he whispered her name. Katriel's own heart seemed to leap from her chest. Slowly, almost reverently, they closed the distance between them, until at last their arms wrapped around each other.The first hug,the first kiss. Every mile, every day apart, melted away. And in that embrace, they both knew: this was the start of every tomorrow they had imagined, finally together. The airport seemed to vanish behind them as Trez and Katriel stepped out into the warm Lagos air. The city buzzed with life honking cars, laughter, and the smell of street food but neither noticed a thing. Their world had shrunk to the space between them, hands intertwined, eyes locked."Are we really here?" Katriel whispered, half in awe, half in disbelief, a shy smile tugging at her lips.Trez laughed softly, brushing a strand of hair from her face. "We are. And I've waited so long for this moment."They hailed a car, sitting side by side, shoulders brushing. Every small touch sent little sparks up their arms. Trez insisted on holding her hand, and Katriel found herself resting her head on his shoulder during the ride. Their conversation flowed effortlessly, laughter punctuating every sentence, like they were old friends discovering each other all over again. First stop: a quaint café overlooking the Lagos Lagoon. Trez had secretly asked the driver to take them somewhere peaceful, where they could talk without the city pressing in. They shared a plate of local pastries, sipping sweet hibiscus tea, eyes wandering between each other as if memorizing every detail."You're even more beautiful in person," Trez murmured, voice low, eyes warm. Katriel felt her cheeks flush, her heart thumping wildly."And you... you look exactly like your photos, but somehow better," she replied, her laughter mingling with his. After the café, they wandered along the lagoon, feet brushing the water's edge. Trez picked up a small seashell and handed it to her. "A little something to remember today," he said. Katriel smiled, tucking it into her pocket, knowing she would treasure it forever.As the sun dipped low, painting the sky in shades of pink and gold, they sat side by side on the sand. Words became unnecessary; their closeness, the gentle brushing of fingers, the shared smiles said everything. A quiet understanding settled between them,they were finally here together and nothing else mattered. Trez leaned in, brushing his lips against her forehead. "I promised you love across distance," he said softly. "And now, I get to show it in person."Katriel's heart swelled. "And I've been waiting for you every single day," she whispered back. The city hummed around them, but in that moment, Lagos was theirs alone a beginning, a promise, and the start of a thousand unforgettable memories.

It was one of those evenings when the city seemed to glow a little softer ,when the air felt thick with things left unsaid. Trez had asked Katriel to walk with him to the hotel he had booked for the night. He said he wanted to talk before she went back to her hostel, but something in his tone carried more than words a quiet longing she didn't dare name. They arrived at a five-star hotel that shimmered with golden light. The marble floors reflected their silhouettes as they walked in, side by side.

The concierge greeted them with a polite smile, glancing between them before saying warmly, "Ah, you two make such a lovely couple. Are you newlyweds?" Katriel's eyes widened in surprise, but before she could speak, Trez chuckled and replied, "Yes, we are just arrived from our honeymoon." The words made Katriel blush instantly. She gave him a playful nudge, and both of them laughed as they walked away. The teasing lingered in the air like perfume. In the elevator, silence took over but it wasn't empty. Their hands brushed once, then again until finally his fingers curled gently around hers. Neither spoke. They didn't need to.Inside the room, the city lights streamed through the tall windows, painting their faces in soft amber. Katriel looked out at the skyline, trying to calm her racing heart. Trez stood behind her, his reflection meeting hers in the glass. He took a small step closer, his voice low and tender. "I'm really glad you came," he said. She smiled, her voice barely above a whisper. "So am I." They spent the evening talking about their childhoods, their dreams, the strange coincidences that had led them to meet. Time slipped away unnoticed. At moments, their laughter filled the room; at others silence settled gently between them heavy with feeling.When the night deepened and the hum of the city quieted, they found themselves sitting side by side on the edge of the bed, hands still entwined. The connection between them was undeniable soft, warm, and new. Trez brushed a loose strand of hair from Katriel's face, his gaze filled with respect and care. She smiled shyly, her heart full of trust and affection. They fell asleep close to each other, the comfort of shared warmth surrounding them. The night outside stretched on but inside that room, time seemed to stand still. By morning, the first light filtered through the curtains, and birds began to sing outside. Katriel stirred, realizing she had to leave for class. She looked at Trez peaceful, half asleep and felt something tender stir inside her. Leaning over, she kissed him softly on the cheek. "I'll see you tonight," she whispered. He smiled without opening his eyes. "I'll be waiting." That evening, Katriel returned to the hotel. The restaurant was softly lit, a single candle flickering between them. Trez looked at her as if trying to memorize every detail the curve of her smile and body ,the sound of her laughter, the way she tucked her hair behind her ear when she was nervous. When dinner ended, he reached into his pocket and pulled out a small velvet box. "I have something for you," he said quietly. Inside was a simple, elegant silver ring,with a small crystal that caught the candlelight like a drop of morning dew. "It's not an engagement ring," he explained, his voice trembling slightly. "It's a promise. I'll be leaving for Turkey soon, and it might be a year before I can come back. But I don't want you to forget how much this means to me ,how much you mean to me."Katriel's eyes filled with tears. She tried to speak but her voice broke. Instead, she reached out and wrapped her fingers around his, their hands closing over the little box together.For a long time, they sat like that silent, connected, feeling the ache of love and distance at once. When they finally said goodbye that night, it was with soft words, long embraces, and a promise that the time apart would only make their bond stronger. And as Katriel walked back into the cool night, she could still feel the warmth of his hand in hers and the quiet certainty that love, once found,never truly leaves.

The day finally came when Trez had to return to Turkey.At the airport, Katriel stood among the crowd, her heart pounding as she watched him move through the gate. Tears streamed down her cheeks as she waved goodbye, trying to smile even as her chest ached. Trez turned one last time, promising her that distance would never break what they had, that their love would remain faithful through every mile between them. Days turned into weeks. Katriel tried to focus on her classes, but her mind often drifted to Trez to his voice, his laughter, the comfort of his presence.

One morning during a lecture, a wave of dizziness washed over her. She felt lightheaded, her stomach unsettled. At first, she brushed it off thinking she was just exhausted or overwhelmed from late night study sessions. That evening, during a video call, she mentioned it to Trez with a small laugh. "I've been feeling weird lately," she said. "Probably just stress." But Trez frowned, worry showing in his eyes even through the screen. "Maybe you should take a test," he said gently. Katriel laughed softly. "That's impossible, Trez. I was in my safe days." Still, curiosity and a touch of fear pushed her to check. When she saw the result, her hands trembled. It was positive. For a moment, everything went quiet. Then came the tears not from fear, but from a confusing mix of joy and disbelief. When she told Trez, his voice cracked with emotion. He couldn't stop smiling. "We're going to be parents," he whispered. "I promise, Katriel as soon as I graduate, I'll come back. We'll make this right. We'll be a family." From that day, Trez called every evening. They talked for hours about baby names(suggesting Trezdan if he is a boy),about the future, about how life would look when he returned. Katriel started keeping a small journal, writing letters to the little life growing inside her. But fate had other plans.One evening, Katriel called him in tears. Her voice was shaky, full of fear. "The doctor says it's a threatened miscarriage," she whispered. "They're not sure if the baby will survive." Trez felt his heart break from miles away. He wished more than anything to be there to hold her hand, to tell her everything would be fine. They prayed together over the phone, clinging to hope. But a few days later, the message came quiet, heavy, final. Katriel had lost the baby. The silence that followed was unbearable. Katriel couldn't stop crying. She felt empty, as if a piece of her had been taken away. The pain turned to anger not at Trez, but at the cruel distance between them. "If you had been here," she whispered through tears one night, "maybe things would have been different." Trez had no words. He wanted to reach through the screen to hold her, to tell her how sorry he was. But all he could do was watch her cry, powerless. And from that moment, something shifted between them. The laughter faded from their calls. The messages grew shorter. Grief filled the spaces where love used to live. Katriel felt broken not only by the loss of her child, but by the distance that had made her feel so alone when she needed him most.