The Worth of a Smile
It started one evening, simple and bright,
Two strangers met, beneath the soft moonlight.
Online they crossed paths, not long ago,
With laughter and fun, their chats began to flow.
In the midst of talks, a game did arise,
The girl dared the boy with sparkling eyes.
"Let’s play some Ludo," she said with glee,
"If I win, what gift will come to me?"
The boy chuckled, with a playful tone,
"What’s my prize if I win alone?"
The girl smiled, her eyes full of cheer,
"Whatever you wish, without any fear."
The game began, the pieces set in place,
The girl moved forward with steady grace.
She played with skill, her victory near
Until fate took a turn, and luck disappeared.
Now it was the boy’s turn to shine,
Three chances he had, the game was divine.
But each time, he let victory go,
Holding back, moving slow.
The girl, confused but full of hope,
Finally won, at the edge of the rope.
A smile lit up her joyful face,
Her heart danced in that little space.
The boy then asked, with a teasing grin,
"Tell me, my lady, what do you win?"
The girl laughed and softly said,
"I haven’t thought, not in my head."
After some thought, she gave her say,
"Chocolates, perhaps, to make my day."
But deep inside, she had to know,
"Why didn’t you win, when you could so?"
The boy looked at her, with eyes so kind,
"I wanted to see that smile of yours shine.
That innocent joy, that childlike glee,
Was worth far more than victory to me."
The girl was stunned, her heart skipped a beat,
His words so warm, so gentle and sweet.
"But if you had won, you could have asked,"
She whispered softly, behind her mask.
"I already asked, and I received,"
He smiled, his answer not deceived.
"Your happiness, your purest smile,
That’s all I wanted, all the while."
Tears filled her eyes, but not out of pain,
For the first time, someone thought of her gain.
Someone who valued her joy above all,
Who saw her smile as precious and small.
In that moment, her heart felt warm,
A stranger’s kindness had taken form.
No victory, no prize, no grand acclaim,
Could match the value of her name.
Sometimes in love, it’s not about winning,
But the joy you bring to another’s beginning.
A smile, so pure, can mean the most,
More than any victory, or any boast.
For the boy had found his treasure that night
In her laughter, her smile, her pure delight.
And in that shared, unspoken space,
They found something deeper, a bond of grace.
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