That day, my mood was completely ruined.
And not just for one reason, but two.
First, because I didn’t get to watch KGF Chapter 2 a movie I had been waiting for with so much excitement. I had dreamed of watching the first day, first-show, but thanks to this sudden “Rishta” meeting, that dream slipped away just like that. My brother went to the theatre without me, and I swear, in that moment, I felt like I hated him. It wasn’t his fault, I knew that… but still. I was annoyed, disappointed, and a little heartbroken.
Second, and more importantly the boy.
Yes, that boy.
The one whose Instagram I had stalked. The one who looked so smart and handsome online. The one I had secretly started imagining in my life. When I met him in person… he looked completely different.
Clean-shaven.82Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmkOph2vqyw
Hair trimmed down.82Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4hb08OB2Jp
Beard gone.82Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF8rsWJLoLD
Just like that, the version of him I had in my head vanished.
I won’t lie I felt cheated by reality.82Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE4IltwbJ1o
This was not the face I had been staring at on Instagram. This was not the guy who had confused me just days before. Somehow, without that little bit of beard, that hairstyle, that look — he didn’t seem like the same person. It felt like I was meeting a stranger. And the worst part? I didn’t like him anymore.
14th April that was the date we met. And to this day, I think of it as one of the most awkward and disappointing days of my life.
After the meeting, we returned home.
My parents, my aunty they were all smiles. They said he was polite, decent, well-mannered.82Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsjZsXag9pS
“Good boy,” they said. “Family is nice.”82Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnpQXrQMgX3
They were impressed.
But me?
I felt nothing.
No spark. No connection. No excitement. Just discomfort.
I tried to distract myself, but later that evening, curiosity got the better of me again. I opened his Instagram — one more time.82Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5kn74eF3Hl
Just to see.
But in my distraction, I accidentally viewed his story.82Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeUWrjFFGAn
My heart stopped for a second.
Because not long after that, I got a notification 82Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCCttYLeN2Z
“Milind has sent you a follow request.”
That’s when I knew.82Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnfiQhzMLVc
I messed up.
I sat there, staring at the screen, completely confused. Should I accept it? Should I ignore it? Would accepting it mean I was interested? Would rejecting it be rude?
I immediately messaged my best friend, like always.82Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSH5Nl1Xd33
Her reply came fast and firm:82Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKlRs7hrqTh
“Don’t accept it. You both aren’t even in a relationship yet.”
She was right. We weren’t dating. We hadn’t spoken. We hadn’t even exchanged proper eye contact that day.
So, I did what made sense.
I let the request sit there unaccepted.82Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoOvKkoBb94
No reply. No reaction. Just silence.
That night, my head was full of noise, but my heart was quiet.82Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmNlGn1wrbi
Confused. Detached. And just a little sad.
Sometimes, things look perfect from far away.82Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCFYXVqWHum
And then reality shows up without filters, without angles and changes everything.
