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.9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX6WxrotiGn
Hair trimmed down.9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ96QSZxPZpV
Beard gone.9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjsZwzrOGdN
Just like that, the version of him I had in my head vanished.
I won’t lie I felt cheated by reality.9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvAYvNG7aO4
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.9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVtwgnxq5AB
“Good boy,” they said. “Family is nice.”9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV6eT36VMFg
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.9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFebEyRbyaR
Just to see.
But in my distraction, I accidentally viewed his story.9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZLARYEd0sx
My heart stopped for a second.
Because not long after that, I got a notification 9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIwpbpXyHm3
“Milind has sent you a follow request.”
That’s when I knew.9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaxraWCIAqq
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.9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi75VlC9JeS
Her reply came fast and firm:9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ20Tr7Qywnl
“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.9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡndMyvkEwNl
No reply. No reaction. Just silence.
That night, my head was full of noise, but my heart was quiet.9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZBXysqSwjl
Confused. Detached. And just a little sad.
Sometimes, things look perfect from far away.9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH0ggHZfuuW
And then reality shows up without filters, without angles and changes everything.
