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.435Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡna9raYub3n
Hair trimmed down.435Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfW95N6lPYa
Beard gone.435Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCI8lFwVKzt
Just like that, the version of him I had in my head vanished.
I won’t lie I felt cheated by reality.435Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡao90KJ6Yam
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.435Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9Ru02SfMls
“Good boy,” they said. “Family is nice.”435Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYLRK2MUXDg
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.435Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBHly8tAlZl
Just to see.
But in my distraction, I accidentally viewed his story.435Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpJB7viMrZ8
My heart stopped for a second.
Because not long after that, I got a notification 435Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQDz0DrYQX6
“Milind has sent you a follow request.”
That’s when I knew.435Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTrHqlbzddx
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.435Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5PdQzuWcHV
Her reply came fast and firm:435Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡovCgTi3jOC
“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.435Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXRAen5bjUm
No reply. No reaction. Just silence.
That night, my head was full of noise, but my heart was quiet.435Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy2P69gHr1P
Confused. Detached. And just a little sad.
Sometimes, things look perfect from far away.435Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxFIVQVIQjR
And then reality shows up without filters, without angles and changes everything.
and then Add to home screen.