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.29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ97ZRMO8ohC
Hair trimmed down.29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiQ4ruYGHS9
Beard gone.29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1NRXh1abcT
Just like that, the version of him I had in my head vanished.
I won’t lie I felt cheated by reality.29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw8Ha3rpTEA
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.29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ90KjnurxMk
“Good boy,” they said. “Family is nice.”29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡstZWfejLXz
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.29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡotulFmNIfp
Just to see.
But in my distraction, I accidentally viewed his story.29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeHIJhECOJy
My heart stopped for a second.
Because not long after that, I got a notification 29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJC6mnM4KBG
“Milind has sent you a follow request.”
That’s when I knew.29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI8nFEe4buw
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.29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOcgKEFJenN
Her reply came fast and firm:29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiP8A2W4ReL
“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.29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJXWIrzoicJ
No reply. No reaction. Just silence.
That night, my head was full of noise, but my heart was quiet.29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZqbVpl7Iu6
Confused. Detached. And just a little sad.
Sometimes, things look perfect from far away.29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0LjFKdviud
And then reality shows up without filters, without angles and changes everything.
and then Add to home screen.