Mira had discovered something very unfair about life.

No matter how many times people said, "Just be yourself," they never explained what to do when being yourself suddenly felt impossible.

Because right now, being herself had disappeared completely.

"Mira, sit properly."

"I'm sitting properly."

"No, not like that."

Mira stared at her mother in disbelief.

"What exactly is wrong with the way I'm sitting?"

Her mother adjusted the edge of her dupatta for what felt like the hundredth time that morning.

"Nothing is wrong. I just want everything to be perfect."

Mira sighed dramatically and dropped back against the sofa.

Perfect.

That word had been following her around all day.

Perfect smile.

Perfect behavior.

Perfect conversation.

Perfect first impression.

She looked down at her hands and exhaled quietly.

Today was the first time she was meeting Aarav.

Not on a phone screen.

Not in photographs.

Actually meeting him.

From the kitchen came the sound of relatives talking and laughing. Somewhere nearby, her father was discussing something loudly with someone over the phone.

The entire house felt unusually alive.

Meanwhile, Mira felt like her heartbeat had become louder than the entire house combined.

"Mira."

She looked up.

Her mother was smiling now.

"Relax."

Easy for her to say.

A few minutes later, the doorbell rang.

Immediately, chaos began.

"They've arrived."

"Open the door."

"Bring water."

"Where are the snacks?"

Mira suddenly had the strong urge to disappear into another dimension.

Voices filled the living room.

Greetings.

Laughter.

The sound of chairs moving.

Then—

"Mira, beta."

Her mother called softly.

For some reason, her heartbeat doubled.

She stood up.

Walked slowly toward the living room.

Looked up.

And froze.

Because there he was.

Aarav.

And unfortunately—

He looked up at exactly the same moment.

For one second, the world became strangely quiet.

Not literally.

People were still talking around them.

But Mira suddenly stopped hearing any of it.

He looked different from the pictures.

Less formal.

Less distant.

More real.

And he was smiling.

Not a huge smile.

Just a small one.

But somehow that felt worse.

Because now her brain had officially stopped functioning.

"Hi," he said.

Mira blinked.

Oh right.

Words.

Humans used words.

"...Hi."

Brilliant.

Absolutely incredible conversation skills.

Someone should give her an award.

A few minutes later both families somehow became mysteriously "busy."

Mira was suspicious.

Very suspicious.

Because suddenly she found herself sitting on the balcony with Aarav beside her.

Convenient.

Extremely convenient.

For several seconds neither of them said anything.

Birds chirped nearby.

A cool breeze moved softly through the air.

And the silence slowly became awkward.

Then Aarav looked toward her.

"So..."

Mira looked toward him.

"So..."

They stared at each other.

Then suddenly both laughed.

Actual laughed.

Not fake polite laughing.

Real laughing.

Aarav shook his head.

"Okay, good."

Mira raised an eyebrow.

"Good?"

"I was worried I was the only nervous one."

She stared at him.

"You were nervous?"

"Of course."

He looked genuinely surprised.

Mira narrowed her eyes suspiciously.

"You don't look nervous."

He shrugged.

"I forgot half my personality downstairs."

Mira blinked.

Then laughed again.

And strangely—

For the first time that day—

Her heartbeat finally began calming down.

Maybe this wasn't going to be so scary after all.