The Pre-Dinner Jitters

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Aashna groaned as her phone vibrated incessantly on her nightstand. She turned over, blindly patting around until her fingers grasped it. Without even looking at the screen, she put it to her ear. "Hmm?"

"Dude, wake up!" Sia's voice rang loudly through the speaker, making Aashna wince. "Can I come over? I need to get ready for the dinner at Dhruvin's place. Also, why the hell are you still asleep? It's four in the afternoon!"

Aashna's eyes shot open. "Wait, what? Four? Are you serious?" She sat up so fast that dizziness washed over her. "Oh my God. How did I even sleep for fifteen hours straight?"

"No idea. Maybe the emotional whiplash of winning, getting scolded, and then cuddling your dog knocked you out?" Sia teased. "Anyway, I'm coming. I'll be there in twenty."

"Yeah, okay. I'll go shower," Aashna mumbled, rubbing her sore neck. No wonder it felt stiff-she had slept like a log.

Dragging herself out of bed, she shuffled toward the bathroom. The warm water helped ease her tension, and by the time she stepped out, she felt a little more awake. Wrapping herself in a towel, she walked into the kitchen, where her mother was making tea.

"You're finally up," her mom commented, pouring her a cup. "I was starting to worry."

Aashna sat down, letting out a small sigh. "I didn't mean to sleep that long."

Her mother placed a plate of poha in front of her. "Eat. You've barely had a proper meal since yesterday."

As she took a bite, the comforting taste warmed her. Her mom sat down beside her, eyes softening. "Aashna, I know you were upset yesterday. About your father's words."

Aashna swallowed, suddenly feeling the lump in her throat return. "It's fine, Ma. I'm used to it."

"No, it's not fine." Her mother reached for her hand. "I want you to know that no matter what, I will always support your choices. Even if your father doesn't see the value in it now, I do. And one day, he will too."

Tears welled up in Aashna's eyes. "Ma..."

"You worked hard. You won. That's all that matters," her mother said, squeezing her hand. "And I am proud of you."

Aashna couldn't stop the tears from escaping this time. She leaned forward, hugging her mother tightly. "Thank you."

A few moments later, the doorbell rang. Aryan, her younger brother, called out from the living room. "Aashna, your loud friend is here!"

"Shut up, Aryan!" Sia yelled back as she walked in. "Hi, Aunty! Hi, Aryan!"

Her mother greeted her warmly, while Aryan, ever the brat, just smirked. "Oh, Sia's here. Let me guess-you're here to help Aashna overthink her outfit?"

"Wow, you know us so well," Sia said sarcastically, ruffling his hair before dragging Aashna to her room. "Okay, let's get started."

Aashna stood in front of her wardrobe, chewing her lip. "What do I wear? This is the first time I'm going to Dhruvin's house. I can't make a bad impression."

Sia plopped onto the bed, arms crossed. "Relax. It's not like you're meeting his parents for rishta talks."

Aashna shot her a glare. "I just want to look... decent."

She pulled out a pair of jeans and a top, tried them on, but frowned. "Too casual."

Next, she put on a skirt and a fancy blouse but grimaced. "Too much."

"Aashna, at this rate, we'll be late," Sia groaned, dramatically throwing herself back onto the bed.

Finally, Aashna settled on a simple but elegant kurta and her favorite jhumkas. "Okay, this is it. Minimalist makeup, nothing too extra."

Sia gave her an approving nod. "Now that's the Aashna I know."

Taking a deep breath, Aashna grabbed her bag. "Let's go."

As they left the house, her stomach twisted with nervousness. She had no idea why, but something about going to Dhruvin's home-his personal space-felt different. It was an invitation into a part of his life she hadn't seen before. And for some reason, that thought made her heart race.

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Author's Note

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