Chapter 1
In my college, everyone seems to be running behind something—marks, attention, approval… something.
And then there’s me.
Ananya.
People call me perfect. I don’t even remember when that started.
“Ananya, you’re literally perfect yaar,” someone said again today.
I just smiled.
That’s what I always do.
Smile. Nod. Move on.
It’s easier that way.
If I keep smiling, people don’t ask questions.
And I don’t have to answer them.
At home, it’s the same thing—but heavier.
There’s always something expected from me. Always something I could’ve done better. Even my silence feels like a mistake sometimes.
So I stopped explaining.
I just started smiling instead.
It works.
People believe I’m fine when I smile.
That evening, I came home with my marksheet.
Another “perfect” score.
Same as always.
I didn’t feel happy.
I didn’t feel sad either.
Just… nothing.
I placed it on the dining table and waited.
My father picked it up and looked through it quickly.
“Hm… good,” he said.
No smile. No emotion. Just expected.
Then his eyes moved across the table.
To my brother.
“See? This is how it should be. Ananya manages everything properly. You should learn from her.”
I didn’t react.
I was used to it.
But I could feel the shift in the room.
That silent comparison again.
That invisible pressure that sits between words.
My brother leaned back slightly in his chair.
He wasn’t angry.
He wasn’t impressed either.
Just… watching.
Then he laughed a little.
Not the normal kind.
Something sharper.
“Yeah…” he said slowly. “She’s perfect, right?”
His voice sounded casual.
But I knew him too well.
It wasn’t casual.
He finally looked at me.
And for a second, everything felt still.
Because his expression wasn’t confused.
It wasn’t joking.
It was knowing.
He tilted his head slightly and said,
“Too perfect, actually. Makes me wonder what she’s hiding behind all that.”
Silence.
Even the air felt heavier after that.
My father didn’t notice anything unusual.
But I did.
Because I knew what that meant.
He wasn’t guessing.
He already knew.
Later that night, I went back to my room.
Closed the door.
And for the first time that day…
I stopped smiling.
My phone lit up.
A message.
From my brother.
“Still acting perfect, Ananya? Don’t forget—I know who you really are.”
I stared at it for a long time.
No reaction.
Just silence.
Because I couldn’t afford one.
And somewhere deep inside me…
something cracked a little more.
