Krisha's POV

By the time I came downstairs, Maa had already finished half of her morning work and was standing near the dining table, folding the corner of a newspaper absentmindedly while waiting for me.

"Kitni der laga di tumne? Interview hai, Krisha. First impression mei hi late ho ja ," she said, looking me up and down with the kind of inspection only mothers were capable of doing.

I rolled my eyes and adjusted the strap of my handbag.

"Maa, main interview dene jaa rahi hoon, shaadi ke liye ladke wale dekhne nahi aa rahe."

Maa gave me a look.

"Difference kya hai? Dono jagah tumhe hi judge kiya jaayega."

I laughed despite myself, picked up the toast she had kept on the plate and took a bite before she could start another lecture.

Papa was already sitting at the table with his tea and newspaper, his glasses resting low on his nose. The moment he saw me, he folded the newspaper and looked at the watch on his wrist.

"Time se pahunch jaana."

"Yes, Papa."

"And confidence se baat karna. Zyada sochna mat ki saamne wala kya soch raha hai."

I smiled.

"I know."

Papa nodded, satisfied, but before I could leave, he called me again.

"Krisha."

I turned around.

"All the best."

There was something about the way he said it that made the simple two words feel heavier than they should have.

I smiled at him.

"Thank you, Papa."

And then I left.

---

The office was in one of the busier commercial areas of Jaipur, surrounded by glass buildings, cafés, parked cars and people who all seemed to know exactly where they were going.

I stood outside the building for a moment, looking up at the name written across the glass entrance, and took a slow breath.

This was my fourth interview in the last two months.

Fourth.

At this point, I had started wondering whether there was something fundamentally wrong with my CV or whether every company in Jaipur had collectively decided that a fresh graduate was some kind of dangerous species that needed to be kept away from employment.

I checked my reflection in the glass once, fixed a loose strand of hair behind my ear and walked inside.

The receptionist directed me towards the fifth floor, and by the time I reached the waiting area, there were already three other candidates sitting there.

One of them was nervously going through a file, another was scrolling through something on his phone, and the girl sitting beside me was repeatedly checking her watch.

I sat down and placed my folder on my lap.

"You're here for the marketing executive interview?" she asked after a few minutes.

"Yes."

She smiled politely.

"First interview?"

I almost laughed.

"No. I wish."

She chuckled, and somehow that small conversation made the room feel a little less intimidating.

After nearly twenty minutes, my name was finally called.

"Ms. Krisha Mathur?"

I stood up immediately.

"Yes."

The interview itself wasn't terrible.

That was almost the worst part.

I answered everything they asked me, explained my education, talked about the internship I had done, answered questions about communication, teamwork and basic office skills, and even managed to make the interviewer smile twice.

For twenty minutes, I actually thought I had done well.

Then came the question I had started hearing in almost every interview.

"Do you have any prior full-time work experience?"

I hesitated for a second.

"No, sir. I'm a fresher."

He nodded and looked down at my resume again.

"We're actually looking for someone who can handle the position independently from day one."

"I understand, sir, but I'm a quick learner and I'm willing to—"

"I don't doubt that."

His voice wasn't rude, which somehow made it harder.

"It's just that we have candidates with one or two years of experience."

I gave a small nod.

"Okay."

He closed the file.

"We'll get back to you."

And there it was.

The sentence I had heard so many times that it had almost become a personal greeting.

We'll get back to you.

I walked out of the office with a smile still hanging awkwardly on my face because apparently even rejection had to be received politely.

The moment I stepped into the elevator, I stared at my reflection in the mirrored wall.

"Experience chahiye," I muttered.

The elevator doors closed.

"Experience kaise milega jab koi fresher ko hire hi nahi karega?"

The woman standing beside me looked at me strangely.

I smiled at her.

"Sorry."

She smiled awkwardly and moved slightly away.

I sighed.

Great.

Now I was talking to strangers in elevators.

---

The moment I stepped outside the building, my phone started ringing.

Lakshu  Calling.

I answered.

"Hello?"

"Interview kaisa gaya?"

I didn't even have to answer.

"Hmmm lag raha hai kharab gaya. Varna abhi tak chilla ke kaan kha gyi hoti mera"

" Chup kr"

I rolled my eyes and started walking towards the parking area.

" Ab bata."

I sighed dramatically.

"Unhe experience chahiye."

There was silence for two seconds.

Then Lakshita said, very seriously, "Accha."

"Haan."

"Toh experience kahan se laayein?"

"I don't know."

"Perfect. Same question mera bhi tha."

I laughed.

"Pagal."

"Listen, I'm nearby. Café aa ja. Mujhe bhi break chahiye."

"I should go home."

"Krisha."

"Hmm?"

"Tu ghar jaake kya karegi?"

I thought about it.

"Nothing."

"Exactly. Café aa."

I looked at the time and then at the road ahead.

"Fine."

"Good girl."

"And Lakshi?"

"Haan?"

"Coffee tu pay karegi."

There was immediate silence.

"Interview reject hua hai tera, meri jeb kyu khali karva rhi hai "

I laughed.

" hawww toh tu kya ab ek berozgaar becharii gareeeb ldki se paise legi chii chii chiii"

" ab chle be dramebaaz  CHl See you in twenty minutes."

---

Lakshita was already sitting at our usual corner table when I reached the café, her laptop open in front of her and a cold coffee sitting untouched beside it.

She looked at me the moment I walked in.

"Come here, unemployed woman."

I stopped beside the table.

"I can still leave."

She immediately pulled out the chair opposite her.

"Sit down, employed woman."

I sat and placed my bag beside me.

"Thank you."

She pushed the menu towards me.

"Order something. Emotional damage ke baad khaana aur bhi  zaroori hota hain."

I stared at her.

"Do you have any useful advice?"

"No."

"At least you're honest."

"Always."

We ordered coffee and fries, and for the next few minutes, I told her everything about the interview while she listened with the occasional dramatic reaction that somehow made my frustration easier to handle.

When I finished, she leaned back in her chair.

"Krishu, honestly bolun?"

"Hmm."

"You're taking this too seriously."

I frowned.

"How am I supposed to not take it seriously? I need a job."

"I know."

She softened immediately.

"Par ek interview kharab hone se ya chaar companies ke reject karne se tu incapable nahi ho jaati."

I looked down at the table.

"I just want to start earning, Lakshi."

"I know."

"I want to be able to buy something for Maa without asking Papa for money. I want to contribute at home. I don't want to sit around waiting for someone to decide what I should do with my life."

Lakshita watched me quietly for a moment.

Then she smiled.

"That's the Krisha I know."

"What?"

"The one who gets scared but still keeps going."

I smiled faintly.

" Kutti ki bacchi , i have told you to take job in my company taki hum dono sath hote but us waqt natak toh dekhooo nooo lakshuu i want to do something else . AB dekh vi vacany bhi gyi na hath se " She said mimicking my voice .

I rolled my eyes , " abey yrrr choddd naaa , jo hoga dekha jaega "

She picked up one of the fries.

"Bas rukna mat."

I looked at her and smiled.

Sometimes, I wondered what I would have done without her.

She had been there through college assignments, stupid fights, heartbreaks that weren't even mine, family arguments, career confusion and every other little disaster that somehow felt like the end of the world when we were twenty.

Then, as expected, she ruined the emotional moment herself.

"So..."

I narrowed my eyes.

"So what?"

"Shaadi ka kya scene hai?"

I groaned.

"Of course."

She laughed.

"What? I'm just asking."

"No."

"Why?"

"Because I don't want to."

"For now?"

"For as long as I want."

She raised an eyebrow.

"Madam, eventually you will have to get married.Muje bhi masi bnna hai yrr "

"Uske liye shaadi krne ki zarurat kya hai " i stiffed my laugh and said

Lakshita choke on her fries  and looked at me with wide eyes and then very calmy this crazy woman said " Shi baat hai yrr ishuuuu .Chl na muje massi bna "

Now it was my turn to choke on fries .

" Chup be pagal hai kya ?" I asked my eyes wide.

" Na na mai toh bas sach hi keh rhi hu " she said 

" itnj jldi jai toh tu kr lr " i said to her .

" huh kashhhh yrrrrrr mai toh kab se hu ready tayar koi toh patale bhai missed call se" she answered placimg her hand on chest dramatically .

I shake my head .Is ldki ka kuch ni ho skta .

Suddenly she again open her mouth

"BUT what exactly are you looking for?"

I thought for a moment.

"I don't know."

"That's a lie."

I smiled.

"Fine."

I looked down at my cup before answering.

"I just want someone with whom I don't have to pretend."

She didn't interrupt.

"Someone who respects me, listens to me, and doesn't treat me like I'm some responsibility that needs to be handed from one family to another. I want a marriage where both people actually know each other, where I can have my own career, my own opinions, my own life."

Lakshita smiled.

"Very specific."

"I know."

"And if your parents choose someone?"

I looked at her.

"I trust Papa."

"That's not what I asked."

I stayed quiet for a moment.

"I trust Papa to never choose someone who would hurt me."

She nodded slowly.

"Fair enough."

Neither of us knew how strange those words would sound later.

At that moment, I simply meant them.

---

By the time I reached home, the sun had started going down, painting the sky outside our house in soft shades of orange.

I entered through the front door and immediately heard Maa from the kitchen.

"Krisha, aa gayi?"

"Haan, Maa."

"Interview kaisa tha?"

I took off my sandals.

"Thik tha."

Maa appeared from the kitchen, wiping her hands on the end of her dupatta.

"Thik tha matlab?"

I smiled.

"Matlab thik tha."

She looked at me for a second and understood.

"Achha nahi hua?"

I shrugged.

"They want experience."

Maa said 

" abey toh un gadon ko bol na tum naukri do , experience fir mil jaega "

"I know Maa , kash vo log bhi apki tarha samajdaar hote .I said chuckling

"Tu tension mat le."

" Mai kyu tension lu ? "

Maa gave me the look that clearly said she knew I was lying.

Before she could say anything else, I walked into the kitchen.

"Main help karti hoon."

"Tu pehle fresh ho ja."

"Maa."

"Krisha."

I laughed.

"Fine."

As I walked towards my room, I heard Papa's voice from the living room.

"Krisha."

I turned.

He was sitting on the sofa with some papers in front of him.

"Haan?"

"Interview?"

I smiled.

"Didn't get it."

He looked disappointed for exactly one second before his expression became calm again.

"Next one milega."

I sat beside him.

"You always say that."

"Because it's true."

He tapped the papers in front of him.

"Tu bas try karti reh."

I rested my head against his shoulder for a moment.

"Papa?"

"Hmm?"

"What if I don't get a job for a long time?"

He turned towards me.

"Then we'll wait."

I smiled.

"We?"

"Of course we."

He gently patted my head.

"Tu akeli thodi hai."

I didn't say anything after that.

Because sometimes, the safest place in the world was simply your father's shoulder.

---

Dinner was simple, like most evenings in our house.

Maa had made dal, aloo ki sabzi and fresh rotis, and Papa spent half the dinner complaining that Maa had again made too much food even though he was the first person to ask for another roti.

I laughed at them while scrolling through another job notification on my phone.

Another vacancy.

Another application.

Another possibility.

Maybe tomorrow would be different.

Maybe next week.

Maybe the next interview would finally work out.

I had no idea that while I was worrying about something as ordinary as finding a job, somewhere else, people were already making decisions that would change my entire life.

---

Later that night, I was sitting on my bed with my laptop open when I heard Papa's phone ring in the living room.

I didn't think much of it at first.

Papa received calls all the time regarding his business.

But then I heard his voice.

"Hello?"

A pause followed.

I stopped typing.

There was something different in his tone.

"Who is this?"

Another pause.

I couldn't hear the other person's voice, but I could see Papa from where I sat, and slowly, the relaxed expression on his face disappeared.

His back straightened.

His fingers tightened around the phone.

"After all these years..."

He stopped.

I frowned.

I couldn't make out what he said next because his voice became quieter.

A few moments later, he ended the call.

I closed my laptop and walked towards him.

"Papa?"

He looked at me.

For a second, he didn't say anything.

Then he smiled.

A normal smile.

The same smile he had given me a hundred times before.

"Kya hua, beta?"

I looked at him carefully.

"Kaun tha?"

"Koi nahi."

I frowned.

"Papa, you looked worried."

He shook his head.

"Business ka koi matter tha."

I didn't believe him.

Not completely.

But I didn't push.

"Okay."

I turned to leave.

"Krisha."

I looked back.

"Don't worry about anything, beta."

His voice was gentle, almost too gentle.

I smiled.

"Okay, Papa."

I went back to my room, closed the door and sat on the edge of my bed.

I didn't know who had called him.

I idn't know why his face had changed.

I didn't know why, for the first time in my life, the words koi nahi sounded like a lie.

And I certainly didn't know that somewhere beyond the walls of our quiet little house, my name had already begun to travel through conversations I knew nothing about.