Chapter 1: The Girl Who Said I'm Fine
It was 6:15 on a Monday morning.
Ananya Rao was already tired.
She had many things to do. Her mother was busy in the kitchen. Her younger brother, Karthik, was searching for his college ID card. Her father needed his lunch before leaving for work.
Ananya was helping everyone.
"Ananya, did you pack your father's lunch?" her mother asked.
"Almost, Amma," Ananya replied.
"You said the same thing ten minutes ago."
"I'm doing it, Amma. Please give me a minute."
Her voice sounded a little rude.
Her mother stopped talking.
Ananya felt bad.
"Sorry, Amma. I didn't mean to speak like that."
Her mother sighed.
"I'm not asking you to do anything wrong. Everyone in this house has responsibilities."
"I know, Amma."
Ananya said those words almost every day.
She knew her mother had a lot of work. She knew her father was worried about money. She knew her brother was still young.
She understood everyone's problems.
But sometimes, she wished someone would ask about hers.
By seven o'clock, her father had left for work, and Karthik had finally found his ID card inside his bag.
The house became quiet.
Ananya sat at the dining table with a cup of tea. The tea had already become cold.
She picked up her phone and opened her email.
There was a message she had received the previous night.
Subject: Interview for Junior Content Writer Position
She opened it and read it again.
She had been invited for an interview in Bengaluru.
It was not a big job, but it was important to her. She wanted to earn her own money and start building her career.
She had applied for the job three weeks ago.
At that time, she was excited.
She imagined telling her family about the interview. She thought her father would smile, her mother would ask questions about the office, and her brother would make jokes about her becoming a famous writer.
But things had changed at home.
Two days earlier, her father had come home with some unpaid bills. He looked worried and tired.
That night, Ananya heard her parents talking in their bedroom.
"We need to find a way to manage our expenses," her mother said quietly.
"How, Lakshmi? I'm trying my best," her father replied.
Ananya felt sad when she heard them.
She wanted to help her family.
After that night, she stopped thinking about her job interview.
Or at least, she tried to stop thinking about it.
Her phone suddenly vibrated.
It was a message from her best friend, Meera.
Meera: Did you check your email? Any news about the job?
Ananya looked at the screen and replied.
Ananya: Nothing important.
Meera replied quickly.
Meera: Ananya, don't lie to me. I know you.
Ananya: What did I do?
Meera: You're acting like your dreams don't matter just because your family has problems.
Ananya read the message but didn't reply.
Sometimes, she wished Meera didn't understand her so well.
It was easier to hide her feelings when nobody noticed them.
"Anu?"
Her father's voice made her look up.
"Yes, Nanna?"
Her father, Raghav Rao, was standing near the doorway with his old bag.
He looked tired.
"Can you come with me to the bank this afternoon? I need some help with a few things."
"Of course, Nanna."
He looked at her cold tea.
"Why haven't you eaten anything?"
"I'll eat in a little while."
"You always say that."
Ananya smiled.
"I learned it from you."
Her father laughed.
It was only a small laugh, but it made her happy. She had not seen him smile much in the past few days.
Before leaving, he turned towards her.
"Ananya, I know things are difficult right now. Give us some time. Once everything becomes normal, you can think about your future."
Ananya looked at him.
"Nanna, are you talking about my job?"
Her father became quiet.
"We'll talk about it later."
Later.
That word hurt more than he knew.
Later, when the bills were paid.
Later, when her brother finished college.
Later, when her parents stopped worrying.
Later, when life became easier.
But Ananya wondered when her own life would begin.
"Okay, Nanna," she said with a small smile.
Her father gently touched her head and left.
Ananya watched him walk towards the gate.
She knew he was trying his best. She knew he wanted to protect his family.
She loved him. She loved her mother and brother, too.
She didn't want to leave them alone during a difficult time.
But she also had dreams.
And she didn't know how to follow her dreams without feeling guilty.
At 8:30, Ananya opened her laptop.
The interview email was still on the screen.
She clicked on the reply button.
For a few seconds, she didn't know what to write.
Then she started typing.
Dear Hiring Team,
Thank you for considering my application. I am happy to confirm that I am available for the interview.
She read the message twice.
What if she didn't get the job?
What if she got the job but couldn't accept it?
What if her family needed her more than ever?
She had no answers.
But she knew one thing.
If she didn't even try, she would always wonder what could have happened.
So, she clicked Send.
The email was gone.
Ananya leaned back in her chair and took a deep breath.
For the first time in days, she felt a little hopeful.
It was only an interview. Nothing was guaranteed.
But she had taken one small step for herself.
And that mattered.
She closed her laptop and started cleaning the table. There was still a lot of work to do. She had to help her mother, go to the bank with her father, and take care of many other things.
Her responsibilities had not changed.
But something inside her had changed.
She was still the daughter her family depended on. She still loved them deeply.
But she was beginning to understand that her dreams mattered, too.
Ananya didn't know what would happen next.
She didn't know whether she would get the job.
She didn't know that someone new would soon enter her life.
Someone who would notice her sadness even when she smiled.
Someone who would ask her a simple question that nobody had asked her in a long time.
"Ananya, are you really happy?"
And perhaps, for the first time, she would have to stop and think before answering.
Because sometimes, the hardest thing is not loving others.
It is learning that you deserve love, care, and happiness, too.
End of Chapter One
