The doorbell rang.
Suddenly, the mood in the house became serious.
Mom straightened her sari and opened the door.
"Come in," she welcomed with a smile.
In just a few minutes, light chatter started in the living room over tea and snacks.
Anaya stood by her room's entrance, listening intently.
Her heart raced.
It felt like she was about to face an interview—not about her studies or job, but about her whole life.
"Call Anaya," someone said from outside.
Mom came into her room.
"Dear, it's time to join us."
Anaya glanced at herself in the mirror.
Thoughts flooded her mind—
Dad, Mom, her dreams, her writing, and today's meeting.
She slowly stepped out.
Everyone turned their gaze toward her for a brief moment.
She greeted them and took a seat.
The boy seemed relaxed. His name was Alok.
They began with some general questions:
How far have you studied?
What do you want to do?
Do you know how to help around the house?
Anaya answered each question while feeling something else inside her.
Then suddenly, Alok's mother asked,
"What do you want to do next?"
A slight hush fell over the room.
Anaya glanced at her dad for a moment.
Then softly, she replied, "I enjoy writing... I want to be a writer."
Silence filled the room for a few seconds.
She worried that no one would appreciate her answer.
But then Alok smiled slightly and said, "That's great. It's a rare passion."
Anaya felt a bit surprised.
Alok continued, "What kind of stories do you write?"
For the first time that evening, Anaya sensed someone was truly interested.
She began to share about her writing journey.
How she started posting online.
How people read her work.
How comments flowed in.
Mom and Dad listened quietly.
Maybe for the first time, they realized this wasn't just a pastime for Anaya.
Eventually, their conversation wrapped up.
People began leaving.
The door closed behind them.
Once again, silence enveloped the house.
Dad settled onto the sofa.
Anaya felt uncertain about what would happen next.
After a few moments of quiet, Dad asked, "Do you really want to be a writer?"
This was not an easy question for Anaya.
But this time she met his gaze confidently.
"Yes."
The room fell silent for a few moments again.
Then Dad took a deep breath and said, "Then you'll need to prove it."
Anaya felt as if he was scolding her; yet there was no anger in his tone—just encouragement to rise to the challenge. "Dreams don't come true by just talking; they require hard work," Dad explained. As Anaya returned to her room that night, she felt lighter in spirit. For the first time ever, she had openly shared her dream. She opened her diary and wrote: "Today I spoke my dream aloud for everyone without hesitation." But little did she know that tougher times lay ahead. Life was about to test her patience like never before. Will Anaya be able to convince Dad that she truly deserves to be a writer? To find out more, you'll have to read the next chapter of our story. And if you enjoyed this tale, please vote and leave your thoughts!