The master bedroom in Ananya’s house smelled of sandalwood agarbatti, fresh sheets, and raw anticipation. It was 9:45 p.m. on the eve of the board exams—books abandoned in the living room, parents conveniently away at a three-day wedding in Agra. The king-size bed with its heavy embroidered cover was already stripped to just the fitted sheet. Fairy lights from Ananya’s room had been strung across the headboard, casting a warm, golden glow over everything.

Everyone was here.