The Rishta Pressure Chronicles

<break time="0.5s" /> So… the rishta people were coming today. <break time="0.3s" /> My mom woke me up at 6 a.m. saying,

“They might arrive early.” <break time="0.5s" /> It’s noon. They still haven’t shown up. <break time="0.8s" />

Meanwhile, I’ve vacuumed the house, fried 87 samosas, and memorized my

“hobbies.” <break time="0.5s" /> Finally — the doorbell rings. <break time="0.5s" /> And boom — I’m suddenly the main character

of a Bollywood slow-motion entry scene. <break time="0.5s" /> I walk in with a tea tray, trying not to spill

anything. <break time="0.3s" /> My mom mouths, “Smile!” Dad whispers, “Don’t smile too

much.” <break time="0.5s" /> Make it make sense. <break time="0.8s" /> One aunty looks me up and down like she’s scanning a

QR code. <break time="0.5s" /> Then she goes, “Mashallah… you study medicine?” <break time="0.3s" /> I nod,