She was never taught how to fall in love. Only how to be careful. In early 1990s India, where families watched closely, and desire carried consequences, a quiet, observant young woman experiences first love before she understands what it will cost her. This is not a story of rebellion or grand gestures. It is a story of restraint - of feelings contained, choices delayed, and a love shaped as much by timing as by desire. When misunderstandings surface, and the world intervenes, she is forced to make a decision that will mark her long after the moment has passed. Tender, intimate, and painfully honest, this novel explores how first love doesn't always end - but it does change us. And how learning to let go can be the beginning of learning who we are. Some loves begin the story. They don't always get to finish it.