‘All right, sounds good. But can we promise to have a serious conversation about our future soon?’ I mumble under my breath.

‘Sure, babe. Now, let’s toast to my success and your birthday!’ She’s clearly happy to have so easily averted a fight with a kiss. Women do hold some weird power over men. And this whole dating thing, it’s beginning to feel a little like an unfair game.

I suddenly realize that it’s almost 7:30 p.m. and the violinist and the videographer must be on their way! Anxiously, I pick up my phone to message the guy I’d been coordinating with and tell him to ask the violinist to play random romantic songs instead of ‘La Vie En Rose’, as planned earlier. He messages me back saying that they’re both running ten minutes late. Thank God for that! I’m saved from the embarrassment of having to explain things to Nia!

As we make our through the starters and the soup, both Nia and I stay mum for a while, enjoying the tranquil sound of the waves rushing to the shore.

Maybe she’s right. Maybe I’m hurrying things up because of this invisible pressure that’s always there at the back of my mind. It’s tempting to give in, to seek solace in the comfort of societal norms and expectations. Yet, deep down, I know that true fulfilment doesn’t come from conforming to external pressures. It comes only from following your own path, at your own pace. So, while the pressure may be intense, I know I should choose to stay true to myself and trust that my journey will unfold as it’s meant to. Whether or not it aligns with society’s timeline and expectations is not something I should worry about.

Maybe, it’s just a good time to celebrate my birthday.

‘Babe!’ Nia’s voice breaks my chain of thoughts. ‘There’s a violinist who’s looking at us from a distance, and he’s playing something.’

‘Yeah, well. I booked him for tonight, so we could dance under the stars and celebrate your success,’ I lie to her.

‘You’re the best!’ She scoots closer and sits on my lap. Then she proceeds to shower more kisses on my cheeks.

‘I know!’ I mumble.

The violinist continues to play through a generic playlist of romantic songs as Nia and I get up to dance.

‘Babe, we’re being recorded too!’ she says as she dances with both her hands resting lightly on my shoulders.

‘That’s for your social media. You can enjoy the moment without worrying about missed footage. This guy’s a professional videographer; he’ll help you with the footage for your next viral reel,’ I lie to her again.

‘OMG! Let’s move in together!’ she shouts out loud.

‘Okay, as you say,’ I whisper.

‘Will you invest in my brand?’ she asks suddenly.