‪@alekhyaachitti_pickles‬ Weeks of planning, hushed conversations with my family, and a carefully concocted web of white lies culminated in what I believed was the perfect surprise for my sister's reunion. I envisioned a tearful reunion, overflowing with hugs and exclamations of "You shouldn't have!". However, reality, as it often does, had a different plan in store, leaving me with a deflated balloon and a valuable lesson in the art of flexibility.

My scheme was simple yet ambitious. My sister, a youtuber, had been away for some time. I, armed with a secret credit card swipe and some strategic family coordination, managed to buy her something she wished for. The element of surprise, I thought, would elevate the entire experience but it was just a shock and horrifying in the end.