For 27-year-old Aaliya, Valentine's Day is a careful quest. For her, celebrating her relationship is easy. Hiding it for seven years is not.
Aaliya (name changed on request), a Muslim girl, has been in a committed relationship with a Hindu boy since college.
But neither family knows. Not because she fears her parents' reaction -- in fact, her family would accept him once they are both financially settled -- but because they are unsure of how his family will respond.
There's another layer too.
Aaliya is an atheist. She doesn't pray, doesn't fast during Ramadan and doesn't follow most religious rituals. She knows that the moment she tells her family about him, they may assume he influenced these choices.
"That's the last thing I want," she says. "I don't want him to get blamed for decisions that are entirely mine."
They believe that it is only fair to tell both families together. "Before we do that, we want to be stable, secure and ready."
Until then, secrecy is the safest option.
Aaliya doesn't live under strict restrictions. She can stay out late, make overnight plans and has an equation based on trust with her parents.
But she fears telling them about her relationship before she and her boyfriend are ready to take the next step.
So she hides it to avoid unnecessary drama or pressure.
"Honestly, after seven years, hiding it has become routine," she says. "It's just how we function now."
Her go-to excuse is always her best friend, someone her family never questions.
For many couples, Valentine's Day is a public celebration. For Aaliya, it's a quiet one.
"It does feel a bit stressful," she admits. Everyone is posting and celebrating openly and I have to pretend it's just another random day. I start thinking -- what excuse do I give this time?"
Last year, Aaliya and her boyfriend celebrated with a simple dinner in the car after a romantic drive. "We picked up food, parked somewhere quiet and talked," she says. "It wasn't fancy but it felt like us."
This year, they planning something similar. "We'll probably go for a late night movie and end the night with a drive. As long as we get time together, that's enough.
Seven years of hiding can get difficult.
"Not because I'm ashamed of us," Aaliya clarifies. "But living a double life is tiring. Sometimes I wish I could just talk about him normally at home. If I am in a bad mood because of a fight with him or something, I can't even tell my parents what I am feeling or cry about it at home."
Still, the couple has learned to find intimacy in the simple things like long drives, quiet dinners, thoughtful surprises and showing up for each other in small, consistent ways.
"Even if we can't celebrate publicly, we always make the day special in some way," she says.
Aaliya isn't waiting for permission; she's waiting for the right time.
"If both families were open from the start, things would be so much easier," she says. "I wouldn't have to think twice before saying where I'm going or who I'm meeting."
For now, she's choosing patience.
"We want to tell our families when we're settled and ready for an engagement. I know it's a long journey but the love is worth it."
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