My parents took an overnight train to visit me at my engineering college today. They arrived early in the morning, standing outside the hostel gate with duffel bags. I went down, hugged them, and told them I had mandatory lectures until noon. They smiled and told me they'd wait around campus and catch me after classes. I attended the first two lectures, but my brain was completely fried, so I decided to skip the third hour and study in the central library. On the pathway, a wingmate bumped into me asking if I could unlock our shared room so he could grab his phone charger before heading to the library together. I agreed. As we reached the hostel gate, my stomach dropped. My parents were sitting right there on a concrete bench in the scorching sun, waiting for me. Instinctive panic seized me: they're going to catch me bunking class. Instead of running up to them, I froze. I awkwardly lingered near the outer boundary wall and whispered to my friend to go ahead without me. My dad spotted me from twenty yards away. He stood up, waved, and called out my name. When I walked over with my head down, he looked at me with this quiet, wounded expression and asked: "Are you ashamed of us? Do you think your parents don't look refined enough to be seen with your college friends?" I was completely shattered. I frantically explained that I had only bunked the lecture and was scared of getting scolded, but the damage was already done. They had packed a brand new laptop for me with their hard-earned money. Later on the train ride home, my mother called weeping, asking the exact same question. I have never hated myself more in my entire life.