STRINGS and STANDOFFS

#I hate how you talk to me, the sharpness of every word, and when you stare, like you see right through me.

Playlist:

"the 1" -Taylor Swift

"Tum hi ho bandhu"-Nikita Seth

"Veere"-Vishal Mishra

"Sucker" -Jonas Brothers

"Checkmate" -Conan Gray

"Enemies" - Lauv feat. Anne-Marie

"Baby Said" - Måneskin

"Shaam" -Aisha

"Kabira (Encore)" -Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani

"Girls Like To Swing" -Dil Dhadakne Do

"Tera Yaar Hoon Main" -Sonu Ke Titu Ki Sweety

"Drama Queen" - Hasee Toh phasee

*

(Setting: Radha's bedroom. A fairy light-strewn haven of chaos. Soft music plays in the background while three girls prepare for the farewell party.)

The air in Radha's bedroom was thick with the smell of hairspray, borrowed lipstick, and the very real possibility of eyeliner-induced homicide.

Kavya was sprawled across Radha's bed like she owned it, scrolling through her phone with one hand and holding a highlighter brush like a dagger with the other. "I'm telling you, this farewell party is a joke. We're literally all going to the same damn college. It's not a farewell, it's a see you Monday, in better clothes."

Radha laughs, "You still spent 30 minutes on your eyeliner."

Kavya doesn't even look up from her phone, "Because I'm dramatic, not sentimental."

Radha snorts, carefully winging Ashi's eyeliner while Ashi sat on a stool like a nervous statue. "Stop moving or I'll poke your eye out."

"I can't help it," Ashi whines. "What if I don't get into NCU? What if they realize I'm a fraud who only survived school because Radha covered for me in group projects?"

Kavya rolls her eyes at that, "You're not a fraud. You're just chronically anxious and obsessed with stationery. Big difference."

Radha throws a blender at Kavya, "Babe, have you seen your literary knowledge, or read your blogs, or your first story you wrote in 1st grade? That's an art, NCU needs artists, and you sure are one, don't worry. One day you will become a bestseller and I'll brag about it till I die." Ashi smiles at that, still fumbling with her jewelry, says quietly:

"I don't want to grow up."

she huffs, cheeks already dusted pink, probably more from anxiety than blush. "I just... it feels like we were kids five minutes ago, and now we're adults with futures and taxes and ugh...applications."

That hit harder than expected. Even Kavya paused mid-scroll.

Radha felt her chest tighten. The good kind, like nostalgia wrapped in a silk ribbon. She glanced at the mirror, catching their reflection- three girls who grew up side by side, who painted each other's nails before every exam, and swore they'd never let a boy come between them. It was wild how fast time moved when you were busy living it.

Ashi blinked rapidly. "Sorry. I didn't mean to get all-"

"It's okay," Radha said gently. "We're allowed to be emotional. We survived twelve years of school and at least fifty group fights. You deserve to freak out."