Two weeks earlier

'Why did you upload such a depressing status on Facebook? There is no point in sobbing over the past,' Misha chided. Her friend Ragini had just updated her Facebook status
with: Time will heal the haunting memories of the past . . . but will never completely erase them.
Misha was a Mumbaikar who had taken admission in DYP Dental College, Nerul, Navi Mumbai. As her home was at a considerable distance from her college, she preferred to stay in the college hostel to save on travelling time. She was mature enough for her age, compassionate and caring. She was the girl you'd rather talk to in bed than
take to bed. Hot girls play with your heart, decent girls mend it. She knew how to speak her mind intelligently and captivate others with her words and opinions. Her words were what made her the woman she was, enchanting and dreamy. Her beauty radiated
from the purity within her that made her look effortlessly beautiful. Her dimples made guys go gaga. She wanted a guy who could touch her heart and soul.
'It's true, Misha. Even though time will heal the painful memories of the past to a certain extent, it will never completely erase them. And anyway, what's the point of
raking up past issues when no one believes me? Not even my own mom,' ragini muttered in a sad tone and eventually changed the subject.
Misha wanted to know more about Ragini's past to ease her pain but preferred not to probe too much as it might hurt ragini more that doing her any good. It was the second week of college. Misha and ragini had met on the first day and had become friends instantly as they shared the same hostel room. Ragini was from Madhya Pradesh and had shifted to Mumbai for the same dental course as Misha's. A chubby, sweet girl who was an introvert, she was not shy or meek but she preferred not to go out for reasons better known to her. Since she was still a virgin, she was often taunted by her classmates. Her circumstances had shaped her personality in a certain way and though she tried to be more outgoing, it was genuinely difficult for her to be so. She was not at all old-fashioned but preferred to stay away from relationships and be with a limited set of people with whom she was comfortable. Surprisingly, she gelled very well with Misha and they soon became good friends. Bored with the tasteless hostel food they were served day in and day out, they decided to search for a PG near college. It would also mean freedom from the restrictions that came with staying on the hostel premises.

Luckily for them, an opportunity arrived soon after, when Misha made friends with niyati at the gym and niyati started to discuss her flat-hunting problems. 'That's perfect,' Misha exclaimed. 'I have been looking for a place to stay and this works out just fine.' Misha mentioned getting another friend along to stay with her and niyathi assured her there would be enough room for all three of them. Once Misha reached home, she shared the news excitedly with her friend. 'Ragini, I told you about my gym friend niyathi, right? Today we were just talking casually and I told her that we are looking for a PG. Guess what? She was looking for flatmates for her apartment and is okay with us moving in.'

'Me too?'

'Yes. I told her that we both are looking for a PG and she was absolutely fine with it.'

'Awesome. At least now we can have proper food. This mess food sucks,' Ragini said, making a face.

'Not only food, darling, we can have all the fun we want without any hostel warden dancing over our heads all the time. Plus she is the same age as us and so we will have complete freedom unlike a PG where there are so many restrictions-no booze, no late nights. Now we are free to do as we please. That's what I call life.'

'You know I don't drink. But I am happy that we can now live life as adults and eat
better food than this rubbish at the mess.'

present---

The next day they completed the hostel formalities and were all set to shift to niyathi's apartment. Sometimes girls are weary of each other and sometimes they become thick friends. Gradually, all of them had learnt to respect each other's thoughts and beliefs.

Sometimes they laughed together and sometimes they cried. Sometimes they fought and sometimes they persuaded each other into doing silly things. As weeks passed, they
knew almost everything about each other and even though ragini was of a reserved nature, she still loved niyathi and misha's company. They helped her slowly open up to
them. Even though they had their faults, they loved each other and all of them believed

'Friends are forever, boys are whatever'.

When misha and ragini returned from their extra classes in college, niyathi brought up the topic of sanskar shifting to their apartment. She told them everything that they
had to knw about Sanskar

'It's going to be a thrilling experience to stay together then.' Misha smiled, looking at Ragini who was still slightly sceptical about a guy coming to stay with them even though she had agreed to go along with the entire idea.
When people are meant to be together, no matter what the relationship is, no matter
how far apart, the universe will always find a way to bring them together. Sanskar, niyathi,
Misha and ragini were meant to be together. We can never choose the way life is going to turn out but we can choose the way we spend each moment. Four people with
different dreams had decided to stay under one roof. Friendship is a two-way street and requires effort from both sides. How strong was their friendship going to be-only time will tell.

It was a lazy Sunday morning. Without a care in the world, the three girls were fast
asleep in their respective rooms. Suddenly niyathi's phone beeped. It was Misha. For a moment she thought that Misha was not at home and asked, From where are youtexting?
Misha: From my bedroom.
Niyathi: What do you mean??
Misha: I mean I am inside my bedroom and too lazy to get up and come out.
Niyathi: You are such a bitch! I was in the middle of a beautiful dream when youtexted.
Misha: I am going to order some healthy breakfast today. I seriously need to starteating healthy. Have piled on so many kilos eating outside food.
Niyathi: Bitch please. Spare me and go to sleep. And DND.
DND was of course short for Do Not Disturb.
Good girls are made of sugar and spice, but these girls were made of vodka on ice.
After a few hours of lazing around in her bed doing nothing other than Facebooking,
Misha sneaked into niyathi's room and picked up a packet of potato chips fromniyathi's bedside table. Niyathi had planned to dig in to it while watching Gossip Girl or
Friends.
Niyathi woke up to see Misha eating the chips and yelled, 'Put those aside. I hadbought them for munching on later. And madam, you were supposed to eat healthy,right?'
'Calories don't count when it's your roommate's food,'she winked.
'Such an ass you are.' niyathi threw a pillow at her.
Ragini got up to ask why they were shouting. Niyathi pointed towards the so-called 'healthy food' misha was binging on.
'Yes, she always eats healthy. Yesterday she ate more than half of my BBQ chickenpizza with extra cheese.' Ragini laughed as she kicked Misha from the back.
Finally, everyone gave up on the idea of eating healthy and Ragini decided to makepasta for lunch.
In the meantime, niyathi was busy clicking selfies in front of the mirror to upload on Instagram.

‘What’s with the sexy pose? Are you clicking selfies to seduce someone?’ Misha teased her.
‘Darling, I don’t need to seduce anyone. Guys surrender with just one glance from me.’
‘Oh please.’
‘That’s niyathi for you, sweetheart.’ niyathi laughed.
Misha went close to niyathi and started rolling her fingers down her neck as if seducing her. Both of them pouted in front of the mirror and clicked pictures like models
posing on the ramp at Lakmé Fashion Week.
‘They are perfect. Now stop behaving like lesbians and come out for lunch!’ ragini screamed, standing by the door and gesturing at them to come out.
‘You want to join us in our selfies? We will upload them and make everyone jealous,’ misha asked.
‘If I join, it will not be a selfie. It will be a groupfie.’ She winked and added, ‘Anyway, if you point the camera away from yourself for once, you just might find
someone interesting on the other side.’
‘Don’t start your psychology class again.’
The pasta was amazing and everyone pounced on it. Once done, they started watching
an episode of Friends where Monica asks Chandler, ‘Do you want our guy to be your guy?’ which made niyathi inquire about Misha’s previous relationships.
‘I just wished we could have taken it slow for a little bit. You know, I just wish we
could be like . . . on a break . . . and I could just do whatever I wanted to back then,’said Misha, reminiscing about her relationship.
Niyathi laughed and asked ragini about hers.
‘I am not ready to be in a relationship just yet,’ ragini stated.
Misha realized ragini was not comfortable answering questions about relationships and butted in. ‘I will date your guy only if he smells incredible. Else he can buzz off. Tell me about your first kiss. Was it as good as they show in pictures and
novels?’ Misha asked niyathi.
‘I don’t take relationships seriously. But my boyfriend was really dumb in the beginning. We used to take the same salsa class and once while practising I whispered in
his ears that I was thirsty and needed something to drink. He guided me towards the
filter. He was a geek, I guess. He couldn’t understand my signs!" they all laughed hearing it.

Ragini was enjoying all the fun even though she didn’t participate in the
discussion much.
‘What ridiculous things have you done in a relationship?’ niyathi asked Misha.
‘I would secretly spy on my boyfriend and if I found him flirting with another girl, I would do the same with other guys just to grab his attention. I hated all his female
friends for no reason. I would tell him I was jealous of his other female friends but would add “just kidding” to the sentences I actually meant because I didn’t want to hurt
him. I used to read his messages when alone. After our break-up there were so many songs that would remind me of him and I totally loved it when he tried to make up after a huge fight. I had even planned my wedding, kids and life with him but things don’t
always go as per plan. Now I feel that it was just an attraction, nothing else,’ Misha
stated.
Though the three of them were away from home, they had created such a strong bond with each other that it felt like a family. Things would have gotten really lonely otherwise. They talked trash, they laughed and even cried together—it was the kind of
therapy that money can’t buy. Friendships are what make us strong when we feel weak, happy when we feel sad and comforted when we feel alone.
‘Niyathi, are you leaving?’ Misha asked.
‘Yes. In some time,’she answered from the bathroom.
Ahana had to meet her boyfriend lakshya and was about to leave.

Hey peeps! I am back with another chappy

sorry no sanskar today but ofcourse lucky entered the scene.

next chappy will be full of the 4 friends. I promise.

I hope you loved the bond these girls share.

Taking a leave
See you soon readers
love you all!
Mouli 😚