The girls walked through the bustling mall, Meera, Anjali and Neha leading the pack while Mrunali trailed behind, corralling her nerves. Her eyes unconsciously scanned the crowds for familiar faces from school or tuition who might be lying in wait, ready to unleash their latest barrage of insults about her hair, clothes or awkward gait.
Thankfully, the coast seemed clear so far. The girls made their way to the food court, claiming a table nestled in the back corner. It being Saturday afternoon, the mall swarmed with groups of friends and couples laughing, holding hands, and taking selfies. Watching their carefree interactions, Mrunali felt a pang of loneliness threatening to swallow her whole.
Neha noticed her cousin staring forlornly into the distance and gave her shoulder a gentle nudge. "Yaar, why the long face? We're going to make sure you meet your dream boy today, just wait and see!"
Mrunali forced a smile, touched by her cousin's optimism yet incapable of matching it. In her experience, unless she possessed Meera's cascading locks or Anjali's glowing skin, no amount of effort would secure her that storybook romance.
Still, she had made a promise to keep an open mind. Just then, a rowdy group of college guys walked by, openly checking out the girls. Meera, Anjali and Neha automatically straightened in their seats when they felt the guys' stares land on them, swaying their long hair over their shoulders and smiling coyly at the "attention".
One of the bolder boys sauntered over. "ladkiyon... what's the plan tonight? Wanna join us?" Before her friends could respond, his eyes found Mrunali observing silently from her spot.
A cruel smirk twisted his mouth as he looked her up and down. "Ohhhh, sorry, ladies...we didn't see your chaperone back there! Please excuse us while you finish babysitting!" His buddies erupted in mean-spirited guffaws before wandering off to another table, leaving Mrunali fighting angry, humiliated tears.
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Uncaged
Misterio / Suspenso"Uncaged" follows the tumultuous journey of Mrunali, an 18-year-old girl battling deep insecurities and societal pressures. She starts as an underconfident teenager constantly belittled by her peers, but through a series of harrowing experiences, Mr...
