Mahika and Amoli can't stand each other, but that's not the only thing they have in common.
Mahika treats Amoli like she's childish. Amoli thinks Mahika is a stuck-up prude. But Mahika's best friend and Amoli's brother are getting married, so they c...
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˗ˏˋwhite noise and gentle breezes'ˎ˗
➷
Maybe Mahika's wish to be happy has been fulfilled faster than she had believed it would be, because with Naina's head on her lap and her laptop resting on her tummy with Dhruv laughing on its screen pumps her with instant serotonin.
The rest of them are loudly playing Scrabble beside them, and Mahika looks away from the laptop to tune into their conversation for a minute. They had all settled on the floor a while ago, ditching the couch to get more comfortable with the mess they already knew they were going to create.
"That's not a real word," Akash remarks, shaking his head. "There's no way that's a real word."
Sakshi is just laughing, because she's used to this, her back resting against Samay's arm while he scrolls through his phone. He hates board games so Mahika isn't surprised that he's tuning them out.
"It is a real word!" Keerti whines, voice rising an octave and catching Dhruv's attention from the screen. "You know those rings at the corners of banners? The ones you use to hang them? They're called grommets."
Naina turns the laptop screen in everyone's direction just in time for them to hear Dhruv say, "Here comes the Harvard graduate." Keerti presses her lips together and narrows her eyes at the screen, sitting back and crossing her arms across her chest.
"It's not my fault you're all uneducated."
"The word grommet makes me think of insects," Amoli says, immediately shuddering after.
"Or goblins," Arnav pipes up.
"Same thing."
Keerti stares at them, appalled. "How the fuck are they the s— you know what? Never mind. Doesn't matter." She looks back at the screen and shoots Dhruv the bird. "What does matter is that grommet is a real word. Google it if you want."
"I don't like this game anymore," Sakhi says, crossing her arms across her chest.
"Me neither," Akash chips in with a nod. "Can I flip the board?"
"Do it," Amoli says, pointing at the board with her chin and then narrowing her eyes at her brother. "See what happens."
"Oh, my God," Naina groans, sitting up to give them an exasperated look. "Can you two stop arguing like five-year-olds every chance you get?" She looks at Dhruv with wide eyes. "It's like living with children. You know they fight over cereal every morning at home?"
Dhruv laughs, and the sound soothes Mahika's soul. "Be a little honest here, Naina. If you liked cereal, you would be part of the fight."
"She'd start it," Mahika puts in her two cents worth, only to get a betrayed look from Naina.
