QUARTER LIFE CRISIS

Cupid never had a chance in their messy, parental-restricted love story

Karishma Jha, a twenty-one-year-old recent graduate with the world at her feet if only she chose to face it. Plagued with the worries of the future and yet healing from the scars of her past, she was yet to pay any heed to the present.
She was the queen of the world of What-ifs

What if I never get a job?
What if I never do anything worthwhile?
What if I am not here tomorrow?
What if someone new moves next door?

Still struggling to live one day at a time, she is hit with yet another surprise: a new neighbor, Rishabh Mehta.
His arrival gives her the opportunity to take a step out of her cocooned world, to do something daring for once in her sheltered life.
What if a girl with perpetually cold feet chooses to befriend a boy who lives like there is no tomorrow?

When Rishabh Mehta moved to his aunt's place in Bangalore, the last thing he expected was to deal with the girl next door. Shrew, grump, ornery, he knew the many nicknames of her, except her real name. She proved true to her description when, one night, she cuts off the wire of his music system in the middle of a raging party. That was his first impression of hers.
He also never expected her unrelenting efforts to befriend him. When he finally gives in, the possibility of tomorrow increases with every shared laughter and stolen glance.

Will their love survive self-imposed obstacles, helicopter parents, and the two-foot gap between their balconies? Or, will it remain a fond memory to smile upon when a day gets a bit more difficult than the rest?

TRIGGER WARNING: Though this story could be considered a feel-good rom-com from its cover and description, it does address certain heavy topics like illness, suicide attempts, and domestic violence. For further details please don't miss the content warning preceding the story.