OLDER,BOLDER BUT STILL NOT TALLER

You know how some people have pets, hobbies, or favourite food or places? Well, I have a ✨Surbhi✨, If you have ever known me, stalked me or overheard my conversations, you have heard this name enough times to think we are legally married – obviously we are not.

We met in 8th grade -she was the new student and I’d already been in that school since 6th. On the very first day, we got assigned this random project that we had to make up in like 10 minutes. That was the first time I talked to her and honestly, 8th-grade Abhishree had no idea this girl was about to become one of the most important people in her life.

From the moment we started talking, I knew she was my type -smart, a great speaker and with the same weird, questionable humor as me. Basically, a perfect match for trouble. That year, we did everything together -anchoring the 15th August event, the annual function, being basketball partners, opening that absurd and now dead meme page and being computer lab partners who got zero work done because we were too busy gossiping.

We packed a whole friendship into one year....and then she obviously had to move away. But before she left, we had a bunch of group hangouts and the day before she moved, we all gathered at her place and completely ruined her uniforms by writing all over them (with her permission, obviously).

Ironically, moving away somehow made our friendship even more stronger. Most of our best memories are actually virtual - late-night calls, dramatic rants, sending memes at 2 a.m. telling each other teenage school dramas and just being each other’s emergency contact for updates and ranting.

And now here we are -a year later and still just as unhinged, still laughing at the same dumb jokes and still somehow managing to have deep life talks in between all the chaos. Most of our friendship now runs on video calls -the kind that start with “I’ll just tell you one thing” and three hours later we are still on call, both doing random things like making food, studying or whatever while still being on the call. She’s made so many edits of us that if we ever post them we would easily become famous.

She’s also the type of person who will call you ten minutes before meeting you, literally zero context and tell you to be ready. Once, she straight-up drove 297 km to meet me. No warning, no planning. Just a phone call where this icon said, “Main aa rahi hu, tera black top pehen lena.”

I was so shocked I threatened her that if it was a joke, she’d be dead and i would personally come to her house and throw her like they do in WWE… but nope, it wasn’t a joke. A few minutes later, there she was, in my room, like it was the most normal thing in the world. That’s Surbhi.

So, on 11th November....guess who showed up at my house? Yep! The day we’d been manifesting with all our witch powers and senses finally happened. When I saw her at my doorstep, I literally cried. Yes, me-crying. But imagine talking to someone only on calls for a whole year and then suddenly, boom! they’re standing at your door

We took a million pictures, obviously and then I had to run to my Bharatnatyam class. Guess who tagged along? Yup, Surbhi. After that, we went out with another friend and in true us fashion, we accidentally ordered WAY too much food.

And then......✨THE SLEEPOVER✨. The day we had been imagining, manifesting and planning for so long finally came. We did it at my house and when I say it was CHAOTIC, I mean it I can’t even tell you what we did because some things are best kept secret…. but just know it was a pure menace to everyone. And you know how some people wake up at 6 a.m.? We slept at 6 a.m. That day will never fade from my memory. It was iconic.

So here’s the thing about Surbhi -she’s not just my best friend, she’s basically my unpaid therapist. She’s the person who hypes me up even when I’m wrong, roasts me in public and somehow always knows exactly when I need her.....even if it means driving across the planet to get here.

She’s smart, she’s hilarious, she’s dramatic in the best way possible and she has been my partner in every questionable decision since the day we met. She’s the reason my camera roll is 70% unflattering screenshots and memes we’ll still laugh at when we’re old.

So, happy birthday, Surbhi. I know you are reading this because ever since I started this blog you have been supporting me non-stop and literally, not even lying, the first person to read them. Here’s to more late night calls, impulsive decision, ridiculous inside jokes and the kind of memories we’ll have to lie about when people ask what we were doing. You’re the drama and my favourite person and absolutely irreplaceable.

Now get dressed loser, we are going to celebrate your birthday.

BYE BYE AND HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY ONE AND ONLY NANKHATAI 💌🎀

— YOUR FAVOURITE (obviously)

ABHISHREE <3🪩