How I met my girlfriends series: Drashti
Hey folks! So, as the title suggests, this and the next three blogs are all about my four amazing girlfriends and how our paths crossed, in chronological order. These women mean the world to me, and the bond I share with each one of them is incredibly precious to me. Each one holds a piece of my heart (after you maa! and Hi if you're reading this blog). Today, I'll take you back to the beginning, to the story of my first-ever girlfriend and soul sister, Drashti.
It all started way back when we were just 5 years old, attending the same school since kindergarten. To be honest, I don't quite recall who made the first move – Drashti claims she remembers it vividly. We also happen to be family friends, and she's two months older than me. However, our friendship didn't kick off right away. You see, both of us were fiercely competitive right from the get-go. We were more like rivals initially, driven by this unstoppable urge to excel in everything we did.
Academics, arts, sports – you name it, we had to be the best at it, no matter what. Sure, we talked and acted friendly on the surface, but deep down, it was all about keeping tabs on each other's moves. Whether it was a test, a painting competition, or a sports event, the goal was clear: outshine the other. Drashti edged me out by a couple of marks in academics, while I had my strengths in arts and sports. And so, the friendly competition raged on for years. Honestly, we couldn't tell you how or when amidst all the mess, Drashti and I actually grew closer and became inseparable. By 4th grade, we were best friends – still competitive, but also the best of pals. I was the obedient one, while she was the rebel.
She'd stir up mischief, and I'd be the one to smooth things over. She was the cool kid, and I worried about the consequences – like, seriously, I fretted a lot! I was possessive of her, like, "Back off, she's mine!" She'd start rumors, and I'd reluctantly get dragged into it because, well, what if she got in trouble and I wasn't there to save her? Better to face punishment together, right? She fit in effortlessly with everyone, and I admired that, but only to a certain extent. Hey, she was the only girl I really liked back then – losing her wasn't an option! We were total opposites, and maybe that's what made our friendship so beautiful.
Our bond was legendary by 6th grade – everyone knew Aayushi and Drashti. If we had an argument, the whole school would be in on it. We were trending, we were the gossip! Everyone wanted to know what was up with us – except for our moms. They personally asked the teacher to separate us in class. I never understood their concern because, come on, ladies! Your daughters were top of the class, house captains, and we ruled the school!!! Now, it was hard to chat during class, so we started another trend: passing chits. Everybody started doing it too. We got a little carried away one day and almost got caught. I'll never forget that moment – our class united, standing firm not to snitch. I take credit for the management – you're welcome!!!
It might seem like I'm the one more attached to our bond, but the truth is, she's always loved me a bit more. She's been the light of my life, teaching me to take things easy. I couldn't imagine my childhood without her – she knows me better than I know myself. She's always been more vocal about feelings, while I express my love through cards, letters, drawings, and other little acts of service. And I still do!!! Our bond is unbreakable, destined to last forever. Nothing could ever tear us apart. We had our lives all planned out together – we wanted to go to college together, be roomies, the whole shebang. But then life threw a curveball: her parents made her change schools. We fought tooth and nail to stay together, did things we probably shouldn't have, even stopped eating and talking to our parents. How could they do this to us? They knew how much we meant to each other – we couldn't bear to be separated. But in the end, it happened, and we drifted apart for a whole five years. It was tough, especially for me, since I hardly spoke to any other girls in my class. I didn't know what to do without her – I felt lost and alone. We said our goodbyes.
Drashti's always been like Dora the Explorer – I knew she'd have no trouble fitting in and making new friends. But for me, it was difficult. I had to face two fears: making new connections unwillingly, and the thought of her finding another best friend. My life took a turn. Looking back, though, I realize it was kind of necessary. If things had stayed the same, we would've never dared to make friends or meaningful connections with anyone else. We were each other's everything. But the world's so vast, you know? We can't always be by each other's side – we have to make connections. Understanding that, we made new friends but kept our friendship fresh. We wrote to each other, met up during holidays, had the occasional phone call, and even made a bucket list. And before we knew it, time had flown by.
Now came the time to choose a college. We had made a pact to never be apart again, so we both decided to attend the same college in Rajkot. Three years filled with Drashti and Aayushi – life was good once more. We embraced our friendship wholeheartedly, ticking off most of the items from our bucket list. It was full of simple, cute things, okay? Like sharing meals, weekend sleepovers, ice cream dates, long drives, exploring the city, game nights, skipping college lectures, attending freshers' parties, ethnic wear parties, cultural programs, and so on.
This phase of our friendship was crucial because we had grown up apart and things had changed, whether we liked it or not. We had our fair share of major arguments during those three years. There were times when we wouldn't speak for days. We weren't just high school kids anymore. There were understanding issues, adjustment issues, trust issues – our bond was tested many times. But one thing we knew: we're stronger together, and we'd do anything to protect our friendship. We always made sure to come together on weekends. Weekends were our lifeline – we made a pact that no matter what, we'd spend weekends together. And believe me, it worked like magic! All our arguments seemed trivial during those weekends. Whoever felt guilty would make breakfast, we'd talk it out, and boom! Problem solved, as if it never existed. So, WEEKEND fellas, that's the key!!!
Just to clarify, we're not and have never been lesbians... Our bond is pure friendship, babe! We do get mistaken for a couple a lot, though. And Drashti's clearly looking for a male version of me too, so if anyone's interested, she's single! She's grown into this amazing, beautiful, tomboyish woman. Kind, brave, selfless – she reads a ton, writes incredible poems and pieces, and even runs a podcast. She's like a 50-year-old lady trapped inside the sexy body of a 25-year-old. Now she's in London pursuing her postgraduate studies. I just ended up pouring my heart out to her – I wanted to keep it a secret because it's the first time I'm writing something more than just "I love you" to her, but I told her anyway. We're long-distance again, and now I get to see her through screens. It kills me not being with her right now, but whether side by side or miles apart, we're living our happily ever after!!!
PS: Writing this blog to tell you how lucky I am to have you in my life and Its been a while since I received any email or voice note or message from you saying how much I mean to you... I think now is the time, and you better cry while reading this blog okay!!! ily<3