"Revvy, come over today? Aarsh is getting Risk from his friend. It'll be funn!" Zeal told me over call since she was done with the last undergraduate exam of her life. Having finished submitting a project proposal myself, I agreed happily.
"Done. I'm also having dinner at yours." I replied, yelling at my mother to not make any at home right after. A testing whether the inside of my cupboard can be used as a whiteboard, which markers are dry-erase, and a call from an otherwise living-one-hour-away friend to come down immediately, I found myself with Emmett to hangout. A tiny but exciting detour since times with him are always fun.
"You look great. Makes me want to kiss you." He doesn't see me with lip-stick on that often.
"Shut up, we're in a taxi." I told him with a smile, looking out of the window as the world passed by. We were on our way to PDP (Priya Darshini Park) since he had never been there.
Soon, we walked over to meet Zeal closer to her house. It is always nice to see your friends get along with each other - leaves you with a feel good feeling. Emmett left next. And the rest of the gang arrived.
Risk allows you to take over the world. You battle, roll dice, and get lucky. Sounds familar?
"I'm really hungry even though I've just eaten." Sumeet says, just as he enters.
"What do you have at home?" Agastya continues.
"Go get the strawberry ice cream yourself." Zeal shrugs.
Tamanna and I were lounging on the beanbags. Aarsh was asking his friend how the game was played in the first place.
We were six of us. It was a game of five. Sumeet and Aarsh teamed up. Even in a game where each of us were our own version of Hitler, we were friends, helping each other strategise in the first round so that everyone has a fair chance. Tamanna got close to knocked out pretty quickly, and had to leave. Sumeet took her place. Agastya and I agreed to not go to battle with his countries for one round and targeted Zeal instead.
Soon it was too late for me as well.
"You three guys can keep playing in the living room. I'm going to sleep." Zeal got up with me as I wanted to leave.
Those three guys planned an impromptu trip out of the city to Lonavala instead.
Family is important - we all know that. And family sticks by family because if we didn't stick up for each other, there aren't m/any people on this planet who would stick for you unconditionally in the first place.
(On the flip side, I acknowledege that sometimes parents are abusive. Physical abuse is intolerable, that is very clear in my head. Emotional abuse on the other hand is something that cannot be quantified. But in both cases, I've heard the same argument - "She's my mom. I can't possibly turn her in." The same goes for a dad, a brother, a sister, a husband, or a wife. They want their family to get better. And will continue to give them a chance selflessly. I wonder how far their threshold lasts.)
I think I am a very lucky person. My parents have given the world to me and continue to do so. They acknowledge that I am human and make mistakes. I acknowledge that they aren't perfect either. I know they wish the best for me, irrespective of how much I believe they are thinking otherwise while taking a decision I am against. And I try to think from their perspective so that my anger reduces and I can make peace with them.
But family isn't just blood.
Emmett, Zeal, Tamanna, Agastya, Aarsh, Sumeet? They are like family too. To varying levels, each one of them care and make me feel at home when I am with them.
These people are like second family, taking you to a hideaway when you want a break from your first, or just to have a good time with.
But it doesn't matter how amazing your friends are, there are certain things you probably don't want to share with them. Your family may be the best ever, or not, but sometimes there's something you don't want to tell them because you know it will shatter them. Or they just won't be able to deal with it.
That is why, there will always be certain things you can't tell your parents, likewise, certain things you can't talk about to your friends. Know the distinctions and don't feel bad about them. Don't be little me who felt bad about hiding even those things that should have stayed hidden at least for a little while before they came out in the open. Don't be that person who thinks their family has to know every detail of their life. Don't be that person who tells no details either.
Communication is extremely important. Find your perfect balance.
