One Shots #VariaSquad

A Family You Choose

So sorry to those of you hoping this was an actual one shot. I hate to disappoint but, as much as I would have loved to get a Friendship Day chapter written, I just haven't had the time. But as today is friendship day, I thought I'd write a little something on what exactly that means. This is for all of you but especially to my four closest friends, YJHD_NainaBunny, _loststories_, _SarcasticallyYours_ and Tanni_dvn5701. 

Right, story time:

I distinctly remember just over four years ago now, I was sat in creative writing class looking down a list of essay prompts to try and decide what my next essay would be. One of the prompts stood out to me, just two simple words: Friendship is... I didn't have to think, I knew that would be my next piece of writing. 

The first thing that came to mind was, as you should expect from any decent Bollywood nut, the poem from Hum Aapke Hain Koun. Bane chahe dushman zamana hamara, 
Salamat rahe dostana hamara ...
Nah bechre marke bhi hum doston, 
Hum mein dosti ki kasam doston ...
Pata koi pooche toh kehte hai hum, 
Ek dujhe ke dil mein rehte hai hum ...
Nahi aur koi thikana hamara, 
Salamat rahe dostana hamara. And that's how I started the essay because to me, it describes what friendship should be. 

I sat there and I wrote; I wrote about Harry Potter and about my dad's best friend - who was more like family to me than his own brothers - and growing up with my siblings' best mates who became my other siblings. 

But the thing about essays is that you can't just give examples, you have to first make a point, which meant I had to think about what friendship is. It took a while to get the words, but I figured it out. As I wrote that day:

What is friendship? Friendship is being there for your friends. Friendship is being a shoulder to cry on. Friendship is someone being there for you. Friendship is the most important thing in the world. Without friendships we can't get anywhere in life. Your friends are always there to cheer you on.

Friendship has so many different meanings. But the one thing that is universal about friendship: it's eternal. No matter what happens, you can't get rid of your friends. Friends will always have your back. The reason that friends will always be there for you is because you can choose your friends. Family isn't always there for you. You can't choose your family so they don't have a choice about knowing you. Your friends choose to be your friends. They aren't forced.   

Now, to this day, I hadn't realised that in this whole three page essay, I'd not once mentioned my own friends. It wasn't that I wasn't thinking of them, I was. The thing is I hadn't seen them in six and a half years but that was okay, I was going home soon and I'd see them again and have my best friend back. 

Only, that's not how things work. When I came back and found that my friends were all different people while I was still hung up on them, it was almost enough to make me give up on the thought of friendship as I had written it. Sure, when I went to school I made some good friends but it wasn't the same, I didn't think it could ever be the same, that I could ever trust someone like that again. 

But then, then I met these amazing people, these four girls that made me believe in friendship again, the forever wala kind. Today, I can't imagine what my life would be like without them, don't want to know. They made me remember what it's like to have a best friend and for that I'm eternally grateful. 

Uru, 

I don't have a clue where to start. My 4 a.m. friend - well not literally cause we're British and disturbing someone at that time is considered a little impolite XD - but my anytime friend. The first person I've opened up to about anything, like ever. A bond of Harry Potter, Bollywood, annoying siblings, crazy kids, British ramblings, and, most importantly, TEA. I hope we never change mate. 

Angel,

Truly, you're an angel. Sometimes when I talk to you, I don't even know what's coming out until I've sent it and I feel light. My nostalgia supplier, my evil-doing competitor, my ship-war rival, I have no idea what the hell I'd do without you. Like you said, someday, we'll be sat in a HP themed cafe still competing cause that's just what we do. 

P.S. Still trying to figure out how to get back at you for Teen Wolf. 

Tanvi,

Mate, we're both nuts. In one conversation, we go from talking about quotes to complaining about the struggles of being a writer to acting drunk. I love our random talk, our serious talk, all our talks really. You're always there when I need to bounce ideas off of someone, and to give me amazing ideas too, and you're one of the few people who truly gets the beautiful tortures of writing. 

Tanni,

Well, what do I say man? You and me, we've had so many weird convos, spent so much time talking about Varun and Varia and, of course, that gym :P. You think like me, almost always read my mind and can lighten the mood without barely trying. You've always known how to pick me up when I'm down - like after my third driving test or uni stress - and I don't even know how to tell you what you've done for me. 

You four girls, you've mad me realise that distance doesn't matter. You made me realise that I was right that day, when I described friendship for a teacher to read. Friendship is... everything. Friendship is having a family you choose. Friends are the people that will always be there for you, even if you live an ocean apart. There is no way that you can survive without your friends. Friendship is truly the most important thing in the world.

You guys mean the world to me, I hope you know that. 

As for those of you who just skipped through this thinking it was just a boring note kind of thing.... well, you've missed put on this little sneak peak of the next OS

See you soon folks.