You and Paru were hanging out near the lake on the Gold-Phase side while Suresh and Ajay were trying to explain their plans to occupy the lake. You could clearly see your B-phase friends at their dock, and could tell that they were probably listening in on your conversation.
"So let me get this straight," you said, trying to keep a serious face. "You want to build... a wall?" You were holding in your laughter at this point.
"Yes," Ajay answered, confused as to why you were acting this way. You burst into laughter, confusing everyone.
"Hey, what's so funny about that," Suresh asked, irritated.
"Y'all really think you're Donald Trump, don't you," you were full on bent over, wheezing.
"Huh?" Everyone was confused, only Paru really understanding what you were referring to, as she also started to smile at your antics.
"Paru, remember that video I showed you? 'Do you wanna build a waaaalll? We'll get Mexico to pay,'" Paru started laughing too, as you pulled up the video to show the others, who weren't as amused (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GVN17U3Vg34 - if you haven't seen this).
"But seriously," you started, your laughter subsiding, "why don't you just compromise? I'm sure you all could work something out and avoid all these legal troubles." Srinu's lawyer uncle had obtained a stay order, and this would likely be a messy ordeal if things kept going this way.
"Are you joking? Why should we back down?" Ajay said.
"No one is backing down, but you could probably resolve this if there wasn't so much tension between everyone," you stated.
Suresh rolled his eyes at you. "You've only been here for a couple of months, what do you know? Just don't get involved, okay?"
You scowled at him, looking at Paru. See? She shook her head. "Suresh, don't get upset, y/n is just trying to help." Suresh just scoffed.
"Anyways, we're getting a ten-foot tall clay Ganesha this year for Vinayaka Chavithi," Ajay said, changing the topic. You perked up.
"Ooh, that sounds like fun! I've never actually properly celebrated Vinayaka Chavithi," you said.
"Then we'll make sure this is the grandest celebration in Gold-phase history. I'm sure Rakesh would be on board as well," Paru added sneakily.
"Also, do you remember how I told you I had one vow I had to fulfill since I got into medical school?" Paru nodded, listening to you. "Well, for the festival, I wanted to sing a couple of kritis for Ganesha and get an abhishekam done, could you help me arrange it?" You asked.
"Sure, I'll talk to the pandits and let you know," Ajay said.
"Great! Thank you so much!" You thanked Ajay.
---
Soon, the day of Vinakaya Chavithi came. Paru and you had been spending a lot of time in B-phase, with Paru learning magic tricks from Abhi, and you tutoring Satya. Satya was not bad, but you felt like her focus was not always on what you were doing. Nevertheless, her grades did improve, so at least there was that. You also spent some more time with Padhu, the two of you learning KPOP dances together and singing gibberish in her room. Lakshmi sometimes asked you to give her a ride occasionally to if she didn't feel like going with Abhi, and the two of you bonded that way. Overall, your friendships seemed to be blossoming into flowers.
On Vinayaka Chavithi, you woke up early, taking a quick shower and changing into a traditional silk, pink and orange langa voni (half-saree). Making sure you had all of the materials for the abhishekam, your driver took you alone to one of the bigger temples in the area, where both B-phase and Gold-phase people came. The head priest greeted you and showed you to the Ganesha shrine, where you set up your shruti box and took out your notes just in case. Having arrived a bit early, you had enough time to warm up your voice and go over your songs one last time in your head. Despite growing up in America, you loved Carnatic music, and hadn't sang for God in a long time. Luckily, you weren't really expecting anyone to come and watch you, only any people who may be passing by. You thought more people would actually stay and watch when the abhishekam was happening, so you were happy without an audience.
At 8:30am, the priest said it was a good time to start your little concert for the elephant-faced god, so you complied, quickly composing yourself and sitting down. Caught up in preparation, you hadn't noticed people walking in and sitting on the mats behind you.
Focused completely on singing, you started with Vatapi Ganapathim Bhaje, singing your heart out. You had first learned this song for an annual day, and your teacher had made your group practice it daily for hours to get it perfect. The priests who were watching gave you and encouraging smile as you finished up, clearing your throat and starting your next song, the famous Maha Ganapathim. Although you didn't consider yourself anywhere near her skill level, Bombay Jayashree's rendition of the song had been a short-term obsession of yours back in high school. You finally finished up with Vinayaka Ninnu, wanting to start and end in Hamsadhwani, one of your favorite ragams. As you sang the last note, you felt a huge weight being lifted off your shoulders, as you finally fulfilled one of the things on your to-do list that had been there for a while.
You ended the song, your eyes snapping open as you heard applause behind you. You looked up at the priests, who gestured behind you. Turning around, you saw Lakshmi, Padhu, Satya, Chinni, Srinu, Abhi, and Nagaraj, as well as Rakesh, Ajay, and Suresh clapping at your mini concert. Paru was right behind you, and gave you a big hug.
"I was the one who called them, they should know how talented you are," she said. You felt your face heat up with the attention on you.
The priests called everyone's attention back to the statue of Ganesha, leading you through the abhishekam, cleaning the god with milk, honey, curd, sugar, ghee, etc. You all remained quiet with your hands folded, except for when the priest prompted you to repeat after them. At the very end, you all said the Vakrathunda Mahakaya slokam, and prayed one last time before getting up.
You stumbled a bit, your legs numb from sitting down for so long. Thanking the priests and accepting the string of jasmine flowers, you put them in your hair, and walked outside, where everyone was waiting for you. Surprisingly, no one was fighting (yet), but rather just standing far away from each other.
"y/n! You did so well!" Paru came up to you and hugged you again.
"Yeah, I didn't know you could sing so well," Lakshmi and Padhu said, both of also offering you a hug.
"What y/n, hiding your talents from us?" Nagaraj teased. Abhi and Srinu also came, complimenting your performance.
"Aww guys, it's really nothing. I didn't do anything with the intention to perform for anyone, I just wanted to sing for Ganesha once," you said modestly.
"Hey y/n." Rakesh had come, and pulled you over to where Ajay and Suresh were.
"Hey y/n, that was so good!" Ajay exclaimed.
"Yeah, when Paru said you could sing, I didn't actually expect that you were this good," Suresh added.
"Your singing is too good y/n, I felt like a goddess was singing listening to you," Rakesh said, smiling down at you. You shoved him slightly, telling him to stop exaggerating, even though he was 100% serious.
"Thank you guys," you said for the nth time. "Shall we go get prasadam? Then we can all continue our darshanam." You ushered everyone to where the prasadam was being handed out, and everyone continued along with their individual prayers.
"By the way y/n," Rakesh was walking next to you as you were doing pradakshanas, "you look so beautiful in a half-saree." You again felt your cheeks heat up, quietly thanking him before speeding up, not knowing what else to say. Rakesh watched as you walked away, lovestruck, as the flowers in your hair swayed along with your braided hair.
---
"Jai bolo Ganesh Maharaj ki!" "Jai!"
Both colonies were doing the most, celebrating in the loudest way. You had changed into a simple white kurta and jeans, since everyone was throwing colored powder to celebrate. You had got Paru really well, getting color all over her face. She'd taken revenge, cornering you and getting Rakesh to hold you in place while she smeared powder all over your face, laughing. You got Rakesh back to, throwing color in his face, while he just smiled stupidly, taking it with no complaints. He had gently rubbed some on your cheek, making you laugh.
As you all made your way to the lake with the huge clay Ganesha, you saw B-phase also celebrating. You yelled hi and waved your arms, catching their eye as they reciprocated the gesture.
Once it was time to dump the clay statue into the water, you asked "Can I help? I've never done this before." Rakesh pulled you forward and held you from behind, letting you help push the statue into the water.
"Happy?"
You giggled. "Very much so."
Nagi yelled out, "Hey! They have a taller Ganesha than us!" You whipped around, seeing Nagaraj and Srinu taunting them across the lake, yelling about how their Ganesha was bigger. You rolled your eyes.
"How childish, who cares which one is bigger..." your voice died out as Rakesh moved away from you, holding up a silver Ganesha idol. He baited the younger B-phase boys from across the lake, and then threw it in.
"Oy! That's literally silver!" you yelled, eyes bugging out in astonishment how he could just throw it away. From where you were, you saw some of the boys jump into the lake, trying to find the idol.
"See! That's your status!" Rakesh yelled from your side. You looked at his side, appalled at how dehumanizing he was being. You left promptly, getting into your car without saying bye and slamming the door shut, asking the driver to just take you home.