Cousins..

I precisely have been the kind of person who has never had any friends until recently,
But life has been a far lot bearable with them.

We have thrown chappals at each other,
have played the first Snake Xenzia together in the then newly arrived Nokia1600, have crossed roads holding each other’s fingers, have seen each other passing our boards and getting into college, getting into relationships and even coming out of them.
Be it telling lies, going on a morning walk and coming back at 12 in the noon ,running barefoot on the concrete road, and walking together in the rain when the one who is wearing the thickest jeans has to keep all the cellphones and watches,
It’s been 18 years of growing up together.

No matter if you are slim or fat, passing or failing, Sharif or harami,
In all the phases of your life , they always love you the same.

They hide all your secrets, click good pictures of you, drape you in a saree and make you look like an idiot.

The seniors always maintain their swag,  ask you things like:
“Who dared to be your boyfriend?”
And remind you that
“You are a kid. Stay like one.”
But they would even steal books for you and watch out for you while you are talking to your boyfriend.

While the juniors make you feel old for the first time in life.
You teach them the secrets of a happy life and lead them to their enlightenment.
From changing their diapers to
making their school project,
giving them relationship advices and patting their back when they abuse for the first time,
This is how we all enter the squad.

Neither do our habits match, nor do our choices. But we still hang out together and always end up fighting on which game to play and what to eat with the little amount of money we’ve got.