THE UNLIKELY TRIO.

I recently made a new friend—Sara. She’s like the chaos in my calm. She’s always happy, always cheerful, and her words are laced with this bright energy that could light up any room. Sara has this ability to turn even the simplest moments into unforgettable memories. And somehow, in the middle of all her happiness, we became friends. Through her, I also met Maya and Sanvi. Before I knew it, the quiet girl who used to sit alone had a whole group of friends. It was a strange feeling—being part of something, instead of just watching from the sidelines.

But as expected, the rumors started swirling. I guess when you’re not the ‘favorite kid,’ it’s easy to be misunderstood. I’d hear snippets of whispers, like, “She’s a snitch. Don’t trust her.” The same old story. But what they didn’t know was that I was becoming someone new, someone different from the rumors they spread about me.

One afternoon, during a free period, I decided to sit with Sara, Maya, and Sanvi. We were talking about everything and nothing when the conversation turned to relationships. Out of nowhere, Maya raised an eyebrow and asked, “I thought you were dating that Dev guy. You always post about him.”

I laughed, surprised by the question. “Dev?” I said, trying to hold back my smile. “No, he’s just a friend. We met online. He was a friend of one of my classmates, and we kind of started off on the wrong foot. He was… well, not the easiest person to like at first. But as I got to know him, I realized he’s actually a really kind soul. He’s the kind of friend you want in your corner. He became my go-to person when I didn’t have anyone else. From gossip about school to family stuff—he was the first to hear everything. He knows about all of you too, by the way,” I added with a smile.

Maya and Sanvi looked at each other, clearly intrigued. “So, you’re not dating him?” Maya asked, raising an eyebrow again.

I shook my head. “Nope. Not dating. But he’s the kind of friend who’s just... there. You know?”

The conversation shifted to gossip and life updates. We laughed about silly things, shared stories, and got to know each other a little better. And as I sat there, in that moment, I realized something. This—this connection, this easy laughter, the shared stories—this was what true friendship felt like. For so long, I had been missing it. And now, here it was, right in front of me, like the final piece to a puzzle I didn’t even know I was trying to solve.

That evening, I found myself texting Dev, sharing all the little details of my day—the conversation with the girls, the awkwardness, the laughs, even the “bus stop guy” and the other jokes we all had going on. Shortly after, I introduced him to the girls online. They welcomed him with open arms, like he had always been part of the group.

A few days later, while chatting with Dev on a video call, I jokingly asked, “Anyone want to join the call? I’m kind of bored.”

Without missing a beat, Sara popped into the call, full of her usual energy. I laughed, as always, at her spontaneity. The conversation quickly turned into a mix of jokes and banter. And to my surprise, Dev and Sara hit it off immediately. Turns out, they had something in common—they had both lived abroad for a while, and that common ground was enough to sync them perfectly. It was like they spoke the same unspoken language. Every time Dev said something, Sara seemed to understand exactly what he meant, even if his words were a little guarded or hesitant. It was amazing to see them connect like that.

I looked at them both, laughing and chatting away, and I thought to myself, This is it. This is the kind of friendship I’ve always wanted. It wasn’t just about knowing someone; it was about understanding them. And that understanding, that quiet connection, made all the difference.

It wasn’t long before Dev mentioned he was considering switching schools for his 11th grade. I was thrilled at the idea of finally seeing him in person, but the school he was thinking of—Jacob’s—was a place I wouldn’t recommend to anyone. It was a reputation-filled school, one that felt more like a “direct ticket to hell” than a place of learning. Still, the universe had other plans. Dev ended up enrolling at Jacob’s.

I was excited to see him, of course, but also worried. I knew the kind of environment Jacob’s could be. I didn’t want him to get caught up in it. But at the same time, the thought of finally meeting him in person? That was a different kind of thrill.

The problem, though, was our schedules. Our school timings never aligned, and with my strict curfew, meeting up was going to be a challenge. But we decided to make it happen anyway.

One afternoon, everything lined up. Both our schools let out early, and we decided to meet up at the bus stop. The only issue? Neither of us had a clear idea of what Dev looked like. All our conversations had been online, so it was a complete guess. We stood there, looking around for him, when suddenly, two guys from Jacob’s started following us, making unwanted comments. I could feel the irritation rising. I grabbed Sara’s arm and started walking faster. I didn’t tolerate that kind of behavior.

We finally reached the bus stop and realized neither of us recognized Dev in the crowd. We stood there, scanning the faces, trying to find the one that belonged to him. After a few minutes, I sighed, “I think he might’ve gone to our school’s direction. Maybe we missed him.”

Sara looked at me, her eyes full of determination. “Well, we can’t give up now. Let’s try calling him.”

She dialed Dev’s number, but he didn’t pick up. We waited in silence for a moment. The busy world around us seemed to blur as I felt a sense of disappointment. Maybe this was just one of those things that wasn’t meant to happen.

As we walked back toward our school, I couldn’t help but think that maybe we’d missed him.

“I think he might’ve left,” I said, feeling the weight of the failed meeting.

Sara’s optimism didn’t fade. “We’ll find him. Let’s just keep looking.”

As we passed the road, something caught my eye—a figure standing a little further away, drinking water from a bottle, his eyes scanning the crowd. He looked familiar, but I wasn’t sure. I squinted, trying to make out his face. “Wait... I think that’s Dev.”

As we got closer, the guy’s face lit up, and he waved at us, grinning from ear to ear. That unmistakable energy—yep, that’s him. We both laughed in unison, relieved and excited all at once.

We walked toward him, the awkwardness of the moment hanging in the air. None of us really knew what to say. We just stood there for a second, taking each other in. Finally, Dev broke the silence. “Well, this is... something,” he said, his voice a little shaky with nerves.

“I didn’t think I’d ever meet you guys like this,” I said, still trying to process how surreal it all felt.

The bus arrived, and we all boarded together. It was Sara’s first time on a public bus, and it could not have been more chaotic. With every bump, Sara would yelp, scream, or do something equally hilarious. Her reactions were pure comedy gold, and I couldn’t stop laughing. It was like watching someone experience the world for the first time. She was having the time of her life, and honestly, so was I.

As we bumped along, I could feel this strange sense of comfort in the chaos. It was the kind of chaos I could get used to—the kind that felt like home. Even though we didn’t talk much, just being with Sara and Dev felt like we were meant to be there, in that moment, in that bus, as a trio.

When it was time for Sara to leave, she made a grand exit—locking the door to the bus by accident and drawing attention from everyone around. I just rolled my eyes, knowing that was so Sara. She waved goodbye, still grinning like a madwoman. Then Dev got off at his stop, leaving me alone on the bus for a few more minutes.

As I made my way back home, I couldn’t help but feel a deep sense of contentment. There was no rush to get anywhere, no hurry to figure out the next step. The world felt big and full of possibility. And for the first time in a long while, I didn’t feel lost in it.

I thought about how, as we sat together—on that bus, amidst the noise, the chaos, the bumps—I found a part of myself I had been missing for so long. Not just friends, not just laughter, but a sense of peace. A sense of belonging.

And when I reached home that evening, as I walked through the door, there was one thing that stayed with me—the smile on my face. It was a quiet, steady smile, one that came from feeling at ease in my own skin, knowing I had found my place in this vast, unpredictable world. It wasn’t about fitting into a mold. It was about finally being okay with who I was, and sharing that with people who accepted me, flaws and all.

Because sometimes, home isn’t a place—it’s the people who make you feel like you belong, the chaos that feels comforting, and the quiet moments that hold everything you need.