The following weekend, the three of us gathered again, and the atmosphere felt lighthearted yet filled with a playful excitement. They dressed me in a simple yet stylish skirt and crop top, the fabric soft and comfortable against my skin. They kept the look understated this time, just a pair of delicate earrings and a single bracelet, but it was perfect. I felt fresh and free, my confidence starting to feel as natural as breathing.

We all settled in the living room, lounging with tea and snacks, talking about random things, when Aditi gave me a mischievous grin. “Suhasini,” she began, dragging out my name in that sing-song way she used whenever she was about to stir up trouble. “I’ve been thinking about the boys at college...you know, who’s cute and who isn’t.” She leaned in, as if about to share a big secret. “So, I need your help with something. Which guy would you say is the cutest?”

I blinked, caught off guard by the question. “Oh, um...I don’t know, Aditi,” I replied, my cheeks starting to warm.

“Oh, come on, Suhasini!” Shruthi chimed in, her eyes glinting with that same playful mischief. “You have to have an opinion! There’s no way you haven’t noticed anyone!”

“Well, maybe,” I said softly, trying to evade the question, but they weren’t having it.

Aditi leaned forward, her eyebrows raised. “Just tell us! It’s for me. Think of it as helping me decide who might be boyfriend material,” she added with a wink, as if this whole thing was purely for her benefit.

“Okay, well…” I trailed off, searching for the right words as I felt a shy smile creep across my face. “Maybe... Arjun?”

Both of them broke into grins. “Arjun? Interesting choice, Suhasini!” Aditi teased, nudging Shruthi. “Tell us more. What is it about him? His hair? His smile? Or maybe it’s his height?”

I fidgeted, feeling my face heat up even more. “Well…he just has this way of talking that’s really, um, confident. And yeah, he has a nice smile,” I admitted, almost whispering by the end.

Shruthi leaned in closer. “Oh, really now? And do you like a confident guy, hmm? Someone who’d sweep you off your feet?”

Aditi chuckled, playfully brushing a stray lock of my hair back behind my ear. “She’s blushing! Look at her!” she squealed. “Suhasini, don’t tell me you’re imagining a dance in the moonlight with Arjun. Just you, him, and maybe some music in the background...”

“No! Nothing like that!” I protested, trying to keep my voice steady, but the images they were painting were making my heart race.

They were both giggling now, thoroughly enjoying my embarrassment. “Come on, Suhasini, just admit it!” Shruthi coaxed. “I mean, if you like him, there’s no harm in saying it. You’re a girl, and girls are allowed to have crushes. So...who else?”

I bit my lip, nervous to reveal anything more, but their encouragement made it hard to resist. “Well…maybe Vikram?” I said hesitantly, avoiding their eyes as I said his name.

“Oh, Vikram! Good choice,” Aditi said approvingly, her tone full of amusement. “He does have that tall, mysterious look, doesn’t he?”

“Totally,” Shruthi agreed. “Imagine him looking at you with those serious eyes, like he’s about to say something really intense, just for you.”

I could feel my face growing redder by the second as they described the scenarios, each one getting more dramatic than the last.

“Who do you think would be a better match for you, Suhasini?” Aditi asked with a mischievous smirk. “The confident, talkative Arjun or the tall, brooding Vikram?”

I looked away, feeling utterly flustered. “I don’t know! This is just... I haven’t thought about it like that!”

“Oh, I think you have,” Shruthi teased, nudging me gently. “After all, you’re the one who said their names. We’re just trying to help you decide who you should dream about more.”

Aditi laughed, reaching out to squeeze my hand. “Suhasini, you’re too cute! I think you need a confident hero like Arjun to bring out that shy smile of yours. Or maybe Vikram could draw you out with his silent charm?”

Their words left me in a whirlwind of emotions. For so long, I had buried these feelings, unsure of how to express them, even to myself. But here I was, opening up about things I’d never dared to speak out loud. And while it was shy and nerve-wracking, it felt freeing, too.

“All we’re saying, Suhasini, is that it’s okay to have these feelings,” Aditi said, her tone softening. “You can let yourself imagine, dream, and enjoy this part of who you are.”

As we sat down on Aditi’s bed, my heart felt full. I was with my closest friends, and with every passing moment, I felt more and more at ease, embracing this part of myself. They pulled me in for gentle, playful hugs, each one holding a warmth and sweetness that I’d never felt before. Shruthi gave me a light kiss on the cheek, and Aditi soon followed, both of them smiling like sisters, beaming with pride.

"Suhasini, look at you,” Aditi said, her voice filled with affection. “I remember when you were so shy you could barely look at anyone, let alone talk about boys.”

Shruthi chimed in, laughing, “And now here you are, our confident young girl with opinions and even a few little crushes!” She squeezed my hand, eyes sparkling with excitement. “Who would’ve thought?”

I blushed, a shy smile creeping onto my face. “I don’t know if I’m that confident,” I said softly, but their playful giggles made me realize they weren’t going to let me be modest tonight.

“You know, Suhasini,” Aditi said, settling beside me, “I think it’s that confidence that makes you even more beautiful. And it’s adorable to see you blushing over Arjun and Vikram.” She gave me a little nudge, raising her eyebrows knowingly. “Especially Arjun.”

Shruthi leaned closer, whispering, “Yes, tell us more about what you think of Arjun. I mean, come on, Suhasini, would you say he’s your favorite?”

I bit my lip, shy but thrilled by the attention. “Well... he’s definitely the one who catches my eye the most,” I admitted, feeling my cheeks turn red.

Aditi let out a squeal. “Oh, I knew it! I can totally picture you and Arjun together,” she teased, clasping her hands dramatically. “Just imagine...a walk through campus, a gentle breeze, and Arjun looking at you with that charming smile of his.”

Shruthi joined in, “And then he reaches out, takes your hand...or maybe even spins you around, like a scene from a movie!”

We all burst into giggles, each teasing little scenario making me blush more. They had a knack for crafting these vivid, romantic scenes, and the more they talked, the more I could almost feel myself living it.

“Or maybe,” Shruthi continued, “you’d have Vikram waiting for you in the library, with his serious, mysterious gaze. He’d be too cool to admit he likes you, but you’d know...there’d be something in his eyes just for you.”

Aditi sighed dreamily. “Ah, Vikram…silent, intense...that would be a completely different romance. He’s the type who’d show his affection in little ways, like remembering your favorite book or waiting for you when it rains.” She nudged me gently, her eyes twinkling. “Can’t you picture it, Suhasini? A quiet moment, just the two of you?”

I was lost in their words, each scenario wrapping around me like a warm embrace. It was easy to get swept up in their stories, to imagine myself as the heroine in a romantic movie. For a moment, I forgot everything—I wasn’t a boy, I wasn’t hiding anything. I was just one of the girls, completely and genuinely part of the gang.

“You know,” I said softly, smiling as I looked between them, “being with you two like this...I feel like I’m finally discovering who I really am.”

They both wrapped their arms around me, pulling me into a warm, comforting hug. “That’s because you are, Suhasini,” Aditi said, her voice full of love. “And we’re so lucky to be part of that journey.”

With the movie playing softly in the background, we stayed there on the bed, wrapped up in a mix of laughter, friendship, and endless girly chatter. The conversation drifted from boys to makeup, from clothes to dreams for the future. Each topic felt like a piece of a puzzle I was slowly putting together, a puzzle that showed me who Suhasini really was.

As we laughed and shared stories, I realized how deeply I’d come to cherish these moments. They weren’t just dressing me up or teasing me about boys—they were letting me become Suhasini, fully and without judgment. And with each laugh, each gentle nudge, I felt that confidence grow, filling every part of me.

By the end of the night, I was so lost in the happiness of being Suhasini that I didn’t want it to end. This was where I belonged, with my best friends, dreaming about life, love, and everything in between. It was a night I’d never forget, a night that would forever remind me of who I was and who I could be.