They stood like two armies preparing for a parley, the air between them charged with anticipation. On one side, lined up like mischievous schoolchildren pretending to be on their best behavior, stood Kiara, Rupali, Kriti, Ayla, Ruaan, Rishaan, Varun, and Ashvin. Their expressions ranged from suppressed amusement to polite impatience, each of them keenly aware of how ridiculous this lineup looked.

On the middle of the friends and cousins, Tarini commanded the floor like a self-proclaimed general. With her cousins standing in perfect symmetry in parallel in front of the friends, she stood tall and proud, a theatrical glint in her eyes, as though she were about to deliver the opening speech of a grand film.