MISAS ESLKN

If I had to pick a favourite memory from my teenage years, it would definitely be my girl gang.

We were a literal gang — six tall, strong girls who walked like we owned the corridors. And we had a name too (brace yourself): MISAS ESLKN.

Yeah, cringe. But precious.

MI – Minna

SA – Saniya

SE – Sethu Parvathy (yours truly)

SL – Sethu Lakshmi

K – Keerthana

N – Nayana

We were a menace. Always getting into trouble, and honestly, the main culprits were the first three — yes, I was very much part of that. I don’t even deny it.

Back then, I lived in a full-blown fairy tale. I genuinely believed that some dream boy would swoop in and save me from all my minor, self-manufactured miseries. And for some reason, I had decided that playing dumb and acting clueless was the key to being attractive. Because hey — movies told us that guys loved hot, clueless girls they could "fix".

So I tried. Hard. To be dumb.

And yes, I was an attention seeker first class. But oh, I enjoyed it all — even the occasional self-loathing that came with it.

We had rituals — walking to the bus stand while chatting, snacking, laughing, bullying just a little bit (okay, maybe a lot). We were beasts, especially when we roasted poor Priya Warrier from Adaar Love during our study breaks.

Annual day dances were chaotic and full of energy, our hearts were busy crushing on seniors, commenting, imagining fake romances, and spinning full-blown serial-style love stories in our heads.

And then, N recently reminded me of an incident I wish could’ve stayed buried in the sands of time.

I once got the “brilliant” idea to propose to my senior. Yep. And he, very kindly, called me a “child.”

That’s all it took to trigger my dumb, dramatic alter ego.

So, on Annual Day, I dragged N with me — fully determined to prove I was not a child. (God help me.)

I went up to him, with all the confidence of a toddler trying to wear heels, and said, in front of all his friends:

"I am not a child."

With so much offense in my voice that I probably looked exactly like... a child.

Trying really hard to be cute and dumb and noticed.

The truth? I’ve always been one — a not-so-little baby.

Craving attention, appreciation, validation, affection — the whole emotional buffet.

But that was me. Unapologetically messy, emotional, dramatic — and completely alive in my little world of daydreams and girl gang chaos.

And honestly? I wouldn’t trade it for anything.