Indhu's POV
The courtyard didn't look like our school anymore.
Fairy lights floated above us like tiny stars, lanterns swayed gently in the air, and everything glowed in warm gold. Music drifted softly, mixing with laughter and chatter. It wasn't just a victory party — it was our school's 50th anniversary.
And somehow… it felt like a celebration of us too.
We walked in one by one.
Aditya adjusted his navy blazer, pretending not to care. Swetha twirled in her emerald green dress, the gold embroidery catching the light every time she moved. Rohan tugged at his slightly crooked tie, his charcoal suit clashing hilariously with his maroon sneakers.
Then there was me.
My black princess gown brushed the ground, the silver belt shimmering. Jasmine flowers rested in my hair, their fragrance calm and familiar. For once, I didn't feel self-conscious. I felt… comfortable.
Charlotte joined us last — deep plum dress, black boots, calm confidence. She looked strong. Like she belonged exactly where she was.
And she did.
The Group Dance
At first, we just stood there.
The song was slow. Too slow.
Swetha sighed dramatically. Charlotte rolled her eyes. I leaned back in my chair, already bored.
Aditya noticed immediately and nudged Rohan.
Rohan whispered, "You're really going to let them suffer through this?"
Aditya smirked. And before I knew it, both of them walked toward us.
That's when they saw us.
Swetha and Charlotte froze.
And me?
I had a packet of chips and chocolate resting on my lap, sitting in the weirdest posture possible.
If the teachers had seen us like that, we would've been done for.
They stared for a second… then burst out laughing.
Before anything else could happen, the band suddenly switched songs.
Fast. Lively. Impossible to ignore.
Without thinking, we stood up.
And just like that, V5 was in the middle of the dance floor.
We weren't graceful.
We weren't coordinated.
But we were happy.
We clapped off-beat, tried spinning and failed, bumped into each other, and laughed through every mistake.
Swetha dragged Charlotte in.
Rohan tried copying Aditya's steps and nearly fell.
I caught him, laughing so hard my stomach hurt.
People watched us.
Some smiled.
Some clapped.
But I didn't care.
For those few minutes, nothing else existed.
Breathless, we collapsed onto the grass near the courtyard edge.
"We looked ridiculous," Charlotte said, sipping water.
"Ridiculously awesome," Swetha corrected, giggling.
"We'll be remembered forever," Rohan declared. "If not for marks, then for our dance."
"Or lack of skill," Aditya muttered, fixing his sleeves.
I smiled, staring up at the lights.
"This was fun," I said quietly. "Really fun."
Charlotte suddenly sat up. "Hey… I kind of miss studying. How many functions does our school even have?"
I turned and stared at her seriously for two seconds.
Then I burst out laughing.
"Just kidding," she added quickly. "I love this. I wish our school cancelled exams and stayed like this forever."
We lay back again, lanterns glowing above us, music fading into the night.
And in that moment, under the lights and stars, hearts full and minds free —
We didn't feel like students.
Or competitors.
Or achievers.
We felt like a family.