The rain outside tapped against my window like it was trying to taunt me of my life to the second. “Twenty-one,” I whispered to myself, staring at the tiny confetti banner Neha had hung on my bookshelf. “I’m officially an adult now… again.”
My phone buzzed on the bedside table. A flood of messages popped up:
Mom: Happy birthday, beta! May this year bring you wisdom and responsibility.
Dad: 21 already? When are you getting a job?
Karan: What’s it like being old and confused?
I groaned and threw myself back onto the bed. The door creaked open, and Neha peeked in. “Hello birthday girl! How’s it feel to be ancient?”
“Terrible,” I said, propping myself up. “Apparently, I’m supposed to be wise, responsible, and employed now.”
“Pfft, who cares about responsibility when you’ve got cake?” Neha said, holding up a box with a proud grin.
I perked up“Is that chocolate?”
“Triple chocolate,” she said, setting the box on my desk. “Because if we’re gonna overthink life at 21, we might as well do it with sugar.”
I laughed. “You get me.”
Neha plopped down on the bed beside me. “So, what’s the plan for the day? Existential crisis, followed by cake and pizza?”
“Pretty much. But seriously, doesn’t being 21 feel… weird? Like, everyone says it’s the best time of your life, but also expects you to have it all figured out.”
“Oh, totally,” Neha said, rolling onto her stomach. “Like, we’re supposed to be adults, but half the time, I still feel like a kid trying not to burn toast.”
“Same!” I said.
“Being 21 is... weird,” I said, while Neha started devouring the chocolate cake. “Like, so much has changed, but also… nothing has.”
Neha nodded, not looking up. “Yeah, like how our moms used to write letters, and we’re writing texts, but it’s still about boys.”
I laughed. “Or how our grandparents had to deal with nosy neighbors, and now we have people we barely know commenting on our selfies! & Stalkers too, the only difference is it’s digital drama instead of chai gossip.”
“Oh, and remember that time your dad said he used to save up for months to buy cassettes?” Neha said. “Now, we have Spotify with free playlist and we’re still crying over heartbreak songs! Just like them.”
“Right?!” I agreed. “I think it’s even harder for us because now there’s this pressure to look perfect while crying over heartbreak songs. Ugh, my mascara always betrays me.”
We both cracked up. I grabbed a pizza slice, took a bite, and continued, “And careers! Don’t even get me started. Everyone expects you to know what you want to do for the next 50 years, but also somehow not look like you’re trying too hard.”
“True,” Neha sighed. “And then you have those reels saying, ‘Follow your passion, but also hustle harder!’ Like, can I just take a nap?”
“Exactly! And fashion, too!” I gestured at my outfit. “Mom used to wear high-waisted jeans and crop tops in the ’90s, and now they’re trendy again. She keeps reminding me she did it first!”
“Fashion is basically a time loop,” Neha said, flicking through an online shopping app. “Except now we pay thrice the price for ‘vintage vibes.’
The rain outside got heavier, and I stared at it for a moment. “And then there’s love,” I said softly. “You’d think it’d be simpler with dating apps, right? but honestly, I think it’s more confusing than ever. Sliding into DMs is terrifying. What if I say ‘hi’ and they say… nothing? Or worse, just send a thumbs-up emoji?”
“Okay, true.” Said Neha “but come on, you’re 21 now! You could totally have a rom-com moment—like, meet someone in a coffee shop, both of you reach for the same croissant…”
“And then argue about whose it is while the barista awkwardly waits for us to pay?” I teased.
“Exactly! True love,” Neha declared, pretending to swoon.
“Honestly, dating is so weird these days,” I said, sitting up. “Our parents just met someone at a family wedding or had matchmakers, and that was it. Now, we have apps with bios like, ‘Loves dogs, hates pineapple on pizza.’”
“Hey, don’t knock it,” Neha said, pointing at me. “That’s valuable information! Imagine falling in love and then finding out they love pineapple on pizza. Relationship over.”
I laughed. “But seriously, don’t you think it’s harder now? Like, with all the options and social media, you’re constantly comparing yourself. And the ghosting? Don’t even get me started.”
Neha nodded. “True. Back then, if you liked someone, you wrote them a letter or just awkwardly hung around until they noticed you. Now, you’re stuck decoding texts like, ‘What does three dots loading mean? Are they interested or just bad at typing?’
“Exactly!” I said, throwing up my hands. “And when you do find someone, the pressure to make it Instagram-perfect is insane. It’s like, if your relationship isn’t aesthetic, does it even count?”
“Honestly, I think love hasn’t changed that much,” Neha said thoughtfully. “It’s still messy, awkward and scary. We just have fancier tools to mess it up.”
'True. I smiled. Maybe the trick is to stop overthinking and just enjoy the small stuff
—like laughing over bad texts.”
“Now that’s mandatory,” Neha said, grinning.
“Agreed,” I said, grabbing the last pizza slice. “But for now, I’ll stick to being 21 and single. It’s chaotic, but at least I don’t have to share my pizza.”
“Cheers to that!” Neha said, raising an imaginary glass.
We sat in silence for a while, listening to the rain patter against the windows. Finally, I said, “But you know what hasn’t changed?”
“What?” Neha asked.
“The feeling of being 21,” I said. “Our parents probably felt just as clueless and excited and scared as we do. Some things are timeless.”
Neha smiled. “Yeah, you’re right. Like a movie on a rainy day. Want to watch?”
“Let’s do it,” I said, jumping off the bed.
And just like that, in the middle of all the chaos of being 21 in the 21st century, everything felt perfectly right.
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what's the main character's name? [comments are open!]
Hope y'all enjoyed reading this as much as I loved writing - thank you for your support as always.
Monisha Vyas
