2024

Navya stepped out of her room, her mind still clouded with the remnants of her nightmare and the ache that had been haunting her for days. 

She had no idea what the day had in store for her—she hadn't even remembered it was her birthday. 

It was just another day, or so she thought.

She rubbed her eyes groggily and walked into the living room of her luxurious flat, where the soft morning light poured through the large windows. 

She was still adjusting to the brightness when she heard a loud, enthusiastic chorus:

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY, NAVYA!"

She nearly jumped out of her skin, her eyes flying open wide. Standing in the middle of her living room were none other than Dulquer Salmaan, Keerthy Suresh, Samantha Ruth Prabhu, and Trisha Krishnan, all beaming at her with wide smiles and holding a giant chocolate cake with lit candles.

Navya blinked in disbelief, her mouth falling open. "What the actual—"

Dulquer, dressed in a casual yet stylish olive-green shirt and dark jeans, stepped forward with his signature boyish grin. 

"Surprise!" he said, spreading his arms dramatically. "Thought you could spend your birthday moping around? Not on our watch!"

Keerthy, radiant in a pastel yellow dress, chimed in, "You didn't think we'd forget your birthday, did you? Honestly, Navya, where's the faith?"

Samantha, in a chic lavender jumpsuit, placed her hands on her hips and added, "We've been planning this for weeks! I mean, we even made Dulquer bake the cake." 

She glanced at him and smirked. "Well, kind of."

"I supervised," Dulquer said, feigning indignation. "And I lit the candles. That's important too."

Trisha, exuding elegance in a flowing emerald-green gown, held up a beautifully wrapped gift box. 

"And you thought we'd just let you sulk on your big day? Not a chance, sweetheart."

Navya stared at the group, her heart swelling with emotions she hadn't felt in a long time—joy, gratitude, and maybe even a little disbelief. 

"You guys... What are you even doing here? I—I didn't think..." Her voice cracked, and she quickly covered her face, overwhelmed.

Samantha rushed over and pulled her into a tight hug. "Oh, come on, Navya. No tears! This is a happy day. And we're here to make sure you remember it."

Navya laughed through her tears, her arms wrapping around Samantha. "I don't even know what to say. This is insane."

Keerthy joined the hug, followed by Trisha, and then Dulquer, who dramatically declared, 

"Alright, group hug! Don't leave me out!" The four of them squeezed Navya in the middle, making her laugh uncontrollably.

"Okay, okay, you're crushing me!" Navya squealed, her voice muffled by their embrace.

They finally let go, and Dulquer handed her the cake. "First things first, make a wish."

Navya looked at the cake, the candles flickering brightly. For a moment, she hesitated. What could she wish for? Could she really ask for what her heart wanted most? 

She closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and thought, I just want some answers. And maybe a little peace.

Then she blew out the candles.

"Woohoo!" Dulquer cheered, clapping loudly. 

"Alright, time to eat the cake. But just so you know, it's 80% frosting because somebody"—he pointed at Samantha—" said that's the best part."

"Because it is," Samantha shot back, sticking out her tongue.

Navya laughed, feeling lighter than she had in months. "You guys are unbelievable. I can't believe you went to all this trouble."

Keerthy handed her a plate with a slice of cake. "You deserve it, Navya. And you've been working way too hard. It's time for some fun."

Trisha raised an eyebrow, a mischievous smile playing on her lips. "Speaking of fun, we've got the entire day planned. So don't even think about saying no."

Navya tilted her head, her smile widening. "Oh yeah? What exactly do you have planned?"

Dulquer grinned. "Let's just say it involves a lot of food, some shopping, and maybe even a little karaoke."

Navya groaned playfully. "Karaoke? Really?"

"Absolutely," Samantha said firmly. "And you're going to sing. No excuses."

As the group bantered back and forth, Navya felt a warmth in her chest she hadn't felt in years. For the first time in a long time, she wasn't thinking about the past, about what she had lost. 

She was here, in the moment, surrounded by people who cared about her. And for now, that was enough.

Her birthday had started in the best possible way, and for the first time in years, she allowed herself to hope that maybe things could get better. Maybe, just maybe, she could start to find her way back to happiness.

The laughter and chatter filled Navya's apartment as the group lounged on her oversized couch, a chaotic mix of cake crumbs, wrapping paper, and unending jokes scattered around them.

 Dulquer and Samantha were in the middle of a playful argument over who was the better singer, while Trisha and Keerthy flipped through the itinerary they had planned for the day.

"Listen, I'm just saying," Dulquer began, gesturing dramatically with a fork, "I've got the smooth baritone voice of a legend. You? You're more...uh...enthusiastic."

"Excuse me?!" Samantha exclaimed, grabbing a pillow and swatting him. 

"At least I can hold a note! You sound like a goat being startled."

Navya clutched her stomach, laughing so hard tears sprang to her eyes. "Please stop, you two. You're killing me here."

Keerthy looked up from the itinerary, smirking. "Let's add a karaoke showdown to the plan. Loser has to buy dinner for everyone."

Trisha added, "And Dulquer has to promise not to use his legendary baritone as an excuse if he loses."

"Deal," Samantha said quickly, grinning with victorious confidence.

Dulquer narrowed his eyes. "You're all underestimating me, and I'll remember this."

Navya shook her head, still giggling. "I've missed this kind of chaos. You guys have no idea how much this means to me."

Samantha reached over and squeezed her hand. "We do. That's why we're here."

Navya's smile faltered for a moment as a thought crossed her mind—

Why does it take moments like this to remind me how much I've been holding back? But she pushed the thought away. 

This was her day, and she wasn't going to let anything ruin it.

The group spent the rest of the afternoon exploring the city. Keerthy had insisted on starting with brunch at Navya's favourite café, where Dulquer ordered almost half the menu, claiming he needed to "fuel up" for the day's activities.

"I'm a growing boy," he said defensively when Keerthy gave him a skeptical look.

"You're a full-grown man," she shot back, rolling her eyes.

After brunch, they strolled through the city's high-end shopping district. Trisha, ever the fashionista, took charge, declaring that Navya needed a wardrobe update.

"This?" Trisha held up a sleek black gown, shimmering subtly under the store lights. "This is perfection. Try it on."

Navya hesitated. "It's stunning, but where would I even wear it?"

Keerthy stepped in. "Anywhere you want. You've earned the right to look like a queen wherever you go."

"Exactly," Samantha added. "And besides, when we drag you to more events, you'll thank us."

Navya eventually gave in, and when she stepped out of the dressing room in the gown, the collective gasp from her friends made her blush.

"You look like a freaking goddess," Dulquer said, giving her an exaggerated bow. "We're not worthy."

"Okay, now you have to buy it," Trisha said, clapping her hands. "Non-negotiable."

By the time the evening rolled around, they found themselves in a private karaoke lounge, complete with flashing lights and a ridiculously large screen. 

Dulquer kicked things off with a dramatic rendition of My Heart Will Go On, complete with exaggerated gestures that had everyone in stitches.

Navya, after much coaxing, finally took the mic for a duet with Keerthy. They sang Tum Hi Ho, their voices blending beautifully as the others cheered them on.

"You were amazing!" Samantha exclaimed, hugging her tightly afterwards.

"Don't get used to it," Navya said, laughing. "This was a one-time thing."

"Not if we can help it," Dulquer teased, already queuing up another song.

As the night wound down, they returned to Navya's flat, exhausted but happy. They sprawled out on the couch, recounting their favourite moments from the day.

"This was...perfect," Navya said softly, looking around at her friends. "Thank you. I don't think I've felt this happy in a long time."

Dulquer raised an imaginary glass. "To Navya. The coolest, most badass friend we could ask for."

"To Navya!" the others echoed, raising their actual glasses of soda.

As the laughter faded and the group began to wind down, Navya couldn't help but feel a deep gratitude for her friends. 

For one day, they had managed to silence the noise in her head, to make her feel seen and loved.

And for the first time in years, she allowed herself to believe that maybe, just maybe, the future could hold something bright.

keerthysureshofficial

liked by navyaraghuvanshi, trishakrishnan, dqsalmaan, kalidasjayaram, samantharuthprabhu and 4.5m others

happy birthday to my fav bby!! @navyaraghuvanshi

show comments

dqsalmaan 

liked by navyaraghuvanshi, trishakrishnan, keerthysureshofficial, kalidasjayaram, samantharuthprabhu and 12.5m others

happy birthday to my fav child!! @navyaraghuvanshi

show comments

soup rants!!!

the seventh chapter is here!
did we like it?
do comment your favorite part
what do you think will happen in the next chapter?
until then
yours lovingly,

soup <3