l The Buddy Project l Season 1 M e m o i r s :

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A picture is worth a thousand words; that's how the quotation goes. But for certain students, their whole childhood flashed before their eyes once they opened a few photo albums.

The big 8, or Junglees as they were fondly called, had come a long way since their first meeting. After a lot of fights, physical as well as verbal; taunts, pranks, an expulsion letter along with a contract that had stated otherwise many moons ago; the students had matured. They had learnt to control their tempers, have a firm grip on their egos and above all, learnt to respect and care for one another. The Junglees felt so comfortable around one another after a few months that they hadn't felt the need to interact with their peers. They'd all become a part of a family. That's what they liked to call themselves. A crazy, whacked out, protective and close-knit family. Despite the million curses that they'd thrown at Jaitley, they couldn't help but admire him for what he'd turned them into. They were obviously much better people, and they understood each other perfectly. They had some sort of a coordinated harmony. Some people had even tagged the bunch as 'Jaitley and his eight dwarves' 

The octet now sat down at KD's palatial house 15 years later, their eyes boring into the giant television screen that stuck to the wall before them; looking at some old photographs.

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The first photograph that blared was one that was particularly cheesy. It showed the 9 standing on a beach, arms around one another, grinning like idiots. It had been a celebratory picnic; they had just passed their grade 11 exams with flying colours. After a lot of splashing and messing about, they'd decided to commemorate the moment by handing out Juhi's new camera to a passer-by and posing like Christmas had decided to come early.

It had been such a fond memory that it brought smiles on everyone's faces.

'Oh man, that was ONE great day!' commented Ranveer, who hadn't changed in his physical appearance, but emotionally? He was a lot freer now; he trusted each and every person in the room without any hesitation.

'Yes, it had to be! After all, you weren't the one who had to spend 3 hours in the shower making sure all the beach sand was out of your hair!' Panchi retorted, causing everyone to chuckle.  

'OHO Moti, don't deny it! You're looking SO happy in the photo. Don't you dare tell me that you didnt' have fun? Panchi had lost a lot of weight since high school, but Ranveer insisted on calling her 'Moti'; after all, it was his birthright.

'Mr. and Mrs. Shergill, if you're done being all couple-y, can we get back to the next picture?!' Samar said, evoking yet another bout of laughter and a smack from Panchi. He couldn't believe that all the people sitting in the room at that very moment were still friends with him after they'd found out about his lineage. He smiled to himself and felt like he finally had an identity. 

*click*

As soon as the next photo came on screen, none of them could hold back and the whole room echoed with peals of giggles, rounds of chuckles and full blown booms of laughter.

In the first half on the photo, the 8 of them were surrounding a very large cake, a hungry look in their eyes, as if about to devour it right then and there. In the second half, all of them surrounded the same table on which the cake had stood, but instead of it being in their stomachs, it had been on their faces and in their hair.

It had been Samar's birthday and all of them had insisted on applying a little cake on his face; just to make the occasion a little merry. However, what had ensued had been total chaos, as Samar had ducked, and Juhi had mistakenly applied the cake on KD's face. What followed after that had been nothing short of a food fight. Aniruddh Jaitley hadn't been able to resist it and had taken a photo of 'before' and 'after' the event, compiling and making it into a collage.

After the laughter in KD's living room had subsided, there were comments following this particular photo as well, much to the amusement of everyone.

'Yaar, can't you just NOT do anything to my hair ab se?' Panchi grimaced once more as a frown appeared on her face.

 'Oho Panchi. Don't be such a girl abhi! I don't remember you complaining when you were applying the cake on Piddi and Kiya's faces!' exclaimed Bobby, causing the girl in question to flush and bury her face in her husband's chest; the room erupting in laughter once more.

'Haan yaar Panchi, rona toh mujhe chahiye tha!' That was something that hadn't changed! Piddi agreed to whatever Bobby said, even 20 years later! Although Bobby had become more feminine, so to speak, she still hadn't lost certain traits of her tomboy-ish personality. 

*click*

A third photo appeared on screen, making everyone cheer; Piddi couldn't help but carry out a little victory dance of his! The picture showed a big trophy, held up by Anirrudh Jaitley as the others had broken out into roars and screams of 'WE WON!'

The picture was quite candid really! KD was hugging Kiya from one side and Piddi from another, Bobby was high-fiving Ranveer as Panchi, Juhi and Samar had broken out into a little 'bhangra' step; broad smiles evident on all the faces.

KD took his eyes off the TV screen and looked at the girl sitting next to him. He couldn't believe how far they'd come. If someone had told him in high-school that he'd be engaged and was soon to marry Kiya Gujral, he'd have slapped them and then laughed. He suppressed a chuckle, and kept on looking intently at his fiance.

'Tere chehre se, nazar nahin hat ti, nazaare hum kyaa dekhein?' sang Juhi as she observed the two from the opposite sofa.

KD looked away, slightly embarrassed and Kiya simply blushed.

'Kya yaar KD, sharmaana tujhe suit nai karta! You aren't affected by anything bey! Kya HO gaya hai tujhe? You've softened up!' Ranveer threw a smirk at his nemesis from 10 years ago.

Yes, the two guys who'd hated each other ever since they could remember were the closest of friends now. Who'd have thunk it? But their friendship didn't stop them from constantly pulling each other's leg. The only difference being that they now did it for fun, and none of it was taken to heart at all.

'Ranveer, mere bhai! It'd be better if you don't comment on my embarrassed behavior theeke? Do you want me to remind you of how you had acted on your wedding day?'

Samar and Piddi broke out into laughter and it was Ranveer's turn to look away, scratching his neck.

*click*

The next photo was just too adorable for words. All 8 of them were sitting on the 'mandap' after Ranveer-Panchi's wedding; slightly bent forward, and chins in hands. It was an absolutely ethereal moment.

*click*

The emotions that this photo evoked were too many; sadness, joy, the pride that they'd had as they threw their graduation caps in the air.

The picture was once again divided into two halves. One was all of them throwing their caps up in the air and the other one was with all 8 with Naina maa, Raama sir and Aniruddh, grinning from ear to ear in their graduation robes that were navy blue and yellow; Royal's colours.

Juhi blinked her tears away as she looked at the people sitting in that room that very moment. So much had changed and yet, it felt like nothing had.

'Alrightey everyone! Photo opportunity! POSE and don't forget to save me a space, I gotta run' she jumped up and took out her DSLR. After making the required settings, she placed the camera over the table in the corner, timer at the ready.

The 7 quickly huddled around the sofa, KD sitting right next to Kiya on one side, Ranveer on the other; Piddi squashed in the middle with Bobby and Panchi on his sides, followed by Samar, who stood behind the sofa, leaning towards the other 6, saving a spot of Juhi next to him. He changed his mind at the last minute, rushing towards the sofa, crashing into Panchi's side, causing them all the tilt and fall a little towards the right, with KD at the end, stretched out and laughing. Juhi entered the picture as the timer beeped and collided into Samar on the sofa, tilting them all further. Lots of swearing, laughter and gasps echoed around the hall as all of them faced the camera.

*click*