‘Oh! It has to be the time I spent in Virginia! The sun just felt different there. I stayed in a cosy cottage nestled amongst the hills in the countryside, and the sun’s rays would stream in through the windows, warming up the cottage and my heart. They shimmered and sparkled, and it was so pure and so nice. I’ve seen sunlight filtering in through a window so many times before, but in Virginia, it was magical … it’s not something that can be explained. What a wonderful start to the new year it was!’ She grins.

‘Sounds amazing! What’s it that you’re really seeking from this adventure?’ My curiosity really knows no bounds.

‘Nothing! I’m just living in the present and going with the flow. There’s no agenda!’

Before we know it, hours have passed and the bar is starting to empty out as the night wears on. But we’re in no hurry to leave. We’re lost in the comfort of each other’s company. Maybe I haven’t spoken this much to anyone after leaving university. Maybe this is what I needed. When we finally make our way outside into the icy cold night, I can’t help but feel a sense of gratitude for this chance to reconnect with an old friend. In a world that often feels chaotic and uncertain, moments like these remind you of the importance of friendships, of human connection.

‘Thanks for tonight, Richa,’ I say as I hug her before we part ways. ‘It’s exactly what I needed.’

She smiles, her eyes twinkling in the glow of the streetlights. ‘Anytime, my friend. Anytime. Come to Houston and stay with me!’

And that reminds me that I should offer her my place for the night. ‘Why don’t you stay with me tonight? We can walk back to my apartment. We’re too drunk, and you shouldn’t be driving.’

‘All right, let’s go!’ she agrees readily.

‘I missed us,’ I tell her on the way back.

‘I kept messaging you, but you just stopped keeping in touch with everyone,’ she reminds me.

‘I know. That was a huge mistake. I need to get back to my friends …’

We’re close to the subway when a junkie suddenly appears out of nowhere and begins to chase us. We break into a run; thankfully, my apartment’s just a few metres away. Eve teasing and chasing after women is not just a thing in India; it exists practically everywhere in the world. You can certainly dress up in any way you want here, but it doesn’t guarantee that no one will chase you.