Childhood Archnemesis.

Frame for a picture (2003) with my childhood archnemesis, 2009.

You're Reyshwanth's sister!! (Hopeful)
You're Reyshwanth's sister?? (Confused)
𝘠𝘰𝘶'𝘳𝘦 Reyshwanth's sister? (Derogatory)
You're 𝘙𝘦𝘺𝘴𝘩𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘩'𝘴 sister? (Appreciative)

Little did these people know that this madlad used to go out of his way to make my life a living hell. I made sure he suffered too, and I think I got away more often than he did because I was just the younger (read: cooler) child. And for a good while, our parents were genuinely concerned that we would probably just never get along.

During his JEE days, maybe because I saw lesser and lesser of him, our fights started to disappear. When he moved out for college, the night we returned home seemed so dark that it felt like a void, if not a vacuum. Whenever he'd let us know he'd be coming home for the weekend, I'd make sure to get all my studying done ahead so I can keep the entire time free for him. And when he moved out to the US, I couldn't contain the ache of knowing how less of him I was going to see from then on. To this day, whenever he returns, that entire section of my calendar is blocked out, even if it's just to watch vijay tv or share a space in silence.

I guess somewhere along the way, my archnemesis also became the only person who really had my back. No pivotal decision, no breakdown, and no achievement made rational sense until I had discussed it with him, because somewhere along the way, I had found a confidant, an admirable third parent, a disgusted teacher, a trauma-mate and most of all the best tamil brainrot content consumer/reference catcher all in one person. And somehow, knowing this person exists somewhere in this world just always instantly makes everything feel lighter and surmountable. I wish someday I can offer him everything he's always been for me - besides being the insufferable sibling of course, I fulfilled that on day 1.

But in aIl seriousness, I hope everyone has a reyshwanth in their life. Not in the sense of a sibling, friend, or even just a person, but in the sense of a north star: to always look upwards to, to always be grounded by, and to always learn life from.