'Are you serious about it?' she mock punches me, trying to grab my phone.

'Yep! I am a pro at it!' I giggle, juggling the phone to my other hand, out of her reach. 'Not now. I'll show you once my gallery is full.'

'Fake candids! I mean I've heard people do that but—'

'Nups. Fake selfie candid!' I correct. 'Fake groupie or as for us, duo candid.'

Travelling with my best friend cum senior, Tanushree Didi, is always fun. Maybe to the local mall or on a rare holiday trip. If she's the companion, we return tired of laughing, more than the exhaustion from the journey.

'Here, pose! ' I aim my front camera at us and look away from the screen. She, in turn looks at me, goggling, like we're having a pretty serious conversation, somehow making an exaggerated frown and I try my best not to laugh and defocus the shot.

She sticks out her tongue just before I can press the click.

'What the —' I push her away, looking cross as she snatches my phone and scrolls to the gallery.

'Look at this!'

I'm still pissed but the pure look of joy in her eyes makes me peer into the disaster of a picture. We're laughing like crazy but the picture is more natural than the seriously posed ones we clicked.

'A bit hazy but —' I bite my lip.

'Admit that I'm the master photographer,' she chokes with laughter, confiscating my phone. 'Enough of selfies. Enjoy the surroundings.'

'Yes boss!' I salute in a comical way.

She grabs my hand and drags me to the edge of the ancient rocks, looking over a jagged terrain. The reminiscence of a glorious past, the heritage of India and a long lost civilisation stretches out in front of us in the form of the Khandagiri Caves of Odissa.

'Aah! Fresh air!' she takes a audible breath.

'More like sweltering hot loo!' I roll my eyes. 'Whose idea was it again to fly to Bhubaneswar in the summer vacation?'

'It's okay. Everyone is going to the hills. We need to do things differently. You can put hashtag untraditional on your Facebook posts!' she winks.

'Yep!' I move to the stone balcony again.

'Careful of your footing.'she grabs my hand as a warning.

'Yeah! Let's have a selfie in here! The void and the sheer drop is—' I hold out my other hand.

'Are you crazy or what?' the anger in her voice makes me freeze.

'Selfie is good, but putting your life in danger for that isn't at all cool. For a few more likes on social media some are ready to take selfies from dangerous heights. Haven't you heard of them falling to death, just because of a stupid selfie? '

I open and close my mouth gasping like a fish, speechless.

'Sorry!' I breathe finally.

'Can't lose you, bro ' she hugs me protectively.

'Couldn't hope for a better friend in my life.' I mumble against her shoulder, nuzzling closer.

A/N 500 words completed. Written for the #TBBP contest by HarperCollinsIndia

ALWAYS BE CAREFUL FRIENDS. DANGEROUS SELFIES 🤳 ARE NOT WORTH IT. YOUR LIFE MATTERS. EVERYONE HAS A PARENT OR A FRIEND AWAITING YOUR RETURN AFTER A TRIP. DON'T LET THEM GET YOUR DEAD BODY INSTEAD!

— Masquerade