Dinner time in the hostel dining hall wasn't peaceful tonight either.
A heated debate had already broken out at the far corner table.
Pavani was the first to raise her voice, "If today also we are going to discuss what we're going to wear, when will we actually practice?"
Mahathi, not backing down, insisted, "But we need to plan this! It's already Wednesday. We need to perform on Saturday evening. If we don't finalise this now, then when?"
Sreelekha, who had been quiet most of the day, sighed, "But we did talk about this yesterday too. The problem is—we don't all have color-coordinated outfits. Some of us don't even have the same style of costume."
Prerna, frowning, jabbed at her food with her spoon, "We're in the hostel. We can't plan or make anything new. And frankly, I don't want to spend on anything just for this dance."
Mahathi, clearly exasperated, opened her mouth to argue again when I finally stepped in.
"Girls," I said firmly, "Calm down. If you keep arguing like this, the issue's not going to solve itself."
Even Harini, who usually avoided any drama, muttered under her breath, "The same issue has been going on since yesterday evening…"
Sastika, who was already tired from the day, groaned, "Can we please concentrate on dinner during dinner time? You can argue or plan afterwards. Right now, eat."
I looked around at their tired, irritated faces and spoke up again. "Let's do one thing," I said. "Finish dinner quietly. Then at 8:45, everyone gathers in one cabin. We'll sit together and discuss. Sastika, Harini, and I will also be there. Let's try to sort this out tonight itself."
There was a pause.
Then, slowly, the noise died down. Forks resumed movement. Plates were passed silently. Eyes avoided each other, but the tension simmered down. We still had issues to solve, but at least now there was a plan.
Dinner went by in relative peace after that.
After dinner, I quietly returned to my room first. Before heading into the storm of opinions and arguments, I wanted to feel at peace—even if only for a few minutes.
I cleaned up my bed, smoothed out the folds on the bedsheet, arranged my pillow just the way I liked, and folded up the small pile of clothes that had collected on my cupboard's side rack. I knew this group discussion was going to be long. Probably draining too. So I changed into my soft pyjamas, tied up my hair in a loose plait, and even debated whether I should carry my pillow along to settle down more comfortably when things got too loud.
But… no. If I did that, they'd all just accuse me of acting like a grandma come to give a moral lecture. I didn't want to give them one more reason to scold me or shut me out. So I left it behind and walked to the designated cabin.
When we all gathered, the root of the issue finally made sense.
Pavani was the first to speak. "I only have two options. A grand beige Anarkali and a maroon-gold half saree. That's it."
Mahathi added, "I have a beige skirt, but it's not grand at all. More like regular cotton. And a black one, which doesn't match with anything."
Sreelekha chimed in, "I also have a grand sandal-colored Anarkali. It's so similar to Pavani's you can't even tell the difference unless you stare too long. Same design and pattern too—we got it together for a cousin's wedding." She glanced at Pavani and shrugged.
Prerna, who was half-lying on the bed, said, "My lehenga is pink. Totally different. It doesn't match with any of yours."
Harini sighed. "So that's three very different kinds of dresses… and color combinations."
I looked around and asked, "Then why were you all arguing like the problem was unsolvable? It's almost halfway there already."
Sastika frowned. "How is it halfway? Everyone's got different dresses in different colors."
I nodded, but smiled. "Yes, but if we work with the differences instead of against them… we can make a combination. Think about it—beige and pink. It's a soft palette. Elegant. It can work."
Mahathi protested, "But I don't even have anything in beige."
I turned to the group. "Alright, quick question. Are you all open to sharing your dresses or accessories if it helps us match better?"
They all looked at each other, and surprisingly, nodded.
"Okay then," I said, getting up. "Pavani, Sreelekha—your Anarkalis already have that beige-gold look. Hand me your dupattas." They both handed them over. The fabric was rich, with heavy embroidery—perfect.
I went to my cupboard and pulled out a netted dupatta in a soft pink shade—almost the same as Prerna's lehenga. I handed it to Pavani.
"For you," I said. Then passed another to Sreelekha. "Now it's coordinated. Pink and beige, soft contrast."
The three of them looked down at the swap—and smiled.
Harini clapped softly. "That's actually looking like a set!"
Sastika grinned. "Okay, now only Mahathi's left. If we don't get her matched, the whole group won't be complete."
I looked at Mahathi. She seemed unsure.
I took a breath. "This part might need a little extra effort. It's not going to be as easy. But if everyone's willing to help and be a little patient, I think we can work something out for Mahathi too."
There was a short pause.
And then they all nodded again.
"Mahathi," I turned to her gently, "you have two skirts, right? One beige and one black?"
She nodded, still unsure where this was going. "Yeah. Beige is a knot-type, and black is elastic."
"Perfect. Is the black one cotton too?"
"Yes, plain black cotton."
"Does anyone else have a pink skirt? Or maybe a grand top that could tie this together?"
Swastika raised her hand hesitantly. "I have a crop overcoat kind of thing. Not exactly a top… It's front-open but doesn't have buttons. Just one dhori to tie the sides. It's a bit fancy."
I looked at it. Soft pink with mirror work on the border and sleeves.
"That's exactly Prerna's dress color!" I said, eyes lighting up.
Turning to Mahathi, I asked, "Do you have a beige tank top?"
She blinked, thinking for a second, and then nodded. "Yes."
"Alright, get up and change," I instructed. "Wear the black skirt first, and layer the beige one on top. It'll create that lehenga-like look. Then wear your beige tank top and put on Sastika's overcoat. With the pink dupatta draped on one side, it'll totally match the theme."
Mahathi disappeared into the other room with the clothes. A few minutes later, she came back looking unsure.
"It looks okay," she said quietly.
Everyone turned. It wasn't just okay—it was almost perfect.
"The black skirt is not even visible now," Harini observed, tilting her head. "But I feel like something is missing…"
Sastika added, "Yeah, somehow it still doesn't feel completely uniform. Sreelekha and Pavani are one style, and Prerna and Mahathi are another."
I understood what they meant. It wasn't about the colors anymore—it was the finish. The textures. The visual richness.
"We can't magically turn everything into Anarkalis or lehengas," I said, sighing. "We've worked with what we have. But maybe we're looking at the wrong thing."
I paused. Then the idea struck.
"Wait… look at the dupattas. Except for Mahathi's, all three dresses—Sreelekha's, Pavani's, and Prerna's—have embroidery or mirror work."
We turned to Mahathi.
"And now," I continued, "if I add mirror work and embroidery to my pink dupatta, won't it tie it all together? Visually, it'll make it look like all four outfits were planned."
Everyone looked at each other, then back at me. Slowly, they started nodding.
"That could work," Prerna said.
"But how will we do that in just two and a half days?" Harini asked. "We also have school and study time. Plus, where will we even get the mirrors and glue?"
"I already have my embroidery kit and threads with me," I said. "No problem on that front. All we need are tiny round mirrors and fabric glue. Maybe even some sequins if possible."
Sastika brightened up. "I know a few day scholars. I can ask them if they can get those items. But you'll need to give me a list. I don't know how to explain this stuff."
"I'll write it down tonight," I promised. "And I'll come to your class during break tomorrow. If your friends agree, I'll explain it in person."
Sastika nodded.
Prerna flopped onto the bed. "Thank god it's done. That felt like a mini war."
Harini chuckled. "It's past eleven already."
"Okay, okay," I said, raising my hands. "Let's go to sleep now. The embroidery can wait till tomorrow."
Everyone stood up, a little lighter, a little more bonded than before.
We had pulled off a miracle of sorts—no shopping, no online orders, just trust, teamwork, and a bit of midnight madness. It wasn't about the dresses anymore. It was about making something together, piece by piece, from what we had.
And maybe… just maybe… this was the start of something more than a dance performance.