IMMJ2 One Shots

basketball

Trigger Warnings: PTSD, mild panic attack

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Having just finished her hour-long jog, Riddhima entered the VR Mansion. Still out of breath, she had been planning on hitting the shower but she was informed by one of the staff members that she was summoned to the poolside. This time when her heart pounded it wasn't because of the exercise. Rather, it was because of fearful memories coming back to haunt her.

The closer she got to the poolside, the stronger the memories got. Her confronting Kabir and Anupriya, them sneering and brandishing their victory over her, the intense smell of chlorine, her splashing into the water, and finally the burnt smell of her hair from when she was electrocuted.

She immediately halted in her steps. She stood at the threshold of the poolside room but could walk no further. From where she stood she could see the pool had been drained of its water and had been changed into a makeshift basketball court. The Raisinghania men were already engaged in a match. Riddhima didn't see what was the purpose of her being there. She had turned around to leave when she was called out by Chanchal.

"Lo Riddhima bhi aa gayi." The women turned in her direction and some of the men had as well.

"I call dibs on her!" Kabir shouted like a child.

Scowling, Riddhima took a few steps inside and admonished him. "Excuse you, but no one can call dibs on me, least of all you."

"Oh come on Riddhima." He dismissed her words. "Ek game hi toh hai. Don't be a spoilsport."

She was about to scold him again, when Daadi chimed in. "Teekh hi toh keh raha hai. Sab khel rahe, tum bhi aa jao."

Riddhima bit back her angry words, and clenched her jaw. Though she entered further into the room, she refused to sit anywhere close to the pool area.

"I'll watch but I'm not playing." She announced.

"We'll see about that." Kabir mocked, irritating her further.

Rolling her eyes, she took her seat. She glanced at the scoreboard and wished the game would end already. The longer she stayed in the room, the more anxious she was starting to get.

Sneakers squeaked, and the walls echoed the sound of the dribbling ball. The boys were playing well, but her eyes were fixed on Vihaan. Standing taller than the rest, he used his height to its full advantage. With a smooth flick of his wrist, he would launch the ball and it would fall neatly into the netted hoop. She couldn't help but smile seeing him whoop and cheer for himself. Daadi and Ishani showed their support with their incessant clapping as well.

"Vansh ki team ne ab score kiye hai twenty points. Vansh, ab bol kisse nikal na hai." Chanchal asked Vihaan gleefully.

Vihaan with his eyes filled with mirth, told Kabir, "You. Out please."

Riddhima erupted into laughter. She turned around in her seat, and bit down on her bottom lip to stop, but it didn't really work. Her body folded over, and her stomach was starting to hurt from laughing so hard. She only stopped when something hit her against her leg. Looking through her teary eyes, she realized it was the basketball and Vihaan had hit her with it.

"Hasna bandh kar, aur chal. Play one round with me." He reached over to grab the ball.

"Mujhe nahi khel na." Riddhima told him, wiping the corner of her eyes.

"Kyun? Haar ne se darr lag raha hai?" He asked with a smirk.

She knew he was baiting her, but she wasn't going to let him have the satisfaction of having one over her.