Until You

The First Meeting

We don't meet anyone by chance ― Avijeet Das

Om went into his apartment and decided to take a cold shower since he had a long gym session. As Om allowed the cold droplets of water to rain down on him, he started thinking about the upcoming Asia's Cup. He had two months to train himself and his teammates for the big event.

His teammates were capable of being winners, it's just....Harry was the panditji, Manas, Paras, Bhavin etc were all superstitious, Jacky needed help with managing his anger and being superstitious and Amol....okay well Amol was fine. He promised Rahul that he would lead the team to victory and to sort out the entire superstitious drama in the team, but so far he had been unable to do either.

His mind then started to wander off to some parts of his past. Even though his mind was often occupied with cricket, there was just some times when his past would make it up to the surface of his mind. Om still remembered the day when he got offered a scholarship and he left home.

Om: mum, dad, Aarav Shetty just offered me a scholarship for Ramakant National Cricket Academy.

Tej: you are not going to accept that scholarship.

Om: but dad, this scholarship is going to change my life and make my dream come true.

Tej: why are you still holding on to that little boy dream? No son of mine is becoming a cricketer! It was a mistake letting you play cricket when you was little because all you have now is that stupid fantasy of becoming a cricketer! Tell Aarav Shetty that you are not accepting that scholarship.

Om: dad, it's my dream. Not many people get the opportunity to make their dreams happen. I am lucky to get this opportunity. Why should I give it up?

Tej: because if your dream fails, then you will get upset about it. I am saving you from disappointment. Success in such careers is not guaranteed. Also being a cricketer is not a real job. Be like Dhruv, go and study to get into medical school. If you don't want to do medicine, that's fine. Engineering is always an option but cricket...no!

Om: I don't want to be a doctor or engineer though.

Tej: oh so hitting a ball and running like mad is what you want to do then? When I told Dhruv to stop playing cricket and focus on his future, he did it! When I told you to stop playing cricket and start studying, you didn't listen! There is still time Omkara. Stop this cricket nonsense and focus on your studies. You are clever, your marks are great, you can get into any medical school you want or you can get into IIT!

Om looked at his mother who had been quiet for a little bit. His mother always told him to go after his dreams.

Om: mum, do you think I should go after my dream?

Jhanvi looked at her son then at her husband.

Jhanvi: no.

Om snapped out of his memory and turned the shower off. He could never forget that day, the day that the only family member who supported him told him to stop dreaming and focus on reality. His mother always showed him support but then turned her back on him as well that day.

He had to stop thinking about his backstabbing mother, his unsupportive father, his brother who just happened to be extremely clever and the star child. He was where he wanted to be right now in his life and he did that by accepting that scholarship and not listening to the idiots, telling him to give up on his dream.

Om dried himself and changed into simple grey tracksuit pants and a black t-shirt. He went into his room and picked up his Macbook to see the new diet plan that Armaan emailed him. Looking at the diet plan for the next day, he picked up his phone and setted up some reminders on his phone so that he could remember what he would be eating for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Om could probably get an award for checking his phone constantly...if there was ever an award for constantly checking your phone.