Rogue Heroes - The Awakening

Beginning of Bonds

"So where are you from, Bali?" asked Daksh.

The trio was sitting in the canteen of the college, having their lunch. Daksh and Kimi were sitting together, while Bali was sitting in front of them.

"Well, basically I am from Amritsar. My parents live there. Here, I have come for studies and football actually. I live here with my paternal aunt," Bali replied, smiling a bit sadly.

"Miss your parents, buddy?" Kimi asked, gently.

"Yeah... I mean, there we have this really big haveli. So much open space and all. But here in Mumbai, there are small houses and everything is so packed up."

"Don't worry. You will get used to it," Daksh replied, patting his back. Bali smiled at that.

"What about you? I mean, where do you live? And your parents?" Bali asked, but frowned seeing the vanishing smiles of the siblings.

"Umm... our parents... they... they died when we were 11... We live with our Mamu now," Kimi said, staring at her lunch.

"You know, our Mamu works here itself, as a professor. He will be our Philosophy teacher, I guess," Daksh said, making a desperate try to change the subject.

Bali thought of apologizing first, but seeing Daksh's attempt at changing the subject, he changed his mind.

"And what about your football attraction? When did you start loving this game? I mean, I fell in love with it, when I first saw Pele, playing this game on TV," Bali said excitedly.

"Well, for me, it was, is and always will be Lionel Messi. I saw him and fell in love with this game and since then, it has been only and only football," Daksh said, in a lovesick tone. Kimi gagged at that, while Bali was trying hard to control his laughter.

"Can we join you'll?" the trio heard twin voices and looked on to find the Sethi twins standing there.

"No other place to sit in the canteen," Sachit said, feeling really awkward.

"Sure. Why not?" Kimi replied, with a smile and looked at Daksh, who nodded and both of them shifted a bit. Sachit sat beside Daksh, while Nimit sat with Bali.

"Is it true?" Nimit asked after a while, looking at Daksh.

"What?"

"That you and Bali got selected for the football team, first day itself?" Sachit asked, looking at Bali and Daksh. The two smiled hugely and nodded, while Kimi rolled her eyes and concentrated on her lunch.

"Man, I just don't know what to say," Nimit said, his voice filled with awe.

"Don't be so excited, Nimit," Sachit said, in a tensed tone.

"Why do you say so?" Kimi asked, her ears straightened hearing the tension in Sachit's voice.

"Well, the captain, Rohan didn't seem very happy about it. We passed his team while coming here and heard him criticizing the two of you," Sachit replied, looking at Bali and Daksh. Kimi tensed hearing that, while Bali and Daksh looked thoughtful. The lunch continued in silence after that.

"Do you guys know that Rohan is the son of the college trustee?" Sachit asked, after the lunch was over and they were making their way back to the class. They still had 20 minutes before the next class.

"So what? Being the son of trustee doesn't mean, he can do anything and get away with it," Bali said, angrily. Though he had been utterly confused and scared during the first fallout with Rohan, he had turned a bit braver now.