The timeline

before the thought two

At 16, it was time for Git to graduate from school. But before that a interhouse competition took place. And people were playing the most famous board game. Git belong to yellow House and was leading the team.

Git was winning one battle after the other until he met someone familiar.

He met the same girl he had met in that day in the rain. Those dark but kind eyes winked at Git, and Git felt embarrassed.

But he was still confident he wouldn't lose.

"Do you know her?" Asked his team mate after seeing her wink at him.

Not knowing what to say Git remained silent.

The match was soon about to start. They set their timers. The host started to explain the rules to the public who were watching. Each person had a maximum of 15 minutes and if the player couldn't make all his moves within that time he or she would lose.

Git never lost on time. At least for a very long time. In fact he had no recollection of having lost on time.

"Best of luck, dear." The girl beamed at him.

His teammates giggled. They had never heard him been called dear. Git felt embarrassed and for a second covered his face.

Then he would not lose concentration. He did a move and almost immediately she replied back. This continued for the next 15 moves. He was taken aback by her opening preparation.

His focus being on the board. A win would grant him 3 points allowing his team to victory. Victory would mean he would earn a medal. And also entry to the interschool competition. Also a draw would lend him 1 point also enough to earn a medal as the other team was behind in points.

He really wanted that medal and his desire to compete in the interschool competition was evident. A win would require energy and seeing how quickly and confidently the girl was playing made him think of a different strategy and play safe for a draw.

The girl was really good. Thought Git. But her need for winning for her team to win gold was forcing her to play risky for the win.

She was falling for the trap he had set on the board. He moved his Knight attacking two important pieces at the same time. She looked at Git. Git looked at her knowing it was over.

She smiled. "Quite the player, aren't you".

Git probably shy infront of his friends, smile slightly back.

Then there was celebrations. They won a trophy for their house which was kept in the gallery for other generations to see. And the final match moves were recorded and carefully preserved by the school and also published in their yearly magazine.

Git bought the magazine just for the sake of remembering the game. Nostalgic. That would be an appropriate word for it. After all those years.

Git would at the end of his school life, stroll down those streets and meet that same girl by chance once more . She would congratulate him. And he would beam back.

"I never knew you were so good in war board games." Thought Git.

He would recall seeing the rainbow but imagine it with a vast blue sky without clouds. And would look through the vast field and buildings meeting the sky. The round buildings seemed detailed even from far away and were of different colours. It was really pleasing to the eye. The shadows that were due to the buildings made some parts of the field dark green.

He had once imagined his experience in 14, sharing the sight, the sight of the fields with the girl would happen again. And it did two years later.

He would cherish the moment. It would be close to the heart. Different pains would be given a meaning.

Later after years of deep contemplation and practice, Git would define his purpose as serving his land and people, in memory of the people he met from his birth to death.

After graduation from a university at 22, he would apply to an army school, to which he got accepted. After that he planned to get married. He had believed there was a chance that he would be able to get into contact with the girl whom he had won, with difficulty, over the board game.

He would return to the school after graduating from the university. Before that, he had searched her name in the school magazine he had kept. Her name was Simla.

He searched for her phone number. He would go to the office where they kept records of students' old numbers. After searching and finding it, he would use the phone to dial it.

And the phone was picked up. "Hello there." A voice replied. It didn't sound like Simla at all.

"Are you Simla?" Asked Git.

"No. Simla passed away. She died in a car accident some years ago. She was still in the university. I got this phone as a way to remember her."
Replied the stranger.

The stranger sounded sincere. He thought it was probably a relative.

Git was heartbroken. He looked at the moon which was full and was reflected at the university lake. He didn't know what to say. "Thank you." Came out of his mouth. He tried his best to hide his emotions.

Git would never plan to marry again. But he did visit the fields often as he could as a way of remembering the strange fleeting but beautiful feeling he had captured in his interaction between Simla and himself.

Later on, because of travelling due to war, different fields he visited, lush green and fulfilling reminded him of her and her playfulness.

The moon would remind him and her face and the dark sky would remind him of her eyes. Git natural gift would give him many victories and many medals. From the time he had his first time they faced off at the board game to the time when he had his last real battle, he kept contemplating, when he had the time, about that girl he met that rainy day, whose sparkling eyes would give him familiarity even in foreign lands.