Queen

Ch 19 : A silent challenge

The next day dawned with the girls gathering for practice, eager to hone their skills on the cricket field. As they made their way to the grounds, their eyes fell upon Harleen, already deep into her rigorous training routine. Unlike before, where she would complete a few rounds before joining the others, today she seemed to be pushing herself beyond her usual limits, already on her 20th or 21st round. The sight was both awe-inspiring and bewildering for her teammates, who were accustomed to Harleen's more relaxed approach to practice.

Despite their surprise, the girls joined Harleen, exchanging greetings and engaging in their usual warm-up exercises. Hours passed in the intense heat of practice, until Harleen finally retreated to the locker room for a much-needed shower and breakfast, followed by some dedicated time on her laptop attending to her army-related duties.

As the day wore on and practice wound down, the other girls made plans for a day out together, hoping to include Harleen in their excursion. Jemmy, ever the friendly mediator, went to invite Harleen, only to find her fully engrossed in her work, declining the invitation in favor of staying indoors.

Undeterred, Jemmy then approached Smriti with the same offer, but upon learning that Harleen had chosen to remain indoors, Smriti decided to forgo the outing as well. It was her chance to confront Harleen, to address the growing chasm between them.

After some time had passed, Smriti mustered the courage to knock on Harleen's door. As Harleen opened the door, she was taken aback by the sight of Smriti, her once bubbly and vivacious friend now visibly changed. It was clear that Smriti had been leaning heavily on Jemmy for support over the past two years, using exercise as a coping mechanism to deal with her pain.

With a feeble hello, Smriti broke the silence, her voice betraying a hint of uncertainty.
"Hi," Harleen replied, her tone guarded as she returned Smriti's greeting with a nod.Taking a deep breath, Smriti pressed on, her words careful and measured. "Wow, it's been so long," she remarked, her attempt at casual conversation falling flat in the face of their strained reunion. "How have you been?"
"I've been good," Harleen responded, her voice tinged with a note of resignation. "How about you?"
For a moment, Smriti hesitated, grappling with the weight of the unspoken emotions that hung between them. "I'm okay too," she replied, her words lacking the conviction she had hoped to convey.

"Harleen," she began, her gaze unwavering as she sought to navigate the turbulent waters of their fractured friendship, "there's something we need to address."
Harleen's expression remained impassive, but the tension crackled in the air between them as she silently urged Smriti to continue.
"I can't digest this feeling that we've grown apart," Smriti confessed, her words weighted with the ache of unspoken longing. "Ever since you left, it's like you've retreated into yourself, shutting me out in the process. I've tried to bridge the gap, to keep our connection alive, but it feels like I'm shouting into the void. You were my best friend Harleen, what happened to us!"

As Smriti laid bare the depths of her anguish, her voice trembled with the weight of unspoken fears and unaddressed grievances. She recounted the countless letters she had penned to Harleen, baring her soul in the hopes of reclaiming the closeness they had once shared.

Harleen listened in silence, her features carefully composed as she absorbed Smriti's words with a quiet intensity. When Smriti finally fell silent, her vulnerability laid bare for all to see, Harleen's response was measured but tinged with an undercurrent. "Is that all?" Harleen's voice was devoid of emotion, each word cutting through the air with a cold finality. "Listen, Smriti, I don't think this is the right time for this conversation, besides I have more important concerns to attend to. I don't have time for this. Now, if you'll please, excuse me."Listening to Harleen's dismissive words, Smriti was stunned into silence, her heart heavy with the weight of rejection and betrayal. The woman she had once called her closest confidante seemed distant and unyielding, her walls impenetrable to Smriti's heartfelt pleas.

With disbelief, Smriti rose from her seat, her composure faltering in the face of Harleen's callous dismissal. As she turned to leave, her footsteps echoing in the hollow silence of the room, she carried with her the weight of their shattered bond, a silent testament to the fragility of human connection.

The sharpness of Harleen's words struck Smriti like a dagger to the heart, leaving her stunned and speechless. The girl she once knew as her best friend seemed like a stranger, cold and indifferent to her pain. With tears streaming down her cheeks, Smriti fled from the room, unable to bear the weight of Harleen's callous rejection.

Alone in her room, Harleen grappled with the guilt of hurting Smriti, knowing that her actions had caused her friend immeasurable pain. But in her mind, it was the only way to protect Smriti from the inevitable hurt that she would bring into her life. Their life's would never align, ever, so Harleen thought.

Here, Smriti found herself shattered by the earlier encounter with Harleen. This wasn't the friend she once knew; this was someone cold, someone seemingly incapable of understanding the feelings of others. It was unfathomable to Smriti that Harleen could have changed so drastically. The Harleen she saw in the elevator, with a glimpse of their previously built bond in her eyes, seemed worlds apart from the person she encountered in the room.

Despite her shock and disappointment, Smriti couldn't shake the feeling that there was more to Harleen's behavior than met the eye. There was a hidden layer, a secret behind the cold facade. That much she knew her friend to be this sure. She made a silent promise to herself and to Harleen, vowing to do whatever it took to bring back the girl she once knew.

Taking matters into her own hands, Smriti approached the coach and voiced her concerns about Harleen's integration into the team after two years away. She suggested that Harleen bunk with her, believing that it would facilitate the rebuilding of their bond and ultimately benefit the team. While her intentions were genuine, Smriti also harbored a personal agenda - she wanted to be close to Harleen, to help her rediscover her former self.

Despite Harleen's initial resistance, the coach ultimately decided to go ahead with Smriti's proposal. For Harleen, the prospect of sharing living quarters with Smriti was daunting. She feared that being in such close proximity would break down the walls she had carefully constructed around herself. The thought of Smriti's touch, of her comforting embrace, sent shivers down Harleen's spine, threatening to unravel her tough exterior.

But the decision had been made, and Harleen reluctantly agreed to bunk with Smriti. Deep down, Smriti saw it as a challenge - a chance to break through Harleen's defenses and bring her back to the person she once was. With determination burning in her heart, Smriti silently vowed to Harleen: "Whatever it takes, I will bring you back."