Tale of Silent Longing

48 | The Final Match

When the glass was pulled down and Jahaan  looked at Tanya , she was taken aback. She had not expected him to be sitting there in his car near her place.

It was the most abrupt timing for her to see him there. "You are five minutes late Tanya ," Jahaan  called out from inside the car.

Seeing Jahaan , Tanya  took a deep breath and replied, "Huh Jahaan you! You just scared me. What are you doing here, early in the morning?" Tanya  asked.

"Well, if I had been in your place, I would have understood by now but obviously, it's something I need to tell you. I was passing from here, so thought I should take you along, otherwise, you will be late and waste both your time and mine," Jahaan  answered and continued "Don't waste time anymore, get in the car quickly".

Tanya sat in the car and both of them left for college. After reaching college, Tanya  first started running according to her routine, and then after doing some exercise, stretching, and rest, she started doing her training.

As days were passing by, Tanya  was getting serious about her match and the training. She rested very little and practiced a lot. After all, she not only had to prove herself but also maintain Jahaan 's trust. Even Jahaan  used to get tired and rest once in a while, but Tanya  used to just practice. Even after practicing so much, she could not be perfect in scoring the basket by jumping high till now.

A week had passed like this in a jiffy.

The evening before the date of Reeva 's challenge, Jahaan  and Tanya  were practicing as usual. Even after working so hard, Tanya  was not able to jump properly and score the basket.

Jahaan  could clearly see Tanya 's frustration but he could not say anything. Tanya  had been practicing continuously for the last half hour but she could score only 3 times in all of them.

She put the last ball which was not a perfect basket score. Tanya  was so frustrated that in frustration she kicked the basketball hard and then lowered her head and sat on the ground.
Seeing Tanya  do this, Jahaan  ran to her and got down on his knee in front of her, and said, "Tanya don't be mad, at least don't hurt yourself in frustration"

Tanya didn't even look up and just sat like that. Seeing Tanya  sad, Jahaan  put his hand on her head and lightly caressed her hair as he spoke, "No one is perfect, everyone has one or the other drawback, now it depends on you how you are doing. Hide that shortcoming from the eyes of the enemy. You have worked very hard for 1 week, and I know that you have done this training very sincerely, and your progress is visible. Talking about victory and defeat, those are some compulsory stages of life which you have to face". Tanya , after listening to Jahaan , looked up and gazed into Jahaan's  eyes.

"But I am feeling very scared for tomorrow," she expressed. Jahaan  got up and exclaimed,

"So now laugh and stand up. Enough practice, now this training ends here".

Tanya stood up and replied, "But we just have today's time and tomorrow morning."

"You don't need to get up early tomorrow morning, you rest tomorrow. And as for today, you come with me now, I'll take you with me," Jahaan  responded while walking towards his bags.

"Where? Where are you taking me this time?" Tanya  asked while walking behind Jahaan .
"You just walk, don't ask too many questions," he replied.

Jahaan was taking Tanya  for a long drive in the late evening.

"Have you ever enjoyed the nightlife of this city?" Jahaan  asked on the way.

Tanya thought a little and replied, "mmmm not really! I mean not all... but yeah, I have heard a lot about it". Suddenly, Tanya  saw the moon and got very excited.