Until I Fell In Love With My Best Friend

Chapter 7- The Kabaddi Match

 It was the yearly kabaddi competition at Wilshref International School. By this time, Ammy and Leo had become best friends..... That day, he put out his pinky finger to Ammy beside him and asked, " Best Friends?" He needn't even say that, they were already besties.... 

   Last month, almost 3 weeks after Ammy and Madrid broke up, the guy wanted to return. He called her up and apologized and said how he wanted to fix this. however, he still couldn't state a valid reason for leaving Ammy. Clearly, he had commitment issues. That time Ammy felt the hardest dilemma she ever felt in her life- But till the end, she ended up rejecting his proposal of getting back together- He wasn't there for her when she cried for days, unable to figure out her fault- Madrid just left without an explanation and made her feel like an option- He did leave like they had nothing- Perhaps he would do that again? 

Ammy wanted to pity herself - She have had enough- She won't let her be a toy with whom  Madrid would play whenever he wanted and throw her away when bored- For the first time, she really stood up for her self instead of being an emotional fool-

  All this happened before Leo and Ammy became best friends- And now that it was inter house kabaddi competition at WIS, Leo ,the school's Head Boy, was busy enlisting competitors , making arrangements and preparing teams- and he himself would play- 

  It was the first time Ammy took interest in any of the events at WIS - All other times, she would be clueless, uninterested, about any such happenings and would hardly come to school on those days. But this time, was different, it was her best friend's game- She had to be there-

 WIS was all decked up to host a thrilling match. Leo belonged to the Red team- Despite having good players like Leo, the team lagged in between the semi finals - It was a two days long event - Ammy didn't take part. She belonged to the green house, but she always wanted Leo to win , even if it meant her own house not winning- 

 That afternoon, after the semis, Leo came to the classroom drenched in sweat, all drained out. He even got a sprained ankle. The people at WIS just witnessed a breath-taking thrilling match at the semis. Red house lost the ones with blues- Now in order to qualify into the finals, Red had to win against Green. 

"Oh how I wish i could win" said Leo with an exhausted body-  "Ofcourse you would! You have time, next match is tomorrow! you'll get enough rest for your ankle and tomorrow you'll surely-"

Leo interrupted Ammy, "What? win? You're just sympathetic- I've seen you wishing luck to your team". "Isn't it that obvious? " protested Ammy- "That's the bare minimum i should do-" 

  Leo tried to maintain a stern face- but couldn't- he burst out laughing seeing how easily Ammy was triggered - he loved teasing her- 

"Okay so here you go, take this" Ammy stuffed some hard metallic object into his hands- It was one of Ammy's metal Dolphins- her lucky charms- she always carried two of them with her - "This will help - it's my lucky charm" she said. Leo then carefully kept it with him - since when did he become so superstitious? But no- it was a token of support from Ammy - he had to keep it- 

   The next day, there was one of the semis, and then the final match. Leo carried the dolphin with him- Just when he was lining up for the semi final, he showed the dolphin to Ammy who was sitting across the school lawn, among the other students, and both of them exchanged an assuring smile-

 Leo's team won the semis- succeeding which, they went on to win the finals as well! The most hilarious scene at the match was to see the boys ripping each others shirts while trying to stop the raider - Everyone returned to their classes- no more periods were to be held that day; Wilshref International School was a surprisingly easy going school, much different from Ammy's last school. 

                             Leo and Ammy sat at the last bench, while their classmates had their own gala time cherishing the free periods- "See how your lucky charm made us the winner", said Leo, "I'll always keep this safe with me". Ammy nodded - she was even more tired than Leo after being in the sun for so long- she had migraine. 

      Leo wanted her speak - but he knew that she zoned out at times.... he took Ammy's hands in his, placed it on the bench and put his head against her hand- his face rubbing into her palm.......He felt so at ease with her- he even enjoyed the silence between them... he closed his eyes and felt sleepy or maybe dizzy - He could feel her presence at the soft touch of her palm and his mind soothed- 

     He remembered what his childhood best friends - Richard and Sam told him- those were the days when Leo was in a relationship with Tanny- their last few months when he survived in a torment- he felt unloved, and miserable with his mind never at peace trying to cope up with Tanny's ego. He shared with Richard and Sam how suffocated he felt with Tanny and how he was tired of being the only one who puts in the efforts- what broke him down even more was when he found out Tanny flirting with her senior boys late at night over text. Those were the days when Leo's vigour withered away-  Both the boys noticed how Leo felt happy when he spoke to Ammy back then- his mood somehow lifted a bit and how Ammy could handle Leo's vibe- "It's a pity to see you in such a condition bro-!" whispered Sam. "Come on Leo, don't hang up your face like that" said Richard, shaking Leo's shoulders- "You know, how I feel you should've been with someone like Ammy! That girl has got the vibe to handle you.....". "I agree" added Sam, " Tanny is just tormenting you"- 

    That was moths ago; And now  Leo was free from Tanny-

       As he lied putting his head down, his face buried in Ammy's hands, he smiled recalling what Richard and Sam said to him that day- He was almost asleep, when he felt Ammy slipping her hand out from underneath his head- ; "Come Leo, it is break time- hurry! the canteen would be full!" Ammy ordered while getting out of the seat. 

 Leo blocked her way- "What happened?" Ammy waited for an answer with the tall guy locking his eyes onto hers. "What?" Ammy asked again. Leo's mind had mingled thoughts. "Do you want me to wait for you?" Leo asked ...he couldn't convince himself why he asked that.... the question just popped up in his mind. 

 Unable to comprehend why was that being asked, and with what respect, Ammy stared back with a confused look on her face - Leo nodded his head and in a moment, he shook off the awkwardness, took her hands and shook them hard and said " Friends" and pulled her out of the classroom to the corridor. 

      Ammy could not understand what exactly he meant until later one day.......