ephemeral

spark brews

22nd may, 2024.

1:23 pm.

the lazy afternoon sun cast warm patches of light across kasturie's living room floor. sprawled on a rug, books and cricket gear abandoned in favor of a board game, kasturie, ishan, and shubman were locked in a fierce but friendly competition.

"ha! yeh lo!" ishan cheered triumphantly, moving his game piece across the board.

kasturie groaned playfully. "ishan, sirf isliye jeet raha hai kyuki woh cheating karta hai."

shubman chuckled. "ekdam sahi bola kastu. ishan is a cheater, he is a cheater."

the game continued, punctuated by laughter, teasing, and lighthearted arguments. as the hours melted away, a comfortable silence settled between them, occasionally broken by the rustle of turning pages or the clatter of game pieces.

kasturie stole a glance at shubman. he seemed relaxed, a thoughtful expression on his face.

these quiet moments spent together, away from the pressure of cricket and the media spotlight, were becoming her favorite.

suddenly, ishan slammed his hand down on the board.

"theek hai, theek hai, tum dono jeet gaye!" he declared dramatically. "lekin sirf isliye kyuki tum dono ne milkar mujhe hara diya."

"a win is a win bhai."

kasturie and shubman exchanged smiles. they knew ishan was just being a sore loser.

as they began to pack away the game, kasturie noticed a familiar book lying amongst shubman's things. it was the same poetry collection they had discussed weeks ago, the one she'd lent him.

"ho gya padh ke?" she asked gently.

shubman looked up, a faint blush creeping up his neck. "haa. genuinely, acchi thi." he hesitated for a moment, then added, "woh ek poem thi jisne mujhe teri yaad dilayi."

kasturie's heart skipped a beat. "sacchi? kaunsi wali poem?"

shubman flipped through the pages until he found the poem he was looking for. he began to read aloud, his voice soft and warm.

"there are forests of feelings inside you. may you find someone who knows how to water your soul. someone who not only notices your absence but also hates it. someone who never lets you question if there's something fundamentally wrong with you---if you deserve to be loved. someone who loves you if that's what they were made for---loving you with all their heart. someone who makes you fall in love with the days you didn't even think you'd be alive to see. someone who never lets you give up on yourself by giving you all the love you deserve."

the poem spoke of hidden emotions, unspoken feelings, and the beauty of connection. as shubman's voice filled the room, kasturie felt a shiver run down her spine. his words resonated with her on a deeper level, and she couldn't help but wonder if he felt the same way.

when he finished, a comfortable silence descended upon them. the unspoken emotions hung heavy in the air, a question mark hovering between them.

"ek aur poem hai, jo mujhe teri yaad dilati hai." he smiled softly at her.

"kaunsi?" she questioned.

"woh wakt aane pe bata dunga." shubman said.

before kasturie could argue more, ishan, oblivious to the charged atmosphere, nudged kasturie's arm.

"toh, pizza mangaana hai ya nahi?" he asked.

kasturie and shubman exchanged a look, a flicker of amusement breaking the tension.