Jaan-e-Jaaha

3-Pagal dushmani

Mahii stood at the edge of the field, her heart pounding in her chest. The final seconds of the hockey game ticked away, and the scoreboard flashed their imminent victory. The roar of the crowd was deafening, a mix of cheers and celebratory shouts that seemed to vibrate through the very ground beneath her feet.

The referee's whistle blew, marking the end of the game. They had won. They had actually won. Mahii's team rushed toward each other, a chaotic tangle of joy and relief. In the middle of the jubilant frenzy, her eyes locked onto one person: Salar, the team's captain.

Salar stood a little apart from the group, his usual stoic expression softened with a rare smile of pride. It was a sight Mahii had never seen before and one she couldn't look away from. Salar had always been a hard taskmaster, pushing her to her limits and then some. They had clashed repeatedly, his strict methods grating against her rebellious spirit. But today, in this moment of triumph, she saw him in a new light.

Without thinking, Mahii dashed across the field. Her feet barely touched the ground as she propelled herself toward him. Before he could react, she leapt into his arms, wrapping her legs around his waist and her arms around his neck. The force of her jump nearly knocked him off balance, but he steadied himself, his arms instinctively wrapping around her to keep her from falling.

"We did it, Salar! We actually did it!" Mahii exclaimed, her face flushed with excitement. Her eyes sparkled with a mix of triumph and something else, something that made Salar's breath catch in his throat.

Yeah, we did," Salar replied, his voice barely above a whisper. He looked into her eyes, feeling a warmth spread through him that had nothing to do with their victory. It was a strange, unexpected feeling, one that left him momentarily speechless.

For a moment, they simply stared at each other, the noise of the celebration fading into the background. Mahii felt her heart race for a different reason now, the intensity of their proximity sending shivers down her spine. She had never been this close to him before, and the realization of just how much she had come to care for him hit her like a ton of bricks.

"I couldn't have done it without you," Mahii admitted softly, her voice almost lost in the cacophony around them. "You pushed me, even when I hated you for it. But now I see it was because you believed in me."

Salar's grip tightened slightly, his eyes never leaving hers. "You have no idea how proud I am of you, Mahii," he said, his voice full of genuine admiration. "You proved everyone wrong today. You proved me wrong."

A slow smile spread across Mahii's face as she felt a tear of joy escape. She brushed it away quickly, laughing at herself. "I guess we both learned something then."

Salar chuckled, his own smile widening. "I guess we did."

Without another word, Mahii leaned in, pressing her lips to his in a sudden, impulsive kiss. For a heartbeat, Salar froze, but then he kissed her back, a gentle but firm affirmation of the connection they had forged.

Suddenly, Mahii realized what she was doing. She pulled away from the kiss abruptly, her eyes wide with shock and confusion. "I... I shouldn't have done that," she stammered, stepping back and disentangling herself from his arms.

Salar's face fell, his expression mirroring her confusion and hurt. "Mahii..."

"No, this is wrong," Mahii interrupted, her voice shaking. "We... we're not friends, Salar. We're barely even teammates half the time. I don't know what came over me."

The joy of their victory felt distant now, overshadowed by the stark reality of their complicated relationship. Salar took a deep breath, trying to steady himself. "Maybe you're right. Maybe we aren't friends. But today showed me that we can be more than just enemies."