Love On The Field

6

(Pc- Pinterest)

I'd been anxiously waiting for a minute, chewing my lip and tapping my foot. Finally, I stood up and turned to Anu. ''I'll be right back,'' I said. ''Wait here.'' With that, I hastily set off to track him down.

"Aadriti?" our team coach called out as soon as he spotted me. I forced a tight smile. "Sorry, I couldn't sit there calmly, so I stepped aside," I blurted. "Is everything okay?"

The coach scanned the room, making eye contact with the other team members, but I sensed everyone's unease, i saw everyone except him. Reading the room, I realized I'd been rude.

"No, no, it's okay," the coach said, trailing off as he looked at Rishi, nodding for him to speak.

"Actually, Phantoms and HFC have some beef," he said, making the coach frown at the slang.

"Beef? What are you talking about?" the coach asked, clearly confused.

Rishi ignored the coach's bewilderment and continued, "Not with the team members, but with the captains. Some personal stuff, we guess." He shrugged, leaving it at that.

I nodded "where is he?"I asked, unsure why I was asking. "Back porch, I guess" Rishi replied shortly.

I silently made my way to the back porch of the locker room. He was leaning against the wall, smoking. I chewed my lip, then decided to confront him.

I leaned against the same wall, silent. His eyes roamed my body. Taking a final drag on the cigarette, he flicked it away.

We stood there in silence for several minutes until he spoke up, "Can't understand the last problem?"

I frowned, thinking how could he possibly be thinking about math now. "It's not about math?" he asked, his voice tinged with amusement.

"My brother's not like that," I said quietly, eyes cast down. "Sometimes he acts like a bandor."
His soft laughter drew my gaze. "I know," he said with a knowing smile.

"Are you worried about me?" he asked, his eyes sparkling with amusement.

"I'd be crazy not to," I replied. "You're teaching me math, and Dada did nearly choke you."

His soft chuckle sent a flutter through me. "Did I say something wrong?" I asked, nibbling my lip, fearing I'd overstepped.

"I'm sorry on his behalf," I muttered, locking eyes with him. His eyes widened for a millisecond before returning to normal.

"Don't apologize, it happens all the time," he said, holding my gaze. "I'm used to it."

Noticing my hesitant state, he swiftly changed the subject. "Who did you come with?"
"I wasn't planning to come, but Anu dragged me here," I replied.

He nodded and stood up. "Let's go, the game will start soon."

Pushing off the wall, I turned to leave when his voice stopped me. "Cheer for me."

I turned back, raising an eyebrow. "Why would I?"Pausing, I asked, "Will there be a reward?"
His smile hinted at amusement. "If then..." I trailed off.
"I'm listening," he said, curiosity piqued.

He leaned in, his voice low. "If you cheer for me, I'll make sure you have the best math lessons ever."

I rolled my eyes good-naturedly. "You drive a hard bargain, but deal."

The match kicked off, and Phantom wasted no time, netting an instant goal. Their exceptional teamwork and strategy left me breathless. As a newcomer to their games, I was impressed.

Anu's earlier questions about AC now made perfect sense - Phantom's dominance on the field was undeniable.

Now the match was tied 1-1 with only minutes to left. The atmosphere thicken as Abhimanyu stepped in to take the free hit which was rewarded after a brutal tackle by the opposing team's defender.

As the sun dipped below the horizon, casting a warm orange glow over the field, Abhimanyu lined up his shot. Our eyes met, and with a confident smile, he kicked the ball.

"Goal!" the crowd exploded.

Anu's squeals of delight merged with my laughter as we jumped up and down, hands entwined. The thrill of victory coursed through me, my cheers mingling with the crowd's.

But amidst the chaos, my gaze returned to him – the one who'd sparked this triumph.

"You have the audacity to smile, even after losing the match?" Anu teased.

My dada, Aditya chuckled, and I couldn't help but laugh.

"It's okay, I'd already lost something far more valuable," he said, pausing for dramatic effect. He turned to Anu and added, "my heart... to you."

Anu and I cringed simultaneously. "Yuck!" we exclaimed in unison.

As the match ended, my brother joined us, beaming with happiness despite his loss. His eyes locked onto Anu, and his smile broadened.

"Tell Maa I'll be staying at Deep's place tonight," my brother said.

I frowned, starting to protest, "Parbo naa—"

But I stopped mid-sentence as a voice came from behind. "Good play, bhai!"

Rishi appeared, shaking hands with Dada, Abhimanyu following closely. Our eyes met, and he gave me a brief nod.

"You too," Dada replied, rolling his eyes good-naturedly at Abhimanyu. He thought no one noticed, but I knew my brother's tells.

Rishi glanced at Anu and me, and Anu congratulated him with a warm smile. Rishi returned the smile, his eyes crinkling.

"Congratulations," I offered Abhimanyu, expecting a smile.Instead, he nodded briefly and I frown.

Rishi's gaze shifted between my brother and me. "You guys know each other?" "Yes he's my-"My brother cut me off mid-sentence. "She's my sister."

Dada's gaze at Abhimanyu held a hidden warning.

"Go home now," my brother said, his eyes locked on Abhimanyu, not me.

_

After dinner, I settled onto my bed, lying on my stomach, and began working on the structure of the website.

The clock struck 11pm, the darkness outside vibrated with the wind's gentle hum. The coconut trees next to our house swayed softly.

A sudden thud made me jump. I saw a football on my floor and frowned, my gaze shifting to the window. To my surprise, it was open.

Sighing, I got out of bed and peered out the window. A guy was standing there, staring up at me. I crossed my arms over my chest and squinted, trying to get a better look at him. Was he an old uncle or just a young boy? But the darkness made it impossible to tell.

As the guy waved up at me, my annoyance lingered. I retrieved the ball and approached the window once more. I tossed it back, intending to return it to its rightful owner, but it dropped into our yard instead. My sigh reflected my growing exasperation.

Stepping outside, I felt the chilly wind envelop me, sending shivers down my spine. I retrieved the ball and approached the guy to hand it over.

"Tumi?"