Shuttles And Stars

Neeraj

Sitting across from Abhimanyu, I could barely focus on the food in front of me. My mind was somewhere else entirely—still lost in the memory of Lt. Sia Joshi’s eyes. The way they held mine, with that quiet strength and pride. It wasn’t just about her appearance; it was something deeper, something that had completely captured my attention. I wanted to see her again, talk to her, maybe even spend time with her, but I wasn’t sure how to make that happen.

Abhimanyu must’ve noticed my distracted state because he suddenly put down his fork and stared at me. “Alright, spill it. What’s going on with you?”

I sighed, knowing it was all ridiculous but unable to hold it in any longer. “It’s Sia,” I muttered. “I can’t stop thinking about her. It’s like… I don’t know, man, I’m just completely lost in my head. Her eyes, they were—" I paused, searching for the right word. "—intoxicating. I want to see her again, talk to her, be around her. It’s driving me crazy.”

There was silence for a moment, then Abhimanyu let out a loud laugh. It was so sudden that he nearly spilled his juice, making a mess on the table. He coughed, still laughing, while I just sat there, my face flushing with embarrassment.

“Bro, are you serious?” he said, barely able to contain his amusement. “You’ve had a two-minute conversation with her, and now you’re ready to get lost in her eyes again? What if she has a boyfriend? What if she’s not interested, or worse—what if she doesn’t even want to be your friend?”

I blinked, momentarily thrown by his bluntness. “I don’t know, man. It’s just… I can’t help it. I’ve never felt like this before.”

Abhimanyu chuckled again, shaking his head. “You don’t even know her, Neeraj. You’re completely overthinking this. She’s an army officer. For all you know, she’s got a strict schedule, a boyfriend, and absolutely no time for a badminton player who’s obsessing over her eyes.”

I stared down at my plate, feeling a little foolish but still unable to shake the feeling. “Yeah, maybe you’re right,” I muttered, though I didn’t fully believe it.

He smirked, still clearly enjoying my misery. “Well, look, here’s something to distract you. There’s a seminar at the Army Cantonment coming up—you’re invited to speak there. It’s with the Rajputana Rifles. And guess what? You’ll also get to attend the party at the officers' mess after. So, what should I tell them? Should I confirm your participation?”

I looked up at him, surprised and excited all at once. “Wait, what? You’re just telling me this now? Of course, I’m not going to deny that! You know how much I respect the Indian Army. I wouldn’t miss it for the world.”

Abhimanyu nodded, his expression turning more serious. “I figured you’d say that. I’ve already made arrangements. But listen, man, you’ve got to keep your emotions in check. Don’t let this whole Sia thing get to your head. You’ve got badminton to focus on. Practice is still your first priority.”

I nodded, knowing he was right but still feeling a flutter of excitement at the thought of seeing Sia again. “Yeah, yeah, I know. I won’t let it distract me. But, uh… when’s the event?”

Abhimanyu pulled out his phone and showed me the details—two days from now. I smiled, feeling a strange mix of nerves and anticipation. “Thanks for this, man. I needed something to look forward to.”

We laughed, but Abhimanyu couldn’t resist giving me one last warning. “Just don’t forget, Neeraj. You’ve got a lot going on right now. Don’t let a pair of eyes mess that up.”

I rolled my eyes but smiled. “Alright, alright. I get it.”

With that, I stood up, feeling lighter than I had all day. I was happier now, knowing I’d get another chance to see her, even if it was just a brief encounter. “I’m heading to practice. My family’s coming in later today—can you pick them up at 7 p.m.? I’ll still be in the middle of training.”

Abhimanyu nodded. “Yeah, I’ll take care of it. You focus on your game.”

Practice felt different that day. I was more focused, more determined. Maybe it was the thought of the upcoming seminar, or maybe it was the idea of seeing Sia again, but I pushed myself harder than usual. Every serve, every smash, felt sharper, like I was trying to channel all that pent-up energy into something productive. By the time I finished, I was exhausted but satisfied. I’d given it everything I had, and I felt ready for whatever came next.

After practice, I met up with my family. It was great to see them after such a whirlwind of events. My sister hugged me tightly, while my parents looked at me with pride in their eyes. We decided to go out for dinner at one of the well-known vegetarian restaurants in Delhi. It was a nice change of pace—just sitting with my family, talking about everything that had happened, and not thinking about badminton or the army for a while.

But even as I sat there, listening to my family laugh and chat, I couldn’t stop my mind from drifting back to Sia. What would she be like at the seminar? Would we get a chance to talk? Or would it just be another brief, formal encounter?

I didn’t have the answers, but one thing was certain—I was looking forward to finding out.

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