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The morning of the last match dawned bright and warm, the sun casting a golden hue over the practice field as Naima immersed herself in her drills.
She was in the zone, her focus razor-sharp as she practised her bowling and fielding, unaware of the impending storm that was about to unfold.
Her phone buzzed relentlessly in her bag, the notifications lighting up the screen, but she was too focused to pay any attention.
Meanwhile, Ishan was lounging on the sidelines, scrolling through his phone when it rang. He glanced at the caller ID and recognized it immediately: Karthik, Naima's younger brother.
Pushing himself off the ground, he answered, thinking it was just a quick chat.
"Is Naima there?" Karthik asked, his voice shaky and tinged with urgency.
"No, she's busy with drills. Is everything okay?" Ishan replied, concern creeping into his tone.
Karthik hesitated, and the pause felt heavy. "No, it's... it's not okay, Ishan. I don't know how to say this, but Dad... he... he passed away in a car crash."
The words hit Ishan like a freight train, his heart sinking as he struggled to process the gravity of the situation.
"What? Karthik, are you sure?" he asked, dread pooling in his stomach.
"Yeah, I just got the news. I can't... I don't know how to tell Naima. She has to focus on the match. Can you please keep this from her until after?" Karthik pleaded, his voice breaking.
"Of course, man. Just take care of yourself," Ishan responded, feeling the weight of the secret settle heavily on his shoulders.
He hung up, his mind racing as he absorbed the impact of what he had just learned.
The other boys had gathered around, having finished their warm-ups, and Ishan's demeanour immediately caught their attention. He looked pale, shaken, and it didn't go unnoticed.
