ʜᴇᴀʀᴛʙᴇᴀᴛꜱ ᴀɴᴅ ʜᴀʟʟᴡᴀʏꜱ

.The Start Of Us༊˚

AUTHOR'S POV:

The Match Day —

Avni woke up around 6 a.m., earlier than usual. The match was scheduled to start at 8, and excitement mixed with nerves kept her from sleeping in. She quickly showered and threw on her favorite blue kurti, rushing downstairs with her damp hair still dripping slightly.

"Mom, I'm going!" Avni called out, slipping on her shoes by the door.

Her mother peeked out from the kitchen, surprised. "Isn't the match at 8? It's only 7 now."

"I'm going to the temple first," Avni replied, tying her laces quickly.

"Breakfast?" her mother asked, concerned she hadn't eaten.

"I'll have the prashad at the temple," Avni said with a smile, waving goodbye as she rushed out the door.

The walk to the temple took about 15 minutes. The cool morning breeze helped calm her racing thoughts. Once she reached the temple, Avni quickly did her puja, whispering a small prayer as she placed her hands together in reverence.

"Oh God, please let Ishan's team win today," she whispered under her breath, hoping her prayer would be heard.

After taking the prashad, Avni hurried toward the bus station, eager to get to the match on time. Her heart sank a little when she saw the bus wasn't there yet. "Come on, come on," she muttered to herself, checking her watch nervously. Luckily, the bus arrived a few minutes later, and she hopped on, hoping she would make it in time.

The ride felt longer than usual, but she finally reached the venue where the match was to be held. Just as she reached the entrance, she pulled out her phone and called Nidhi.

"Where are you?" Avni asked, slightly out of breath.

"You're late! The match is starting in a few minutes," Nidhi replied, her voice laced with urgency. "Come to the player's room."

Avni hung up and quickly asked a few people for directions to the player's room. Once she found it, she took a deep breath and opened the door. Inside, she spotted Aaron, Ishan, and Nidhi, all prepping for the match.

Before Ishan could say anything, Avni stepped forward, holding out the prashad she had brought from the temple.

"Here's prashad," Avni said, her voice soft but encouraging. "Think positive and play well."

Ishan took the prashad, his usual playful expression softened by gratitude. "Thanks, Avni," he said, his tone more serious than usual. He gave her a small smile, and she could see the determination in his eyes.

All the players were already on the field, except for Aaron and Ishan.

"I'm going," Aaron said, looking at Ishan. "You should come too." With that, he left, giving Nidhi a quick wave as he passed her.

"I'll be waiting for you in the front row!" Nidhi called after him, her excitement palpable.

Now, it was just Ishan and Avni, standing alone in the player's room.

Ishan broke the silence, a playful smile tugging at his lips. "You know," he began.

"What?" Avni asked, her curiosity piqued.

Ishan took a step closer, his gaze intense. "You look pretty- like the clouds in the sky, the flowers in the garden, the waves in the ocean, and the stars in the night."

Avni felt her cheeks flush as she averted her gaze, trying to hide her embarrassment. "All the best," she replied softly, her heart racing.

"I'll go then," Ishan said, his tone suddenly serious. "When I return, you will be mine."