September Rain: An IPKKND FF

Chapter Eleven

The afternoon sun was beaming down upon the ground in all its splendour. Coach Bakshi was in one of his "moods", which meant that Arnav and Aman had to run ten laps.

Arnav cursed under his breath.
"I still think NK got the better deal"

"You are kidding?" Aman panted , "You should see the storeroom! It probably hasn't been cleaned since my dad was here"

"Whatever" Arnav mumbled, "At least there is a roof above his head"

With a laugh, Aman shook his head.
"Bakshi won't spare us till we win against Green"
Spotting the eagle eyed man, standing upright training a bunch of juniors, they hurried along.

"Can't understand why Woodsmith gets these ex-army men as sports teachers. He is killing us"

"Stop being dramatic Mathur", Arnav squinted against the harsh rays of sun, "If we win against Iyer, Bakshi is gonna be the one behind it"

Aman stilled in his tracks, hand on his hips.
"Win against Iyer? This isn't about Dhruv, you know that right?"

He shrugged, "Anything for Cyrus"

Aman laughed as he picked up pace again, "Cyrus? Sure?"

"What are you being so smug about?", he frowned.

"Your grudge against Dhruv isn't for Cyrus, it's for Khushi, Raizada"

Arnav looked away. Perhaps to evade Aman's all knowing eyes. Perhaps to avoid giving away what he felt for her.

"You couldn't be more obvious you know"
Aman sat down on a patch of grass under their favourite oak tree, tucked in a corner, away from Bakshi's field of vision .

Arnav let out a breathless gasp, "What?"

"In the picnic? All those rides where Khushi sat with Dhruv? If eyes could kill", he chuckled.

"It was..." he struggled to finish.

"Jealousy! Happens when the girl you love spends time with another boy", Aman supplied helpfully.

Arnav sat down with a sigh.
"Guess there is no point in denying it then"

"When?", Aman asked with a fond smile.

"Honestly? I don't even know" , he bit his lip.
"She has just...just... And I knew I wanted more. I have always wanted more. But the possibility of her feeling nothing-"

"You are crazy! Everyone except the two of you knew what you felt for each other"

Arnav frowned, "Mathur, what the-?"

"Remember when you got hurt on the football ground in class seven? She actually cried ! And then when you forgot your speech midway in assembly? She all but almost shouted it out to you. And that time you got your tonsils out? She celebrated her birthday in the freaking hospital!"

"Okay", he smiled softly, "I am an idiot then, I should have said something sooner"

"Sooner?", the smile wiped out from Aman's face in a comical moment.
"You guys are dating?!" He slapped Arnav roughly on the back, who did nothing but grin.

"Well...we haven't spoken about it...but yeah, I should hope so..."

Aman burst out laughing.

"What?" Arnav asked amused.

"How different are you from your siblings ha? Akash bhai and Payal Di didn't spare a moment to flaunt their love to the world. But you two? I wouldn't have been surprised if there was just a wedding invitation in my mail years later!"