OPEN ARMS: SHUBMAN GILL

4

If there was one thing Madhavi hated more than anything, it was distractions. And to her, the Bannerghatta Chasers were the ultimate distraction. It wasn't just about the sport, either—it was a clash of personalities, of pride, and of Madhavi's ironclad belief that her girls were meant to be warriors, not flirtatious teenagers wasting their time with the enemy.

As the girls came off the field, panting and sore from their brutal practice, they noticed the Chasers milling around the boundary line of their hockey pitch, already finishing up their cool-down exercises. Shubman, Abhishek, and Ishan were laughing about something, and just as Kundavai expected, they immediately turned their attention towards the girls.

"Kundavai, how many times do I have to tell you?" Madhavi's sharp voice cut through the air, making Kundavai and the others freeze in their tracks. "You're here to train, not to socialize with those—" she gestured dramatically towards the Chasers, "—boys."

Kundavai clenched her jaw, resisting the urge to roll her eyes. "Yes, Coach," she replied, her tone tight and formal. Behind her, Maya and Akshara tried to suppress their giggles.

Madhavi wasn't done. "You girls think this is a joke?" she continued, her eyes blazing as she looked over her exhausted team. "You're on the national team, not some high school drama. I will not have my players distracted by a bunch of—" she paused, glaring at the boys— "cricketers who don't know the first thing about discipline."

Shubman caught Kundavai's eye and gave her a cheeky wink, which only made her want to laugh more. But she knew better than to test Madhavi's patience.

"Everyone, locker room. Now," Madhavi ordered, and the girls scrambled to obey.

As they walked past the Chasers, Shubman leaned in close, his voice low enough that only Kundavai could hear. "You heard the boss lady. Better not get caught talking to me, senior."

Kundavai shot him a glare, but her lips twitched upward in a smirk. "Enjoy your easy practice, pretty boy. Let's see if you can still run your mouth after facing us on the field."

"Looking forward to it," he called after her, but she was already turning away, the girls marching behind her like a small, sweaty army.

Inside the locker room, the atmosphere was a mix of exhaustion and defiance. They'd been pushed to their limits, but there was something undeniably satisfying about surviving one of Madhavi's sessions.

Maya flopped onto a bench, her usually neat ponytail a frizzy mess. "Honestly, if she gets any stricter, I'm going to start dreaming about suicides in my sleep."

"At least we won't be dreaming about cricketers," Akshara quipped, still catching her breath. "Or, you know, Coach is going to murder us in our sleep."

Kundavai rolled her eyes as she peeled off her shin guards. "Honestly, who cares? It's not like we're going to stop talking to them. What's she gonna do? Make us run more laps?"

"She would," Naina said with a grin. "And you'd be leading the pack as usual, Kundu."

"Damn straight," Kundavai shot back, though the fatigue in her muscles was making her reconsider her bravado.

As they showered and changed, the girls couldn't stop talking about the upcoming season. This year was crucial—they were expected to not only defend their title but also outshine every other team in the league. The stakes were high, and Madhavi wasn't going to let them forget it.

But as they stepped out of the locker room, fresh and ready to head home, they were greeted by the sight of the Chasers lingering by the exit, clearly waiting for them.