Fragile Hearts

C h a p t e r - 52

The sports ground buzzed with energy. Every student, teacher, and staff member eagerly awaited the start of this much-anticipated event. Students from all four teams-Red, White, Yellow, and Blue-filled the bleachers.

The highlight of the opening ceremony was the Fire Lighting Ritual. Unlike the usual lighting of a single flame, this ritual involved passing the torch carefully from one to the next, ensuring the fire never went out during its journey.

On the ground, captains from all four teams stood at regular intervals, forming a massive circle around the field. Each captain wore their respective team colors.

At the farthest end of the circle, Siddharth-the sports captain-stood beside a metal stand designed to light the ceremonial flame, in his crisp black-and-gold uniform.

In front of him stood Priya, appearing ready to take the torch and hand it over to Siddharth when the moment arrived. Her eyes sparkled with pride as she turned to glance at him, her stance filled with purpose.

But something was off.

The crowd murmured as they noticed a missing figure-Riya.

"Riya enga?" whispered someone in the stands.

"Enga pona ava... varalaya?" another asked, the growing whispers turning into buzzes of confusion.

Siddharth's sharp eyes scanned the lineup, his jaw tightening. He didn't say a word, but the flicker of irritation in his eyes was unmistakable.

Priya, sensing the confusion, smirked to herself. She turned her attention back to the ceremony, her hands clasped behind her back, clearly enjoying the moment.

Arun: "Welcome, everyone!" His voice rang out over the loudspeaker, filled with enthusiasm.

"Neengal anaivarum aaval udan edhirparth----"

A teacher from behind stopped him and asked him to continue in English. He nodded and quickly switched.

Arun: "It's the moment we've all been waiting for. The ritual is about to begin. Ohhh!!! The fire is lit..."

As the crowd cheered, the Red Team's captain stepped forward, torch in hand. He walked ahead, knelt on one knee, and passed the flame to the Yellow Team's captain.

Arun: "Look at that form!" he commented, his voice filled with awe. "The first pass is perfect! You can feel the energy building up. Now, Yellow to Blue-will they keep the flame alive?"

The torch moved smoothly from one captain to the next, each person kneeling on one foot in respect and passing the torch with utmost care. Each transition was flawless, and the crowd was loving it.

Arun: "Blue Team captain stepping up now," he continued, his voice bubbling with excitement. "And here it goes-Blue to White!"

The students watched in anticipation as the final pair stood at the center of it all: Siddharth and Priya, both poised and ready.

But there was something missing.

The co-captain-Riya-was nowhere to be seen. The crowd murmured louder, their confusion growing.

Arun: "Where's Riya?" He wondered aloud, his voice sharp over the loudspeaker. "She should have been here by now. We were expecting her to take the torch."

As the flame reached Priya, who now stood beside Siddharth, she moved confidently to kneel in front of him.

But just as she did, Siddharth's gaze flicked nervously toward Arun, who locked eyes with him. Arun gave a subtle blink, a silent assurance. Priya wasn't going to be the one to pass the light.