Unwritten Chords

Chapter 23: basketball,rain and her.

Anya's POV

It was a Sunday.

I spent three hours straight talking to Mom.
What about? Absurd topics, mostly, and half the time I was roasting her because she kept telling me to take care of myself.

Dad didn't say a word on the call.

Later, I called Aarav. That idiot is busy building his shoe collection.
He's the richest in the family-by a mile-and he knows it.

So, I blackmailed him: either he sends me a pair of Nikes, or I spill the tea about the time he slept with a girl after getting drunk at a party.
Guess what? My Nikes are on their way, though it'll take a month since he's in Italy... making music, as always.

Aunt Rhea called me down for dinner.
Lasagna. Again.

I cried internally, ate it anyway, then went back upstairs and passed out.
_____________________________________

The campus was empty, the last classes and lectures wrapped up for the day. Hazel had left early, citing an urgent matter. Whatever it was, I knew she'd fill me in tomorrow.

Adrian hadn't said a word about the group assignment we were meant to submit in two weeks. In fact, he hadn't shown up in class at all.

Tyler mentioned something about an important basketball match, which explained their intense practice earlier.

The sky had darkened, clouds rolling in to cover the horizon. The late evening air was cool and peaceful, a stark contrast to the weight of the day. I welcomed the solitude, a moment to let my thoughts wander.

With my wired earphones in, the world faded around me, but my mind replayed the silence from yesterday. My dad hadn't spoken to me, leaving an unsettling void I couldn't seem to shake.

Kya ho raha hai zindagi main? (What the fuck is up with my life?)

I walked towards the outdoor basketball court, expecting to hear the sound of sneakers and bouncing balls. But there was no one there-just an empty, quiet space under the dim street lights.

Without realizing it, I found a seat by the sidelines. The stillness was overwhelming, yet oddly comforting.

I was left startled when a basketball thudded near me, rolling just a few feet away.

"Anya?" Adrian's voice cut through the quiet like a blade. Cool, calculated, and undeniably sharp. He grabbed the ball, his gaze steady and intense. "You should find somewhere else to daydream."

WTF?

"This court is for... people like me," he said, his smirk sharp and controlled as he dribbled the ball with precision.

I rolled my eyes, my frustration bubbling beneath the surface.

"You need to get your ego checked," I said, my voice firm and unwavering.

"I was just stating a fact," he replied smoothly, his confidence unshaken, the same smug expression etched onto his face.

"I saw you miss shots at practice today," I added, arms crossed tightly.

"You were watching me?" he asked, feigning innocence, but his smirk hinted at something deeper beneath the surface.

"No," I snapped, my tone sharper than before. "I was keeping track of how badly you played."

Adrian chuckled softly, the sound controlled and calculated. He set the ball down with precision and took a step closer, his movements smooth and deliberate. "Observing, huh? That's one way to put it."