Fragile Hearts

C h a p t e r - 55

A Week Later:

On the sidelines, Riya, Sruthi, and Nisha were deeply engrossed in watching the match, each reacting in their own way.

Sruthi, nervous and anxious, was biting her nails, her eyes darting back and forth with every pass of the ball. Nisha sat beside her, crunching loudly on a bag of chips, blissfully unaware of the rising tension. Riya, on the other hand, was on the edge of her seat, her hands clenching and unclenching in anxiety, her teeth nibbling on the tip of her thumb.

Nisha: "Relax, Riya. It’s just a practice match."

Riya shot her a look, but didn’t respond. Her eyes remained glued to the field.

The game was heating up. On the ground, Arun, as usual, was trying to distract Prakash with his antics, waving his arms and sticking his tongue out as Prakash lined up for a goal.

Arun: "Hey Prakash! Focus, pannu da! Is that sweat or tears on your face?"

Prakash glared at him, momentarily losing focus. The ball rolled away, and Arun seized the opportunity, kicking it out of bounds with a triumphant grin.

From the sidelines, Sruthi couldn’t hold back.

Sruthi: "Ivan irukaney... Ellarum serious ah vilayaduna, Ivan mattum fun pantu irukan..Varattum Iruku!!"

Her outburst made the others laugh, but Riya didn’t join in. She was still biting her nails, her anxiety escalating as Siddharth sprinted across the field to take possession of the ball.

Nisha: "Seriously, Riya. En di ipdi iruka? It’s not even the tournament yet."

Riya exhaled sharply, shaking her head.

Riya: "Unnaku sonna puriyadhu di. Aniku sports day la nadandha prechanaiku aprm, Siddharth indha vaati tournament ku epdi achu select aganumnu vilayaditu irukan. Kandippa yaro oruthar select aga poranga!! Adhu avana irukanum nu na venditu iruken..."

Her voice trailed off, but the worry in her tone was clear.

Nisha: "Got it. Ipove Unnoda aalukaga ivlo yosikura... Pahh enna love uh da!!"

Riya blushed slightly but didn’t deny it. She quickly turned her attention back to the field, where Siddharth was making a daring move, dodging two defenders and shooting the ball toward the goal.

Riya: "Come on, Siddhu, you’ve got this."

But just as the ball was about to reach its target, Prakash came charging in. The collision that followed made everyone gasp – his foot slipped, and he fell hard onto the ground.

The coach blew his whistle, signaling for Siddharth to come off the field.

Coach: "Siddharth, step out! You’re injured!"

Siddharth quickly got to his feet, waving it off.

Siddharth: "I’m fine, sir. Ennala vilayada mudiyum. Chinna kaayam dhan!!"

Everyone exchanged worried glances, but Siddharth’s determination was unmistakable. He limped slightly but rejoined the game, pushing himself harder than ever. Every move showed his grit and passion.

Arun, always the mood-maker, clapped his hands dramatically.

Arun: "Alright, team! Ennaku therinju... Adikura veyil-ah prakash avan paarvaiya ezhandhutan nenaikuren. Paavam, innum konjam nerathula avanukum adi patra podhu!! Be careful, boyss!!"

Rahul: "Machan... Avanuku arivu dhan illanu nenachen. Aana kannu therilanu ipodhan puridhu..."

Laughter erupted, breaking the tension. Arun’s words were sarcastic, but the message was clear. His team stayed focused, making sure Prakash didn’t have an easy time.