His Obsession, Her Choice

The Basketball Court❤🏀

ABEER:

I wasn't willing to take music as a subject, but like everything, Aamna had persuaded me for that too.
"You won't need to learn anything or take music classes, I have marked a tick on the self practice option. You can go to the music lounge in your free time and practice piano if you wish", she gave me a whole explanation walking on the tough tiled pathway that would lead us to the library, games courts and the music lounge.
" Okay", I said raising my hands slightly in surrender.
"Aber?", someone behind us called my name and both of us turned around. Sahir smiled and started covering the distance between us. He was in a tracksuit, his shirt clinging to his body and tracing his muscles.
" How are you?", he asked.
"I am good", I replied.
" You.... in tracksuit? ", I asked to prevent an awkward silence.
" Yeah, I was going to practice basketball ", he said.
" So, are you free?", he asked running his fingers through his chestnut blonde hair distractedly.
"Actually I was going for...", my sentence was incomplete yet when Aamna elbowed me so hard that it actually hurt.
" Absolutely. She is absolutely free", she said forcing a smile on her lips.
"So maybe you can come and watch me play?", he said a little hesitantly.
" Yeah, you should go and watch Sahir play. He is amazing", Aamna said leaving no space for me to refuse.
I nodded my head and although I wanted Aamna to come too, she refused saying that she had a class which I knew she hadn't.
For a few moments, we walked in silence but then he broke it.
"So, are you interested in games?", he asked.
" Hmm. But just till the level of watching", I said looking at him for just a second.
"Maybe you should play too. You have a good height", he said as we entered the court.
I remained silent and walked to one of the seats in the front row of the sitting area that was an oval ascending curve that enclosed the court.
He placed his kit bag beside me and picking up a ball from the rack went down. He dribbled it on the court floor and ran towards the basket. With the most perfect layup that I had ever seen, he did a basket.
After that the whole team started playing and it was actually quite interesting. Aamna was right. He was amazing.
"Abeer?", he called out my name loudly.
"Would you put water in my bottle that has powdered drink in it?", he asked.
I nodded my head and started looking for the bottle in his bag, as they continued to play. I scanned the court for the water dispenser and soon found it placed at the edge of the play area.
After filling the bottle, just when I was capping it back, 'he' came and stood behind me.
" You? In basketball court?", he asked.
I gritted my teeth but remained silent. I was just thinking that I hadn't encountered him in the previous few days. Actually, I had seen him but I always changed my path before he could see me. I had to admit, that he made me afraid and now he was here, right before me.
"Wanna watch me play?", he asked sarcastically.
" No", I said sternly raising my eyes from the floor but just then, he took a step forward, invading my personal space and enveloped me in a hug so quickly that the gesture was a blur.
The basketball hit his shoulder and bounced back but he kept his body as a shield against mine.

ASAD:

I was late for my practice today but it didn't matter much because as long as Sahir was in there, he would keep the players running. After entering the court, before I could start playing, I noticed a girl near the water dispenser and although I could not see the face, I knew it was her.
I hadn't seen her in the previous few days, but now that I had found her, I decided to go to her first.
It actually was strange to find her in the basketball court because she really did not look like the person interested in sports and the way she looked at me, I knew I had surprised her but before I could say much to bring that emotion on her face that I liked, it happened.
Stephen missed the pass given to him at the edge of the court and the ball came straight towards her. Unconsciously and uncontrollably, I shielded her body with my own, pulling her towards me and enveloping her fragile presence with my tougher one.
For a moment, it was like everything fell silent but then she almost pushed me away. She still looked shocked and stood folding her arms tightly around herself.
"Abeer are you alright?", Sahir who had come running towards us, no not us, her, asked panting.
" Oh, so you are here for your boyfriend ", I don't know why the words came spilling out before even she could utter a word.
Sahir stepped close to her and placed his hand around on her shoulder.
" Thank you for the help Asad but there's nothing like that ", he said.
" I can see that", I looked at his hand that rested on her shoulder possessively as my fingers curled into my palms. The bitterness in my tone wasn't hidden but just then I turned around to walk out of the court.