I anxiously waited for the team to come out of the locker rooms, holding a small container in my hands. The match is about to start and the team isn't even ready yet! What are they doing in there?!
The doors finally opened and I saw the boys come out talking and laughing. I kept an eye out for his familiar face, but couldn't find it anywhere. The last person to walk out was Varun. Running up to him, I asked, "Where is Vihaan?"
He pointed back at the locker rooms and worry came over me. Is he okay? What is taking so long? Is he having second thoughts about this?
"Thanks, Varun," I replied, before he walked off. Not paying attention to what was in front of me, I turned. But instead of walking forward, I suddenly collided with something - no someone - and felt two hands enveloping me to catch me from falling. I was pressed against him, his strong cologne reaching my nose. Vihaan. Looking up, I met his surprised but joyous eyes.
"Jiya?" he said my name questioningly.
Quickly seperating myself, I took in his figure, making sure he was okay. His jersey, cleats, shin guards, everything was in place. "What took you so long?! I thought...I don't know what I even thought!"
"Calm down," he said, a smirk on his face. "I was just tying my shoelace. Double knot. One of them had come loose. That's all." He tried to hide his grin, humored by my worry.
"You think this is funny?!" I asked, playfully slapping his arm.
He chuckled and his eyes landed on the small container in my hand. Raising his eyebrows, he inquired about the box instead. "What's that?"
"Oh! I almost forgot." Slowly opening it, I held out a small piece of a laddu. "Prasad. I went to the mandir before coming here. For your victory. Here, open your mouth."
"Mandir?! It's just a match, Jiya. Sheesh, I am not going to the border to fight! And do you not trust my skills to perform well, that you went to the mandir?"
My eyes widened at his comment. "How can you even say that? It's nothing like that. It's good luck to have God's offering before a big day."
"So you think I need luck?" I squinted.
"Just because you are THE VIHAAN KHATRI doesn't mean you do not need the blessings of Bhagwan. Hard work plus prayers equals success!"
"But-"
"Have the prasad," I countered, adamant.
He sighed, opening his mouth in defeat and I fed him the laddu. "Now go and play." I smiled reassuringly as he returned the emotion.
Vihaan
The scoreboard was at 3-3; it was our ball, with time just under a minute. Just one point was required to take the lead. One to win.
With the other 10 players spread across the field, I watched the ball cautiously as it went from Varun to another teammate and back to Varun. Time was draining faster as I glanced back at the scoreboard.
"Where did the old Vihaan go?!" I heard a holler from the bleachers to my left.
I smirked in response. He was on a short break. But now he's back, better than ever. And so I sprinted to set up a rapid play. I quickly signaled a secret symbol to Varun, who was half way down the field. "It's risk time, Raichand!" I shouted, and he nodded in return, passing the ball to me from a great distance. Not wasting a second in hesitation, I drove it closer to the net, target directed. Right at position, I took the ultimate decision. Taking the chance, I launched it -- just in time to hear the swish of the ball hitting the net, the groan of failure from the goalie, and the buzz from the scoreboard.
The crowd rose in excitement as the commentator gave the winning words. "And Khatri ends it in his victorious style like the good old days! Seems like he has returned! A legend has returned to the field everyone!! We can expect many more wins from this team!" The crowd cheered and roared in victory.
Vaguely responding with a few thank you's to the teammates, my eyes were more focused on scanning the bleachers.
"Killed it, Vihaan," Varun approached, handing me a water bottle.
"Couldn't do it without you, jerk!" I grinned, received a thwack in the head in return.
"Second row, on your right."
"Huh what?"
"That's where she is," he winked, before going off. Yeah, he'll spot her nicely. No wonder his attention sucks while playing. I rolled my eyes, resisting the urge to chuck the water bottle at him.
But before my eyes could reach the second row, two familiar figures walking up to me stole my attention.
"You did, um, good today Vihaan. Certainly an improvement from the last game. Happy to see you playing like before."
Dad!?
I noticed Vicky trailing around a few feet away, probably to make sure I don't cause a scene.
What are you and Mummy doing here? But another question came out instead. "How do you know how I did in the last game?" The coldness in my tone was harsh.
"W-we have been coming to all of your games, just leaving quickly so you don't notice."
What was I supposed to say to this? I forgive you? But yet, in a way, something inside of me warmed up. The hole of loneliness filled up.
"Then what caused you today? You know, to talk to me?"
Mummy took the lead this time, holding back her tears. "This girl, Jiya was her name. I think she's a good friend of yours. She stopped us before we left, asking us, how long we would watch our son from far away."
I should have expected Jiya would do something like this. I'm not angry, but I'm not happy either.
"She said, nothing would change if nobody did anything."
It was hard to admit, but Jiya was right. God knows how long I would have stayed apart from my family like this, if someone didn't confront the other. "Would you be willing to come back--"
"I did take an emotional act that day. But I wasn't completely wrong. Maybe if we all talked about it gently, things would have gone differently."
They stayed silent, nodding their heads in agreement.
"But everything that's going on in my life now is keeping me more happy. I feel like I finally have a direction - a goal - in life."
I smiled thinking of the one person who caused this change. "I need a bit more time to forget everything that happened before."
And then I did the unthinkable. Striding forward, I embraced them both, longing to erase the distance we've been put through. "Just wait for me a bit longer, I promise."
My eyes caught onto a familiar sight, a short of a distance away. I smiled at her, thanking her silently. She nodded with a smile equally as bright.
🌱
Many revivals for Vihaan in this one...😌
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