Tere Liye | ✔

Chapter Thirteen - The Match

Disclaimer: Unfortunately I don't know anything about basketball. Whatever is written in this chapter is from what I've seen and read on the internet. In case it's inaccurate, please take it as fiction. :)

______________________

Arnav stood in the basketball court looking at the scene in front of him with wide eyes and open mouth. Shock was written all over his face as he looked at his wife, or should he say, the professional basketball player?

What the actual hell?

He watched with dropped jaw at how Khushi bounced the ball, constantly switching back and forth between her left and right hand. She drove the ball, dodging Akash and NK who tried to corner her and shoot it through the loop rather effortlessly.

He could hear the loud cheers of his Di and Nani who sat on the bench which overpowered the whines and groans of his brothers and little Aarav. 

"Bhai, what is happening here? Yesterday you spoke as if the boys will surely win and now look, your wife is defeating you without even stressing herself. Seriously Bhai, why did you have to challenge her in something she was clearly better in it than you?"

Akash was on a roll as he started shooting his panic-struck questions on Arnav. NK, Manohar and Aarav were all standing next to him - two biting their nails in stress while the other shooting daggers on Khushi, as both the teams took a small break.

"Shut up, Akash." Arnav grimaced. "Unless you want to continue playing with a broken nose."

He threatened and his threat only made Akash more stressed out, who knew his brother really had no idea on how to win. He sighed inwardly, praising the lord for at least giving him a compassionate enough wife who wouldn't make him sleep on the ground. 

He shuddered on the behalf of his father, who surely was going to face hell after this match. 

"Nanav you-are you serious? First you brought us into this mess and then you get to shout on us as well? That's not fair, I didn't even agree to be here!" NK whined, testing the limited patience of his Nannav.

"Jiji, someone confidently said they are going to win but now look, they are so hopeless that they have started fighting with each other itself! Tsk tsk tsk, poor guys! But what to do, this is exactly what happens when you throw a challenge in over-confidence." Khushi said to Payal, or rather taunted those who were watching her as she sat with her team whose shoulders were shaking in a silent laughter.

Sheetal rolled her eyes and sat there without uttering a single word. For the umpteen time, she was treated as an invisible person as all the girls kept on praising Khushi and she preferred to stay quiet to keep her anger inside of her itself.

Arnav blew out a breath of exasperation and threw a deadly glare on Khushi, which in turn made her smile sardonically at him.

"Akash, Nanav, Mamaji, take my advice and get habituated to these taunts. After their victory, all of this will come in whole sale!" NK said. He shook his head in self-pity and mentally prayed for his Khushiji to show some mercy on him.

"Not just taunts bitwa. Don't know what else Manorama will do." Manohar mumbled, his shoulders already slumping in defeat.

"Nothing of this sort will happen." Arnav stressed on his words and averted his eyes from Khushi and onto his team members. 

"I have a plan."

___________________

The game started again and both the teams took their places. The girls' team was the offense while the boys' team was the defense.