c h a p t e r : 35
Ishaan knew what waiting felt like. He knew how it feels like to wait for your test papers after the periodic test, palpitating heart, short breaths, wringing fingers, and with a prayer in mind that he gets what he had put effort for. He was familiar with feeling but not immune to it.
Today he realized that he had always found Ahana already playing basketball when he had arrived so he didn't know what waiting for someone felt like, but then it's all about experiences so he continued with his playing.
He dribbled some more while thinking about the single text he had received in the evening 'Sure', she had written but she didn't send any emoticon with it which she always did. 'Was she still stressed?', he thought to himself just then a small 'hey' brought him out of his internal debate.
He looked up meeting her dark-brown eyes but turned them at the tree behind her when he couldn't maintain eye contact.
"H-Hey", he stammered a little which was normal but...he felt something.
He could hear his heartbeat which was not at its normal rate and unexpectedly he was conscious of himself and nervous too, for a different reason he didn't know himself.
"Let's play, shall we?", Ahana asked, with her hyper-aware self and Ishaan nodded.
After some dribbling, shooting practices, and playing against each other, they found themselves resting on the bench beside the court, catching their running breaths.
"I...got your chocolate. You didn't have to do that", Ishaan muttered.
"Acha (Okay) then why did you put the Gems packet under my desk?", Ahana turned towards Ishaan looking square in his amber eyes.
"I-I wanted to."
"So did I", Ahana shrugged.
" You could have told me that day."
Ishaan was silent for some moments, he should have told her but couldn't find himself. Suddenly a hand landed on his shoulders, and as if it was hot water on a slab of ice, his worries liquified and comfort washed over him.
Ahana's patted him on his shoulders involuntarily, "It's okay".
They sat in silence, this was normal for them. The sense of tranquility with the comforting presence of someone trustworthy and no urgency to speak since the words are not required while the world around move around at its own pace feels calming.
"You do poetry huh?", Ahana asked remembering the verse on the last page of his notebook.
Ishaan was startled but a small part of him was hoping that she might have read his poems on the website he usually posts his poems on but the other modest part of him was a little nervous.
"How...How do you know?", he asked.
And now the nervous one was Ahana, she didn't want to offend him but she answered nonetheless, "I-I saw your poem on your notebooks. They were nice".
"Thank you"
"Why don't you post them on Pictagram? Who knows maybe one day you will publish a book of your own", Ahana suggested.
"Maybe ... I will think about it", Ishaan answered.
"Just ask me if you need help with something", Ahana assured and Ishaan nodded.
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oooh they are progressing