ICT Imagines 2✅

Christmas Tree

Rohit's eyes gleamed as he stared at the huge Christmas tree in front of him.

As an 8 year old, Christmas always fascinated him. The lights, the laugh, the joy, the gifts. Everything.

He wandered towards a brownie stall. His lips jutted in a pout as he realised he didn't have any money to buy those delicious looking delicacies.

The lady noticed his sad face and offered him a plate smiling warmly at him.
Rohit's eyes widened as he saw her placing the plate in his hand and ruffling his hair. "Merry Christmas"

After his stomach content, he watched the Santa Klaus laughing and disturbing gifts.
Rohit opened his gift and when he saw a new set of color pencils, he immediately decided.

He loved Christmas.

"ask him anything with a genuine heart and he shall give it to you." he heard someone mutter behind him as he stood in the backside of the church.

He closed his eyes as he repeated the words in his head in all sincerity.

'please let me play for my country one day'

..............

Rohit stood in front of the same church years later, smiling widely as he saw a folk of kids running behind each other.

Virat looked around in Aw.

"come I'll make you eat the best brownies of your life." Rohit excitingly held his arm and started dragging him along.

"we have a match..", started Virat in scolding.

"that's on 6th. Today's 25th and it's Christmas so shut up and come with me." Rohit grinned, still very much in a jolly mood.

Virat wanted to protest but he kept quiet when he realised this probably meant so much to Rohit.

"hello aunty." Rohit cheerfully greeted someone as he came at a halt.

"ah Rohit. I was waiting for you. The kids have been asking about their Rohit bhaiya." she chuckled in fondness as she forwarded the plate in front of him which he gratefully took.

"this is my best friend Virat." he introduced the two before  someone took him aside for a moment.

"you probably mean so much to him. He has never brought anyone here. This is like a secret spot for him. A happy memory that he will cherish for the rest of his life. He always makes sure to spent his Christmas here."she smiled before she left him alone.

Virat looked at Rohit still smiling wide glancing around.

He had confronted the boy on why he never partied on Christmas like the rest of the boys did and if he was involved in some illegal activities (he made sure to dramatically faint).

Rohit had rolled his eyes and after a lot of thrashing and whining Rohit finally decided to bring him along and Virat had never felt so proud that he was the first one Rohit had brought with him.

As he looked at the happy faces around, singing and dancing, a sudden realisation hit him.

His heart was at peace and content and booze didn't give him this kind of happiness.

"still want to keep up with the diet." Rohit teased as he tried stealing from his plate.

"go away. It's mine", grumbled Virat as he turned the other way.

"ask him anything with a genuine heart and he shall give it to you." Rohit muttered as he elbowed Virat to pray with him.

Virat, who wasn't much of a devotee still reluctantly joined his hands as he looked at Rohit who was already in deep concentration.

"please let this friendship last forever"

..........

"ask him anything with a genuine heart and he shall give it to you." both of them repeated and later burst out laughing.

Sammy joined her as Virat lifted her up. Rohit clasped Vamika's tiny hands together who leaned her head on his chest.

Rohit saw the flashbacks in his head from the first time he was here to bringing Virat, their wives and now their daughters.

He had asked for himself, his family, his team, for Virat, for Ritika and now finally their kids.

Rohit suddenly felt overwhelmed with how enormously things had changed in the last few years.

Vamika tapped his cheek to bring his attention back. He smiled at her as he repeated a new prayer in his head.

Please let his family be happy forever.

.............

Well as you can see, I had written this somewhere around Christmas but unfortunately it got delayed so bad and here we are...

I hope you liked it.
All the love.