When a truth-and-dare question turns Chavi's life upside down and pushes her toward the only person whom she had pulled with herself, Garvit, in the turmoil.
dive in for some sour and sweet banters and most of all, teenage romance!
💌
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
Words. mere words, hold so much power. It always confounded Garvit how words make you who you are and they hold the power to break you into pieces as well.
Garvit put the headphones on his ears back and walked on the misty grass of the Green park as the morning sunlight kissed the dew drops, it was a beautiful morning, he finally got to spend it with himself without any worries of future matches, there were none for the time being.
He missed volleyball practises but he had started a liking towards his class recently, he enjoyed sitting in class and if time allowed he would talk to Jay and Ashok, about volleyball or their shared interest on racing cars, and even with Chavi once in a while, it was something new but at the same time something he was getting used to.
He looked away from the rising sun, peeking in midst of the tall eucalyptus trees lining the boundary of their neighborhood, it acted as if to shield them away from the busy city away from the perimeter, damp grass pressed against his feet felt cold but refreshing. He didn't realise how long he had been standing and staring at the same spot on the large patch of grass.
A shrill of the cuckoo resonated in the distance and he heard another pair of footsteps on the grass and finally turned his attention towards the figure who had joined, to say Good morning. It was very common in their neighborhood to greet people you met, anywhere and overlooking the fact whether you know them or not.
"Good Morning", he greeted politely and tried to move away from the spot, to avoid any interaction, unnoticeably but when he looked up and a familiar face smiled at him, he stopped. He knew this person or to be person, he remembered him.
The lanky but slightly crouched figure of the old man demanded attention, the graying hair and the balding spot gave you a peek of the years he has lived and one can't forget the uncanny resemblance to Chavi's dark eyes, Garvit had seen this figure many years ago, how can he forget.
Tainted memories tried to break free from its broken lock but Garvit shut his eyes and forced them close when the same voice spoke again.
"It's very early for young people like you to wake up or being out in the sun that matter", his calm voice remarked humourously and a small smile almost escaped Garvit's tight lips.
For some reason, Garvit knew that this calm figure with his demanding aura would understand when he chose his next words wisely and spoke, "Sometimes young people need to grow up quickly", a sad smile tugged at his lips.
They had been slowly moving around the patch of damp grass, relishing in the freshness beneath their feet as they spoke but listening to the young boy's words, the old man faltered in his steps and he looked at boy's face clearly.
"But mistakes at a young age is not considered one", so why is that you want to grow up? the old man wanted to ask but his remained shut and he tried to recollect the face that resembled his.
"Sometimes being young means carrying the burden of mistakes you haven't even committed", they both went silent after that, the sun had come a little higher and little by little people trickled inside the park.
"Have you ever fallen in love?", the words tumbled out of Gravit's lips so did the memories of his parents, it all came crashing down to him.
"That's something young people do, we oldies don't fall in love, we be in love, and never leave that place", the elderly voice mused, even though he was a little taken aback by such an upfront question, but he knew sometimes adolescents needed to be treated to be adults for them to knew, all those years of him being a councellor in comes handy once in a while.
"But people do fall out of love", Gravit countered softly, his eyes had started turning glassly and he mustered all the strength in him to not break down.
"Because sometimes love is not enough", the latter said as he settled on the wooden bench and rested his hands on his sides.
"Does that mean we shouldn't fall- I mean be in love at all?", an apprehension coated his words and made his heart heavy.
"Someone else's life choices shouldn't stop you from making yours. Just because it doesn't work out for m- someone, it wouldn't work out for you too", Garvit felt a hot burning feeling all over and the tears he had kept at bay tried to topple over the edges.
He suddenly got up from his seat beside the old man, "I am better off without love", and made a move to leave before his emotions took over but the old man's parting words resonated with him and then he was gone.
away with the morning wind
.
"it all depends on you"
The words left a bittersweet feeling in his heart, to think he had lived a life that had been based on his parent's life choices, and when he had a chance to make a choice, he almost didn't want to.
he was afraid
A speck of pink and blue caught his attention and he could recognise from the hair tied in his pink rubberband that it was Chavi jogging along the crepe myrtle trees lining the garden, some purples and pinks loosened and swayed in the light morning breeze.
The frown in between his brows smoothened and a small smile almost slipped away from his lips, he breathed a blow of air and jogged towards the familiar figure.
Chavi had her earods plugged to her air when she saw a figure and peripheral vision and the familar scent reached her nose and her heart beat rose up before their eyes met. She brought out her best irritated face as amusement danced in her eyes when she spoke, "Why do we cross paths all the time".
Garvit was taken aback but when she smiled after the statement, he replied nonchalantly, "cuzz maybe it's meant to be".
She opened her but closed it again and continued jogging when the figure beside her spoke again, "You know I met your grandpa".
Chavi's steps faltered and her heart sped up for a different reason and she looked at Garvit, which he took as a sign a continued, "We had a nice little chat, he was talk-".
"So what?", she snapped and Garvit's smile slipped away from his lips as he stared at her.
"Can we not talk about family, please", and then without waiting for a reply, she sped past him.
Garvit stood there and realised that he had never seen this expression on her before, almost as if she was angry.
𖡼𖤣𖥧𖡼𓋼𖤣𖥧𓋼𓍊
Uh oh what do you think could be the reason and what are your thoughts on the whole chapter?
