Radha ki leela

From Dusk Till Dawn

Radha woke up feeling a sense of unease lingering in the air like a heavy fog. Despite her reluctance, she dragged herself out of bed, a weary sigh escaping her lips as she contemplated the day ahead. After a quick clean-up and a meager breakfast of leftovers, she reluctantly made her way to college, her footsteps heavy with the weight of impending monotony. Today was not a day she looked forward to; she would much rather have bunked her classes and spent the day lost in the pages of a good book.

As she trudged towards her first class, Radha's thoughts were interrupted by the familiar voice of Prem, a fellow student who had sought her help the day before. Despite her own weariness, Radha had stayed back to tutor him, a decision she now questioned in the cold light of morning.

"Thank you for your help yesterday, Radha. I thought you might have been tired because of your fast, but you still tutored me," Prem's voice cut through her reverie, pulling her back to the present moment.

Radha glanced up, her expression guarded as she responded, "Oh, that's alright." She kept her gaze averted, unable to meet his eyes, her demeanor distant and detached.

Prem's smile faltered slightly at her response, but he chose not to dwell on it, offering a friendly nod before making his way to his own class.

Left alone once more, Radha heaved a weary sigh, her shoulders slumping with the weight of her own thoughts. She had no desire to be here, no interest in the day that lay ahead.

Namita's arrival brought with it a fleeting sense of distraction, her bubbly energy a stark contrast to Radha's own somber mood. But even her presence couldn't shake Radha from the melancholy that had settled over her like a heavy shroud.

"Why didn't you tag along with me, Radha?" Namita's voice was laced with concern as she slid into the seat beside her friend, her brow furrowed with worry.

Radha offered a half-hearted shrug, her attention already drifting back to the empty pages of her notebook. "Not feeling up to it," she mumbled, her voice barely audible above the din of the crowded cafeteria.

Namita frowned, her concern deepening at Radha's lackluster response. "Okay, Anu, there are two things you have to notice," she began, her tone serious despite the playful twinkle in her eyes.

Radha glanced up, a faint spark of curiosity igniting within her tired gaze. "Hmm?" she murmured, her interest piqued despite herself.

"Firstly, I have done makeup and I wore my best outfit today to impress you," Namita declared proudly, her smile widening as she awaited Radha's reaction.

Radha blinked in confusion, her brow furrowing as she struggled to comprehend her friend's words. "Yeah, I did notice," she replied slowly, her voice tinged with uncertainty.

Namita's grin faltered slightly at Radha's lackluster response, but she soldiered on, undeterred by her friend's apparent disinterest. "And secondly," she continued, leaning in closer with a mischievous gleam in her eye, "the sports captain is looking at you."

Radha's gaze darted around the crowded cafeteria, searching for any sign of the elusive sports captain. "Creepy, but okay," she muttered under her breath, her lips quirking up in a wry smile as she caught sight of a group of boys across the room.

Namita nudged her playfully, a knowing smirk playing at the corners of her lips. "Don't," she warned, her voice tinged with amusement as she watched Radha's futile attempts to locate the mysterious sports captain.

"Okay, fine. It's not like I care," Radha declared, her tone dismissive as she turned her attention back to her friend.

But even as she spoke the words, Radha couldn't shake the nagging sense of curiosity that gnawed at the edges of her mind. Who was this mysterious sports captain, and why did Namita seem so intent on drawing her attention to him?