Broken Strings...

Chapter 11.

A/N:

Hey guys! We are really really really very sorry for such a huge delay. We got busy handling the situation in our respective lives. But we promise to update regularly from today.

And and and... We have a new member, Richa Das. A highly talented person whose words actually do miracles. We hope you will love our combined work.

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Aakriti's gift became my favorite farewell gift before leaving for Delhi, though we weren't in touch with each other but she remained one of my most loyal friend, all these years. That day, Aakriti and I discourse about all those childhood memories we shared together. We after, a really long time, giggled until we felt the aching stomach. The distance that grew between us in these years somehow seemed to be bridged. We laughed our hearts out that day. And now it was her time to leave. We promised that we will stay in touch. And then she wished me luck and left. For few days it was a routine of people visiting my house with gifts to bid me goodbye.

In the final days in the Jammu, Radhu and I wanted to cherish all the memories we had with this place and take it with us in the beginning of our new lives. We went to each food corner where we once had mouthwatering delicacies, to all those parks were we used to sit and gossip after school hours, watched DDLJ together again for a 5 times on a go.

The next day, I came at the backyard of our school to meet Radhu. I saw Radhika coming there with all of her alluring winsomeness. She smiled like a star on the darkest night. I wanted to talk to her; I wanted to tell her that we are destined to meet and destined to live together. But I was still afraid. I was gawky and she was gorgeous and I was hopelessly boring and she was endlessly fascinating.

"Let's sit. I want to cherish our good old memories that we left with us here." She said.

I was bewildered at first but then I sat up with her on the stairs leading to the basketball court where we used to play every day before the school assembly. She kept looking at me with eyes filled with glitter.

"Here, we've spent our childhood together Adi." She said as I smiled right at her. Her hair danced to the inaudible music.

"Here, on these stairs, we had so much fun, gossiping about random things every time it was a recess." Radhika said.

"You still owe me millions for every time I bought you a Kaladi Kulcha."

"Achaa ji? (Really?) And who saved your ass when you were getting bullied by that Neelesh ?"

"We should only remember good times and that was not at all one of them." I frowned as she laughed loudly till I had to make her stop laughing from the fear that she would lose her breath.

"I'm so glad to find you, my best friend, in these walls, in these stairs and in this basketball court." She said looking to my eyes.

I kept staring at her, her beautiful face, attractive neck line, pleasing bosom. Staring at her was a passion.

Silence fell between us. This was a common occurrence whenever we were alone. When you are comfortable with someone, you don't need to always fill the void with noise. I liked it when we would just be, just be quiet inspector.

'Khaamoshi se sirf dooriyaan nahi badti, Beintehaan Mohabbat bhi ho sakti hai.'
('Silence does not always increase distance, it can also lead to intense love')

"Another match between you and me?" I asked her signaling right at the basketball court. "The first one to score three baskets wins."

"You'll lose like always." She accepted the challenge with a smirk.

"Oh, we'll see."

We both came in the middle of the court, looked straight into each other's eyes. I loved my eyes that they could see her in the beautiful sun light. I loved the breeze that touched me because it gave me the feel of her freshness. I loved the winter because even sun light felt wonderful.

I threw the ball up in the sky but Radhika being wicked as she was jumped out of the blue to grab it before it could reach my hand. She did a ball fake to defend the ball from me and I fell on the ground. She dribbled the ball and threw the ball in her basket.

She mocked me with a thumbs down. I stood up and opened my jacket to get release of myself and my arms.

"Finally, there is some bulk in those arms and biceps." She laughed.

We were at the centric circle again and this time, I took the ball first and scored a basket on my ball side.

Clouds had covered the whole sky and suddenly, loud thunderstorms diverted our attention. I was able to feel the sound of each and every rain drop, just as I was able to perceive the sound of her each spoken and unspoken word. I could see the wet leaves shining when light fall on them and it was creating an imagination as if millions of gold drops are dancing on the tune of love.

It was one-one now and I had the ball again. She came in front of me to get a hold at the ball but I did a banana cut to get rid of her and I threw the ball in the basket again.

"I told you to quit basketball." I imitated her.

Radhika smiled and got rid of her jacket. Her figure was looking godly in a black top. She looked straight into my eyes and I was lost in her eyes. That little zing that went through me when she looked up with those big jet black eyes. I didn't get to know when she pulled away the ball from me.

While dribbling the ball, she tried to get away to her ball side but I ran to block her way. She turned her back towards me so that my hands couldn't reach the ball. Her back touched my chest and her wet hair were coming on my face.

My bare hands and arms were touching the soft and wet skin on her arms as I tried to get the ball. She whisked quickly to the basket and I was unable to catch her. Radhika scored one ball again and now the score was two even.

Something was magical about that game in the rain, something beyond the words of the biggest and experienced of poets.

"Nooooo!" Radhika shouted in disappointment as she saw me going for the winning basket on my ball side. I could sense her blighted hope from her voice. I decided to lose on purpose just like every time, just to see that smile on Radhu's face. The face for which I could give away anything in the world. I pretended as if I failed to put the ball in the basket.

Radhika caught the ball quickly and dribbled it all the way to her ball side. She dazzled in the happiness of her win, like always. I stood there bent at my knees as my breaths were quite heavy.

When I stood up straight , I saw Radhu coming towards me in midst of the falling shimmering drops. She came closer and closer to the point we were an inch apart from getting our bodies touched. Her frequent heavy warm breaths were meeting straight to my face like in a way that rainbow errands sky with a harmonizing beauty.

"I said before you will be the looser again" She mocked me.

So, as I was saying inspector, with every passing day we had that feeling that we are soon going to leave this place and so we started reminiscence all those memories and breathe the air of Jammu a little more...