Dil Jaanta Hai | ✔

seventy-three

||CHAPTER 73||
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T H R E E   M O N T H S   L A T E R

The shuttle cock soared higher than it did the last time, almost hitting the roof of the club house, before toppling on Karan's head. Rubbing his forehead, he bent down to pick up the shuttle cock before delivering another service gently.

On the other side of the court, Arnav's racket smashed the rubber end of the shuttle, the harsh hit whooshing the air around it. The hit was so hard and quick that the shuttle cock landed on his side of the net.

It was a foul. Arnav was never this aggressive. He reeked of frustration today. Which was uncanny, because the final exams ended today as well, and we had a two week break from school before twelfth grade could pester us.

"Dude," Karan called out, slowly making his way towards the net separating them. "School ka exam tha, Boards ka nahi. Uske upar English ka. They aren't going to fail you, out of all people. And waise bhi, it's not like ki tu bure marks kabhi laya hai."

Arnav stooped down slightly, placing his hands on his knees. His breath came out in small pants, sweat dripping slowly from the side of his forehead. "Aisi baat nahi hai."

"Oh please," he snorted. "Negi tujhe Arvika se tho zyada hi marks degi. Fir agar ghar pe bijli kadke bhi tho tujhpe tho nahi kadke gi."

Hearing his words, I aimed the yellow sponge smiley ball that I had been playing with at him. For some reason, this boy loved to poke fun at me. Sensing my action, he ducked. "Smiley wala ball? Ab tu Mikhael ke khilaune bhi churane lagi hai?"

Before either of us could react, Arnav threw his racket on the ground, shocking us both. He was anxious for some reason, had been for a few weeks now. His frustration had been rooted for months though.

I rose up from the laminated floor, watching him walk out of the club house angrily, wiping the sweat off his forehead with his red Reebok band.

"Isse hua kya hai?" Karan asked, confused. "Why is he acting like this?"

I shrugged, walking towards the net. "Pata nahi."

"Is it because your mother isn't coming tomorrow?"

I picked up the racket glumly. "Karan, we had been celebrating birthdays separately for seven years. Mumma saat saal se uske birthday mei nahi ayi hai."

"Kyuki tu apne Mom ke saath Mumbai mein rehti thi. Iss baar tho tu bhi yahi hai na."

"Then frustrate tho mujhe hona chahiye na?"

We couldn't pin point the main cause of Arnav's anger, because Arnav was rarely ever angry before. The good boy, the boy you could rely on, the boy who got good grades and no remarks regarding bad behaviour or tardy uniform. This was unusual.

"Chhod ussey," he said after a while, bending down under the white net to pick up the shuttle cock that had landed on Arnav's side. "Let's see tu kitne fouls score karti hai."