Us │✔

13│For The First Time In Forever

Jivika~

"Its already August! When are they gonna put up the first term exam's schedule?!"

"Its already August! What have we done in the past few months?!"

Two best friends, such contradicting perspectives.  One glance at Kiara and I could tell that she was thinking the same thing. Sighing, I eyed the green covered Social Science notes book which lay on my desk.

"Guys, lets plan our after boards celebration! Okay, so movie at the theater is must. And you both were saying something about an IPL match? Lets pin that to the schedule as well! And oh! Yes, I'll take you people to that place which sells those mouth-watering mo—"

Before she could finish her rant, she was rudely cut off by a third person.

"We are not able to handle these school exams, and you want to start planning your after-boards celebration?!" yelled Shreyansh from the other end, the book slipping out of his hand at the thought of that atrocious idea.

Diverting my attention from Napoleon's ridiculous codes, I take a look around.

Lavanya's whining. Kiara, Rhea and Amaya's howling. Laysa and Maahi, cramming up at the last moment for those board tests. Amaan and Shreyansh arguing.

What are they arguing about?

"CSK is way better than MI" stated Amaan.

"Keep dreaming, it might actually come true, hah!" his opponent retorted.

"We have three, three IPL trophies!"

"We have four, beat that!"

"We have Dhoni, the 'DHONI'!"

"Are you forgetting our 'Hitman'?"

"Tahir, Jadeja, Harbhajan!"

"Bumrah! Enough to rattle down all of them single-handedly!"

"And DC is the best!" I concluded and went back to my book, had to support my home team, just had to.

The next I heard, was the screeching of three chairs around me.

Amaan, Shreyansh and Maahi, settled themselves around me, looking ready for a fight.

I gulped.

"Jivika, my child, who taught you this misconception?" asked Maahi.

"Uh ... okay ... DC is not the best," I said hoping they would leave me alone. I value my life more than my loyalty to my home team. Definitely.

"For the first, and the last time. Which is the best team?" shouted Shreyansh, shooting the question towards the whole class.

"RCB!"

I glanced at the person who dared to say that. The brave soul who supported the team of the Indian captain. Prajakta, of course. No wonder.

Bechari.
[Poor girl.]

"Why? Maybe even that team could have a luck this time, right? Like for the first time in forever?"

Laysa, Laysa, Laysa. Such an innocent question. And its better that she does not get to know the blunder behind that question of hers. Ignorance is bliss, they say.

As Maahi and Shreyansh went on to grill on their next victims, I went back to Garibaldi. Giusepe, just kill me already will you? It would have been so much easier if those black pools were not burning holes into my head.

Shrugging, I asked him what, without asking. If you know what I mean.

He shrugged twice as a reply. Of course, his policy, 'two can play a game'. Well, I give up.

"Why the stare man?" I asked, my eyebrows shooting up.

"No, just remembered someone ... I guess!"

"Who?" I asked. Curious, I was very curious.

"That lady next to your house, that ninety year old!"

Seething, I slapped his shoulder. A hard blow. He deserved it!

He laughed. And kept laughing.

That sight of him, made my lips muster something of a smile. And I stopped before it could form a full smile.

I looked.

He looked.

We looked away.

And we looked back again.

~

Glosarry:

IPL: Indian Premier League. Professional cricket league played in India. Perhaps the most dramatic reality show *oops* sport.

Teams mentioned in the chapter:

* CSK: Chennai super Kings. Team led by captain M. S. Dhoni. Jadeja, Harbhajan and Tahir, few of the team members.

* MI: Mumbai Indians. Team led by Rohit Sharma who is popularly know as 'Hitman' for the infamous sixes shot by his willow. Bumrah, a bowler in the team.

A match between CSK and MI is the classical definition of an Indian's El Clásico.

* DC: Delhi Capitals.

* RCB: Royal Challengers Bangalore.