A new bloom

In the game period he was playing his best cricket and she was madly watching it. And no other girl except her was there. So she caught the boys attention.

A figure with messy hair and covered with sweat came running to her and said " Hi ". It was Tarun. He was panting. She stopped breathing.

For three years of studying together from standard 6th, Tanvi never heard Tarun initiating conversations with girls. So she also never started. So, it was the first Hi.

Tarun calmed his breath but Tanvi's heart started pounding. However she managed to not let it come on her face. She surprisingly said " Hello". Tarun checked her top to bottom and asked, "Do you like cricket?". Tanvi half offended but proudly answered, " Yes, who doesn't?". Tarun scoffed, " Typical girls" he stated. Now Tanvi was fully offended, she knew what he meant but she's just a girl. " What do you mean?" Tanvi demanded. " You are not a girl.", he said mockingly and moved to resume his game. Tanvi shouted," Girls also know cricket,love cricket and play cricket." Everyone on the playground gave her looks.

Tarun replied from afar, " What about a match tomorrow?" Tanvi excitedly said, " Don't lose hope about winning." After this little challenge they resumed their job.

Saraswati urf Saru, Tanvi's best friend and neighbour who was playing badminton heard all this and came running to Tanvi. " Hey, what did I hear?" She said trying to breathe. " The ears ain't mine" Tanvi said sarcastically. " Bro! I heard Tarun challenged you for a match." She said with a serious shocked face. Tanvi bit her lips innocently and said, " Ye..ah."

" Are you crazy? Do you not know how aggressive and brilliant cricketer Tarun Trivedi is." Saraswati was shouting now. And caught other students attention. "Shh..." Tanvi said taking her best friend to a corner. "Of course I know, but he challenged me first. He questioned my cricket knowledge!!!! Can you imagine?" Tanvi complained to her best friend.

"So I couldn't let it slide." She said with an innocent face. " Okay okay just don't screw it tomorrow." Saraswati said encouraging her best friend while patting her shoulder.

Tanvi had a habit of thinking about what happened in the day and analysing herself before sleeping.

She remembered her conversation with Tarun, she excitedly accepted his ridiculous challenge but she had zero experience of cricket in real life. All she knew about cricket was watching it. On top of that she had only one team member- herself. But thought of Tarun starting the conversation turned her cheeks apple 🍎.

Sun comes up and a new day. And Tanvi remembers about the match which might end even before starting.

The morning bell rings and they are seated in the classroom. Tanvi and Tarun both are back benchers. Tarun was a backbencher because he wanted to be but Tanvi was a backbencher because she didn't want any unnecessary attention. Tarun speaks up ( again!!!),"So, are you ready for the match?" Tanvi hesitantly says, " Ye...Yes" as her last day's courage has run off. And suddenly Tanvi stands up and says in a single breath, " I am sorry I should not have agreed for a match . In my team there is no one other than me who can play", even though I don't know how to play.

" So cancel the match." She said regretting.

Tarun looks at her as if he knew it beforehand and laughs. Tanvi watched him being confused.

"Who said ' Don't lose hope about winning '?"

He says mocking Tanvi. Tanvi says, " Only if I had a team, you have no chance of winning." Not letting Tarun demean her. " Alright, what about a 1-1 match? I will ball you one over if you score more than two runs, and you ball me and I score less than 15 runs you win." Tarun says not letting Tanvi get what she wanted." We should play accordingly, toss, inning 1 and inning 2. The difference would be innings of one over and teams are of one player. " Tanvi stated confidently." Why do you want to lose too much?" Tarun asks with a smirk. Before Tanvi could counter him teacher enters the classroom.

In the game period they met on the playground as decided. Tarun comes to Tanvi never leaving his daring look. " So let's get started "."Ye..ah, su..ure". Tanvi says hesitantly. Just like coins go up Tanvi's heart rate as well. Tanvi calls it "Tail". It's head ! ' I am losing it for sure'. She thinks in her head. Tarun chose to ball first. Tanvi gets ready to bat but she doesn't know how to hold a bat practically. Because all she knows about cricket is watching it. However, she remembers her inspiration and there comes Tarun's bowling attack. Even though he usually bats he can ball a newbie like Tanvi. Here comes the first ball, a good length ball. Tanvi couldn't even touch it. Another one is a short ball. It was more like a bouncer to her. So no run again. Here the third ball is a slower one. Tarun wasn't enjoying beating Tanvi anymore. She understood the ball and had time so she hit it with all her might. " Four!!" Saraswati cheers for her best friend from the audience. Everyone in the class was aware of this challenge so all boys and girls came there even though girls had no interest in cricket but they wanted gossip. No body else clapped for her besides her only friend and her opponent.

Tarun didn't waste another second and dropped the fourth ball. The stumps fell and bowled. A loud cheer came for Tarun. Tanvi dropped the bat and moved towards the ball. Tarun also got ready for his awaiting turn. Tanvi only thinks about bowling into the stumps. Because she loves it when stumps from the front team fall. She uses all her speed and aims into the stumps. A Yorker! It's her first time to ball that too a Yorker. She was shocked. Tarun was mesmerized. Another one and Tarun is bowled. On the second ball? Without making a single run? How the hell this could happen!!! Tanvi was surprised by her bowling and Tarun was impressed. " Yeah, you win. And girls also know,love and play cricket." He stated with acceptance. But Tanvi couldn't accept it. " Better" Tanvi marked in pride without appearing to be surprised herself. " See you, I got to go". Tarun said looking towards the boys. "Yeah, sure you need to hide your face". Tanvi says to make fun of him.

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