A Lifetime Of Memories||Chapter3:Sometimes||Page13 - Page 9

Chapter 3:

'cmon rish! Don't be such a girl! Play like a man dude!', a voice echoed over the stadium as a guy with a basketball in his hand dodged through the crowd, in an attempt to make a basket.

'thats the way rish! Go Go Go!', the same voice chirped again, as rishi jumped high up in the air, and threw the ball into the hoop with a lasting cheer from the girl, sounding more like guy than a girl.

'cmon hams! Take it through the left... THE LEFT YOU IDIO-', she continued when one of the players handed her a shirt and said, 'I'm tired oshin! You go in now!'

And that was it, as soon as she hit the court, someone passed her the ball signalling her to run for it, as two of the budgers from the opposing team hurdled to snatch the ball.

She quickly ran through the gap, as she noticed the two burly guys, one was trying to snatch the ball from her, while the other one stood a little behind waiting to get a better shot at the ball. And that was when it hit her, she was being guarded from all sides.

Now was the time for extreme action, there was hardly any time left for the final buzzer, and both teams were at an equal pace, thought oshin, as she dribbled the ball half away across the court looking for a free man through the crowd of budgers guarding her.

It didn't take much time for her to realise, the whole team was boarded together at the corner, and so, it was a one woman game.

She shot through the crowd, faking passes, hitting the middle court, dodging the busters, when she finally caught up to the hoop circle.

Twenty, nineteen, eighteen, seventeen....., she counted waiting to be grabbed and swished out of sight. They would rush for it, it was too obvious, she thought as two of the budgers ran to her to grab the ball, and hit the hoop.

Almost there, a few more seconds, hurry up buddy, nine.. eight.. seven.. and shoot.

There he comes, she thought as she jumped up and shot the ball like a bullet fired out of a gun point. Swift, fast and smooth. And there! It was in!

And suddenly there was a huge uproar around her, as people rushed towards her and threw her high up into the air.

She slyly slid out of the grip of the audience and peeked in to see what was going on when she noticed rishi, her guy walking and flirting with a freaky bitch.

Glossy lips, sassy jacket, over-the-top shoes, messy hair, pretty face. She was the devils child herself closing in to ruin her perfect moment, thought oshin as she prepped into the conversation to find herself growing more and more irritated by this new girl.

'hey noor, meet my friend, oshin.', rishi began as he tried to get oshin into the conversation.

Friends? Is that all that he wanted of me? friendship? What a jerk, thought oshin, as she saw him eyeing the new girl with quiet some enthusiasm.

'by the way, im noor.'

'hey noor. Im rishis girlfriend, oshin.', oshin replied with a acid pop.

Rishi who hadn't missed the tone took off in search of a safer courtyard leaving the two girls to themselves.

'its nothing like what you think oshin! I have no problem with you and rishi.. you look great together! Really!', noor started, trying to mollify oshin.

'oh im sure you don't have any problems. And if you do, im sure you've heard of that saying, mind your business bitch!'

'excuse me!'

'excuse me? That is all you got bitch?'

'mind your tongue.'

'you mind your distance with my boyfriend.'

'that sounds like a challenge!'

'whatever suits you!'

'uh-hun! Let me tell you gurla! I can get your boyfriend to get to me any god damn it day. You are no match for me sweety. So bring it on babe, because I've never lost on a challenge.' noor retorted, with a sudden coolness washing over her.

'theres always a first time!'

'im sure there is! There has to be a first time, when you realise you aint worth him sweety.', noor retorted as she walked off leaving oshin huffing at the newest challenge in hand.

Challenge hun? How dare she? That freaky know-it-all acid princess! God how dare she even talk to rish. He is mine! Only mine! She has no right to even scather at his feet, and she had the audacity to come along and challenge me over rishi! Urgghh! Where the hell is toya when i need her desperately! God cant she just put off shopping for this insane emergency of her sister, twin, better half? Oh where the hell is she! , she thought when she suddenly heard a knock on her window.

'hams? What the hell are you doing here?'

'actually, i just came to say congrats.'

'OH WOW! THANKS SO MUCH HEMANT! NOW LEAVE!'

'whats wrong osh? Did i do something wrong?'

'oh well let me think! You climb up at my window using NOTHING at 10 in the night to say congrats, when toya should be here any moment. Nothing seems wrong to me!'

'i thought so!'

'HAMS!'

'oh all right! Sorry, just came to ask whether you wanna ride with me tomorrow?'

'hams! Let me remind you, we are not together anymore!'

'ya but i still like you.. and maybe even you..'

'no hams! Never!'

'oh okay fine! But maybe.. as friends you could ride with me?'

Oshin considered his words for a few seconds, hemant aka hams was a great guy. And they had had such a great relationship from 7^th to 10^th. And considering how much he cared for her, it was tough to say no to such a great offer. But noor... grrr... she wouldn't leave rishi alone if shin went with hemant! It would just be making it easy for her! No.. never!

'im sorry hams. I'll be riding with rish tomorrow. '

Oh damn! The puppy face again!

'Oh all right then! Its up to you. But im glad you considered. ', hemant replied.

'hams...'

'ill always love you osh. Sleep well.'

'good night. Hemant!'

'so its that formal now?'

'oh darn! Good night hams! go sleep! You need it! We have an early practice tomorrow! you have to be there in time for the practice.'

'okay.'

'hams?', arghhh hams, why do you always get your way, thought oshin as she called out to him.

'pick me up at 8. Sharp!', oshin said, nodding at his surprised face before closing the window shut.

Its worth all of it, just for that beautiful smile!, she thought when she heard another knock at the window.

'HAMS WILL YOU-... ',but it wasn't him. It was someone else.

'TOYA? WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING DANGLING THIS WAY?-- ALONE?'

'oh well! Its so late! I was so scared to come through the door, what if mom and dad are waiting for me with broom sticks? And anyways you know them! The first thing they'll ask would be- how much balance left in your account toya?'

'OUR ACCOUNT' ,she corrected automatically before she continued, 'so how much are we left with?'

'well...'

'shoot toya!'

'around thousand two hundred.'

'what happened to the THREE THOUSAND EIGHT HUNDRED BUCKS TOYA? DAD REFILLED OUR ACCOUNT JUST YESTERDAY!'

'Jesus Christ oshi! Could you help me in before i fall off!', toya retorted, quickly changing the subject.

'oh! Now you change the subject hun?', oshin replied spasticly as she pulled toya and her 12 shopping bags in.

'well...', toya began.

'toya you are in major crisis! Dad would know in a second what happened to the balance!'

'oh well... the damage is done! Right? Anyways cmon here oshi! Ill show you what i shopped!'

'oh toi! Spare me the horror!'

'but..-'

'oh well.. call idipie! She's the only one who can tolerate your shopping list!'

'awwwww okay!', toya replied, as she dialled idhas number.

'hey idipie!'

'hey toi! Where have you been? Ive been trying to get to you since 6 o clock!'

'why? What happened?'

'you remember that kid who you said was in class third?'

'ya! What about him?'

'well, hes in your class!'

'no way!'

'yes maam! And guess whats the hottest gossip over all this?'

'oh be quick idi! Or ill loose it!'

'he has a major crush on asma! Can you beat that?'

'oh my god!'

'seriously oh my god!'

'hot hot hot! Call asma! And get to my place in half an hour. We have some serious fun in the list!'

'you got THAT right babe. See you.'

'love you.'

'love you more toi'

***

'hey asma!'

'hey ids. Wassup?'

'alot of things asma!'

'start off then!'

'well to start off with, toi is having a sleepover at her place! She wants us there in half an hour. The rest of it you'll get to know there!'

'oh but ids. I have some important work to do'

'dont tell me its about your 'PENNY LESS HELP'!'

'yeah well!'

'oh cmon! You know ill help you tomorrow in whatever you have to do!'

'fine! Im convinced!'

'mission impossible completed!'

'funny!'

'anyways be there in half an hour!'

'whatever you say ids. Buh-bye.', asma fretted as she turned to pack, when she saw her dad standing in the doorway.

'dad!?!'

'hey kiddo! Watcha upto?

'nothing really! Idha just called, toya is having a sleepover. So shes asked me to come.'

'oh.'

'anything you wanna say dad?'

'yea asma! Well, day after tomorrow, your mom is coming to visit.'

'oh', it was her turn now.

'so ummm.. do clean up honey!'

'sure dad! I wont let you down! Promise!'

'you're a great kid asma! Love you', he said, as he gave her a small kiss on the forehead and left her to pack up, while asma sat there packing with a lot going on in her mind. One of them being penny less care.

It was her own little club, where she tried to counsel kids and help them to achieve their best. It wasn't easy to look at those faces and not cry. But what was important was helping them grow up, grow out of different things, move on! and thats exactly what she planned to do with rishika.

Noor

'you know noorie, when i was a little kid, i used to dream about fairies and princesses, but then when i woke up, i realised its not always rainbows and butterflies, there is so much of compromise! And someday you'll see, how much it helps!', maansi started their daily dose of night time talks.

'what helps?'

'the understanding, the strength. Once someone hurts you, you realise, it was for your own good. When someone hurts you, you'll be more strong and prepared for the next time.'

'theres no next time! Im not gonna allow a next time.'

'noorie, this is not why i got you here. I don't want you to hide! I want you to go out there and play. Don't isolate yourself honey! Its not what i want-'

'what do you want in the first place? Let me tell you mom if you want a goody goody know-everything girl then you made a wrong choice. Im nothing of what you want.'

'thats where you're wrong honey! You are everything i have ever wanted!'

'Because i am pretty?'

'no noorie. Its because i see myself in you. I see the girl i was once, in you. And i don't want you to be the second mrs maansi jain, no life, no love, widowed, sadist!', and that was it, maansi got up and left, leaving noor alone in her room.

Maybe the choice of words was a little... harsh, thought noor as she walked up to the window pane to look through and see if she could see any familiar stars. But there was nothing she saw apart from... a wierd doll sort of a girl, with 12 shopping bags, dangling from the window pane.

Wow amazing ways of getting to your room. I should try that someday!

***

Knock-Knock

'whos there?', a sleepy noor inferred.

'ummm excuse me? Could you please open up and put in your laundry.'

'MOM?', oh darn, why has she got such a great memory!

'no. Now its maansi.'

'oh darn. Im sorry.', noor replied as she put on her slippers before running out to maansi.

'look mom i was not in a very good mood yesterday!'

'and why would that be?'

'can you come in and sit?'

'if you promise to tell me the whole thing!'

'oh all right! Just get in!', noor replied, pulling maansi into her warm room.

'so im waiting.'

'oh.'

'OH? That is all you have got to say right now?'

'oh darn. You could wait for a minute!'

'oh.'

'okay, now i can see how you felt about the OH! So no more OHS!'

'uh-OH'

'MOM!'

'alright sorry. Now shoot.'

'okay. You know yesterday you asked me to go downstairs and everything.'

'oh great! I should've known!'

'let me finish mom!'

'alright alright sorry.'

'okay. There i met this guys called rishi.'

'hmmm... was he hot?'

'MOM!'

'alright! My lips are sealed!'

'okay. Now this guy seemed very sweet, he was nicely talking to me and everything, when his girlfriend came around.'

'he has a-'

'MOM'

'oops!'

'so this girlfriend of his namely, oshin, was one big loser! She thought i was trying to steal her boyfriend! And well i challenged her. And-'

'challenged her to what?'

'to... boyfriend stealing!'

'NOOO!'

'i know, its so NOT me! But the girl was so... IRRITATING... it was hard to control!'

'quiet understandable!'

'thank you!'

'okay, so what are you planning to do?'

'i dunno. That is the problem. That is why i was so hot in the head yesterday. I dint know what i was gonna do!'

'hmmm... why don't you talk to some girls around, and ask them what to do?'

'mom, i think ill manage, ALONE!'

'as you wish!'

***

'noorie, breakfast is kept on the table. Have it, the bus comes at 8 sharp. So get ready. And ya behave in school kiddo!'

'obviously mom! Have a good day at work!'

'you too kiddo!', maansi replied as she quickly shut the door, and started to leave when she felt her way blocked by a woman in her early thirties, with a sweet smile on her face, a classy dress, pencil heels, and a mesmerizing voice.

'hey, ummm.. could you tell me the where the flat no 9 is?', she asked, in a voice so polite, that it was hard to say no.

'well, ummm, its on the opposite road, beside the huge playing ground, field to be more appropriate.'

'could you.. ummmm.. take me till there?'

'uh...'

'its just, i am here to meet my daughter, asma. And its the first time im here in india. So..'

'oh.. sure.. no problem. Ill walk with you till there.'

'thank you.'

'my pleasure', maansi replied as they started to walk.

'so you are...?'

'maansi. Maansi jain.'

'hey im shivani. Shivani gupta. Glad to meet you.'

'hey. By the way, you've never come to india? And your daughter lives here...'

'me and my husband, hiten, are not together anymore.'

'oh..'

'it was actually wierd. We married so early. We were so young! So stupid!'

'same here.'

'oh.'

'but well, its a little different on my side of the pipe. He died a few years ago!'

'oh. Ummmm you don't miss him alot, do you?'

'a little more than you.'

'i don't miss hiten..'

'who do you think you are fooling?'

'is it THAT obvious?'

'not really.'

'then?'

'well, when you said his name, your voice broke.'

'great! What will i do when i actually meet him? Its been 13 years!'

'wow! Thats a LOT OF TIME!'

'yeah! '

'im freaking stupid to come here in the first place.'

'dont worry, you'll be fine.'

'ummm... maansi? Can we meet somewhere for lunch?'

'Umm sure. Theres this really nice hotel near my house, its called the grey india restaurant!i think you'll like it.'

' Alright just tell me your number, so i wont get lost!'

***

Noor slowly packed her bag as she looked at her uniformed self carefully in the mirror, white shirt, white skirt, white rubberband, white socks! Phew.. theres something non-white! Black SHOES!

Not bad, very white, but not bad!, she thought, when she heard the doorbell ring.

Must be maansi, mustve forgotten something!, she thought, as she opened the door.

'rishi? What are you doing here?'

'i was wondering if you wanna ride with me?'

'oh, ummm.. i think i...', she stuttered when she noticed oshin out of the corner of her eyes, 'of course rishi. Anything for you!', she replied smiling smugly as she noticed the frown on oshins face getting more readable.

Maybe school wasn't going to be as boring as she had anticipated.

***

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jusss kiddngggg

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-sanam-

great and fabolous sindya awesome