First taste of love Part 2

Gosh that was too much! I murmured to myself. Anandi noticed me looking at him. “He told you that he is fine. Wow isn’t that awesome? I think he likes you.” she had declared. She was very dramatic. She often jumped into conclusions very often. I idolized her back then. I tend to believe it deep within, that he was indeed interested in me.

I looked at myself in the mirror for a long time. My hair looked like a dry mess. I thought I should oil my hair and have a warm shower. I also applied some face pack on my face. Mother was very pleased to look at me taking care of me like a typical girl.

“Yes, this is a good thing. Look at me. I look so pretty even at this age. You look tanned. I told you stop playing volleyball like a boy! You have got tanned. Look at your friend Anandi. Look, how she has maintained her skin tone. She is sensible enough not to play in the hot sun.” She lectured as usual. I didn’t feel bad this time. I was dusky, I had messy hair. So what? Rohan the cute guy had found me interesting and not Anandi!

Oh wait, I didn’t actually have it confirmed but Anandi’s words had formed a great place in my mind. I didn’t know something bad had waited. I was enjoying the bliss period of my sweet teen.

I spent the rest of the time, solving maths problems and also day dreaming about seeing Rohan the next day.

I woke up and look at my pretty better hair. It looked less of a mess. I tied it in a high pony tail. I did believe that Fair and Lovely could make me fair. I applied it very religiously on my face. “A little on the neck too.” my mother prompted. I did.

It was 8. 15 a.m I was late for the volley ball practice. I wasn’t that blind enough to skip it. I was not at all a Pro at it. I was just an extra player. The P.E Sir had found me interested. That was the only reason I was allowed to practice. I had never even played one game officially. It was just the practice.

Anandi often suggested that I should stop making a fool of myself and quit it. Maybe, she was right but I didn’t, as I wanted to prove myself. Well, I wish I knew what a horrible decision it was. If I knew, I would have obliged.

I got a little more tanned on y already dusky self. I looked here and there and tried to adjust my spectacles and tried to focus on the ball coming towards me. I guess I was just about to bounce it back. Just then, without a prior notice, I had a throw ball lending directly on my nose, smashing my glasses, bruising my right cheek. I caress the scar as I pen down the memories.

I felt the world going blank for few seconds. I lost the grip on the ground and fell with a thud. I didn’t know or least expected to be the star as I opened my eyes. I looked for the glasses, I couldn’t find them. I just had the reading glasses with red frames. I have got no recollection of the memory as why I thought that it suited me! I was in pain, when I realized that it was crushed down. A tiny piece of it stuck my cheek.

Everyone had gathered around me. My P.E Sir looked worried. I had my close friends pushing the others and looking at me as if I had just flashed something interesting to them.

“Are you okay?” I heard Anandi asking in a very concerned tone. How contrasting she sounded from her mother.

I tried to get up and I felt the blood oozing out of my nose. I just hoped that my nose was fine. I sniffed the rusty smell of blood. I looked around and found Rohan in tears. “Woah! That Rohan who doesn’t cry while he himself got hurt is now in droplets of tears looking at me in pain.” I wished to stay there in a trances state for as long as possible.

I tried to hold my head. I heard the Sir scolding Rohan for being the reason behind my fall. I just tried to comprehend everything.

I had gathered the whole ground near me. For the first time, I enjoyed this attention. I wish I knew it was just the beginning of something very big. Rohan looked at me with puppy eyes and mouthed a Sorry.

Saying its ok, I smiled at him.

The crowd had slowly started to disperse. “I am really Sorry!” Rohan said once again.

“Since how long are you practicing volley ball? He questioned with curiosity.”

“Since an year.”

“Wow you must be a Pro at it!” he exclaimed.

I did wanted to tell him that I was just a bloody extra player and was never good enough to raise my standards. I wish I had told him this simple truth. No, I didn’t. “Umm yeah! I love it so much. I play well.” I said with confidence which sounded so alien to me.

“Lets have a match tomorrow!” exclaimed the excited, cute Rohan.

I just acted very weak on my knees and fell again. I was good at drama. It was the only thing I was good at.

“Umm, are you ok? I guess you need to go home and take rest. I am so sorry. We can play some other time.” Said the concerned cute Rohan.

“Ufff I just wanted this.”

I looked at Anandi walking near me. She tried to help me walk and winked and me.

To be continued. . .