fall for Predator

Chapter 5

‘When did you came last night. I waited till 9’, said dad when I went to the kitchen for breakfast the next day.

‘Sorry dad, but Barrby did little more shopping last night’, I was putting all the blame on Barry's head.

I buttered my bread and sat on the dining table for the meal. ‘Don’t forget your appointment with Dr. Subham he called me yesterday’. His word shocked me

‘Did he tell anything about me?’, I was worried about my dad's finding of my decreasing life span.

‘No, he just wanted to make sure if you are doing fine’

‘And what did you tell?’

‘I told him about your outings and carelessness about your heart’

‘Seriously dad’

‘I have to, you aren’t taking things seriously’

Every time I visit Dr. Subham the risk of others knowing about my heart increased. Despite all, I had to go there for my dad’s peace. Without going to college I directly went to the hospital. My Scooty was with Barrby so I had to take the local bus.

When I was waiting at the counter I got various calls from Barrby and d**k maybe they were worried not seeing me at the college. But my mind was focused at Swarez after all the things he wasn’t that evil, I remembered the way he became my savior last night meanwhile a lady on the white dress called me from the counter.

I went Inside Dr. Subham’s room.

‘How are you Aniya’, he said looking at me cheerfully

‘Fine, better than before’

‘Let’s hope for better result’

I slept on the bed when Dr checked my ECG

‘hmm, it’s …..’ he stopped

‘Is everything alright doctor’

‘I can't say. It’s like your hole is living and can change itself. Its size is fluctuating in a seconds’

Horror ‘Is it increasing again’

‘I can’t say. It is decreasing and increasing in every beat. It’s mysterious, I can’t say if it is a good sign or bad’

Dr looked surprised he was taking picture of my video x-ray, he was right even I could see the fluctuation in the screen. It felt it was trying to tell something and show something.

Meanwhile, screams were heard from outside, ‘Let me inside’

I knew that voice, it was familiar. When it hit my eardrum my hole expanded. It was seen on the screen it was so distinct and rapid.

It didn’t take me a while to realize him to be Swarez his name on my mind made that expand more visible, when he hit on the door and slams onto the room the fluctuation becomes rapid, and as soon as I realized my secret was going to reveal I pulled all the wires from my body and jumped from the bed.

‘What type of behavior are you showing?’ shouted Dr going toward him. He was looking at me with an intense look. It was hard to distinguish if he was angry or just worried. He was breathing so rapidly that even I was haunted by it for a moment. Dr went toward him in dismay, 4 security guards came inside to throw him out but his eyes were just looking at me, they were asking for me. Before they grabbed him out I went toward him signing them to stop.

‘I am sorry, Dr. Subham’, I pulled him outside holding his hands on mine.

‘What is wrong with you’, I screamed pushing him toward the balcony away from the crowd.

‘What happened to you?’

‘Why does it bother you. And how the hell did you know where I was?’

‘What happened to you?’, he repeated

‘Stop this. Stop everything. The time when you used to bully was far better than this’

‘What happened to you?’ his voice becomes louder

‘Why do you even need that? Do you even realize how humiliated I was in front of Dr. Subham just because of you?

‘WHAT HAPPENED TO YOU’, This time it was loudest.

His voice shook my heart

‘I was just here for a routine check-up’

‘You should have told me. I wouldn’t have been worried sick’

‘Why? Why? Why? Are you even worried about me? We are enemy Swarez remember how I threw red ink on you.’

‘I also remember when I locked you on the closet when I made you sit on the ink and the time when I burnt down your scooter to hurt your feelings. Those memories haunt me. I can’t sleep, I can’t eat. What is happening to me? You are ruining’, he falls on his knees and grabs his cloth just above his chest. His eyes were teary, his tears brought tears in my eyes what was happening to him.

‘You are ruining me’, he continued.

I couldn’t control but go toward him to give him a hug

‘I was happy, I was a prince before you showed up. But now I can’t restrict myself from thinking about you’

Those were the words every girl would like to hear from someone but that time it was the most unwanted words I wanted to hear from him.

‘I am sorry’, he clenched me back, ‘I will regret everything I said again’

‘You don’t have to regret, out of all the bullies you pushed me through you became my savior last night, Swarez.’, I tried to console but he wasn’t ready to listen.

‘You don’t know anything Aniya, this feeling is new and horrible. It increases with increase in darkness of night the only thing I do is a worry, worry about you’

‘Trust me Swarez out of everyone I am the one who wants to know about your feelings. Please calm down’

He came toward me and held my hands in front of my chest. With his blue eyes staring right into mine

‘Promise me, from now on before disappearing you will tell me where you are going. You have to assure me you are fine. Because inner me says nothing is fine’

That was a hard one to answer. Telling him everything wasn’t possible that time but seeing his condition I had to agree. Anyway it’s not like there is a whole life ahead of me to fulfill those promises

‘I will, before changing my schedule I will tell you’

He grabbed me in his arms and held me tight there. It was the first time we were so close to each other. I wanted to know what was going on there in his mind because this time I knew he wasn’t lying.

‘Can I ask you a question?’ I said still in his arm

releasing me he nodded yes

‘How did you know I was here today and at that shopping complex that night?’

‘I don’t know, I just knew, everything comes in front as a Deja Vu and take me right to you’

It was not believable, but still, there was a glimpse of truth on him.

The next day when I went to college everyone was talking about the Einstein basketball match.

‘What is Einstein basketball match?’, I asked Barrby when we dropped from my scooty.

‘It happens every year, our collage competes with other collages of Banepa. This is one of the greatest events of our college’

‘Basketball match. I love basketball can I take part too’

‘There will be a selection, if you pass it you can surely get into the team. But girls team has been losing for 4 years so be aware of that’

‘Loosing, what type of team is that’

‘It’s not our team, it’s just our opponents are too strong, but our boy's team are just opposite our four angels has always brought gold medal with them’

‘Swarez and d**k are on the team?’, I didn’t know those boys can have an interest in sports other than bullying.

‘Swarez is the captain. His moves are godly. You will fall in love with him once you see him on the ground’

‘That’s not possible. But this year I will make sure the girl’s team will win’

‘I like your confidence baby, first of all, get selected in the team’

‘Don’t underestimate me I was district champion while I was at Baglung’

I chuckled and she just looked at me skeptically.

After our first lecture, there was a selection process, A nice looking guy maybe 7 foot tall with a large chest was in the ground and all the girls were in line in front of him.

‘He is the coach’, said Barrby, ‘Don’t go on his looks, he is hotty outside but there is no one obdurate in this world other than him. He has already divorced 4 times in 5 years’

‘Seriously’

‘Why would I lie. I have lost my self-respect enough to get rejected from the team 4 years in a row. I am not going to cut my nose again’

She stopped and went to the observer side while I just wanted to try.

‘Our girl team has already written the history being number one looser in this district. I knew it was going to happen, focus 0, hard work 0, fun 100, passion 0 then how can you think of winning. I have always told you, girls, to work hard your practice is still not sufficient but no, you never listen to me. Anyway as this year 4 of us has left the college, there are 4 seats for 4 fresher so if anyone has the confidence to win the game please join the team’

Along with me, there were 3 from my class and almost 20 other fresher wanting to give the selection a try.

The coach made us stand in a line and basket the ball one by one. The one who couldn’t was thrown out without giving them a second chance. Barrby was right that coach was seriously an obdurate guy.

It was my turn, I remembered the first basketball match I played in Baglung 7 years ago when I was still at my junior level. I scored 10, everybody including my dad cheered for me then, but after knowing about the hole in my heart. My dad along with the school’s teacher restricted me from playing it. I hadn’t touched the ball for 5 years and then it was in my hands. I wanted to play no matter what it was going to cost. Basketball was my passion and I had to basket the ball.

With tears in my eyes, I focused on the basket and threw the ball it slipped why won’t it, I was doing that after 5 years. My heart slipped too but luckily it was a basket. I jumped out of happiness. When it finished we were only 10 fresher by then still there were various rounds we had to pass to get into the team.

The coach divided us into two teams of five and made us compete against each other, the first one to make 5 scores were going to be considered the winner. I got the girls from my class due to whom I had to cut my hair in the group. They were looking at me as if they were competing with me. I knew by then there was no hope of me getting the ball and my prediction came to be true. It was already 10 minutes since the game started and the ball was never in my hands. The opponent had already scored 3 and it was 0 from our team. I went toward Isika the one of them when she had the ball but again despite my being near the basket, she passed it to other girls. That way we were surely gonna lose so I decided to play violent myself. I went toward Rasika who was holding the ball and grabbed it before it reached another. I then singly drilled it all around the court and finally made our first score. I jumped in happiness but the other of my team didn’t seem so, Again Coach blew the whistle and again the game started but this time too they didn’t throw me the ball and finally we lose the game by 1-5. It was a shame and I was sure to be kicked out from the team but this time coach uttered my name from the list of persons who were selected, I was selected. I was covered with sweat and dust but that feeling of winning even after loosing was great. Barrby ran toward me to hug

‘You were awesome, I was skeptical at the beginning but you are awesome.’

‘I told you’

The looks in those girls' faces from my team who denied to pass the ball earlier deserved the sight. It was filled with anger and disappointment. That added my happiness.

When I went toward the main court, d**k, Swarez, Danny, and Saurav were playing basketball there moves were surely worth watching. Their body was covered with sweat and it was seen how hard they were working for it.

‘There match starts four days before yours’

‘And when is that?’

‘Tomorrow’

‘Tomorrow??? Isn’t it too soon’

‘Not for them. They were notified about it a week ago. From tomorrow your training will starts too. Your dad must be proud of you’

‘Please don’t tell him about the game’

‘Why not? it’s a big deal’

‘Just don’t tell him now, we will give him a surprise after winning’

She agreed with me.

As expected my training started the next day in the morning. I had to lie to my dad saying it was an extra class. As our coach, our training was intense too. He made us practice on getting the basket from half-court. In my life, I had never done something like that and that day too no one met his expectations.

The boy's match was going start in an hour, I thought I owe d**k a good luck wish, I went to the room where they were discussing the game. At first, I thought it would be a bad idea to go there but before I could return from the door d**k saw me and came outside.

‘What are you doing here?’

‘I wanted to wish you good luck’

‘Thank you, I want you to be there among the crowd to cheer us’

‘Why wouldn’t I and on the top of that I am on girl’s team’

His face didn’t lit up hearing the news it became dark

‘You shouldn’t, you know right running and competing will be bad for your heart’

‘Now you sound like my father. d**k relax if I feel dizzy I am gonna stop playing. But for now please let me do this, basketball is my passion’

‘But still, I can’t let you do this in front of my eyes’, d**k was saying so when Swarez came out of the room

‘What you can’t let her do?’, he asked clenching his eyebrows

‘She is on girl’s team’, said d**k looking at him

I was just worried about d**k revealing the truth, I was signing d**k not to but he wasn’t paying attention to me.

‘Really, that is great why are you having a problem with that’, Swarez said featuring Dick

‘But she...’, he stopped as soon as he saw me signing

‘But she what?’

‘But she is new in here, she doesn’t know about the opponents’, he lied

‘It’s her choice and the struggle is hers, I have to tell you, you don’t have the right to tell her what to do and what not to’, this time he sounded serious.

‘And neither you do’, d**k told him back. Before they say anything more I distracted them reminding them about the game. While parting from there Swarez was looking at me with a great smile, a cute one so unlike him.

‘What are you doing here?’ Barrby came from behind

‘I just wanted to wish d**k’

‘d**k??, Where is he why didn’t you called me’

‘He is inside already’

‘I wanted to wish him too’

‘I don’t think he has time now, Barrby we will cheer for him on the ground’

With her wearily face, ‘okay’.

All the classes at the school were off. A bus from various schools was parked in the parking lot. The ground was filled with students wearing a different jersey.

As there was still time for the match the audience seats were quite empty, we chose one at the top from where the view was amazing.

It was already half an hour since we were there, the cheerleaders were there cheering for the players when they started coming there in a row, our school team was black in color, and the others were white. From the opposite side, our Principal Danny’s father stood up ‘Let’s welcome our chief guest, who is the sponsor of this game and is one of the most successful businessmen in our country, Dr. Binod Shahi’, Everyone clapped for him. I have never heard his name so was he that popular, I thought.

‘Who is he?’, I asked Barrby she was looking at him with her so enthusiastic look

‘Don’t you know him, he is a very popular businessman, Swarez’s father’

‘He is Swarez’s father?’

‘Yes’

‘It is very nice of him to sponsor the game which his son is playing’

‘Yes, he always comes here as a chief guest for this game sparing some little time from his busy life’

‘Swarez most be grateful for his father’, I said looking at him

‘He should’.

Dr. Shahi went and sat in front of the Principal.

Soon the game started with the referee's whistle. All the players were playing aggressively, including Swarez. Every one of us on the audience side were cheering for them. Soon d**k hit his first score and the match became more intense. Someone from the other side hit d**k on his head intensionally, he fell on the ground hard. The referee blew his whistle to pause the game when Swarez ran toward him.

‘d**k’, I shouted from the top whether it was reaching him or not.

‘I am okay’, his lips were moving looking at Swarez whose blue eyes were turning red due to anger, he ran toward the boy who hit d**k earlier and smashed his head. Soon there was a big fight between the two teams. I was shocked seeing the game and everyone was reacting as if it was common there. The referee had to call security guards to stop them from hitting each other. Swarez head was filled with blood and the other one was in an even worst situation. The referee indicts Swarez with 10 minutes penalty.  Doctors were working on his wound when he was sitting on the side watching his team lose the match.

‘Is it common here’, I said looking at Barrby

‘Even worst has happened in this ground. Don’t worry once Swarez enters again our team will win’

I was still skeptical about that.

Finally, the Swarez penalty was over and the score was 2-10. 2 of our team and 10 of opponents. It was hard to beat that score but as soon as he entered the ground the impossible converted into possible.

Swarez moves, his jump his aura they were so manly that I almost fell for him then. I don't know it was me or just a coincidence that I felt Swarez was looking at me after his every score he singly scored 20 for his team where the opponents were still at 10.

Finally, our team won and a whole bunch of students from the audience seat went to the ground dancing and lifting them. Everyone was happy there including me.

‘It’s a just semi-final. Final is still on the way and the one at an opponent is the all-time enemy of our school’, said Barrby

‘Are you saying, another match gonna be more intense than this?’ 

‘You will see it tomorrow’

I just couldn’t imagine what could be more intense than that.