Chapter 12

Everyone were busy with their preparations for the tournament. The players were practicing, organizing team was making arrangements for sitting and trophies, medals were being labelled etc. This kept them busy for a while and soon it was time for the lunch break. Shubh, Raj and Dan sat together as usual to have their lunch. He tried to look in the direction where Laxmi was sitting. He now knew that she would be in college, for there was none to pick her up, and that she won't be getting any homemade lunch. And it turned out to be correct. She shared her lunch with everyone, which was actually in dessert category. Even Jas soon posted the photo with the caption, 'Lax, who gets pastries for lunch'. Shubh did find such instances cute at those moments.

Lunch break was over as soon as it had started. They were working towards the program. Shubh was just getting more and more restless. He wanted to talk to Laxmi really bad, but there were always people around them. He cherished each closeness around her. He could have watched her and her only for the entire evening. But soon he would realize, she was committed. This thought would bring him back to his senses.

It wasn't like he didn't get much opportunity to talk to her, but his courage just betrayed him. Since they had no classes, almost all students, except the organizing team, went home. Shubh wasn't even part of the team, yet he waited and attended their meeting. This was the start of many moments of being alone with her.

There were two teams, one preparing the huge Indian flag and other organizing the tournament. Thus, all were mostly scattered around. Shubh, Laxmi were sitting for few minutes with their friends. They were having a normal conversation as usual. One by one, rest went away to their working station, leaving Shubh and Laxmi together. It was an awkward and tense time for Shubh. Laxmi actually didn't care about it, since she was busy in phone. "Maybe chatting with her Bf" thought Shubh. He did feel kind of jealousy, but he was helpless. He could have said everything out right at that time, only if it was that easy. Soon, even Laxmi found it boring to be sitting alone and went ahead to be with her friends.

After few minutes, there was another incident leaving them together alone. Shubh had helped out the multi-tasking staff in arranging the table, and later he stood under the ceiling fan to cool down and watch the practice. Laxmi as well stood just an arm's length away from him watching the practice in silence. He longed to talk to her and confess. It seemed like words couldn't find its way out of his mouth. They stood there for a long time. It was getting stressful for him. He wished to be dead for being such a fool. "Speak you idiot", he said to himself. Being encouraged by self, he was about to talk to her. And he turned towards her, only to find her gone away to sit. Thus, missing another chance.

Shubh saw that all of Laxmi's friends had left for home, while she had to wait for someone to pick her up. She was alone and that was sad, thought Shubh. He could have gone and talked to her, but instead he sat near the practice area and watched the game with half attention. Laxmi walked past him to her friends. They were busy as well hence she came back soon. When she was walking past him, she noticed Shubh starring at her. Shubh just froze for few seconds cause she raised her hand to give him a hi five. "Oh wow" were the words he thought of.

She sat one chair away, beside their friend. So now there was only their friend between them who was separating them. And as if destiny were helping him out, he moved away in just a minute. These were clear signs that he should take his next step as soon as possible. He tried to start a conversation, "So your friends have gone home?"

She made a sad face and just nodded. That meant she wasn't interested to talk to him. They were again sitting alone and in silence. He now decided, "I'll walk down with her when she's leaving." And that call was answered as well. She received a call from her mother and she left to say goodbye to her friends.

Shubh got up as well and walked down few steps waiting for Laxmi. His heartbeat was rising at a fast pace. He doubted his decision, but couldn't decide anything. He saw her coming and tried to calm down. There were two more students who walked besides her. They would hear everything that he would say.

"Where are you going?" Laxmi asked him.

He just climbed down the steps along with her and no soon were the other two a bit further, he replied in a low voice, "Just dropping you to the car"

"Aww, that's sweet" she said to him. They climbed down few steps and finally Shubh asked

"One question?"

"No" she said smiling "I'm not answering your questionnaire"

"Only one, it's not exactly a questionnaire, it's something personal" he said.

"Tell, did someone tell you something bad about me?" she asked.

"No, no" he replied "it's about me". He remembered her rejection scene from the short movie and said "Please don't get angry. Don't get awkward."

She was smiling and said, "Okay"

"It's something about me. By now you must have guessed what I'm going to say." He wished her to guess it.

"No. I don't know." she said smiling.

"Okay so" now Shubh's heartbeat was firing high. He thought even she could hear it. "It's about me having some feelings for you" they had almost reached down. She was smiling throughout the conversation. He thought she might even accept him.

"Hehe" she laughed cutely. He could have melted at that laugh. And said laughingly, "sorry, I have a boyfriend." Finally, what he had to hear was thrown at him like an arrow.

"I know" he said swiftly "don't answer. Just wanted to tell"

"Okay, okay." She said. They had reached the main door of the college now. It was time to say goodbye. Shubh thought this might be the last time they ever spoke.

"Bye. Thank you" said Laxmi patting Shubh and walked out. Shubh bid farewell too and turned around to climb up to the hall. He didn't turn back to look at Laxmi. He didn't watch her walking out. He had just starred at flood during his last moment with her. He was all alone again yet smiling.

Love is a blissful feeling

And a very happy part,

Also the reason for sadness

After breaking the broken heart.