CHAPTER 2

Before Ira could confront Arjun about him trying badminton at tournament levels, she thought it would be better if she had an idea about him. Even though at the corner of her mind she clearly knew it was a real bad idea as she would be stalking him, she decided to go with it as she couldn’t think of anything better. That same evening, she straight away went through his social media accounts and found out that Arjun was working in a software company as a trainee. He had got a small circle of friends who were his college mates and also colleagues now. His relationship status showed he was single and his family consisted of his father and elder sister. There were a few pictures of him with his friends at a roadside stand which Ira assumed to be the regular meeting spot for the guys.

“Ah, he has got a normal cliché life just as any other twenty-four years old boy in India today” Ira said to herself.

She then decided to follow him for a day. One thing which she was sure about was not to get caught by Arjun while stalking him around. Next day morning around 7:30am, she got dressed and drove to the roadside stand where Arjun had posted pictures of him with his friends. She waited there from 8 O’clock hoping Arjun would turn up because she wasn't really sure if he came there every day and even if he did, what time would that be. After waiting for some forty minutes she saw two boys reaching the roadside stand, whom she recognized as Arjun’s friends from the picture she had seen. Within the next five minutes Arjun was there too. Immediately, she hid behind a tree and saw Arjun with his friends laughing about something and telling off one of the boys in a joking manner for checking out a girl passing by. He was dressed in formal wear, obviously he was off to office next. Ira understood that Arjun had come from the badminton court by the look on his face. She assumed that he played badminton on a regular basis. Ira further followed Arjun to his office. By 9:00am they were at the front gate of a huge building with some great architectural work.

“Impressive” she thought as Arjun walked through the gigantic gate until she lost sight of him.

Now she had to spend about eight hours prior to seeing Arjun again and she decided to visit the Guindy National Park which was her favourite place as a kid and it had been more than sixteen years since the last time she visited it with her parents. She was precisely at a distance of thirty minutes away from the national park and probably she could spend a good three to four hours there. But before that she had to get herself some breakfast or else she would go crazy because of hunger. Food was her only love after her father and her childhood sweetheart. She herself couldn’t believe the fact that she’s been in love with that one boy for more than fifteen years now who doesn’t even know her name or has any idea about what she feels for him. She chuckled at herself and drove to the nearest restaurant to eat. She ordered a plate of masala dosa, a set of idli and a cup of filter coffee. She loved her coffees! It was already 10:00 am as she paid for the food. She thought she had to start then and there so that she could leave the National Park before it became afternoon.

“Urgh! Chennai Traffic is killing at times, that too in these hot mornings“ Ira groaned as she parked her car next to a handsome black Royal Enfield.

She had already become conscious about how much of a bad idea it was to spend the next three hours under the open roof with the sun glaring down at her, going around sighting animals who were also maybe in the same state as her but was being unable to help it. She blamed global warming for hot days in the month of February itself. Anyways, she made up her mind to pay a visit to the park and now that she was already there. She went to the ticket counter and bought a ticket which cost her rupees fifteen merely. She felt it was pretty cheap and fair. Ira walked through the entrance. The place appeared green enough with a lot of bushes and trees. She walked further to sight her first bunch of animal friends for the day, it was a herd of beautiful spotted deer.

“They look beautiful as a group but maybe they would be much better in the wild” she thought as she felt bad for the animals there, who were kept far from their homes just because their habitats were not safe anymore to them and the ultimate reason being human beings.

As it was a working day, children from some school had come to the park as a field trip. There was a boy and a girl who caught Ira’s sight. Seeing them Ira got reminded of her school days.

*FLASHACK*

A group of girls of 5th grade were standing on the school corridor, eyeing a boy who stood on the school grounds watching a girl who supposedly was his senior playing badminton. One of the girls said, “Ira wants to be his friend but he doesn’t even know her name.” All the girls started laughing much to Ira’s annoyance at the truthful comment.

The next day little Ira mustered up all her courage and walked up to the boy who was again there on the grounds watching the senior girls play badminton.

“Ah, I want to tell you something.” Ira said, standing behind the boy.

“Oh Hi! Okay, but do I know you?” the boy responded, turning around to notice her face, startled by Ira’s sudden capture of his alone time.

“Uhm ah I am of the same grade as you are but from a different section. I jus-I just wanted to tell you...I really like you. Will you be my friend?” the little girl said, looking down nervously.

The boy was shocked for a split-second and then he asked, “Do you know how to play badminton?”

Ira felt that the question was totally out of context yet she replied that she didn't know how to play badminton.

“I don't even know your name, but if you learn to play badminton very well like her (he said pointing towards one of the senior girls playing badminton), then I will like you too.” the boy said smiling and walked away even before Ira could talk, as his friends called out for him. There was something in him that Ira couldn’t resist. She was not sure what made her like that boy. Was it that time he helped a puppy cross the road or was it when he helped her get up after she fell down tripping on a stone? She thought to herself, desperate to find the answer.

Ira was pulled from the depths of her day-dream as her phone rang. She glanced down at her phone and it was her mom who was calling her. She spoke as she picked up the call, “Yes mom.” the irritation on her face was clear in her voice.

“Hello dear, how are you?”

“What's all this sudden concern about me? Just come to the point, why did you call me?”

“Ira stop behaving like I never cared for you” her mom snapped at her.

“Maybe you did care mom but not enough. Now will you please tell me why you called? I am quite busy at the moment.”

“Well, it’s your brother’s birthday this coming weekend. It would be nice if you could join us.”

“Mom, he is not my brother. He is just your and your husband’s son. Never call me again trying to get me into your family. I am better off without anyone. I have to go now, talk to you later. Bye, take care!” Ira replied disgusted and cut the call.

Her mother had remarried after her father’s death and Ira was completely sickened by that. Then she heard a voice inside her head, it was her mom’s “It was because of you Ira, you!”

A tear trailed down her cheek as she recalled her mom’s words.

“I knew your badminton fixation was a curse to our family. I told your father a million times but he never cared to listen because he was blinded by his love for his daughter. And now see what you have done to your father, you killed him Ira, your obsession with that stupid sport killed him.” said the crying voice of her mom’s.

Ira took a deep breath to put herself back together and carried on with the purpose she visited the park. It was already 2:00pm as she made her way out of the park towards her car. Later she grabbed herself some food and headed to a place very special to her. All the way to that place, Ira’s mind was eaten up by her mom’s haunting words and her heart felt immensely heavy with guilt. She wished her dad was with her because he would have told her it wasn’t her fault and that would have given her the peace of mind she had been longing for since that day. She ended up at the spot by 4 O’clock. It was a park but it was built around a lake. That place was very dear to her heart because that was the place she had last visited with her dad before he left her alone in this world. Just as the fresh breeze caressed her, there was an instant smile that spread across her face. She loved being there, seeing the merry children play and people walking around the lake talking to their loved ones. At once, the words of her father stroke her mind.

“You don’t have to follow someone’s footsteps, its okay to make your own ones. Never let what others say to kill your spirit darling, because people’s thoughts are not facts, they can’t define you. You are my champion Ira and always will be but I want the world to know it too.”

These words had been her strength all through the past five years since her dad passed away. She spent a peaceful one hour at the lake and then headed back to Arjun’s office. As she reached, Arjun simultaneously got on his bike to leave the place. He looked so done with his work and probably wanted to get home as soon as possible. Ira kept following him until they both ended up in front of a house. His home was quite near to the roadside stand that he went everyday morning before office. Ira’s home was hardly fifteen minutes from his place. Ira thought the short distance between their houses was a plus as she would get some extra time while training him if at all he agrees. And the badminton court Arjun went to play was also nearby her home. Ira was extremely convinced about getting Arjun into badminton tournaments taking all those advantages as a cue.