Sophia's Freedom

Chapter 72 : The Challenge

Ha ha... I remember Darika's attempts at Table tennis. actually I don't think she ever represented school in TT. As a matter of fact, the time I joined school, I learned from friends that Darika and Garima has been claiming to everyone that they are experts in Table Tennis and Basketball and that they had represented the district in Sub-Junior team.

I was living a quiet life in Purulia and making sure that no one is aware of my past as a martial artist. I allowed them to have their moment of glory but eventually it so happened that one day Garima began to brag that she was a greater basketball player than Abhinu, Sam and Aarohi and that the 2 of then were famous only because of their banshee move, but other than that they have no skills at all. 

Well the truth was because of their Banshee move, Abhinu and Aarohi commanded a respect in the sports community and these 2 girls ruined their legacy with their lies.

There was another thing, one of the great basketball players Akilan Siva once said in a press conference that he would want to train me in playing professional basketball. These girls also bragged that just because Abhinu approached Akilan sir, he mentioned my name in live tv, or else I don't know anything about that game.

That was the day I had enough of their stupidity and I decided that enough was enough and I had to teach them a lesson. I am good at basketball, but I had no clue how to play table tennis. I asked Daniel Dada if he knew anyone who can help and then he told me about Amell Dada's daughter Poo. She should be able to help with the table tennis. As for basketball Daniel Dada promised me one of the best team he can find. I also asked Jenny and she readily agreed to help. Aarohi and Jenny were best of friends and when I told her what the 2 girls have been bragging she only asked me the time and place and she will be there.

A few days later, I went to go and meet Alok dada who was the school captain.

"Alok Bhaiya... do you have some time... I want to talk to you about something..." 

"Sure monika... lets go to the common room... it will be quiet there... we can discuss there..." 

"Thankyou bhaiya..." and then the 2 of us began to walk towards the cafeteria. Once we are there, he aked me "So... what do you want to discuss about Monika..."

"Well Bhaiya... I don't know if I should be discussing this but I have been hearing something which was bothering me... so I just wanted your suggestion..."

"Wow... thats strange... by the way what's bothering you..."

Well Bhaiya... have you heard what Darika and garima have been telling everyone about those basketball players who were killed a year ago..."

"You are talking about Abhinu and Aarohi and how the girls keeps saying that they were famous only because of the banshee but otherwise they have no skill..."

"Yes bhaiya... you know its not good to tarnish the memory of a dead athlete..."

"I know... your feeling dear... besides I had been wondering for the last couple of weeks when Monika would comeup to me with the question?"

"I am sorry bhaiya... I don't understand..."

"Comeon Monika... I know who you are... the famous teenage Kalaripayatu athlete Miss Monika Christopher... You think I would never find out about you..."

I blushed a little and then he continued again "I also know you, Sam, Abhinu and Aarohi were the best of friends and you had also played district basketball for the state of Kolkata... what I don't understand was why are you keeping a low profile..."

"Well Bhaiya... after I lost my Aarohi and Sam in that freak accident and Abhinu getting treatment in a trauma center, I decided to leave my past behind and keep a low profile... but you know as best friends its me duty to keep the legacy alive..." 

"Well I totally understand your feeling would you be surprised to know that I am Aarav's elder brother." 

"Aarav... who?" 

He them told me that Aarav was one of the victims from the car crash and one of the 8 athletes whom Abhinu and Aarohi pulled out from the burning car. He told me that he owe them a great debt. Even though the 2 of them were not in a condition to move, they still pulled out the lifeless body of the rest of the team members... he also said that after the crash, he was able to meet Aarohi before she finally succumbed to her injuries. He asked her the reason why she thought of pulling out the bodies even though they knew very well that the kids are dead and she replied that she was an orphan and never knew her parents, she knows very well how if fells to mourn the loss so she felt that maybe if she could pull our the last remains of the other players, maybe the parents would be able to see their faces for one last time.

Amit Bhaiya said that Aarohi's reply was enough to respect her.

"So what so you have in mind" he asked 

"Well Bhaiya... I want to challenge them to a match..."

 "Ok... I can organize one... but there is a small setback..."

"What setback bhaiya?"

"Well the 2 girls are quite popular in school and they will try to convince others not to play for you?"

"Oh... that... I have already considered that... and I have already planned something..." I paused a little and then continued "there are 2 more favours I need from you..."

"Fire away..."

"I will ask one of my friends... Poo, she is 7 years old from the state of Maharashtra who will be contending against Darika in Table Tennis and  as for basketball I will get my own team..."

Amit Bhaiya agreed to it and said he will make the announcement in all the classes tomorrow, while he asked me to go and challenge the girls for the match. After discussing with him, I went to confront the girls to the match. Fun fact, I have been invisible in school that the girls have no clue I was studying in the same school as them.

I decided to approach them when they were surrounded by all their friends and then I entered their classroom.

"Hello Darika, Garima recognize me...?"

They were shocked the moment they saw me and asked "Monika didi... you..." Darika paused and stammered as continued "What brings you here?"

"Well you know... a little bit of this... a little bit of that...?"

"Sorry I don't understand..."

"Well I have been hearing things you know... something about you being a better player than me... I want to challenge you to a match..."

"I know for sure that the girls would try everything in their power not to play a match with me and that what it happened. Garima said "you are just a rookie... you have a long way to go before you get a shot to play a match with us... keep dreaming..."

 Oh... so that's what its going to be haah..." I paused a little and then said "ok fine... remember Aarohi used to wear the number 9 jersey.... why don't you make 9 teams... if we are able to defeat all the 9 teams I get to have a shot at a basketball match with you..."

"It suddenly felt as if she agreed and then she said "you will have all the 9 matches in a single day?"

 "its a deal..." I replied and shook hands with them and then I told Garima that since she is already a star TT player, and a young upcoming player from Maharashtra wants to challenge her to a match. the girl's name is Poo and she is only 7 years old. Probably her over confidence got the better of her and she agreed to the match without a second thought.

Amit Bhaiya arranged for the tournament 2 days from now. It was a Saturday. I was worried if my team was up for the challenge of playing 9 matches back to back.

On the day of the match, everyone from the school was present by 9 a.m. in the indoor stadium. Daniel dada's team was also ready however daniel dada was not present. he called me and said that all the kids were specially chosen by Amell Dada and trained by national level professional basketball players. They have been chosen to represent the Maharashtra national team from next year. he asked me to keep it a secret about it though. Daniel dada asked me if I am still able to perform the banshee and I replied that, it was the only techniques I have been practicing because that move reminds me of the 2 best friends.

He then placed the phone in speaker mode and asked the rest of the team members to keep passing the ball to me whenever I am in the center line so that I can perform the banshee.

Before the match started, an announcement was made and it was decided that because of the time constraints, the matched will be for a total of 20 minutes each. The girls resisted but they were turned into deaf ear.

The match started and then we kept playing. Our taget was to make sure that the other team couldn't score a single basket and that what we did. Occationally the team would pass the ball to me and I would try a direct shot to the hoop. I was playing for Abhinu and Aarohi's honor and so every ball I threw into the hoop was a direct score. we won the first match with a score of 15 to nil and then the second match started, the matches continued and the scores were 15-0. 29-0, 14-0, 18-0.

By the time we played the 5th match, I could feel that the team was getting tired. they were unable to keep the ball in their hands most of the time. Even though they were able to stop them from scoring a basket. About 5 minutes into the game, I asked for a couple of minute break which was agreed. I asked the team to come to the corner and then I saw a man from the stands approaching our team and began to talk to them in their local dialect. I was not sure what they were talking about and then one of the boys hugged me tight and said "sister... you have not told us the reason for the match... but now that we know the truth, we will show everyone present here how a match could be played. The match started and by the end of the 20 minutes our team had scored 33 while the other team could score none.

The next matched was also the same thing. We didn't let our opponent score a single basket. The score was 36 - 0, 30 - 0, 39-0, 33 - 0. What was strange was that all the scores were 3 pointers.

Finally it was time to play with Darika and Garima. Looking at the performace, they feared that there is no way they could win and so they decided to resort to the worst trick in the book. 

The 2 girls came up to me and said "Monika didi... if you don't lose the next match, we are going to make your favourite faggot's life miserable..."

The moment they used the term faggot, I was mad, and all my friends knew very well that after I am mad, no one would dare to blackmail me and so I replied "you seem to have forgotten my anger... you know right... the 2 of you have to walk back to school everyday... maybe some day you might not even return back and the cops will also not be able to locate your whereabouts..." I paused and then reminded her "If I see a singls scratch on his body, I am going to make sure that your reputation as a fake basketball player is utterly destroyed..."

I paused a while and then said "Ok you girls seemed to be scared about losing a match... you know what... I have an idea... you can play with 5 members in your team, while I will only play with 2. it will be 2 against the 5 of you... what do you think..."

I was not surprised when she agreed to the match and then once the match started, I asked jenny to come for the match. It was my strategy that I wanted jenny to be physically ready because atleast one of us should be fit to face the other team members. The only way to win this match was if jenny scores and I combine my kalaripayatu skills with basketball. By the end of the match jenny was able to score a total of 20 points while I was able to divert the attension of the opposite team members into checking out the moves, It was one of the greatest basketball matches ever played in school and by the end of the match, everyone recognises who I was and the 2 girls fake pride was completely destroyed.

After the basketball match, it was time for the TT match. Garima began to say that she was too tired to play the next match but than a miracle happened. Amit Bhiaya went up to her and remined how she made me and my team play 9 matches without a break, so if i am able to do it, so does she and then she had no other choice but the play the match.

When Poo entered the stadium we were surprised. She was very tiny. she was about 3 feet in height. The moment Garima saw poo she began to laugh at her size but after the match ended Poo had the last laugh. the score was 2-9, 3-4, 1-8. Poo came up to the dias and picked up the mike and said "if this is the condition of your champion, then my firneds, your champion was lying about being a disctict level player. I have never played a single professional match, and still I was able to defeat her without a sweat. My dear friends that girl is one of the greatest liars in your school..." and saying this she stepped down and left the court. We tried to search for her but she was not seen anymore. 

By the end of the match, everyone is school began to clap for the performance we had shown and then Amit Bhaiya announced to the school about who I was and my biodata. Everyone was surprised and then they also understood that the moves that I preformed during the match was something which was not easy for a regular martial artist to perform.

I then moved up towards the 2 sisters and said that I was sent by god for Abhinu and if they would dare to hurt him because of today's incident, they will see what I am capable of.

The best part of being a well known face is that I can bully the 2 girls as much as I want, and they will not be able to complain it to anyone and if at all they do, there is no one who would believe them, or as a matter of fact, no own will stand up for them because the whole school thinks that they are liars.

                                                                 TO BE CONTINUED...

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