CRAZY LOVE FOR YOU

_CHAPTER 8: "SPORTS DISPLAY TRIALS+ THE FIRST TIME HE TALKS TO MY FACE

The ground was dust and sweat by 4pm.

Six weeks till Annual Day and everyone at Imperial was already acting like the whole world was watching.

_"Line up!"_ *Kavya* _said_, whistle around her neck. Red House jersey, hair tied high.

_"If you mess up, we mess up together. If you win, we win together. Got it?"_

_"Yes Captain!"_ we all _said_.

I was still not used to hearing that word in front of my name.

*Sports Display Trials*. This was where Kavya picked her core team.

Zara was bouncing on her toes. _"Poorvi, you better not trip. I’ll kill you."_

_"I don’t trip,"_ I _said_, rolling my shoulders.

Nia was sitting on the bench with a notebook. _"I’m recording formations."_

_"You’re such a nerd,"_ I _said_, but I smiled.

First round: sprint + football dribble.

Second round: formation jumps.

Third round: team coordination drill.

I ran. I scored. I didn’t fall.

My lungs burned but it felt good. Like DPS never happened.

Kavya blew the whistle. _"Water break. 5 minutes."_

Everyone scattered.

That’s when I saw him.

Blue House hoodie. Basketball under his arm.

Standing by the railing with 2 other senior boys.

*RV.*

He wasn’t looking at me.

He was looking at the ground.

But I knew. I just knew.

My phone buzzed in my pocket.

_RV: _Your footwork is cleaner this week.__

I looked up. He still wasn’t looking at me.

I typed back, heart pounding.

_Me: _Were you watching?__

_RV: _Maybe.__

Zara snatched my phone. _"WHO IS IT?!"_

_"Give it back,"_ I _said_, grabbing it.

_"Is it the rooftop guy?"_ Nia _said_ quietly.

I didn’t answer.

Kavya _said_, _"Alright. Final drill. Display formation. Poorvi, you’re leading."_

My stomach flipped.

_"Me?"_ I _said_.

_"You,"_ Kavya _said_. _"You have the best timing. Don’t argue."_

So I did it.

Counted the steps. Called the moves.

_"Jump! Turn! Pass!"_

We hit every mark. Even Zara didn’t mess up.

When we finished, the whole ground clapped.

Kavya walked up to me.

_"Sports Display Captain. Red House. It’s official,"_ she _said_.

_"Congratulations, Captain Poorvi,"_ she _said_, and held out her hand.

I shook it. My hands were shaking.

_"Thank you,"_ I _said_.

Zara screamed. Tasha hugged me. Nia just nodded like she already knew.

And across the field, RV was still there.

He raised two fingers. Like a small salute.

Then he turned and walked away with his basketball.

My phone buzzed again.

_RV: _Captain Poorvi. Has a nice ring.__

I stared at it. Then I saved the contact.

*RV.*

Practice ended at 6.

We were all dead.

_"Shower. Food. Sleep,"_ Tasha _said_.

_"In that order,"_ Nia _said_.

On the way to hostel, someone called my name.

_"Poorvi."_

I turned.

It was him. RV. Alone this time. No hoodie. Just a Blue House tee.

He looked... nervous.

Zara and Tasha slowed down.

_"Go,"_ Tasha whispered. _"We’ll wait ahead."_

I walked to him.

_"Hi,"_ I _said_.

_"Hi,"_ he _said_.

Silence.

Awkward.

_"I just... wanted to say congrats,"_ he _said_. _"Captain. That’s big."_

_"Thanks,"_ I _said_. _"You were at trials?"_

_"I was,"_ he _said_. _"Blue House needs to know who we’re losing to."_

He tried to smile. It was crooked.

_"The texts,"_ I _said_. _"That was you, right? On the roof too."_

He rubbed the back of his neck.

_"Yeah,"_ he _said_. _"I told you. I suck at saying hi normally."_

_"You could’ve just... said hi,"_ I _said_.

_"I tried,"_ he _said_. _"Three times. Froze every time."_

He looked at me then. Really looked.

_"You’re really good, you know. Not just at sports. You look... safer here."_

I didn’t know what to say to that.

So I just _said_, _"Thanks."_

He nodded.

_"I’ll let you go. Don’t want 12B to think I kidn*pped you."_

He started to walk away, then stopped.

_"Poorvi,"_ he _said_.

_"Yeah?"_ I _said_.

_"See you tomorrow?"_

It wasn’t a question. It was a question.

I swallowed.

_"See you tomorrow,"_ I _said_.

He walked off.

I stood there for 2 seconds too long.

Zara appeared next to me. _"WHAT DID HE SAY?!"_

_"Nothing,"_ I _said_.

_"Liar,"_ she _said_.

_"He said congrats,"_ I _said_.

_"And?"_

_"And... see you tomorrow."_

Tasha groaned. _"Oh my god. This is happening."_

_"Nothing is happening,"_ I _said_, but my ears were red.

Night. 12B.

Ladoos were finished. We were eating chips instead.

_"So,"_ Nia _said_. _"Thoughts?"_

_"He seems okay,"_ I _said_. _"Not creepy. Just... bad at talking."_

_"That’s how all the good ones start,"_ Tasha _said_.

_"Shut up,"_ I _said_.

My phone buzzed.

_RV: _Sorry if that was weird. I practiced that line in my head 4 times.__

I laughed before I could stop myself.

_Me: _It was a little weird. 6/10.__

_RV: _I’ll do better next time, Captain.__

I locked my phone and put it under my pillow.

Stared at the ceiling.

Today I became Captain.

Today he talked to my face.

Today my family’s ladoos ran out.

Big day.

_"Poorvi,"_ Zara whispered from the next bed.

_"Hmm?"_ I _said_.

_"I’m proud of you,"_ she _said_.

_"Thanks,"_ I _said_. _"Me too."_

Outside, the crickets were loud.

Inside, my phone stayed silent.

And for the first time in a long time, that felt okay.