When you say Goodbye

The ball went Flying to the basket The memory's so dear, how can she forget The atmosphere was intense and electric. The timer indicated 27.5 seconds. The scoreboard read 45-45. Most of the students in Delhi public school's multipurpose hall were too nervous to sit for the end of Game 1 of the 2007 Basketball match. Agni house's point guard Ditiya appeared to be the calmest person in the building. She stood near half court, bent over at the waist with her head up, surveying the scene. She dribbled the basketball with her right hand. The Jal house's 5ft 9 Tanya stood guard a few feet away but Ditiya paused. The seconds ticked off the clock. With the clock down to 14 seconds, Ditiya began to move. She dribbled to a spot just above the top of the key. Then she quickly darted to the right toward her teammate, Aisha. As Ditiya moved to her right, Tanya followed her. Tanya rushed around Aisha. She got in position to deny Ditiya an open shot when she came around Aisha's screen. Suddenly, however, Ditiya stopped. She planted her right foot and pushed off to her left. She flicked the ball on a bounce from her right hand to her left hand as her body moved to her left. It was a perfect cross-over dribble. Tanya was now trapped behind Aisha. So Ditiya had created a wide-open shot from the basket. She set her feet, squared her body toward the basket, and put up a high-arcing jump shot. It plunged through the net with 3.4 seconds on the clock. All the teacher and student present at the stadium rose to their feet, clapping and yelling their appreciation of Ditiya's shot that gave the Agni's a 47-45 victory. Girls of losing team began to scowl and mutter irritably among themselves and glared stonily at Ditiya. Ditiya giggled and threw carefree arms around Aisha, "we won, hurray!" Aisha shouted out still jumping around hug. This is the time to meet Ditiya. She was one of the most carefree girls one would ever meet. Ditiya had shoulder-length, curly black hair which, she always kept in a ponytail, as she never liked her curly hair. She'd always wished for long, straight hair like her sister did, that she would never dare to show her face. She was always dressed in pressed jeans and a button-down flannel shirt, with some Nike running shoes. For a fact, she was as much as Tomboy you could get. Ditiya Virk never minded standing up to the guy or anyone else for that matter. At the age of sixteen, she already had a good figure that reached up to 5ft 6. They were two sisters and were exactly different; it was hard to tell who was prettier among them. The first thing most people notice about her was her dark eyes with the fleck of brown at the center...like a chocolate melting in warmth. The front of her knees and elbows had visible scars from falling during basketball practices. Her liking for independence and sports had kept her away from teen love affairs, but it did not really matter to her that much. After the tournament director and the school principle distributed trophies, medals, and other awards. It was time to celebrate the victory of Agni's basketball team. They decided to celebrate their victory by walking to a small open-air café. When Ditiya and her teammates reached the café, they all sat down together at one big table in the café. "I will order the food," Ditiya announced and walked toward the food counter. Five minutes later when she was still standing in a queue at the fat butterfly bakery waiting her turn to order. Someone came and scooped her into their arms from behind. "Yikes," Ditiya literally tore herself free of the clutching hands in shock; she turned around to see who hugged her suddenly and was amazed to see, it was Shreya. Shreya used to live next door to the Virks and of course was very good friend of Ditiya, until a few years ago when she had to move to other part of the city. "Hays Shreya!" Ditiya smiled and jumped up and embraced her old friend, and she hugged Ditiya back, tightly, spinning each other in the crowd. "We haven't seen each other for so long, how are you?" They both spoke at the same time, and laugh at it because it used to happen so many times as children. It quickly gave them a slide show of their childhood memories. "I now study in DPS and guess what I am the sports captain there," she answered the question enthusiastically and then asked, "how about you?... Still miss you Shreya," "I am as good I was, but it seems like you are doing good too," Shreya replied with a big smile all over her face. Ditiya let out a small chuckle. "Yeah, seems like." "Do you want to sit with me for a while?" Shreya asked, Ditiya was smiling and nodded in approval. Yes, she came there to celebrate their victory but that can be laid behind for an old friend. "Hey,' Ditiya called out toward Aisha and their group and yelled a request, "I am gonna catch with my old friend, so please if don't mind you order your own foods!" they made an unhappy face but nodded anyway. Ditiya and Shreya took their drinks and looked for a table away from the counter, settling for a table for four by the window. "You look different," Ditiya commented, just as she took a huge bite of her chicken burger. Shreya shrugged her shoulders but made no reply. "Wait, are you eating veggie burger?" Ditiya asked Shreya was surprised because Shreya never liked veggie burgers, as a child Shreya was a hardcore non-vegetarian. "Yeah, I am trying to quit non-vegetarian food since my boyfriend doesn't..." Shreya started explaining but Ditiya interrupted her immediately, grabbing her hands out of surprise. Ditiya's eyes widen in shock but anyway swallowed the first mouthful, took a sip of soda and put the rest in the plate. "What? I mean . . . are you serious? YOU have a boyfriend? I thought we were the craziest, what they call it tomboy" Ditiya nearly yelled out and shook her head. "So you stopped non-vegan because of him? Are you serious?" Shreya rolled her eyes. "Oh, girl!" Ditiya giggled and shook her head over and over again before she finally took another bite of her burger and kept chewing. "Soo tasty! I'd never quit chicken, for anyone, that's for sure." "Dhruv is worth it," Shreya replied. "If you knew him, you would at least consider that." "Sure Shreya. You're just lovesick, that's all," Ditiya smiled at amused. "Like a 19's films heroine. And what kind of name is Dhruv even? He's like what, sixty?" Ditiya let out a mocking laugh. She tried to think about the boy Dhruv, but let it go, as she didn't even like the name. Shreya shrugged her shoulders again. "Maybe I'm lovesick but I wanted to quit non-vegan anyway. Plus, Dhruv isn't sixty; he's seventeen, almost eighteen and a great guy. You would love him," the girl responded with a smile. "You've really become a wet blanket girl," Ditiya pouted showing fake sadness and shook her head. "And you're a douchebag," Shreya fired back. "Sure I am," Ditiya grinned, and both the girls burst out in laughter. "So what are your plans for the weekend? Partying, movie or full day basketball?" Shreya questioned taking a bite of her burger. It was a weak attempt at changing the topic of her boyfriend. "Nah," Ditiya replied casually, "I'm actually planning to visit my Nana for the weekend. What are your plans? Making out with your boyfriend?" she said and chuckled to herself. "You're such an asshole," Shreya said and shoved some French fries into her mouth. "Dhruv is busy with his family this weekend, his elder brother is going to America, so I'll probably just stay at home, not sure yet." Ditiya groaned. "Hell, I'd be so bored. So you don't go out anymore?" Ditiya questioned, frowning. "I do but . . . without Dhruv, it's just boring." "You're crazy," Ditiya shook her head in disappointment. "Are you drugged?" "You're just being jealous," Shreya replied back promptly and took a sip of her coke. "I think I already know the answer to my next question but anyway . . . do you have a boyfriend right now?" Ditiya had to bite her lip to stop from laughing at that question, "well you know me but there is a boy who gives me chocolate every day and I never say no to chocolates," Ditiya sighed and dipped some fries into the ketchup on her tray. "Basically I'm just messing around here and there and to be honest, I don't have time for these romantic shits," Ditiya said seriously but when she looked at Shreya, she bust out into laughter. Shreya shook her head but couldn't hide a smile. "You're unbelievable." "Just as you are," Ditiya mocked and ate two of her chicken nuggets. "So tell me Ms. Girly girl, how good kisser Dhruv is?" Ditiya asked in a playful tone. "Is he worth all those hot chicken you're missing out because of him?" Shreya grinned. "You wish you knew, eh?" Ditiya laughed at that. "You're not serious! I am telling you he is gay." "f**k off," She cursed at Ditiya at that. Ditiya didn't mind just grinned and took a sip of her coke. "But honestly, you should really think about chicken again because this relationship seems like protienless and not very healthy for you." Shreya frowned at that and rolled her eyes. "You haven't changed at all." "I'm not surprised," Ditiya smirked and then shrugged. "We can also talk about better topics now so . . . have you found what you want to do after school final? We haven't talked to each other for long so . . . tell me, if you want to." Shreya let out a short laugh. "It's a pity that we haven't hung out together for so long. I've kind of missed this," she smiled once before she continued to tell Ditiya what happened during the past years. It is just the starting and will get better as the story continues... there will be many ups and downs coming.