Aaryan Khanna

“It kinda feels like Rohit made us his fucking servant after that,” Sooraj commented.

We both sat on the bench facing the crescent moon up in the air. The blades of grass, the bushes, and the rusted metal gate on our left—all were illuminated in shades of black under that moon, ya see. Sooraj’s back was straightened and his arms were spread on the armrest. My figure was bent down, with my arms on my thighs, and my head tilted down.

I smiled at his reply. “Yeah, man. That asshole was really smart. He made us feel unworthy, and then gave us that shit, and then made us fight for him. All of it must have been an act of his.”

“And he’s a legit friend of ours now.”

“He’s just bossing around with the two of us, asshole,” I told him. “He ain’t a fucking friend. He’s a fucking boss.”

“Legit boss, just like Vikram.”

“He has more influence than Vikram,” I told him. I straightened my back and turned to my left at him. “Rohit made Vikram win that election against Akshay, alright? Rohit is the one who draws the real power in the gang. He ain’t even on the field. He just fucks around from his home, and sometimes attends our meetings.”

“Yeah, man. I get it now.”

I then turned to the front. “And that asshole was the one who trapped us in.”

“But we like being in the gang now,” Sooraj smiled.

“Yeah,” I smiled too. “And that’s why I don’t really hold any grudges against him.”

“He’s a fucking dickhead, man. He won’t stand a chance against ya.”

“Yeah.” I said with a smile. I then turned my head downward, my smile fading away.

Sooraj too turned serious. “I lost the tournament. And I gotta work harder to get selected next year. And… I gotta stop vaping.” He took the vape out of his mouth, turned skyward, and blew out a puff. He looked at that cloud of smoke turning more and more translucent each passing second and ultimately fading away in thin air. “It’s not good for our health.”

“Perhaps it’s not good for your physical health, but it’s good for your mental health.” I turned to him. “Do ya think ya can live without vaping?”

Sooraj turned his head down and looked at the vape in his hand in front of his chest. He continued to glare at that shit for some seconds, pal.

I turned my head down.

“I gotta concentrate on my fucking game. My coaches… are even thinking of removing me as the captain. Next year, I’ll be promoted to the elder age group. And… I can’t afford to be the twelfth man in the under-nineteen.”

I nodded.

“It… It’s fucking killing me from inside. It’s the reason for my low stamina. And… stamina is one of the most important essentials in a sportsman.”

“Yeah, pal.”

“It causes heart and lung diseases too.”

“I know all of that shit too, pal,” I said, my head tilted down and the pen in my mouth. I then moved it out, blew out another puff, and then straightened my back. I turned to him and said, “But… I don’t think I can leave it now.”

“Ya can, man. This shit is fucking killing both of us.”

“We’ve tried so many times to quit it, alright? It never worked.”

“Let’s try once again,” He said. I noticed the determination in his eyes. They were shining.

I turned my head down in guilt. “Okay, pal.”

“We’ll legit do it this time.”

I smiled, turned up, and looked in his eyes again.

“Sure we will, pal!”