Chaptter- 38

Radha dribbled the ball on the ground, her feet working on quick, controlled footwork, shifting with precision and balance as she practiced alone on the court.

The girls were getting ready in the locker room and the coach was yet to arrive, that gave her time to prepare herself, to steady her racing thoughts, gathering her courage. She can’t slip up. She won’t slip, not when she has already come this far.

“What are you doing here?” Samarth asked as he walked into the court, only to find Radha practicing.

Radha turned, startled. The ball slipped from her hands, sliding right before Samarth’s feet. Even before the match started, she had to convince Samarth to let her participate. The opportunity she so casually threw away in her fear, she needed to earn it back.

Taking a deep breath, she looked at him. ”Sir, I...”

“I think I made myself clear yesterday,” Samarth cut her off sternly. ”You are out of the team. I don’t want someone who runs away from challenges in my team.”

Radha looked down. She knew that already, that’s why she came determined today.

“Leave!” Samarth ordered as the girls walked in, standing in line immediately, straightening themselves under his gaze.

Samarth turned to them. ”We were going to have the one-on-one match between Radhika and Jaanvi, but it’s cancelled now. There is no need for that anymore.” He looked at Jaanvi. ”I announce Jaanvi as the captain of the team for the upcoming interschool competition.”

The girls squealed excitedly, congratulating Jaanvi as if everyone wanted her to win from the very beginning.

“You can’t, sir!” Radha’s voice floated in the air, cutting through the joy. Her tone firm and unwavering.

Silence fell in the entire court. Samarth turned slowly, facing Radhika.

He frowned. ”What?”

Radha took a step forward, picking up the ball. The earlier hesitation, reluctance, or even fear evaporated into thin air. The one who stood now was confident, her stance exuded strength, and quiet determination, a look on her face that screamed resolve, everything no one had expected to witness from her atleast.

“I haven’t given up yet.” Radha’s tone was firm but polite, ”and choosing someone even before giving me a fair chance to prove myself is unfair, sir.”

Samarth crossed his arms over his chest, ”Did you perhaps forget that you are the one who told me yesterday that you don’t want to participate? To make Jaanvi the captain? Did you forget your own words, Radhika? A few rounds of the ground will help you refresh your memories.”

“I remember what I said, sir.” Radha replied softly, ”And I am sorry for that. I shouldn’t have backed off so easily. I can’t change what I said yesterday, but I want to try again... please let me. If I lose, I will myself walk away from here.”

Samarth raised an eyebrow, ”Why do you think you deserve another chance? Someone who believes others’ opinions and doubts rather than their own self, do you think I should give that person a chance to lead my team?”

Radha’s gaze dropped. Her bhaiya had told her the same yesterday. She was a fool to come under others’ words and give up so easily. She should have fought, or at least tried instead of stepping back without even testing her own limits.

She looked at Samarth again, ”I shouldn’t have doubted myself and let others influence my decision, I know, sir. I learnt my lesson. Mere bhaiya ek baat kahi thi.... duniya se haar jaana ek pal ke liye sahi hai, par khud se haar maan lena galat. (It’s okay to lose to the world for a moment, but giving up on yourself is wrong.) I-I lost my confidence, but please sir, give me one chance to prove myself. Main aapko shikayat ka mauka nahi dungi. (I won’t give you any reason to complain.) I promise.”

Samarth looked at her for a long moment before he stepped back. ”Final match.” He declared, his tone leaving no room for argument. ”The one who wins will be the captain.”

His gaze shifted to Radhika, sharp and unwavering. ”If you lose, you are out of the team. Clear?”

Radha nodded, her fingers curling into fists at her side, “Crystal!”

Jaanvi strode in lazily, rolling her shoulders as if this was just another easy win waiting for her. Confidence dripped from her every step. There was no way a wimp like Radhika could make her even break a sweat. The girl dared to show up even after their warning, she would walk away from here embarrassed, crying, exactly where she belonged.

The team gathered around, their murmurs already siding with Jaanvi. Everyone cheering for Jaanvi. Not a single voice called out for Radha.

Samarth blew the whistle, dropping the ball perfectly between them as both lunged forward at once.

Jaanvi was quick; she snatched the ball first, dribbling past Radha with practiced ease. Her movements were sharp, confident, and dominating. Radha stumbled for a second before regaining her balance, her heart hammering in her chest.

“Focus!” She inhaled sharply.

Jaanvi moved to score, but Radha stepped in, blocking her path just in time. It wasn’t perfect, but it was enough to disrupt her rhythm. Jaanvi frowned, slightly annoyed, before spinning past her and aiming... The ball bounced off the rim.

Radha didn’t waste a second. She rushed forward, catching it mid-air. The court fell into a brief stunned silence.

She dribbled once, twice, steadying herself using all the techniques she noticed her brothers applying yesterday. The way Abhi controlled the ball, the way her Bhaiyu changed direction just to distract, and the way her Bhaiya was fast yet remained calm despite the tension, focusing on the rim.

Jaanvi charged at her, trying to intercept. Radha shifted, moving faster.

Jaanvi faltered for a second, just a second, but it was enough.

With her last lesson by Samarth, foot replacement, analyzing and adjusting... Radha balanced her stance, dodged Jaanvi, and aimed.

The court seemed to slow down. Jaanvi lunged, but it was too late. The ball left Radha’s hands, cutting clean through the air and going straight into the hoop.

Silence filled the court.

The girls who had been cheering froze mid-reaction, their expressions shifting from confidence to disbelief. They didn’t accept such a big flip in the game.

Radha stood there, breath uneven, staring at the hoop as if confirming it really happened. And as the reality sank in, she spun around, facing Samarth, who stood there with his arms crossed, completely unreadable, without any expression on his face.

There was no hint of satisfaction, pride, or even approval; his eyes were unbearably cold, and that somewhere disappointed her.

“The results are before you.” Samarth broke the silence. He looked at Radhika. ”I hope I didn’t make a mistake choosing you as the leader. I have been winning the competition every year, and losing it this year will be a miracle, I guess. Hope you won’t let me witness that magic.”

Radha swallowed hard, nodding her head. She tried to say she wouldn’t, but he had already turned, walking away. It was on her. Her mentor had the right to be angry at her, especially when he trusted her and believed in her potential, sometimes giving her extra lessons, going out of the way only for her to doubt herself at the last moment. She will win the competition and bring his pride back.

The girls surrounded her, snapping Radha out of her daze. She sighed deeply, they weren’t happy; it was visible on their faces.

She looked at them calmly, ”I know you don’t want to follow my words as the captain, but believe me, I am least interested in forcing you to follow me. We all want the same thing, for the team to win, for our school to win. And we will! Let’s keep our ego aside and be one team.” She forwarded her palm, offering a truce.

Jaanvi swatted her hand away harshly, ”You think it’s that easy? This sweet talk will change our mind and we will agree to follow your lead?”

“No way!” Mehak pushed Radha by the shoulder.

Radha looked at her steadily, ”Listen...”

“No, you listen.” Kavya cut her off arrogantly, ”We make our own rules, we decide for ourselves. We want Jaanvi to be the captain because she deserves it and she is our friend. We can trust her rather than a scaredy cat like you.” She raised her hand to push Radha back:  however, Radha held it mid-air even before it could touch her.

“Ek aur mujhe haath lagaya na toh haath tod ke haath mein de dungi. (Touch me one more time, and I will break your hand and put it back in your other hand,)” Radha snapped, her patience giving up.

She pushed Kavya back, making her stumble; the girls held her just in time, breaking the fall.

Radha shot them a sharp look, ”I am the captain of the team. Maana ya na maana tumhari marzi. Agar koi problem hai toh jaake coach se baat karo. (Believe it or not, that’s your choice. If you have a problem, go talk to the coach.) But don’t you dare bully me again. Just because I am the captain, I am not asking you to lose your voice or blindly follow me. You have the right to share your opinions and be heard, that’s how a team works. But if you try to pull me down...”

“What? You will cry before the principal or coach?” Jaanvi fumed, ”Or maybe your brothers. The whole school knows what happened with Riya and her friends.”

Radha’s eyes glinted, ”No. I won’t go to anyone. Not the teachers, and definitely not my brothers. Because my brothers are very protective of me. If they found out that someone again tried to bully their sister or the fact touched me, I don’t know what they will do. Riya is out of this school for a few weeks, but you guys... I don’t even want to think where you will get transferred forever. So, taking pity on you, I won’t tell my brothers.”

She took a step forward, meeting Jaanvi’s eyes, her shoulders squared, ”I can fight my battles. The only difference is, I won’t use my hands. My talent is answer enough, unlike someone whose confidence is sky-touching but talent is six-feet under the ground!”

Her words hit hard. Jaanvi was forced to step back, her expression faltering for the first time. The girls watched in stunned silence, Radha was known to flinch back, give up, or endure, but never to fight back. The new version unwavering and fierce before them was their first time they were witnessing.

Radhika glanced at the girls, ”You want the school to win or lose, that’s in your hands. Agar mujhse zyada problem hai toh, like I said... go to the coach. He can take action, throwing me out. No one else can do anything. Because I won’t back off just because you all want me to. Not this time!”

Saying that, she turned on her heels, walking away, her stride filled with newfound confidence and strength. Her heart pounded in her chest like a drum. This was the first time she stood up for herself, first time to face people without backing down. The satisfaction level was unexplainable, but overwhelming too. Anyways, she did what was right, and that was enough.

✨✨✨

Abhi looked up as Radha walked into his room after the small celebration that took place at home as she became the captain of the team, something she had so badly wanted to achieve. They were all happy. It was like a tradition getting fulfilled, first it was their bhaiya who was once the captain, then their bhaiyu, then he himself, and now Radha too walked on her brothers’ path.

Abhi was proud of his sister. However, he also knew about her mini wildcat trailer he had by mistake overheard when a few girls of his class were talking. Something that made her famous over a small incident, but it was big for him, as his sister took a stand for herself. He didn’t say anything in front of their brothers, knowing Radha wouldn’t like it.

She preferred being the sweet, kind-hearted girl rather than becoming a lioness. With time, when she would grow up, her thoughts would too, and he was waiting for that day.

“I want to paint!” Radha declared, breaking his chain of thoughts.

She turned on the switch. The lights in the corner of the room lit up, casting a warm glow across the space. Abhi’s room was big, and his sister painting in his room, due to obvious reasons, Mahir had made a comfortable place for her in the corner where her paints, brushes, color palettes, and canvas were neatly arranged on a small wooden table and stand.

Abhi never touched or even walked into that zone, knowing his sister would kill him for touching her precious babies.

“Why so suddenly?” Abhi asked with a frown. It’s been months since she last painted.

Radha shot him a glare. ”Why? Can’t I paint if I want to? Do you have a problem?”

Abhi gestured with a zip on his mouth, miming that he won’t say a word. He was least interested in ruffling the moody bear’s feathers.

Radha picked up the acrylic tube, squeezing it onto the plate, mixing a few more vibrant colors. Her hands worked on autopilot, as she let her thoughts flow onto the canvas, just like her mind was filled with a calm sense of satisfaction and contentment.

Painting helped her relax and be herself, lost in the world of colors that were dark like stormy nights, but with equal measure of bright ones that were like rays of hope breaking through the clouds.

Radha still remembered the first painting she made, a handmade portrait of her parents, gifting it to her mom on her birthday, only for her to stab the knife into the canvas, yelling at her for wasting time on useless things instead of studies.

It took Radha three to four hours to make a perfect sketch, as she was a beginner back then, but irony was such, the hours she spent working hard were destroyed in seconds right in front of her eyes.

Radha shook her head, focusing on her art. She didn’t wish to think about bad memories and dive into them. She should focus on her present, and she was happy now, not sad.

“Tu ne poocha nahi how did I become captain? (You didn’t ask how did I became captain?)” Radha asked quietly, continuing with her art work.

She needed to talk to someone, to tell someone what she did. Her bhaiya and bhaiyu were her best options, but they were her elder brothers. For now, she needed a friend to rant out the kind of thrill and excitement she was feeling, the overwhelming sensation of finally believing in herself for the first time, and Abhi was her best option for that.

Abhi glanced at her, setting aside his book, ”What do you mean? Jaise captain bante hai waise hi bani na? Ya kala jadu kiya tha coach par? (How does one become a captain? You became one the same way, right? Or did you use black magic on the coach?)”

Radha spun around, glaring at him. She clearly heard the teasing bite in his tone, which meant he knew, and yet sat there acting so innocent.

“Tujhe kaise pata chala? (How did you find out?)” She asked curiously.

Abhi rose to his feet with a shrug, ”You, my dear sister, are quite popular among your seniors. Sabh tujhse darne lage hai dheere dheere karke. (Everyone has slowly started getting scared of you.)”

Radha sighed, turning back, concentrating on her work. What else did she expect? Their school was named wrong actually, the way gossip spread from one ear to another like a news channel, the school should be renamed “Breaking News Convent.”

“So tell me, what did you do?” Abhi asked playfully, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed, eyes gleaming with mischief.

He looked at his sister, ”Did you punch them? Scratched them with your nails? Or broke their nose with the ball?”

Radha grinned widely, ”None of the above! I just hreatened them.” She looked at Abhi, excitement sparkling in her eyes. ”Pehle toh main kuch nahi karne wali thi, (In the beginning I wasn’t about to do anything) but one of them pushed me and that pissed me off. I simply told them that I am confident in my talent unlike someone who needs to pull others down just to feel superior.”

Abhi clapped mockingly yet impressed, ”That was savage. But you could have punched them if they touched you. Why hold back?”

Radha shook her head, ”If I had raised my hand, it would have been on me because they would twist the story and make me the one at fault. It’s not necessary to use violence to take a stand for yourself, we can stand strong with our words too.”

Abhi nodded for her sake, but he didn’t fully believe that. Sometimes words aren’t enough, and people need to be shown their place the hard way. You can’t let people walk over you always playing the polite card.

When you make a mistake, you should apologize, but you should also know how to make someone else apologize. That’s what he believed. However, he didn’t correct Radha. She was finally standing up for herself, and seeing the satisfaction on her face, he refused to let it dim.

“Well, Bhaiya ka birthday aa raha hai. Have you planned something for that?”  He asked, changing the topic.

Radha froze for a heartbeat before she resumed, ”No...” Her tone quieted down.

Birthdays were special for everyone. No matter what her parents did to spoil her mood, even on her special day, her bhaiya made sure she had her fair share of happiness without any conditions or expectations.

However, last year she was the one who spoiled his special day, she was the one who walked away from him and shut him out completely. Since then, she had started keeping her distance from her own brother... until four months back, when she lost her parents and her bhaiya made efforts to build and bridge the gap she herself had created and damaged between them.

The reasons were long buried deep in her heart, locked in a chest. But this year, she was determined to make her bhaiya’s birthday special.

But how? When the memories of that day still haunted her, clinging to her like shadows, refusing to let her move on!

 

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