The bus finally stopped in front of the athletes' dorm. Haniya was still asleep, her head resting gently on Aarav's shoulder. Aarav froze for a second, not wanting to wake her too suddenly. She looked peaceful… calmer than she had looked in days.
He leaned slightly toward her and whispered softly,
"Haniya… we're here."
She didn't wake.
So he tried again, this time using the softest tone possible.
"Haniya, wake up… we reached the dorm."
Her eyelashes fluttered, and she blinked awake slowly. When she realized where she was resting, her eyes widened in embarrassment, and she immediately sat up straight.
Aarav quickly stood, purposely moving away just enough to avoid any gossip.
He whispered,
"Come on, before these idiots wake up and start nonsense."
Haniya nodded quickly.
Kashvi came up beside her instantly, linking their arms.
"Let's go before they tease you again," she said, rolling her eyes at the boys.
The three walked toward the entrance while the others got off the bus lazily.
Behind them, Harsh nudged Vivaan.
"Bro, look look—sleeping on shoulders now? Progress."
Vivaan smirked.
"Slow and steady wins the girlfriend, my friend."
Aarav shot them a glare over his shoulder, and they shut up instantly.
---
Scene 2 – The Mysterious Call
It was early morning, around 5:20 AM, when Haniya's phone suddenly rang. The dorm was quiet, everyone half-asleep after the bus ride.
Vivaan, who was scrolling through memes on his bed, heard it first.
He raised an eyebrow and teased loudly,
"Oyyy… who's calling you this early? Hopefully you're not cheating on Aarav, bro."
Harsh gasped dramatically.
"Plot twist: secret boyfriend revealed at dawn!"
Haniya gave them a deadly glare that could burn a hole through the wall.
Both boys shut up instantly.
She hurried to her room and picked up the call.
A familiar voice spoke from the other side—cold, sharp, and a bit hurt.
"Hey Haniya, what's up? Not good that you've forgotten me."
Haniya closed her eyes.
"I didn't forget you."
"Hmm. Did you succeed in your plan?" the voice asked.
She exhaled shakily.
"Not yet… but I'm trying."
The voice hardened.
"Make sure u don't fall in love with him again."
Haniya clenched the bedsheet.
"I'm trying… but I can't control everything."
The call abruptly ended.
Haniya stared at her phone, her heartbeat uneven, her stomach twisted.
---
Scene 3 – Team Meeting with the Coach
When she came out, her face was blank—but everyone was standing in the hall, including the coach, waiting for her.
Kashvi whispered,
"What took you so long? Coach has been waiting."
Haniya shook her head and joined the team.
Coach Mehra stood in front of them with a clipboard.
"Good. Everyone's here. Sit."
They sat in a semicircle.
The coach continued,
"You have four days before the next match. These days are crucial. We'll break training into three segments—physical conditioning, tactical sessions, and mental focus."
Harsh yawned loudly.
"Sir, physical conditioning at 6 AM is illegal."
Coach glared.
"Illegal? I'll show you illegal. I'll make you run ten extra laps."
Everyone snickered.
Vivaan leaned toward Haniya and whispered,
"You okay? Or was the mystery caller too important?"
Haniya kicked his leg under the table.
He winced silently.
The coach continued toward the end,
"You all can rest today. Practice starts tomorrow sharp at 6. And…"
His eyes narrowed specifically at Haniya and Aarav.
"…both of you need to focus on your training. Avoid any psychological distractions. Don't let emotions interfere with performance."
Aarav opened his mouth to deny,
"Sir, we're not—"
Vivaan cut in dramatically,
"Sir, I agree. Too much romance weakens stamina."
Harsh added,
"Yes sir, we'll keep these two away from each other."
Coach sighed,
"Enough. All of you, go rest before I make you run drills right now."
---
Scene 4 – Early Morning Silence
It was still barely 5:50 AM.
Everyone dispersed, heading to their rooms like zombies.
The dorm grew silent—only soft footsteps and closing doors.
Haniya lay in bed, staring at the ceiling, replaying the call again and again.
Aarav lay awake in his room too, confused by her sudden withdrawal.
Vivaan and Harsh whispered through their door,
"Bro, something's fishy."
"Very fishy."
Kashvi simply sighed in her bed,
"Tomorrow is going to be dramatic."
And slowly… one by one… they all drifted into sleep as the sky outside turned a pale morning blue.
---