Till The Spring

15🌸 The Unexpected Sunday

In three weeks following that incident Nazareth's life pretty much returned to normal, Sara's eligibility test result also came out confirming her 96% scholarship. She is now no more troubling or coming in his way leading her own life with Ishan and her new friend Nia. Despite the semblance of normalcy, an unspoken tension lingered between Sara and Nazareth. Sara, successful in creating distance, couldn't deny the occasional nostalgic pull when passing the English department, where memories of a tumultuous time resided. The silent eye contacts and echoes of past statements left an uncharted emotional terrain, even as both carried on with their separate lives.

It was a Sunday morning, Nia and Sara were sitting in a park, Sara was biting her nails while witnessing a nerve wrecking soccer match where Ishan was a part of the team. The situation was intense as both the teams have secured equal goals, one goal is enough to decide the winner of the match. Ishan wiped off the droplets of sweat formed on his forehead while taking the control of the ball by tackling the opponent and dribbling it to the opponent's goal. Ishan was sure enough that with a kick he'll secure the goal but accidentally the ball rolls out of the play field and reaches the person who was sitting on the bench reading his book, and match stops. His face wasn't visible from afar only his back could be seen.
"Hey! Can you pass us the ball!?" Shouts Ishan while that person doesn't listen and keeps focusing on his books.
Ishan went near that person as Sara follows him too and calls him out again.
"Hey! Can't you hear? We want the ball!" Shouts Ishan.
When that person turns his head to their direction revealing his face as he stood up while leaving his book on the bench. It was Nazareth, looking at him Nia, Ishan and Sara's blood got drained. Ishan looks at him with a frightened expression while Sara gets too lost in admiring his looks.
He looks different rather, more dapper,in his casual looks. He wore a gey hoodie with a pair of black denim along with a black and white sneakers. He had his messy, brown loose curls arranged randomly while a few bangs were falling on his forehead, his grey eyes were more visible with the absence of glasses which normally keeps sitting on his nose. He looks taller and leaner than he does in University and looking at him no one could ever guess he could be a professor.
Nazareth looks down at the ball, rolls it in front with the inside edge of his foot and strikes a free kick such that it covers half of the field, goes past the goalkeeper and touches the net,thereby, securing a goal.
Seeing this everybody's mouth opens as they get astonished while Ishan was looking at him in shock.
That...was a Power shot! Thought Ishan to himself as he gets taken aback seeing his game skills.
"Wooh! Dude! That was awesome!" Says one of the players, Yuki, who doesn't know Nazareth.
"Why don't you join us!?" Says the other member.
"Yeah! If you're gonna play that match it would turn even more intense!" Says one of the girls who was supposed to be one of the member's friends, in a flirty tone.
"No...My student is enough to play with you guys." Says Nazareth coldly looking at Ishan, leaving everyone to surprise as looking at his appearance they haven't thought of him being a professor.
"Oh damn! Then you should definitely join us, just the last round!" Says Ishan's close friend.
As everybody starts cheering to make him agree, while Ishan was praying secretly that he doesn't join them. After a lot of insisting Nazareth finally agrees to play the last round of the match.
"But you'll play on whose side?" Asks Yuki.
"Obviously he will support Ishan to make his team win." Says Ishan's friend when Ishan gets annoyed with this Idea.
"I can play and win on my own. I don't look for someone's support." Says Ishan in an irritated tone.
Sensing at Ishan's reluctance Nazareth chooses to play against him as he doesn't want Ishan to doubt his skill and give him a chance to win on his own with getting the game head on. Ishan with no reason, gets too insecure with the presence of Nazareth and how people are praising him. He starts to play irrationaly, that he in impulse doesn't pay attention to his game and loses the control over the ball when his opponent gets a chance to intercept and passes the ball to Nazareth who was around the edge of the penalty area. He kicks the low edge of the ball with the inside edge of the foot which gives the ball the side spine as it gets curved in the air, while passing above the goalkeeper touches the net and secures a Goal.
Goal!!!! Shouts Nazareth's team mates as they gave him a group hug. While a girl among the handful of audience who was trying to entice Nazareth from long ran towards him and tries to hug him when Nazareth steps back to avoid any touch. Ishan gets disgusted in getting his defeat when he looks at Sara who unknowingly jumps on Nazareth's victory while leaving Ishan in rage.
Sara, witnessing Nazareth's unexpected prowess on the football field, found herself surprised by this previously unseen side of her professor. Enthralled by his captivating performance, she couldn't divert her attention, even forgetting about Ishan in the heat of the game. Nazareth's fluid movements and precise technique left a lasting impression on her.
Ishan gives a half-hearted hug to Nazareth and says "Nice play Professor... Congratulations"
When Nazareth notices Ishan's disgust in the hug.
"Learn to take defeats." Nazareth says as he broke the hug while turning to leave.
"How did I get defeated ...?you weren't even part of the match." Argued Ishan when Sara hears their conversation.
Sara, sensing Ishan's agitation, attempted to calm him, but he shrugged off her touch. Agitated, Ishan, clutching his jacket, left with Nia following him. The internal struggle between the defeat in the match and losing to Nazareth weighed heavily on his mind.