PERFECT IMAGE, BROKEN LIFE

Face Your Fears

The following Saturday, Asha arrived at the park with a mix of excitement and trepidation. She spotted Musa warming up, his movements as fluid and graceful as ever. But as she approached, she noticed he seemed preoccupied, his usual cheerful demeanour replaced by a thoughtful flown.

"Hey," Asha said, trying to sound casual.

"Hey," Musa replied, his smile a little strained.

He tossed the shuttlecock in the air and caught it, a nervous habit Asha had noticed he did when he was thinking hard.

They played their usual game, but the spark was missing. Musa seemed distracted, his serves lacking their usual zing, and Asha found herself making more mistakes than usual. The easy camaraderie they once shared was replaced by the awkwardness that made her heartache.

After the game, they sat on the bench, silence stretching out between them. At this moment, she couldn't take it anymore.

"Musa, is everything ok?" She asked, her voice laced with concern.

Musa sighed, running a hand through his hair.

"Yeah, it's just ... .I've been thinking," He began, then hesitated. "About us. About badminton. About…"

Asha's heart raced in her chest. "About what?" She whispered.

Musa looked at her, his eyes filled with a mixture of confusion and longing. "About whether we're just friends who play badminton, or there's something…more."

Asha had been waiting for him to say those words, or something close to it, and now that he had, she didn't know how to react. Part of her wanted to shout a triumphant "Yes, there's more!" but another part was terrified of the possible answer.

"I don't know," she finally managed to whisper, her voice barely audible above the soft rustling of the trees.

"I thought we were friends?" Her voice cracked slightly on the last word.

Musa exhaled slowly, his gaze fixed on the ground. "Friends is a good place to start, isn't it?"

His voice was filled with a strange mix of relief and disappointment. "But there's this…pull, you know? Something that makes me want to be more."

Asha agreed, feeling a surge of courage. "me too, "she admitted honestly." "but I'm scared."

Musa looked up, his eyes meeting hers, "Scared of what?" "Of getting hurt?"

Asha confessed. "of ruining our friendship."

Musa reached out and took her hand, his touch sending a jolt of electricity through her. "We won't let that happen," he promised. "We will take it slow, one step at a time. But I want to try, Asha. I want to see where this could go."

Asha squeezed his hand, a silent affirmation. The future was uncertain, but for now, the present felt filled with a warmth she'd never experienced before.

A hesitant smile bloomed on Asha's face. "Okay," she whispered, a sense of relief washing over her. "one step at a time."

They sat in comfortable silence for a moment, the unspoken tension finally dissipating. The park, with its familiar sounds of laughter and birdsong, suddenly felt different, charged with a new energy. Asha looked at Musa, really looked at him, and saw not just her badminton buddy but someone she could potentially share her life with.

"I think We should go," it has been a long day. Musa said.

"Yeah ... sure", Asha replied.

As they walked towards the park exit, Musa slowed his pace slightly, falling into step beside Asha.

"Hey," he began, in a gentle voice. "Are you heading straight home from here?"

Asha responded, "Yeah like I was planning on grabbing some dinner and crashing. "It's been a tiresome day you know!….. saying that as she smiles"

Musa hesitated for a moment then spoke. "I was thinking…..if you're not in a rush, maybe I could drop you home? . It's getting dark, and well, I just wanted to." He shrugged a slight blush keeping up his neck.

Asha's heart skipped a beat. The offer seemed easy but it sent a thrill through her.

"That'd be great," she replied, trying to keep her voice even. "I mean, if you're sure it's not out of your way."

"Not at all," Musa said quickly, a genuine smile speaking across his face. "It's no problem at all."

As he drove, the conversation flowed easily between them. They talked about the game, about their week, about everything and nothing.

A connection growing stronger with every step. Asha felt a warmth spreading through her, a feeling that went beyond the physical exertion of the game. It was a feeling of anticipation of possibility, of something special just beginning.

In the night, Musa, in his bed, stared at the ceiling, his mind replaying the scene over and over where Asha's laughter echoed in the park, the way her eyes sparkled under the streetlights, the comfortable conversations they shared on their way home. He'd been so nervous asking her to drop her home, but the relief when she'd said yes had been overwhelming.

Did she feel it too? he wondered. The connection, the spark that ignited whenever they were together. He'd been trying to ignore it, to keep things casual, but he couldn't deny the way his heart beat whenever she was near.

He likes her. More than just a friend. The thought both excited and scared him. He'd never been this vulnerable before.

He finally drifted off to sleep, only to be met with a dream where he and Asha were playing badminton, but instead of shuttlecocks, they were hitting hearts back and forth.

Asha, also facing a sleepless night, tossed and turned, the image of Musa's smile flickering behind his eyelids. She replayed every shared laugh, every stolen glance, every word. Did he mean it when he said he wanted to drop me home? She wondered. Or was it just a friendly gesture?

She couldn't deny the butterflies that had erupted in her stomach. Could it be? Could Musa actually like me? The thoughts both thrilled and terrified her. Sleep evaded her as she lay there, lost in a maze of "what ifs" and hopeful dreams.