Beyond the Game
After a few weeks, Asha had a break from not going to the badminton park. This one weekend she decided to go back and do some workouts but she didn't inform Musa about it.
Asha at the badminton park, getting ready for the game. She's trying to focus, but her mind keeps wandering back to what happened with Musa.
She feels a little jumpy, like she's waiting for the other shoe to drop.
Suddenly, she reaches for the shuttlecock, and her hand collides with someone else's. It's Musa. They both freeze for a second, their eyes meeting.
Asha's heart starts racing. It's been long since she's been this close with him. She can smell his cologne, and it's like a wave of memories washes over her mostly good ones.
Musa's face is a musk of awkwardness. He clears his throat, breaking the silence.
"Hey," he says.
Asha nods, not trusting herself to speak.
She can feel her cheeks getting hot. Is it from embarrassment, or something else?
They stand there for a few more uncomfortable seconds,not knowing what to say.
Finally, Asha breaks the silence.
"Can we just play?" She asks, her voice barely a rustle.
Musa bows, and they start the game.
But it's not the same. Every time they get close to the net, the tension between them is almost thick enough to cut with a knife. Asha keeps messing up her shots, and Musa seems distracted too.
It's obvious that something has changed and they can't keep playing like this.
She misses an easy shot, and the shuttlecock flies away off course.
"Dammit" she yells, slamming her racket against the ground.
Musa just a little, startled. He looks at her with a mixture of concern and annoyance.
"What's your problem?" he snaps.
Asha stares at him,her eyes filled with tears.
"What's my problem?" she echoes, her voice trembling. "What about you? What's your problem?"
The words are out before she can stop them, and the dam seems to break.
Asha starts sobbing, her whole body shaking.
Musa looks shocked. He doesn't Know what to do.
Asha sobs get louder, and she curls up on the ground, her whole body shaking.
Musa hesitates for a moment, and finally kneels down beside her. "Asha," he says softly, reaching out to touch her shoulder.
She flinches away, but he doesn't give up. "I'm sorry," he says. "I didn't mean to snap at you."
Asha sniffles and wipes her tears away.
"It's not just about that," she says, her voice quavering. "It's about everything."
Musa looks concerned, understanding dawning on his face. "I know, "he says. "I messed up"
They sit there in silence for a long moment, just two people trying to pick up the pieces of their broken relationship.
Finally Asha spoke up. "I don't like this," she said quietly.
Musa gestured sadly. "I know," he agreed.
"But I don't want to give up on us" he looked through her eyes "he said, everything will be fine"
"Do you want to see something cool?" he asked, trying to keep his voice steady. "I have this photography studio downtown."
Asha is surprised, but there's a flicker of curiosity in her eyes.
She's never seen Musa's work before. "Sure" she says slowly, "why not"
And that's where things get interesting.
They head to Musa's studio. It's in this old warehouse district, kind of hidden away. Asha's a little surprised.
He unlocks the door and steps inside. It's a huge space, with high ceilings and tons of natural light. There are cameras and lights everywhere, and the walls are covered with amazing photos.
Asha's jaw drops. "Wow," she breathes. "This is incredible"
Musa beams, clearly proud. "Thanks, he says. "It's my passion project."
He gestures around the room. "I've been working on this for years."
He starts showing her some of his favourite photos, telling her the story behind them. Asha was really impressed. She can see how he loves this. It's like she's seeing a whole new side of him.
Asha studied the portraits, noticing the subtle nuance in each face. "It's amazing," she said, genuinely impressed.
"You have such a good eye" she paused, then added, "Never knew you were this talented."
"That's what I try to do," he said. "I want my photos to connect with people on an emotional level."
He turned to Asha, his expression softening. "Just like I want to connect with you."
Asha, as she moves closer to examine a particular striking shot, she notices another photo tucked slightly behind it.
It was a portrait, and her breath caught in her throat. It was Musa, but he was with another woman.
A woman, Asha had never seen before. They were smiling, their faces close together. The lady had her arm draped around Musa's shoulders, and he was leaning into her, a genuine smile on his face.
It wasn't necessarily romantic, but the easy intimacy between them sent a jolt of jealousy through Asha, the photo made her feel uneasy.
Asha's smile faltered. she felt a familiar pang of insecurity. She stared at the photo, her mind conjuring up all sorts of scenarios. Who was this woman? Were they Just friends, or was there something else more?
Musa, who was across the room adjusting some lighting equipment, noticed Asha's sudden change in demeanor.
He turned around and saw her looking at the photo. He walked over her, a slightly confused expression on his face.
"That's a good one, isn't it?" he said.
Asha didn't respond. She just pointed at the portrait of Musa and the other woman. "Who is she?" She asked, her voice tight.
Musa glanced at the photo and chuckled. "Oh, that's Jenny," he said casually. "We've been friends since college."
"Just friends?" Anya repeated, her voice laced with skepticism.
Musa answered. "Yeah, just friends," he confirmed.
He noticed Asha's still suspicious expression and added, "Seriously, Asha, there's nothing to worry about. She is like a sister to me.