When the big day arrived, I am more excited than I am nervous. Turns out it's less to do with finally being free for project and more to do with playing cricket. Even if it's against BITM.

The adrenaline rush I get when I run between wickets is what I live for. When your senses are alert and your whole body is attuned to every tiny whisper of wind and you hear your own heartbeat against your ears, that is just magical.

We arrived fifteen minutes early at the BITM cricket grounds where all our matches take place. Unlike our college ground, BITM offers separate courts for tennis, badminton, volleyball and basketball.

Their cricket ground is the only thing that makes me envious for not being a student there.

The captains of both the teams, Pallav and Neeraj gathered with the two umpires who are our alumni for toss.

We lost and they elected to bat first.

Pallav set the fielding positions and Vamsi ended up at mid on while I got to be the leg slip. Our Alumnus Ashok is the bowler's end umpire and their alumnus Vishwas is the square leg umpire.

BITM Captain Neeraj opened the innings as usual but with a different partner, a fresher named Anish while Phani, our team's best fast bowler opened for us.

Our bowlers did well today; bowling on a good line and length, restricting their score at 148-7 by the end of twenty overs. Phani and Pallav, got three wickets each. Even I got to have a catch. But the best part of today is watching Johnny walk away after a golden duck.

The self proclaimed all-rounder didn't get a single run and my day will be made if he fails at bowling as well.

It isn't until the innings ended and we dispersed for drinks did I notice Nisha waving at us from the stands.

"When did you come?" I asked, reaching for a napkin from Vamsi's bag.

"Third over, I think"

I nodded and she said "Your catch was awesome. The way you leapt forward, I thought you were going to hurt yourself"

Her concern seemed genuine making me feel guilty. Here I am wishing we never met her but she's kind and probably deserves to be on the pedestal everyone put her on.

"She will be alright" Vamsi said coolly "Did you notice me? How was I?"

His playful tone made her chuckle and say teasingly "I don't think there's much you did except standing at your position"

I laughed. I like her.

"Hey, it's not my fault there weren't many balls my way"

"You were right. We could do without him" I said, grinning at his discomfort.

"I am the opening batsman and I will be at the striker's end. I can promise lots of action next innings" He said wiggling his eyebrows.

"What's striker's end?" she said, puzzled.

"It means I will take the first ball"

"Oh"

"You should learn more about Cricket" he said with a crooked smile.

"May be I should" she replied in her soft, alluring voice looking up at him bewitchingly "I think I will"

For you, she meant even if she didn't say it aloud.

And just like that, they continued to talk about their interests in sports while I gloriously stayed by their side like a third wheel.

When Pallav called us to get ready, we put on our leg pads and helmets and strolled onto the pitch.

"Don't play off stumps" Vamsi advised, finally remembering we are here to win the match and not flirt "If Johnny gets on your nerves, take a single and give me the strike"

"Okay"

"Don't be warring on field with him"

"When did I ever?" I said jokingly. At his glare, I quickly amended "I will pretend to be deaf"

But, it is hard. Boy, it is hard. Especially when I can feel his animosity even when he's facing my back.

Vamsi and I batted slowly, not taking any risky shots maintaining an average run rate of 7. By the end of fifth over, our score is at 40-0 and Johnny came to bowl the next.

He smirked, rolling the ball in his hand as I took an open stance to face him.

"Defence" Vamsi mouthed when I swept my gaze at him.

When he threw the ball at me, I came front foot, going down on my knee and took a sweep shot, successfully delivering my first boundary.

I smiled slyly throwing Johnny a flying kiss when the umpire declared it a four.

Vamsi grinned watching me but mouthed 'careful' as I resumed to face another delivery from Johnny.

His next two balls are wide but the next bad delivery gave me a chance to play straight drive winning another boundary from him.

I danced around the wickets to irritate him when the umpire declared it a four again.

Vamsi's reprimanding look stopped me but not before I saw the look of contempt on Johnny's face.

Ouch.

Next, I took a single and Vamsi came on strike.

We got 18 runs that over and boy does it feel good.

By the end of twelfth over, our score is at 107-0 with my personal score at 48 and Vamsi's at 55.

As we haven't lost any wickets, our chance of winning is sublime. More than anything, I loved seeing Johnny bitter and throw nasty looks at his team.

But in the thirteenth over, I misjudged a delivery and gave my leg stump trying to play a forward defensive shot.

As I walked away from the pitch, I looked at the new seamer of my opponent team and shouted "Good ball"

Johnny smirked watching me walk away from the field but I grinned giving him the middle finger that successfully turned him back into a sourpuss.

Bhargav, a third year ECE student is our 1 down batsman and a pro at attacking spin bowling.

Johnny came back to bowl at fifteenth over and immediately gave him a loose ball.

This is the best day ever. I like watching Johnny getting knocked on his ass.

I laughed out loud shouting encouraging words to Bhargav from the stands when he hit a sixer. He played a flick shot, the next ball and started running between the wickets.

On their second run, Vamsi collided into Johnny throwing him off balance as he fell over with his face down on the ground.

Shocked by the sudden development, I raced into the field with the rest of my team hoping he didn't injure himself.

But his lip is cut and he is bleeding around his teeth.

Someone brought a medical kit and started tending to him when I noticed Johnny with a salf-satisfied smile.

That was done deliberately.

And all I saw is red.

"You fucking asshole" I yelled, jumping at him to throw a punch at his nose. It hit him. Hard.

His cry of shock didn't bother me and I didn't let him go. He needs to be punished for making Vamsi bleed.

Both of us fell on the ground as he used his fists on my face and I kicked him everywhere my legs could reach.

Someone tried to pull us apart but neither of us is ready to break the fight. I am so angry I can kill him with my bare hands.

But it's Vamsi voice that shifted my focus off him and his hands that pulled me off his body.

Even then, I am not ready to let go and threw my legs in the air to reach any part of him. Johnny is equally angry but his team members managed to pull him back.

"Let him go Anjali!" Vamsi sounded angry as he tried to pull me away from the pitch.

"Let me go. He hurt you" I yelled, struggling against his arms.

"Stop this nonsense"

"Not until I kill him"

"SHUT UP!" His loud command made me stop and follow him grudgingly.

When Phani came at me with the first aid kit, I said "He is bleeding. See him first"

"Are you kidding me?" Vamsi shouted, looking pissed "Do you even know how you look like right now?"

It isn't until then did I feel the throbbing of my facial muscles. When I touched my palm to my face, I am surprised to find it sticky with thick red stains.

I am bleeding too.

As the adrenaline rush faded off, I began feeling the pain and they made me sit on a chair before I collapsed.

When Phani tried to clean my cuts, I tried hard not to flinch and stayed upright with a poker face like Vamsi. As the only girl in a boy's team, I learnt to fake my strength and acclimated myself to pain.

Even when it hurt like bitch.

I didn't want to be laughed at for screeching like a girl.

Ten minutes later, couple of BITM members approached us with scowls on their faces.

"What do we do now?" Neeraj spoke to Pallav, trying not to show his anger.

"What do you mean what do we do! We continue the game, of course" Pallav replied with a matching scowl.

"That's going to be a problem"

"Why? You want a rematch now that your winning chances are minimal?" I said sarcastically.

Neeraj glared at me "That's not what I meant"

"You could have fooled me"

He shifted his attention to my team members "Is this how it goes? You let a girl speak for you now?"

Bastard. I thought they got over with their misogynist comments after my consistent performance. But guess, some things never change.

"Why? You wanna compare dicks now?" I said innocently and some of my team members snickered behind me.

But it isn't Neeraj but Vamsi who shouted at me "Anju, enough!"

"What do you want?" he asked our opponent team.

Neeraj sighed "Johnny wants her to apologize"

"No way" I deadpanned, standing up to face them "I'm not saying sorry when I have done nothing wrong"

"He's bleeding. You broke his nose"

That gave me immense satisfaction "He deserved it"

"It was an accident. It happens"

I snorted in disbelief "That's bullshit. And we both know it"

After a couple of seconds of silence, Pallav commented "What did the umpires say?"

He frowned "Ashok says it's delberate while Vishwas thinks it's likely to be an accident"

It's understandable the umpires are supporting their respective teams. Mostly they are unbiased but tricky situations like this can force you to stand up for your own team.

"Look, there's no other way. I tried to talk him into continuing the match but he is adamant. He wants you to apoligize" Neeraj tried to coerce me but I stood my ground and shook my head.

"Can't you bring someone else to play?" That's Phani.

Neeraj shook his head and looked at me "Even if he did it on purpose, which I don't believe he did, you still jumped on him like a panther without giving him a chance to explain"

"That's because I am not stupid like you" I snarled, getting angrier with each passing minute "He was way off his position and only an idiot would believe it was an accident"

"You don't need to resort to name calling" he came close, breathing up my nose.

"Well, my best friend just got hurt and you are asking me to apologize to that asshole when he should be the one thrown out for cheating. Or is that the only way you pansies can win against us now?"

I know I went way out of line when Vamsi bellowed "ENOUGH!!"

"Anju, apologize!"

I glowered at him "I won't"

"Either you do or you leave"

His words stunned me and I took a step back from Neeraj.

"What?" I said slowly, stunned by what he said.

"Either you apologize and we play or you leave" he repeated indignantly.

"I won't apologize when I did nothing wrong"

He sighed, taking deep breaths to control his anger "You hit him"

"HE HURT YOU!!" I screamed in frustration.

"Which doesn't concern you. I am perfectly capable of taking care of myself" he roared, his voice as loud as mine.

"Well I am sorry for reacting on your behalf because I thought we were friends" I shouted back.

"This is the last time I am saying" Vamsi said, little less louder this time "Apologize to him and we will continue"

I stared back at him in shock. He knows me. He knows that I will never apologize when it's not my mistake and yet he expects me to.

To that asshole, of all people.

I stood my ground, staring at my team mates expecting one of them to say something. But not one spoke a word.

Then, I noticed Johnny behind his team members watching the drama with a contemptuous smile on his face.

Enough is enough. I don't need anyone to fight my battles. I can do it on my own.

"Fuck you!" I said, looking at him in the eye making him lose his smile.

"Fuck you" I repeated, staring at all of them until my eyes landed on my supposedly best friend "You want my apology? Well, you can kiss my ass"

With that, I turned around walking away from the stunned looks on everyone's faces.

It isn't until I reached the gates of BITM, did I realize that I have no ride back home. No money and no mobile.

My house is at least 6 kilometers away and there's no way I can walk that far in this condition. The aches on my legs made me realize Johnny didn't just get at my face but everywhere.

Neha lives nearby and for a minute I wondered if I should go to her house so she can drop me home. But knowing she will be terrified seeing me with bruises on my face and my hair all over me made me dismiss the idea.

First, I took my scrunchie out and pulled back my ponytail in a tight knot and set to walk the way back home.

Having lived around this area for most of my life, I know the shortcuts and quicker ways to get home. But it isn't easy cause my whole body is sore and I haven't had water after batting on and off for twelve overs.

Winter or not, mornings are still hot in Vizag and my body is bruised and exhausted.

There's no shortage of people on roads to ask for a mobile so I can call my parents but I didn't want to worry them.

They can fret over me after they see me up and running. No point in suddenly calling them to say I am injured.

By the time I reached the end of our street, I knew I walked more than eight kilometers and I am so thirsty I can drink a whole jug of water in one go.

My parents stood by the boundary wall of our house when I reached home making me realize Vamsi called them even if I didn't.

"Oh my god" Amma's wail reached my ears first before I collapsed into Nanna's arms making him groan in pain.

They took me to the living room and gave me water and true enough, I drank one litre in a single gulp. Then I asked for a second bottle.

"Why didn't you call us?" Amma questioned as soon as I put the bottle down.

"I didn't want to worry you. I am alright"

"Alright? Do you even know how you look right now?" She shouted as tears streamed down her face.

Her question made me realize that I am yet to see the damage done to my face. I went to check in the mirror of our common bathroom and gasped, looking at the mess.

Apart from the bandage above my right eyebrow, I have a split upper lip, faint bruises and scratches all over my cheeks and chin and a giant black mark around my left eye. Then I checked my hands and legs where marks from Johnny's blows are faintly visible.

No wonder I ache everywhere.

"What the hell happened?"

Raising my eyebrows at my mother, I said simply "He didn't tell you?"

"He said something about you fighting with a boy. Why do you have to do that?"

"HE HURT VAMSI!" I shouted, feeling the anger return.

Why is to so hard for everyone to understand that. He hurt my best friend and no body gets away with it.

"Somethings never change, do they?" Nanna said coolly, diminishing my anger a little bit.

"What?" I said, taking my spot at the sofa.

"Do you think you did the right thing?" he asked, ignoring my question.

"I do" I said fiercely. Looking at his face, I added "Do you?"

Again, ignoring me he said "You could have apologized"

"I will never apologize for no mistake of mine" I said stiffly.

"You shouldn't be so stubborn" Amma commented, sitting beside me.

"I'd call that self respect" Nanna replied making her roll her eyes in irritation.

"But look how she is!"

"If you let someone hurt you knowing they are deliberately doing it, they will continue doing it until you fight back" he said calmly.

"But Gandhi said----"

Intervening Amma, he said "If you show your other cheek when you get slapped, then you'll just remain a punching bag for the rest of your life. I don't want my daughter to sit back and let people hurt her. I want her to fight back"

"And injure herself? Is that what you mean?" She yelled, standing up.

"No one gets out of life unscathed, Anitha. What are a couple of bruises compared to how people can injure her emotionally if she's not strong enough for the cruel world"

"But look at her----" She said, looking sullen "It's not like the boy hurt her. It was Vams---"

"VAMSI AND I ARE NOT TWO DIFFERENT PEOPLE!!"

I couldn't stop the words from coming out of my mouth which not only stunned my parents but me as well.

My heart thudded loudly against my chest as I stared at my parents in complete shock.

Thankfully, they didn't say a word and I excused myself so I can ponder over whatever the hell that just happened.

I stayed in my room the whole day, half exhausted and half embarrassed by what I confessed.

But every time I thought of my own words, I also remembered Vamsi's words clearly; that whatever happens to him shouldn't concern me.

More than the injuries on my face, his words hurt like a bitch.

In almost thirteen years of friendship, this is our biggest fight. Adding to that, he didn't call me. If he and everyone in the team still thinks it's my mistake, they all can go to hell for all I care.

In spite of being exhausted, I struggled to sleep; half from the painful memories from morning and half from my body pains.

At around 11.30, I noticed a faint shadow outside my room waiting by the closed door and immediately knew who it is.

I always leave my door open but I asked Amma to close it when she left after taking my dinner plate and ice pack.

It's closed but not locked and I wondered if I want him to enter or leave.

Couple of minutes later, he walked away and I heard the faint lock of the main door followed by the bullet sound farway from our house.

So, he didn't forgive me, I thought dully.

Fine with me. I didn't forgive him either.

-----

Thank you for reading. Please vote, comment and share if you like this chapter.

First of all, I'd like to thank ivamsi for proof reading this one. I have limited knowledge on cricket and though I researched & learnt more, I was worried I might get something wrong. 

Luckily, he was eager to help me and worked so quickly that I asked for his help again few months later.  

The whole point of this chapter is that Anjali is not perfect. She's stubborn, fierce and proud. Probably even a little arrogant. But she'd do anything for a friend. Even if it's not the right thing. 

- JANAKI