When Abrar looked back, he saw Zaid standing with Prem Sir. Seeing Zaid gave Abrar a sense of relief. Both of them ran towards Prem Sir. Abrar said to Zaid, "Bro, only you can save us now. Our team is one player short, and if we don't have enough players, we'll lose the match without even playing. You're our last hope, please be our final player."
Zaid had no problem with it, so he happily agreed. But Dev looked a little worried. He knew Zaid wasn't very good at football, but they didn't have any other option. However, Dev's worry wasn't just about Zaid's skills—it was something else, something he couldn't share with anyone.
Zaid quickly got ready and reached the field. Everyone took their positions. Abrar was the main striker, Dev was with him, and Zaid was in defense along with another player named Aman. Aman was a good guy, though he didn't mingle much with others. But he was really passionate about sports. Looking at Zaid, Aman asked, "Do you even know how to play?"
Zaid hesitated a bit at the question but gathered himself and said, "Yeah, I can play a little. Abrar, Dev and I often play together, so I've picked up a few things."
Hearing that, Aman replied, "But today, we'll need to do more than just 'play a little'. The opposing team's captain is as good as Abrar. If he tricks us, it's our job to stop him. Even a small mistake could cost us the game."
Zaid smiled and said, "Chill, man. It's just a friendly match, not a matter of life and death." Hearing that, Aman lowered his head in embarrassment. He realized maybe he was taking things too seriously. But from his words, Zaid understood that Aman was a good guy, just a little too intense about things.
It was time to start the game. With the referee's whistle, the match began. Right at the start, the ball was with Abrar, and he and Dev moved toward the goal with great coordination. Their speed was impressive, but the opposing team wasn't any less skilled. Harshit sprinted toward Dev like the wind. Dev had the ball at that moment, but before he could react, Harshit outmaneuvered him and stole the ball.
Abrar couldn't see it coming either. But they didn't give up. Dev, Abrar, and the rest of the team ran straight back toward their goalpost. Harshit, still very fast, dodged through all their players and headed straight toward the defenders—Zaid and Aman. Aman signaled Zaid to move forward, and Zaid quickly stepped up to block Harshit. But Harshit tricked Zaid too and moved past him. Just as he passed by, Aman swiftly stole the ball from his feet.
Harshit didn't even realize when Aman emerged from the side and fooled him. However, Aman could only take the ball away—soon, multiple players surrounded him. With no other way out, he kicked the ball out of the field.
Everyone had to return to their positions, and the game resumed. This time, no one took things lightly. It was an intense match—the ball kept moving from one side to the other, but neither team had scored yet.
Now only 10 minutes were left in the game. Whoever scored next would win. Everyone was fired up. But when Aman looked at Zaid, something didn't feel right. He looked uneasy, and so did Dev. Zaid seemed cold, like his body was present, but his mind was somewhere else. Dev looked completely frozen, and even Abrar was worried, but there wasn't time to think about all this.
The whistle blew again, and the game restarted. Players ran around with the ball in a fierce match. Abrar's team kept passing the ball skillfully, pushing forward. But Dev and Zaid still didn't move from their spots—they looked like statues.
Then the tide turned—Harshit had the ball again. Many of Abrar's best teammates were blocked by the opposing team. They couldn't move forward. Now only Dev, Aman, and Zaid could stop Harshit. But Harshit got past Dev, who just stood still. Aman was now scared, as Zaid had been covering him all this time, and now even he wasn't moving. Harshit took advantage of the moment and rushed toward Zaid. Aman ran toward him too, but it was too late.
Abrar was now completely overwhelmed. His last hopes were Zaid and Aman. He shouted, "Zaid…!"
That shout didn't just shake Zaid—it jolted Dev too. It was like electricity surged through their bodies. As they raised their heads, they saw Harshit charging straight toward Zaid. Harshit was thrilled—he thought victory was in the bag.
But suddenly, someone zoomed past in a lightning blur. Harshit was so shocked that he stumbled and fell face-first onto the ground. He couldn't understand what had just happened. When he looked up, he saw Dev standing in front of him. "Where did he come from?" Harshit mumbled in disbelief.
TO BE CONTINUED...