It was a bright morning in Wagholi. The sun was just beginning to peek through the trees, and the streets were alive with the clinking of milkmen's cycles, the chatter of women going about their chores, and the hurried footsteps of school kids.
Inside an old but tidy house, Arjun Joshi was hunched over his notebook, focused yet lost in thought. His eyes held a spark—determined, curious, like he was trying to piece something together.
From the kitchen, the smell of fresh bhakri and thalipeeth filled the air. Arjun's mother, busy with breakfast, called out to him.
"Arjuna! Don't forget your lunchbox! I've packed bhakri and thalipeeth."
"Got it, Aai! Keep it on my cycle."
His father, reading the newspaper at the table, chimed in, his tone gruff and direct as always. "School means study. Stop wasting time on that kabaddi nonsense. Have you seen your classmates? No one's wasting their time like you."
Arjun looked up calmly. "Baba, I study hard. But kabaddi teaches me more than just playing—it teaches me how to live."
His father just grunted and went back to the paper. His mother glanced at Arjun with a mix of worry and pride but didn't say anything.
At the entrance of Gnyandeep Junior College, Arjun adjusted his bag and looked around. It was his first day in 11th Commerce, and the place buzzed with energy. As he walked into the classroom, two boys caught his attention—one was neatly dressed with branded accessories, while the other had a carefree smile and slightly messy hair.
The neatly dressed one, noticing Arjun, walked up with curiosity. "New admission?"
"Yeah, Arjun Joshi," he replied with a nod.
The other boy stretched out his hand. "Hey! I'm Lalit, and this serious dude is Karan. You're in Commerce too, right?"
Arjun shook his hand. "Yep, Commerce B."
They found seats together, and soon laughter filled their corner as they chatted. Lalit cracked jokes about how he barely made it into Commerce, while Karan sighed and shared how he missed being the topper by just two marks in 10th grade because of some 'Chess Queen' named Yogita.
"Who's Yogita?" Arjun asked, a bit confused.
Karan's face soured. "She's the arrogant genius from Class A. Rich, smart, and thinks she's better than everyone just because she's good at chess and studies."
Lalit chuckled. "You should have seen Karan's face when he found out she topped by two marks. It was like a kabaddi match he lost in the last second."
Arjun couldn't help but laugh, but before they could continue, the bell rang. They headed to their Accounts class, where the teacher was already scribbling numbers on the board.
The lecture began, but Lalit kept nudging Arjun, whispering about how he didn't understand a word. Karan was taking notes diligently, but even he couldn't hide a smirk when Lalit muttered, "This is harder than solving a Rubik's cube with closed eyes."
Arjun, who was quick with numbers, quietly explained the concept to Lalit, who nodded as if he'd just discovered fire. By the end of the class, Lalit declared, "If I pass Accounts, it's because of you, Arjun!"
After class, they headed out for a break. While walking in the corridor, they saw Yogita and her friends passing by. Karan and Yogita briefly made eye contact but then turned their faces away, pretending to ignore each other.
"What was that?" Arjun asked, raising an eyebrow.
Lalit smirked. "Oh, that's the great war of pride. They've been rivals since 8th grade. Karan came second, and she beat him by just two marks in 10th. Since then, it's like they're on opposite teams."
Karan just shrugged. "She thinks she's better than everyone. I don't care."
Arjun just smiled, realizing his new friends had their own stories. As they moved towards the playground, Lalit casually suggested, "Let's hit the field later. We can practice some kabaddi moves. What do you say?"
Arjun's face lit up. "Sure! I'll show you some new techniques."
They laughed, pushing each other as they headed towards the canteen, their bond growing stronger with every step.
The next day, college ended early. Lalit, full of energy as usual, jumped up. "Hey, let's hit the ground! Just to chill."
Karan hesitated. "I'm not much into sports... but I guess I'll come."
Arjun chuckled. "Don't worry, I'll teach you. It'll be fun."
When they reached the ground, it was chaos. Lalit tripped on a stray football and almost face-planted. Karan cautiously avoided stepping on anything that looked remotely dirty.
Arjun couldn't help but laugh. "You two are hopeless! Come on, let's try kabaddi. It's not that complicated."
"Complicated? Dude, it's just running and shouting, right?" Lalit said, trying to sound smart.
"Almost... but not quite," Arjun grinned. "When you raid, you need to tag as many opponents as possible while holding your breath. You keep chanting 'kabaddi' to prove you're not breathing in. Touch and get back to your side without getting tackled. That's where it gets tricky."
Karan looked skeptical. "Hold your breath? Man, I can barely hold it for ten seconds."
Lalit laughed. "Yeah, Karan can't even hold his patience for five!"
Arjun grinned. "Don't worry, we'll build up your stamina. It's all about rhythm and balance."
They tried some mock raids, with Karan tripping over his own feet and Lalit dramatically diving — straight into a patch of mud.
Arjun couldn't stop laughing. "Maybe next time, try diving on the ground, not into a swimming pool of mud!"
At the edge of the ground, a shadow stood still — Siddharth Phadke sir, the college sports in-charge. He observed the trio, especially Arjun's movements, energy, and natural leadership. Without saying a word, he turned away, but a spark of interest flickered in his eyes.
That night at dinner, Arjun's father brought up kabaddi again. "Another day wasted at the ground?"
Arjun tried to explain. "Baba, it's not just a game. It's... like a breath of fresh air."
His father grumbled, "Air doesn't put food on the table."
Arjun glanced at his mother. She placed a piece of bhakri on his plate, her silence saying more than words. Arjun looked out the window, at the single bright star in the sky, and smiled faintly. "I'll make something of this... you'll see."