PERFECT IMAGINE, BROKEN LIFE

spotted Musa warming up, his movements as fluid and graceful as ever. But as she approached,

aid, trying t

ied, his smile a

d caught it, a nervous habit Asha had n

es lacking their usual zing, and Asha found herself making more mistakes than usual. The

ilence stretching out between them. At t

She asked, her voice lac

nning a hand th

hinking," He began, then hesitated.

n her chest. "About

confusion and longing. "About whether we're just fri

ow that he had, she didn't know how to react. Part of her wanted to shout a trium

to whisper, her voice barely audible

ds?" Her voice cracked s

xed on the ground. "Friends is a

and disappointment. "But there's this...pull, yo

f courage. "me too, "she admit

meeting hers, "Scared of

. "of ruining

hrough her. "We won't let that happen," he promised. "We will take it slow, o

uture was uncertain, but for now, the present felt

"Okay," she whispered, a sense of relie

liar sounds of laughter and birdsong, suddenly felt different, charged with a new energy. Asha looked at Musa,

go," it has been a

sure", Ash

xit, Musa slowed his pace slightl

le voice. "Are you heading

grabbing some dinner and crashing. "It's been

not in a rush, maybe I could drop you home? It's getting dark, and w

The offer seemed easy but i

g to keep her voice even. "I mean, if

a genuine smile speaking across h

between them. They talked about the game, ab

ough her, a feeling that went beyond the physical exertion of the game. It was

d in the park, her pretty smile, the way her eyes sparkled under the streetlights, the comfortable conversations they shared

henever they were together. He'd been trying to ignore it, to keep things

he thought both excited and scared him.

eam where he and Asha were playing badminton, but instead

hind his eyelids. She replayed every shared laugh, every stolen glance, every word said. Did he

Could Musa actually like me? The thoughts both thrilled and terrified her. Sle