When Rahul Met Sunshine

By Seema Seth

When Rahul met Sunshine by accident, little did he know that he was meeting his destiny!Regrettably, Sunshine’s two brothers, Willy and Harry, and Father Senior Demon defied him.
Moreover, her natural father, Jagat Walia, had left deep scars on them; and their mother's death was still fresh in their mind. Hence, they perceived all Indians as cunning and cheats.
Rahul was not a person who would give in to adversity. Rahul resolved that he would do anything to fill up the social gap in their economic standings and nationalities to win his love interest.
Alternatively, an equally determined Senior Demon appointed his two sons; and her fiancé, Brad, an English nobleman's son, to teach Rahul a good lesson so that he would forget Sunshine forever.
Would Rahul be able to fight against them and come up to the tall order that they had set for Sunshine's groom?
Is it that easy?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Diamond Books
• Release date: Sep 1, 2020
• ISBN: 9789350837894

Book preview

Fourteen

One

As Rahul garnered all his scattered strength together and kicked hard at the ball, the ball swirled high up in the air and flung towards the goalpost.

Immediately, the goalkeeper came running from front and tried to block it from going ahead. The ball knocked against his chest and stopped. Then it tossed back to the ground, and they missed a much sought after goal.

Holy Shit! flushing and sweating, Rahul shouted in disappointment.

However, in the attempt, the goalkeeper had crossed the D-line, hence, that turned fortunate and to their advantage. So, in keeping with the slipup, the referee twirled a yellow card at him and warned him of his fault.

As Rahul’s team won another chance, so, taking the reins back into his hands, he kept the ball on the ground once again. Subsequently, concentrating to direct it towards the goalpost, he charged at it ferociously.

Alas! To his misfortune, the muddy ground succeeded in getting the better of him, and he slipped, skidded and lost his ground, little ahead of the spinning ball. To save himself from kissing the ground, immediately, stretching his vertigo legs and then pulling together his tumbling body to gain semblance, he tried to gain control over it. However, to his bad luck, he could not help his falling body, that, like a crumbling cookie, crashed on the ground.

Boy! Taking advantage of their mislaid opportunity, Tom came running from behind, and immediately took charge of the ball.

Then, he started to chase it brutally, as a forlorn lover would, his cupid after he is dejected. As soon as he caught up with the ball, he rapidly swerved it with a close kick in the middle, while another of his alert teammate then pushed it ahead, towards the opponent’s goalpost.

In the meantime, Rahul, who, too, had risen from the ground, started to chase it along with them.

Locked in a close chase for a couple of seconds, they combated with each other (Rahul mocked Tom confidently," it’s a wild goose chase for you!). While way ahead of them, the ball that had been spinning, rolled on the ground, and hastened towards the net.

The ball was now, like, an eve with two most eligible suitors – Tom and Rahul, who ardently, earnestly and savagely ran after it, thus, fighting to get it into their pertinent grab.

Running almost parallel to each other and locked in a corresponding pace, they struggled hard to gain pre-eminence over one another. Whilst in their quest, each was determined that he would not let the other win.

As the two reached close to the ball, they charged at it with the rage of electricity, together and in concert, to kick it, when suddenly Tom’s mate, who was ahead of them and in much closer proximity to the ball, grasped it and then punted it towards Tom.

Quick like the batting of the eye, Tom took the ball immediately in his close squeeze, and then jumping high up in the air, kicked it with compelling vigor. And at once, the ball flew way high up, much by a good couple of yards in the air.

Immediately, they all stopped, like a car had pulled its brake suddenly. The impact was so severe; their feet skidded on the slippery ground, and with the sudden collision, the wet puddle splashed on them.

Nippy, and in keeping with the spirit of the game, they looked up at the ball while wiping off the mud from their faces. The ball was flying up in speed like a rocket.

After a while, suddenly it slowed down in tempo, then taking a nosedive, it started to come down.

While their hearts pulsated to get a grasp of its pace, it tossed and swirled like a top, before it gradually hit the ground. Immediately taking charge of the approaching ball, they both jigged wildly to get it. Not someone, who intended to be behind, Rahul, too, swerved around like a fishtail and then towed after them in keeping with the chase. Now, each of the trios had a good chance over it.

While the three stood meditating, quick like a lightning, suddenly Tom came running from behind, and then he cut through them, and got ahead of the two, and, before they could understand what was happening, he had squeezed its pulse and rolled it towards the net.

Now, the other two instantly started to chase him to get it out of his seize. In the pursuit, their hurrying feet ran like current, and frenzied their senses to the point of oblivion, a marked murkiness snubbed their vision, and they collided into the ball. With the thrust, the ball started to spin like a roaring fan and then flew up by a good five feet and a few inches.

Groaning in pain, while they took a hurried moment to understand what had happened, immediately, taking the lead in the situation, Tom interjected and cut between them, then getting ahead of the two, jumped up, and then hit it hard with his head. And lo! The ball entered their side of net, much to Rahul’s disappointment.

Hurray! Tom had made the first goal for his team, and in keeping with the triumph, the rain god suddenly started to applaud them with a thunderous shower. The timing was near-perfect.

In less than no time, the thick rains flooded the field, making it difficult for the teams to hold their feet onto the slippery ground, but that did not deter them from playing the game. Drenching in the heavy shower, and with their feet in the wet mud, caught at daggers drawn, they played against the weather.

Rahul alias Ralwinder Singh was called the Prince of Punjab as he was a national champion in football. And like always, even today, he was determined to outdo Tom’s team, but, luck, regrettably, seemed to have some other plans and, as if that was not enough, the weather too had conspicuously started to conspire with the rain god, adding wickedly to their already built-up pathos.

We are not going to make it today! Harry nom de plume Harvinder was skeptic, even though he tried hard to contribute to Rahul’s team. Unfortunately, the privilege that day seemed to be enjoying the lap of their detractors and he could do nothing to help his team.

As Rahul, too, felt that they were losing out to the opposite team, he immediately felt a need for the revival of the strategy, and so, he stopped for a moment. Then gesturing at the rest of his team members to gather in the middle of the ground so that they could plan something out of the box to save the game, he walked first thither, and the others immediately followed suit after him.

The savagery of the falling rain became more intense and the dark clouds dulled the environment, the petite quirks of bolts were brightening the sky at short intervals, and the resonant echoes of the thunder started to beat against their eardrums, almost shattering their power to hear.

After considered thought, they decided that no such lapses of the past should get repeated. The responsibility of winning now rested on their captain’s shoulders.

So, on getting another chance, Rahul kept the ball back on the ground and then heralded towards it ferociously like a man possessed, and then kicked it hard with a greater force this time literally equaling to steam engine.

The ball flew high up from the ground fiercely, tossing past the head of the goalkeeper, who had jumped at it with the intention to abort its target; it seemed it would kill him with its dynamic smash; and whizzed inside the goalpost.

Bouncing at the wide net compellingly before finally falling on the ground, it generated enough excitement in Rahul, Whacko! and Rahul went bang enthusiastically, like any groom would, on conquest over his virgin bride, and immediately, all his other teammates came running towards him, and then picked him up, whistling and cheering nonchalantly at his first breakthrough.

Whilst, they were still celebrating their coup, amid their cheers and whistles, a sharp screech of another whistle interjected their merriment. This one from the referee called for their immediate attention. It was time for them to get back to the game.

Hence, resuming from where they had left, Rahul kept back the ball on the ground and looked across at Tom. His penetrating gaze was so sharp with the heat of ambition, that, for a second, they almost unnerved Tom. Clearly, they had been sending a message, Get ready with your next strategy, if any, to abort the forthcoming goal.

He then held the ball under his right feet. Concentrating for a second, he looked at Tom who was standing in horizontal proximity with the ball. Their paths crossed and their gaze met like traverse swords for a fleeting moment. His eyes burned like molten lava that churns fiercely in complete force inside a volcano in agitation before blowing it off. While, with the first goal, his confidence that had slipped at the start of the game had reinstated back, so, he was ready to play with a new verve.

Tom, now, understood, Rahul has arrived, arrived to play in his old style. Having known his modus operandi from the past, he knew well that the former always took some time to hold onto his game, and once he got a grip on it, he made sure that he outdid anybody who came between him and his game. For his teammates too, the breakthrough at the right time came like a breath of fresh air, so, they all geared up to play once again, and this time with greater gusto.

Then they made goals in succession and in quick barrage until they exhausted Tom’s team of any odds that could have helped them save their face.

Well done! Tom congratulated Rahul as soon as the game got over. In response, Rahul smiled back at him in triumph.

Next time, we won’t give you the privilege, he looked at Rahul wryly; his eyes stood weak in appeal as they bid time from him until the next game.

Rahul audaciously moved his head on the pair of his sides in negation while disapproving of his challenge and making it clear that he would take a lot of time to match unto his standards, how much ever hard he tried.

Better try hard next time if you want to save your team’s face! so, he suggested. Although Rahul reverted in the assurance, his tone weighed heavy with dual bearings of sarcasm and pride as he looked towards his bleeding wrist that he had hurt at the time he had fallen on the ground.

Is it that bad? Tom tried to gauge the profundity of the wound as he held it with his hand.

Forget it, Rahul was more interested in rushing back home so he pulled back his hand, and then taking out a kerchief from his right pocket, tied it sloppily onto the wound.

Then, they both walked out of the ground towards the parking, where Rahul’s bike waited for him amid other vehicles. The rain had stopped falling and the gush of muddy water had started clearing off from the road to flow into the small creeks through numerous small trenches that had been dug by Mother Nature without any manual support, and opened up at the cultivated fields. The dark red clay held on its bosom, a medley of the mustard flowers and sugarcanes on their mother plants. Sun had started to mark its presence across the sky. Its golden rays were inverting in the clear blue sky and drawing haphazard lines. A stray cow was mooing to welcome the warm sun, and under whose heat it was also twisting its body to get rid of the rainwater that had gathered on it. A few grunting pigs were running helter-skelter to look for food in the debris that the villagers had thrown at the outskirts. Parrots came out of the trees where they had been hiding to save themselves from the savaging shower and flew off towards the fields to look for food and their twitter filled the environment with sweetness. A few farmers came out of their huts to start their day at the field. Some women were walking towards the stable with earthen pots to milk the buffalos. A herd of goats and sheep were being led by a lone shepherd, under whose observation they were grazing the glistening wet green grass, while he was trying to control them with a thin wooden stick and making noise from his maw like a traffic police man would, with his whistle, to control and direct the traffic. A lone stray dog and a few pigs had