10
The morning sun was bright and cheerful, almost matching the excitement buzzing through our home. Today was Utsav's big basketball match - something he had been preparing for, dreaming about for weeks.
I pulled on the jersey he had proudly thrown at me last night - his number stamped boldly at the back - and a pair of comfortable pants. He had ordered me to wear it, and honestly, how could I say no to my little laddu?
As I finished tying my shoes, I picked up a very grumpy Sheraa in my arms.
"Oh come on, Sheraa baby," I cooed, cuddling him closer as he sulked against my chest, refusing to even look at me. "It's just a one-minute delay, love! I didn't betray you, I promise! I'll feed you now, okay?"
He grumbled again, his tiny nose pressing stubbornly into the crook of my elbow.
Laughing softly, I moved to the kitchen and quickly fixed up his special breakfast bowl - a mix of his favorite milk and soft chunks of meat. The moment I placed the bowl down, his ears twitched, and the sulking act dropped instantly.
Sheraa pounced on his food like he hadn't eaten in years.
I shook my head fondly. "Drama king," I muttered under my breath.
As I walked back toward the living room, I saw Dad already dressed, looking sharp but relaxed, chatting quietly with Bhairava bhaiya, who was adjusting his watch. Gyan bhaiya and Dyan bhaiya were pretending not to be excited but kept glancing at the clock every two seconds.
"Look at you, Little Star, looking all sporty!" Bhairava bhaiya teased with a wink.
I rolled my eyes but smiled, fixing my jersey. "Anything for my laddu."
"Come on, superstar, let's go before he calls and scolds us for being late," Gyan bhaiya said, laughing.
I nodded, grabbing my bag. As Sheraa finished gobbling his food, he quickly followed, nuzzling my leg, now back to being my spoiled little cub.
Today was Utsav's day. And we were all going to make sure he remembered it forever.
"Let's go win this with him," I said, smiling at all of them.
And with that, the Choudhury family - plus one very proud snow leopard cub - set off to cheer for our little star.
We entered Utsav's college grounds, and immediately the principal, staff, and some coordinators hurried to welcome us.
I held Sheraa close to my chest; the poor baby was already twitching from the crowd.
Knowing how he hated loud noises, I had carefully tucked tiny noise-cancellation headphones on his ears.
He looked so adorable, his little face peeking out with big, confused eyes.
We were quickly escorted to the VIP area, a place with a good view of the court but separated from the crowd. As I adjusted Sheraa on my lap, my eyes instantly found him - my laddu, my little star, Utsav, doing warm-ups at the center of the court.
Without caring about anything else, I stood up slightly and yelled proudly,
"Mere ladlee! Go win this, baby! Your di loves you!"
Utsav turned around, heard me through the chaos, and his face broke into the brightest grin. He waved at me enthusiastically, clearly brimming with excitement.
I clutched my heart dramatically and smiled wide, feeling so proud.
Bhairava bhaiya chuckled beside me, his eyes soft as he watched me.
"Our laddu looks so happy," he said, folding his arms across his chest.
"And someone looks ready to storm the field if someone even brushes against him," Gyan bhaiya commented, his voice low but fond.
I rolled my eyes.
"Obviously! He's our baby. I'll tear them apart if they even dare push him," I said fiercely.
Papa laughed softly, patting my head.
"Arre, warrior princess, let the boy play. He's strong. He'll show them," he said, a quiet pride in his voice.
Just then, I noticed movement at the front entrance of the VIP section.
My smile faltered for a fraction of a second when my eyes landed on the chief guest - Dattatriya Agnivanshi.
He walked in with an effortless grace, wearing a simple black kurta that somehow made him look even more intimidating and handsome. His sharp gaze swept over the crowd - and then locked directly onto me.
I stiffened slightly, quickly looking away, focusing back on Sheraa, who was busy chewing on the edge of my jersey end.
Relax, Katha. He's just a chief guest today. Focus on Utsav.
But out of the corner of my eye, I could feel it - Dattatriya's gaze never once wavered from me.
Meanwhile, Bhairava bhaiya leaned in slightly, keeping his voice low.
"If he even looks at you wrong, little star, tell me. We'll handle it," he said, his tone protective.
"Bhaiya, he's not doing anything wrong," I mumbled, feeling slightly embarrassed but touched.
"Still. You're our heart. No chances," Bhairava bhaiya said simply, and Papa, Gyan bhaiya, and Dyan bhaiya all nodded silently in agreement.
I sighed softly, focusing again on the court where my little star was about to shine.
Today was about Utsav. I wouldn't let anything else steal this moment.
I looked down at the court, smiling as I watched Utsav passing the ball between his teammates. Dyan bhaiya quietly slipped away for a few minutes and came back holding a tray stacked with snacks - popcorn, sandwiches, and cold drinks.
He placed the tray carefully on the small table beside us and smirked.
"You all need energy to yell and scream for our laddu," he said with a wink.
I giggled, pulling a few meat sticks from a small pouch and feeding them to Sheraa, who sat curled up on my lap, his soft white fur pressed against my stomach.
Sheraa sniffed the meat, gave a pleased little growl, and nibbled delicately on it.
Just as I was about to sip my drink, a voice echoed from behind us, loud and mischievous -
"Missed me?"
We all turned around in a jerk, and the moment my eyes landed on her, I couldn't contain myself.
"ARYA BHABHIII!" I screamed happily and ran straight into her arms.
She laughed, hugging me tightly.
"Arre, my little girl," she said, squeezing me warmly.
I clung to her like a child, feeling an instant wave of happiness. She smelled of home, of warmth - like sunshine after a long winter.
Bhairava bhaiya stood up immediately, his expression changing from shock to pure adoration. He walked up, his steps quickening, and without any hesitation, he pulled Arya bhabhi into his arms too, wrapping both of us together.
"You're late," he mumbled gruffly into her hair, but his voice was betraying how much he had missed her.
"I had to finish some work, meri jaan. But I wouldn't miss Utsav's match," Arya bhabhi said, smiling as she cupped his cheek gently.
I laughed, feeling Sheraa nuzzle into my neck as if wanting attention too.
"Even Sheraa missed you!" I said, pulling back and holding up the snow-white cub. Sheraa sniffed Arya bhabhi's hand and, surprisingly, gave a soft purr, rubbing his face lightly against her fingers.
Arya bhabhi smiled warmly.
"My baby boy has grown so big!" she said, scratching behind his ear gently.
Bhairava bhaiya finally let her go, but kept his hand protectively on her back as if he was afraid she'd vanish again.
I smiled at them both, my heart feeling full seeing everyone together again - like a missing piece had finally clicked back into place.
Papa, Gyan bhaiya, and Dyan bhaiya all greeted Arya bhabhi too, their faces soft and welcoming.
It was like a piece of light had returned to our family.
I turned back toward the ground just in time to see Utsav looking up at us, giving a tiny thumbs-up with the brightest grin.
Today was truly special.
Finally, we all settled into our seats. Bhairava bhaiya was completely lost in his own world, sitting with Arya bhabhi, their heads close together, whispering and laughing like they hadn't been apart for even a day.
Gyan bhaiya and Dyan bhaiya were already bickering and betting over who would score more points in the match - "Team Blue" or "Team Red" - each pretending to have some grand strategy.
Papa sat a little ahead of us, his arms crossed proudly, his face lit up watching his youngest son about to shine.
I, meanwhile, was cradling a now sleepy Sheraa on my lap, his little ears twitching every now and then under the soft noise-cancelling headphones.
I smiled fondly at my stubborn snow panther cub.
Just then, from the corner of my eye, I felt it - a gaze so intense it made my skin warm.
I turned slightly, and there he was - Dattatriya Agnivanshi.
Sitting in his own VIP area, a little distance from ours, dressed in that simple black kurta, yet managing to command all attention.
But he wasn't looking at the ground, or the players, or anyone else.
He was looking straight at me.
His expression was unreadable to others, but I could see it - the devotion hidden under those sharp eyes.
He looked at me as if I was something sacred, something to be worshiped.
It made my heart skip, but I quickly composed myself, giving him a small nod.
He nodded back immediately, a soft flicker of softness crossing his face for a split second before it vanished under his usual blank expression.
I turned back toward the court quickly, not trusting my heart to stay calm if I looked any longer.
But the next thing that caught my eye made me want to gag.
The girls in the stands - oh god, dozens of them - were holding huge banners for Utsav, with the most cringe-worthy lines written on them:
"Utsav, dribble into my heart!"
"Marry me, Utsav - your number one fan!"
"Utsav, you're the MVP of my dreams!"
"Shoot your love shot at me!"
I literally made a face like I had tasted something sour.
Arya bhabhi, sitting beside me, caught the sight too and dramatically gagged, covering her mouth.
We looked at each other, and without missing a beat, high-fived with perfect timing, laughing silently like mischievous kids while Sheraa sleepily snuggled into my chest.
Meanwhile, Utsav, clueless about his crazy fan following, simply waved at the crowd and winked in our direction, making all the girls scream even louder.
Arya bhabhi leaned close to me and whispered, "He's growing up too fast, our laddu. We need to protect him from these hawks."
I nodded seriously, tightening my arms around Sheraa, already plotting the screening tests for any future "fans" daring to come close to our Utsav.