Chapter 2 It's called dialogue

Chapter 2

We all live to regret, regret not saying something, the regret of not being genuine or not working hard enough. In life, these regrets are what make us the people we are. I regret, regretting though. Regretting is part of human nature, but I've wasted so much of my time regretting that I question its worth.

time is way more valuable and should be spent doing the things you enjoy...

" You're here, Zamin already informed us about you, we can postpone your training," Zakira said pointing towards Owais

"my doctor said that I can continue training, I just have to be careful..." I replied

"Fine, this will be your sensei then...but since you are already familiar with Owais your coach will be sensei Omar. Good luck and take it easy."

" I will," I replied waiting for this so-called coach to arrive.

" Don't hold him back," Owais said following her.

What was that supposed to mean, a sensei needed to have a subordinate...it helped them understand their skill more.

Speaking of an Omar, I've only ever known one Omar in this lifetime. My high school sweetheart, or at least on my end...the rejection only sunk in after the fourth time. I left their training space as I waited in the fitness room for this mysterious Omar. If it were this boy I used to like so much in the past, then I wouldn't know how to deal with not being too awkward or acting like I'm still not hurt about it. Imagine getting rejected from the 8th grade right up till the 12th. It was one of the worst experiences I've had to deal with.

" let's start, 10 frog jumps and 15 laps," he said with a straight face

Not even a hello, or I'm hungry we should have sushi after this. He went straight into it, speak about not dealing with any non-sense, I followed the instruction, I was dead by the third lap and could hardly do a proper frog jump. After panting my lungs out I began to question if my fitness was the reason my knees felt so heavy. It worsened though, and I only had one water break after an hour. My core, legs and back were where it hurt the most and only, only after he saw he was about to kill me did the torture end. He began his training while I rested.

This certainly wasn't the high school Omar, this was some iced Viking dressed in an angelic demeanour. Heartless, silent and cold...but it isn't good to judge a book by its cover. It's good to keep things professional though so even if we hardly spoke I took it very lightly.

Later that day I went out with Zamin, he was going to announce another disappearance blueprint. It was normal by now, no one expected him to stay for this long.

"you must be hungry, should I order more food?" he asked holding out the menu

"im fine, what is it that you wanted to tell me."

"I got selected for the national team!" he said with a huge smile, "lunch is on me today."

pinch me, lord...

I squealed like a little squirrel forgetting that I was in public, after realizing how embarrassing I was I took my seat covering my face with the menu.

"I'm so happy for you, finally!" I whispered feeding him some of my food.

"there's bad news too.." he said awkwardly as he tried to swallow his food.

"what is it?" I asked looking into his eyes

"im leaving for a few years, 3 to be exact."

"oh...3 is quite the amount..."

I was a little upset by the arrangement and conditions but there wasn't much that could be done. I mean, being a man with one human leg the other artificial and still working hard with a physically damaged structure to achieve your dreams is something not many can do, that's why he is destined for glory.

"It's just 3 years," I say punching his shoulder,

"make us proud..."

After dropping him off at Owais's place I went over to the lake nearby. It wasn't much of a lake with all the global warming making rain as scarce as it can be. The beauty of the sky though was always something else, it was way more beautiful when I was younger. I called it 'my thinking place' it's was where I went to empty my thoughts. I never shared the place with anyone before, strangely on that night, I noticed my new sensei nearby. And the day after, he was there...in the exact place on time.

His mystery really got to me...I had never struggled to approach anyone before but he was just something else. Now I know

why curiosity almost killed the cat...

It takes approximately 21 days to get used to something. Even if we are reluctant to change. I do miss Zamin but I knew he was happy regardless of the separation.

Time is all I need to adapt to not having him around again...poor Saleema, she won't be too happy about it either.

Owais occasionally bought me lunch but was too busy training for nationals to give me any time so I spent most of my time investigating this sensei of mine.

Stalking his social media, checking his status...and what he was always up to. Nothing made sense though he was openly private. If that even made sense. There goes the saying that you can find everything online these days. The only solution left was to talk to him, which was prohibited unless it was necessary.

"I hope you've gotten used to me now," he said handing me my leg guards, " leg work..."

"leg work?"

"show me what type of kicks you had in taekwondo, I'll explain them in the kickboxing sense."

After a while of warming up, I proceed to the ring, effortlessly showcasing my leg work. Today's class was the longest and most silent, it got to me...class ended yet again with a cold shrug and a see you tomorrow.

this isn't as fun as I anticipated.

Omar took me to the lake that night after listening to me whine about my new instructor. he was a good listener even if I spoke rubbish most of the time.

"Do you know why I enjoy coming here all the time with a tub of strawberry ice cream?" I asked turning towards him

"Why?" he replied placing his cell down

"When I was younger I use to train with my father, his close friend and his son...near the water. I hated the sport so much at the time but that young boy always brought me strawberry ice cream so I looked forward to coming to class..."

"wait, sensei's rivals son?"

"jee owais, you have selective hearing, that is beside the point..."

" you mean Omar...your new instructor is this boy you always tell me about!" he said standing...

"Omar, I don't think that's what his name was at the time."

"he converted. I'll do class with you from now on..."

"you know your girlfriend won't allow that besides I think you're mistaken."

"for the last time I don't like Zakira...and I'm sure it's him, ask him if you think I'm lying and this ice cream is mine now."

"you can have it," I rolled my eyes at him watching him leave.

He arrived again that afternoon, this time with a few bread crumbs to feed the ducks.

" are you going to keep on pretending that you don't see me here every day as well?"

"boys and girls shouldn't freely interact with each other, especially if they are alone."

" are you sensei Jacqa's son..."

"jee I am."

" so, why pretend like you don't know me!"

"I did nothing of that sort, besides our fathers aren't on good terms anymore."

"This isn't about them, can you give me a direct answer for once..."

"and can you stop being so nosy?" he said turning his head towards me

"No!" I replied, " I won't, for someone who's brought meaning to something I hated at one stage, to someone who makes me feel like there's something wrong with me."

"you're just making up things now, I never said any of that. I'm leaving now, you feed the ducks," he said before pushing the packet into my arms before storming off.

"I do not want to feed your ducks!" I yelled, turning to the ducks.

Looks like I'll have to use public transport now. I don't even know what you'd call that, I'm not sure if it was a fight or a listen to me ignore you out loudly. I can't believe that I thought this was better than having to deal with a high school crush. At this point that would have been easier to resolve