The cricket field buzzed with activity as Dev jogged alongside his teammate, Yashasvi, their breaths mingling with the crisp morning air. As they rounded the bend, Yashasvi couldn't contain his excitement any longer.

"Dev, baat pata chali?" His voice was laced with mischief, a mischievous glint in his eyes.

Dev arched an eyebrow, intrigued by his friend's sudden enthusiasm. "Kaunsi baat?"

Yashasvi grinned, his eyes twinkling with mischief. "There's a new psychologist joining the team. And let me tell you, she's something else."

Dev's interest piqued at the mention of a new addition to their team. "Accha? And what's so special about her?"

Yashasvi's grin widened as he launched into a litany of praises for the new psychologist—her intelligence, her charm, her ability to connect with the players on a deeper level. But as he spoke, Dev's mind drifted, he knew he didn't want this. The only thing on his mind was his career now.

Fall in love.  Nah, Never again.

He listened intently as Arjun sang the psychologist's praises, nodding along politely as his friend continued to wax poetic about her virtues. But deep down, he knew that his heart belonged to someone else—a someone he couldn't seem to forget, no matter how hard he tried. No matter how much he told himself he hated her and had moved on.

As Yashasvi finished his impassioned speech, Dev cleared his throat,"Thanks for the heads up, Yash. But honestly, I'm not interested right now and you know that. Pyaar vyaar mere liye nahi hai. I just want to focus on my career.
Aur itni acchi hai toh khud baat kar ke dekh lena."

Yashasvi's expression changed at his words, a look passing between them. "Nahi yaar, she's a year older than me. Not my type, you know" Yashasvi says with a sigh as Dev chuckles and Yashasvi continues, "But hey, you never know. Maybe she'll surprise you."

Dev managed a smile, though his heart felt heavy with longing. "Yeah, whatever."

"And her name, mate, it's Avni. Avni Ahuja."

And with that his world, as he knew it now shattered. The name hung in the air like a heavy mist, enveloping him in a whirlwind of emotions he thought he had long buried. Avi. His Avi.  It had to be her.

The mere mention of her name sent a jolt of electricity through his veins, igniting a firestorm of memories that threatened to consume him.

Dev's breath caught in his throat as he struggled to process the revelation. Avi , his FIRST love and his first LOVE, now standing on the precipice of his world once again. His heart hammered against his chest, a tumult of conflicting emotions swirling within him—hurt, longing, and an undeniable yearning to see her again.

Excusing himself with a mumbled apology, he turned away from Yash, his footsteps heavy as he made his way to the edge of the  ground. Leaning against the fence, he closed his eyes, allowing the cacophony of emotions to wash over him like a tidal wave.

Memories flooded his mind—their stolen moments of laughter and love, the tender embrace of her arms, the soft whisper of her voice in the stillness of the night.
"Avi," he whispered to himself, the name a bittersweet melody on his lips.
With a heavy sigh, he buried his face in his hands, his heart laid bare before him. Despite his best efforts to move on, to focus solely on his career, he couldn't deny the pull of his heartstrings, the undeniable truth that she still held sway over his soul.

As the sounds of the cricket field faded into the distance, Dev allowed himself a moment of vulnerability, a moment to feel the depth of his emotions without reservation. And as he stood there, bathed in the golden light of dawn, Tears welled in his eyes as he recalled the letter, his heart heavy with the weight of her absence.
And yet, even in her absence, he felt her presence like a whisper on the wind, a guiding light in the darkness.
Dev  couldn't shake the feeling of emptiness that gnawed at his soul and he knew that  no matter how hard he tried to bury his feelings, they refused to be ignored—the echoes of a love that still lingered, despite the passage of time. And as he gazed out at the horizon, he knew that no matter where life took him, a part of his heart would always belong to her.