"Hey, hey, Jassi, just take a deep breath," Hardik soothed, gently patting his back. Jassi's ragged breathing and tears showed he was panicking in his intoxicated state.
"He is leaving, he is not here because of me", Jassi's tear-stained face and heavy guilt weighed heavily on Hardik's heart. No words could ease his pain. Hardik knew it wasn't entirely Jassi's fault. But it was hard to still believe it. He believed it that it was unintentional still it was due to him.
Jassi misinterpreted Hardik's silence and walked away from him which Hardik got out of his thoughts.
"Jassi, please, wait up!" Hardik called out, but it was too late, Jassi vanished into the night like a shadow.
In the hospital, Rohit gazed at Virat through the small window. "Please wake up, Vi," he whispered as tears streamed down his face. He couldn't help but think about how Virat had urged him to hug him, yet he hadn't, and now he regretted not doing so as his best friend lay there, fighting for his life.
Past,
"Vi, when will you get here? I've been waiting in the lobby for half an hour already, you moron," Rohit's voice echoed through Virat's phone.
Virat could not help but chuckle, "I am coming have some patience", he said.
"Did you purposely tell me to come half hour prior?", Rohit asked suspiciously.
Virat just chuckled, "What do you think?"
"You monkey"
"Now will you stop complaining and atleast hug me", Rohit heard and turned to see Virat entering the lobby with his Vi kind smile. He immediately leapt quickly and hugged him.
"Someone missed me a lot I think", Virat said seeing the intensity of the hug to which Rohit just broke the hug smacking his arm.
"Stop hitting me otherwise I will leave", Virat said smacking him back.
Before Rohit could even say something to him, "Virat bhai", Jassi's voice broke their conversation and Virat had already engulfed him in a hug.
"How are you Jas?", Virat asked softly.
Jassi hugged him back, "I missed you bhai", he said.
"Ready to play against me?", Virat asked cheekily.
"Bhai don't say that, it is too hard to play against you. I have no idea how you guys do that but I haven't been able to come to terms with it", Jassi complained.
Virat looked at Rohit who was also smiling at their little brother's complain. Virat pulled his cheeks a little, "you are too cute Jas, it's fine to feel like this but do not think about it so much", he said softly.
"What's the plan? I have evening practice", Virat asked eyeing Rohit.
"And we have morning practice", Jassi mumbled.
"What did u say Jas?"
"Nothing Vi, so plan is you get freshen up, I have got reservations in amazing restaurant", Rohit said putting his arm around Virat's neck.
Virat looked at Jassi and then Rohit, "Are you skipping practice session?", he asked suspiciously.
"It's no big deal"
"It is a big deal, we will meet tomorrow after the match Ro-- no way you are skipping practice sessions", said Virat sternly.
"Stop going mom mode on me Vi, I have to spend time with you na"
"Tomorrow, I am going back to my hotel, go for practice, NOW", Virat said hugging him once last time to which Rohit didn't hug back.
"Ro, stop being annoyed and hug me back, you won't be able to do it tomorrow", Virat said and Rohit just turned his face.
Rohit just saw Virat going back, "sorry bhaiya", Jassi said being guilty as he had said about practice session.
"It's fine kid, let's go to practice otherwise your Virat bhaiya will give me another lecture", Rohit said jokingly which made Jassi smile.
"But You love it anyway Bhai, his lectures"
"I love him even though he annoys me a lot, if he doesn't lecture me it means something is terribly wrong", Rohit said fondly.
"He is the best bhai"
"That he is"
Present,
"Vi, your Jassi needs you. Please, I'm begging you, wake up," Rohit pleaded, his voice trembling with emotion.
"He's drowning, Vi, drowning in guilt. I cannot do it alone, I am trying, but I'm barely managing to hold on. I need you here with me, your strength, your support. Please, Vi, don't leave us alone. We-- I need you," Rohit whispered, his words filled with desperation, as he caressed the mirror where he could see Virat's reflection, hoping against hope for a response.
Rohit sat on the chair, resting his head on the wall remembering the incident that led them here.
Past,
"And it is the best against best, Jasprit Bumrah against Virat Kohli, this is the contest which I wait for in IPL, this is the beauty of IPL", everyone heard it in the stadium.
Virat took his stance, his eyes focused as always. Across the pitch, Jassi stood ready at his run-up, determination etched on his face.
As Jassi began his approach, Virat tightened his grip around the bat, ready to face his kiddo. The ball bounced off the pitch, gaining speed with each passing moment. In a split second, Virat attempted to swing his bat, but before he could react, all he felt was pain.
Time seemed to stand still for Jassi as he watched the scene unfold before him.
Everyone around him rushed to Virat's side, their movements a blur of urgency. Yet, Jassi remained frozen in his tracks, his mind still in shock and disbelief.
He saw Rohit gently patting Virat's cheeks, a look of worry on his face. The sight of Virat being carefully lifted onto a stretcher, surrounded by everyone, only intensified the knot of worry in Jassi's stomach. He just stood there, paralyzed.
Rohit returned to Jassi's side, his lips moving in a blur as he tried to speak, but Jassi couldn't hear a word. It was as if a thick fog had clouded upon his mind, muffling all sound and leaving him in a state of numbness.
Despite Rohit's attempts to get some response from him, Jassi remained trapped in his own thoughts, unable to understand what was happening. Each word that Rohit uttered seemed so far, leaving Jassi feeling more isolated and lost than ever before.
Jassi could sense Rohit pulling him along, guiding him somewhere. They found themselves back at the RCB camp. Rohit quickly went to medical team, accompanying Virat in the ambulance alongside Faf, leaving Jassi in the care of Hardik.
Present,
Unknown to Rohit, tears had already begun to stream down his cheeks as he remembered everything how happy they were one day and the very next day everything was shattered. His mind raced with thoughts and worries, his heart heavy with concern for Jassi.
Despite his own worries about anything and everything, Rohit's thoughts remained fixated on Jassi, his heart aching for his kiddo's pain.
He just didn't know what was going to happen. He just held onto the hope that Virat was still breathing.
