ephemeral

getting some beaches

some day some month in 2016.

a 17 year old kasturie was practicing along with mahi. she was bowling while mahi was batting.

kasturie threw a ball to which mahi used his signature 'helicopter shot' and the ball went for a six.

"chal thoda break lele pani vagere pi le. thodi der baad vapas continue karenge." mahi said to her.

"ha theeke." she started walking the other way but turned around as she remembered something. "sir, sir." she ran behind mahi.

"ha bol na bacche, kya hua." mahi replied. she started walking with him.

"sir woh..."

"kya woh?"

"arre woh..."

"bol re kya hua?"

"sir aap woh apna helicopter shot mujhe sikha denge? please please please?" she made puppy dog eyes at him.

mahi remembered how he asked his friend to teach him that shot the same way. mahi looked at her and smiled.

"kya hua? kuch galat bol diya kya maine?"

"arre nahi nahi, helicopter shot, huh?"

"ha sir, sikha doge please?"

"maza aya?"

"ha sir, of course maza aya. sikha do na, ha bol do please."

"samosa khilayegi?"

she looked at him with a confused expression, "ha khila dungi."

"toh sikha denge." he laughed lightly.

she clapped and jumped in excitement. "acha theeke fir thodi der mein milte hai." she said excitedly and with that she ran away jumping happily.

mahi just stood there watching her running away excitedly he shook his head and laughed remembering himself how he was exactly like her when he was her age. "ek din yeh ladki bohot aage jayegi."

27th march, 2024.

9:00am.

there was no practice since it was a travelling day. kasturie got ready for the day, she wore a hoodie, shorts, cap, sunglasses and shoes. she went out to shubman's room to wake him up. she knocked on his door. "aye nalayak uth, aai shappat boltey agar tu utha nhi hoga toh-" he opened the door ahe to her surprise he was already awake and getting ready for their outing.
(translation: maa kasam bol rhi hu.)

"uth gya hu madam, bas ready hi ho rha tha." he smiled at her.

"ha theeke theeke, jaldi kar." she went inside and plopped on his bed.

"waise yeh kya pehna hai tune." he asked.

"kapde, aur kya."

"very funny, aise kapde kyu."

"arre isko disguise bolte hai, i don't want those stupid paparazzis to ruin apna outing."

"aisa disguise?"

"ha, avengers nahi dekhi kya? tu bhi aisa hi kuch pehen."

"ha theeke." he laughed at her.

"timepass mat kar re."

"ji raani saa."

shubman wore something almost same as her outfit. they went out.

"aaj kaha kidnap karke mujhe leke jaane ka plan hai?" shubman asked.

"mere sabse favourite jagah pe."

"beach?"

"obviously" they both laughed. "mere dono favourite cities mein beaches hai woh bhi mere favourite stadiums ke paas hi, toh kabhi kabhi mood kharab ho toh ek round maarke mood theek karke aati hu. samandar ke kinaare ek alag sa sukoon milta hai. jo kahi aur nahi milta. the waves take you somewhere where no one can take you. wankhede ke yaha ka marine drive aur chidambaram ke idhar ka marina, jaan hai mere and here we are." she sighed and looked at the waves crashing on the shore. "yaha pe raat ke wakt aur maza aata hai tab toh kisike pehchanneka bhi darr nahi hota. the moment the sea breeze hits your face, tumhare saare tensions, dukh, dard sab kuch thodi der ke liye gayab ho jaate hai." she realised that she has been talking alone for a while. she looked up to see shubman looking at her with a hint of a smile. "kya re kab se main hi bak bak kiye jaa rhi hu, tu bhi kuch bol."

"nah bolti reh tu, accha lagta hai."

"kya meri bak bak? tujhe acchi lagti hai?"

"ha." he smiled shyly.

"kitna cute hai be tu. chal ab mujhe paani mein jaanay." with that she ran towards the waves.

"arre sambhal ke gir jayegi nahi toh." he yelled as he ran behind her.

they both enjoyed the day at the beach and ate at some local food joints.

4:30pm.

"maza aya?" kasturie asked shubman.

"bohot." he replied.

"of course main saath rahungi toh maza ayega hi."

"woh toh hai."

"chal ab dono ko nikal na hai, terko mumbai aur merko delhi janay. packing bhi toh karni hai. let's go back to the hotel, yeah?"

"ha chal aur best of luck baki matches ke liye ab direct hum may mein milne wale hai."

"ha tujhe bhi, aur meri taraf se ishi ko hi bol diyo."

"pakka."

with that they went back to their hotel and got ready to leave.

kasturie packed her things and went to the team bus and sat next jadeja. rested her head on the window and closed her eyes. "kaha thi din bhar? shubman ke saath?" jaddu bhai asked her.

she opened her eyes in surprise and asked, "aapko kaise pata?"

he laughed and said "nehra bhai mile the, unhone kaha ki unke captain ji subah se gayab hai tab mujhe yaad aya ki humari captain saheba bhi dikhi nahi kab se. usually toh dimaag khaate hue ucchalti rehti hai yaha se waha, bohot shant shant tha sab subah se."

"aww jaddu bhai itni yaad ayi meri?" she rested her head on his shoulder and immediately drifted off to sleep.

"jaan hai re tu sab ki." jaddu bhai said and smiled at her sleeping figure.

🕸️

a/n : still can't get over mahi's retirement. unhone abhi tak confirm nahi kiya hai but still bohot ajeeb sa lag rha hai. bhai neend nhi aa rhi theek se. sapne mein bhi mahi bhai dikh rhe hai. i need some serious therapy man.

woh chhodo, maine pehle nhi bataya but abhi bata deti hu ki yeh story slow burn hogi toh they won't get together immediately.

chalo fir aaj ke liye itna hi, kal miltey.

peace out.
~k.