Opening for India... TOGETHER

Part 2

Rahul was staying in the room beside his, and shortly before dinner, he heard a raised voice from the room.

"I couldn't help it, Bhavna, all right!"

Bhavna? Mayank remembered it was Rahul's younger sister's name--who was 9 years old now.

"You don't understand anything, you fool, so just leave me alone! Don't call back again!" shouted Rahul rudely.

Then there was a silence.

Mayank guessed he had cut the call.

When he saw Rahul at dinner, Mayank couldn't suppress a rush of suprise.

Rahul's eyes were suspiciously red, and Mayank could see the tear streaks on his face.

He hadn't really thought that Rahul could  cry. He had cried many times, of course, since joining the team. So had all the others, he could tell.

But Rahul...

After dinner, Rahul and Mayank found themselves walking up to their rooms together.

Rahul was sniffling, though he was obviously trying his best to hide it.

"Are you ok?" asked Mayank, driven to it.

"Yeah," said Rahul, sounding as though he had a bad head cold.

"No, you're not," said Mayank. He did not know how he found the courage, bit somehow setting this unexpected side of Rahul had stirred him.

"No, I'm not," agreed Rahul. "I fought with my sister..."

"Why did you?"

"Oh, she was bothering me about the loss! As if I'd lost on purpose!" said Rahul.

"Well, she's only nine," said Mayank.

Rahul had started sniffling again. "She's so annoying!"

"Little sisters are always like that," said Mayank wisely.

"Mine isn't!" cried Rahul, flaring up.

Mayank raised an eyebrow.

Rahul mumbled something inaudibly, his chin trembling.

"If she isn't, call her and say sorry."

Rahul stood there, rubbing his nose.

Mayank retrieved Rahul's phone from his pocket and placed it in Rahul's hand firmly.

Rahul called home.

"Mom, give the phone to Bhavna, please," he said.

Mayank thought he should go away, and as he was turning, Rahul caught his arm and clutched it.