In This Together

Part of the team

"What? No--no, that's not a good idea," said Virat.

Kuldeep tugged at his arm.

"We decided it a long time ago, Virat bhai. We won this series for you, so you should be there."

"Please no, Kuliya. The BCCI banned me," said Virat, though he didn't want to refuse Kuldeep anything.

Virat managed to convince everyone against this act of mutiny, but after everyone left, Kuldeep stayed behind.

"Are you all right, Virat bhai?" he asked anxiously. "You look a bit sad."

Virat would've lied and said he was fine if it was anyone else, but Kuldeep's childish concern touched him so much that he pulled Kuldeep to him and admitted, "I'm tired of sitting out when my team's playing."

Kuldeep couldn't say anything, but Virat could see that he looked sad, too.

"Not much, though, Kuliya. Just sometimes," said Virat, to comfort Kuldeep more than anything else.

Kuldeep nodded, but before he could say anything, Yuzi poked his head in and yelled, "They're giving us the trophy, hurry up, Kul! Be back in a minute, Virat bhaiya."

And Virat was left alone in the dressing room once again.

___________

The more upset Virat felt every time he saw Rohit and Shikhar reliving the match that day, the more he realised how he had made Rohit feel a thousand times earlier.

He was going crazy. Rohit was his best friend. Of course Rohit was his best friend. And of course he was Shikhar's friend too.

Why should that bother him?

Jinks caught the way Virat was looking at the openers during dinner and saw much more than Virat would have liked. But he didn't want to interfere just then, not least because Virat was sure to deny it out of pride.

Sure enough, Virat's pride made him go off to bed without talking much with Rohit that night.

____________

After a little while however, Rohit himself came into his room and flopped down beside Virat without a word.

"What happened?" demanded Virat.

"I've got an awful headache," said Rohit, groaning.

"Figuritavely?" asked Virat.

"No--literally," said Rohit.

"Do you want to take a painkiller? Is it that bad?" asked Virat anxiously as Rohit lay with his head buried in a pillow.

"I dunno," said Rohit, sounding miserable. "I don't feel like getting up. Or doing anything at all."

"Go to sleep," said Virat, running a comforting hand through his miserable best friend's hair.

Rohit still comes to me when he's feeling down, thought Virat, vaguely triumphant.

When Rohit was almost asleep, Virat asked suddenly, "Rohit! Who is your best friend?"