After all this time

The reunion

In February, Team India had a match in Ranchi and as it fell close to Ziva's 10th birthday, the old ICT decided to meet there.

Mahi bhai, who was now coach of the National team, called them all to a practice session the day before the match.

Rohit and Jinks picked up Shikhar, Bhuvi and Ash from their hotel from the airport; Jaddu went directly.

Rahul, Hardik, Jassi, Kuldeep and Yuzi were of course seniors now, and they came running in delight as their friends came.

Mahi bhai was standing at a scene from where lots of shouting could be heard.

"What's going on there?" asked Jinks, as Hardik was clinging to Bhuvi and yelling, "I love you Bhuvi, it must have been 3 months since we last met, why didn't you come to meet me earlier.."

Bhuvi snorted and said, "It has not been 3 months, it has been 3 weeks," as he fended him off and hugged Jassi who had been standing in the background expectantly.

Yuzi was asking Rohit anxiously, "Is Sam here?" and Kuldeep was wailing, "Why couldn't Virat bhai come?"

A loud yell interrupted their reunion and they made their way over to Mahi bhai.

"He keeps doing stuff like these deliberately to annoy me, Shreyas bhaiya!" Prithvi was howling.

"Then don't get annoyed... he'll soon get tired," said Shreyas, their captain, placatingly, standing between a livid Shubman and a livid Prithvi, who were glaring at each other.

"I'm not stupid, you know," spat Shubman.

"Hah, as if anyone would believe that," said Prithvi.

"Boys," sighed Shreyas as Rishabh came running over.

"What are they fighting over again?"

"Shubi stamped on Prithvi's bat," said Shreyas with a straight face.

Mahi bhai was standing and looking at them in amused silence, and his face broke into a grin as he noticed his old team standing around nearby.

As they all hugged Mahi bhai, Shubman and Prithvi called a temporary truce and greeted their seniors.

"Where is Virat bhaiya?" asked Prithvi.

"Why are you asking? He is not your idol," said Shubman, sounding outraged.

"You're not his only fan!" said Prithvi.

"Bigger than you, anyway," said Shubman.

"Possessive freak," muttered Prithvi.

Everyone around had started laughing, and Rohit suddenly realised that all his best friends were glancing at him.

He tried to ignore them--but Prithvi and Shubman's fight reminded him so much of a person he had removed entirely from his life that he found that he just couldn't smile.

Shubman seemed to take awful offence at being called a 'possessive freak'and he stormed away.

Rishabh threw an arm around Prithvi, who was managing to look furious and miserable at the same time.

Mavi and Markhande were standing nearby, and Mavi said, "2 hours?"

"One and a half," said Markhande, and they shook on it.

"They have bets on how fast Shubi and
Prithvi will make up every time they fight," said Jassi in reply to the seniors' confused looks.

"Do they do that a lot?" asked Shikhar curiously.