PRESS CONFERENCE
"Hello Ahaan sir this is Peter from The Times, a very heartly congratulations on the win and your first century in England"
"Thank you very much"
"Hello Sir James from Daily Mirror this side, how would you like to describe your innings today"
"It's tough actually, the pitches here are tough, at least for me, because I have been playing in India since I started cricket, and India we have good pitches for spin and here it is for pace, even in my last series here I didn't perform well but today I took my time, analyzed a bit and went on for whom I can"
"Hello Sir John form Morning Star, do you think India will win these series under your captaincy?"
"We have come here to win and we will try our best to win, it would be a great boost for us in the upcoming series and the world cup coming ahead"
"Ahaan ji, namaskar mai Sailesh Times of India se hun, aapse ek sawal puchna chahunga"
"Ji zaroor puchiye Sailesh ji"
"Ahaan ji, 2 hafte pehle aapki photo ek ladki ke saath aayi thi, aur apne bhi apke social media mai post kiya tha, tho ye sach hai ki.....
"No personal questions plea.." the team manager of India warns to the reporter, but interrupts as Ahaan gestures to stop by shwoing his hand
"Really good question, how many of you are from India here can you please raise your hands" around 5 reporters raised their hands
"There are nearly 12 reporters and 5 are Indian great, so to all the others reporters I would like to explain what question he asked, so apparently I was hugging a girl in a hospital and the day before that I posted a picture related to a girl, haa toh aapka question poora nahi ho paaya hai thoda complete kijiye"
"Ha...toh... mera sawaal tha ki News reports ke anusaar vo ladki ek sadharan ladki hai jo journalist hai, jiske saath aapne ek interview kiya tha"
"Haa toh?"
"Kya ye news sab sach hai ki vo ladki aapko...."
"Pura question puchiye ji"
"Ki vo ladki aapko fasaya hai?" Ahaan lets out a dry chuckle
"So gentlemen what he means is, the girl who was spotted is a journalist to whom I gave a interview, so he asking that by chance did that girl trap me?" everyone starts whispering among themselves
"Ahaan chod dhe, we will deal it later, press conference mai thik nahi hai, yaha pe sirf professional baate hote hai" the manager whispers to him
"Mai cricketer hun, mujhe ye rules nahi patha hai, par vo insaan tho journalist hai usko patha hain ayaha professional baate hote hai fir bhi pucha tho let's answer this, sir ko mai answer karunga"
"So everyone, a little tale okay?" everyone opens their notepads to write down but he gestures them to keep them aside "Ishqi, her name is Ishqi, she is journalist, yes she trapped me with her beautiful eyes, innocent heart she trapped me and I know it's really silly to imagine a future with someone whom you have met just months ago, but yaa I imagine to have a future with her, I manifest to have a future with her.
You know I am a very consicous person, but with her I don't think about the rest of the world, I might a happening cricketer, a captain for now, but with her it doesn't matter I am just a another person with her.
But because of this toxic media I feel like I lost her, maybe forever, maybe not, but I lost her somehow, it's been more than 2 weeks I say her face, heard her voice. EVERYTHING BECAUSE OF YOU!!" his eyes were speaking volumes, his jaw was tight, his veins were clearly visible on his forehead. Everyone has seen the aggressive Ahaan on the field, but this is the first time they were seeing an enraged Ahaan.
"She is simple sweet girl, with all simple dreams leading a simple happy life, but you all people called her something else, let me remember, whore, slut, maniupulator, that's what you called her right, haina Sailesh ji yehi tha na aapke article mai?" that guy bends his head down in shame.
"Why? Because she is with me makes her a slut? In that case I should be blamed, because I was the one who made the first move in everything, she was always scared anticipating a day like this, and bingo Indian media have done it.
Just because I am cricketer that doesn't mean I need to date an actress or model, I can also date a normal girl who is funny, caring, crazy and loving.
Because of you people I lost the girl whom I love with my whole heart after my mother, but trust me sir I am not answerable to you about what she is but you man and a so called journalist you have destroyed life of a girl, it doesn't effect me in my career but it would effect her
A girl's respect is as precious as glass and you people have called her something which she doesn't deserve, but trust me after this conference if I hear a word against her, you people would see the worst of me" he warns with his and leaves from there in a rage
"Bhaiiiiiii" he hears the shout when he was about to go to the dressing room
"Aman mera mood kharab hai mera chod dhe"
"Mood thik karne ka hi baat bol raha hun bhai"
"Jaldi bol"
"Bhabhi ka call aaya hai"
"Kya?" he shouts at him
He jumps on his voice "Bhaisaab dheere, haa bhabhi ka phone aaya hai" he places the phone in his hand
"Ishqi mere se baat hi nahi kar rahi hai, kuch galat call hoga" checks his phone
"Jalebi with a heart tho bhabhi hi haina, soooo have fun bhai, coach sir ko mai samjhadunga"
He nods his head in gratefulness and leaves to call her, according to the the Indian time it would be 5:30 but he least cared that now, seeing her id itself brought a smile onto his face, the ringing of the phone never felt this long to him
"Hello"
~•💓•~
"Vaibhav is under my custody"
"What do you mean by your custody? Vaibhav tho bhaag gaya tha na?''
"Kahi nahi bhaaga tha, jis din tumpe bullet lagi thi, bhai couldn't handle it more, jab ham sab tumhe hospital le jaa rahe the, at the same time he caught Vaibhav aur unke pent house mai usse rakhe hai, aur jab vo London jaa rahe the vo mujhe appoint karke gaye hai"
"What the hell are you telling Karthik, police usse dhoond rahe hai, just leave him, ye tum dono ka career ke liye bohot musibat ho sakta hai, don't do this"
"No ashu, iss baar tumhara baat mai nahi sunne vaala hun, you had 3 bullets and didn't wake up for 2 days, agar tumhe kuch ho jaata tho? I could never forgive myself"
"It's not your mistake Karthik"
"Right, it's not my mistake, and what I am doing now is also not a mistake, so I don't care. Vo jail jaayega tho kya hi karenge, acha se biryani pe biryani khayega, phir kuch din baad uske baap uska bail karvadega, khatam uss ke liye ek vacation banega bass but now he is getting what he deserves"
"Karthik, please don't do this, don't take the law into your hands, this is gonna effect your future, our future"
"That means we have a future?"
"Karthik, this is not the time"
"Perfect time never exists you know, kya haq hai Ashlesha mujhe yaha aane ka? Tell me what we are"
"Topic divert mat karo Karthik"
"Pura topic hi ye hai" he throws the water bottle on the wall harshly, she flinched seeing this side of him, he instantly realized what he was doing, he went closer to her and sat on her bed "Ashu, I am sorry I shouldn't be pressurizing you I am really sorr..." his words get stuck when she pulls him closer with his shirt collar and looks deeper into his brown orbs
"Tumhara haq hai, pura haq hai par ye sahi time nahi hai, there is a huge mess we need to clear up, but haa hamari future hai, agar meri future kisi ke saath hogi vo sirf tu hi hai, only you" she whispers placing a long kiss on the corner of his lips
"Itna lecture di ho tho, ek proper kiss bhi de deti" pecks her lips
"Pervert" hits his arms
"Ouch! Hospital bed mai beth ke itna strength kaha se aaraha tujhe" rubs his arm
"Topic bohot ache se divert kar chuke ho, par point vo nahi hai, ye Vaibhav ka chapter khatam kardo, koi court case, koi arrest nahi chahiye mujhe, usse apne baap ko handover kardo bass ek condition pe ki vo hamare life mai involve nahi honge karke"
"Ashlesha, kyun darr rahi ho aise criminal se, vo kutta hai usse punish karna hi hai"
"Exactly vo kutta hai bhokega, hamare paas family hai hame darna hi hoga, uss family mai Viraj ke alava kisi ke paas feelings hi nahi hai, they all are animals some cruel animals, kutto se compare karke uska apamaan nahi karna chahiye"
"Tho uss cruel animal ko hawa mai chod degi? Usko koi lesson nahi sikhayegi kya"
"Teacher class mai sabko padathi hai par sirf first bench vaale sunte, kyunki vo sunna chahte hai, aur Vaibhav sunna hi nahi chahta hai vo jail bhi jaayega na vaha beth ke wait karega ki kab uska baap aake bail dega bass khatam, usko kabhi realize hi nahi hogi uski galti kya hai, agar usse apne galtiyon ka ehsaas hota na, vo suicide karke marr chuka hoga"
"And vo usko nahi hone vaali hai, so just let me punish him as bad as possible"
"Kya milega Karthik? Uske punish karke tum apne aap pe punishment la rahe ho, please stop this"
"Ashlesha I am not only doing this for you, this is for many girls who have suffered because of him, why are you behind him"
Before she could say anything there was a knock on the door, Karthik goes and opens it revealing a stoic faces Anisha, she enters pushing him
"Madam speaker ka shakal thoda gussa types lag raha hai" ashu wiggles her eyebrows at sister
"Eavesdropping is wrong but not as wrong as punishing a criminal by themselves" glares at Karthik
"Anu...
"Not a word Malhotra, abhi sab thik ho raha hai, tera naam bhi next tour squad mai aaya hai, tu acha perform karega tho world cup mai tera position pakki"
"What!!!!" Ashu shouts excited
"Mera pura gussa mai tumhe bass yehi baat mili hai?"
"Kya matlab ye ek baat anu? I was waiting for this moment, tum kyu statue banke khade ho?"
"Anu...pakka mera naam hai?"
She rolls her eyes at his question "Aur koi hai Karthik Malhotra?"
"Nahi, but you know confirmation ke liye puch raha hun"
"Yes, you are selected for the t20 and odi series against south africa, check karle, but I am not sure if you would be playing it or not"
"Mai kyu nahi khelunga?"
"Because tumne crime kiya hai Karthik, you are not supposed to kidnap that guy, uske upar missing case file huyi hai and you kidnapped him, vo criminal hai terrorist hai vo baat alag hai tumhe aur tumhare bhaiya ko kidnap nahi karna tha, and mai lawyer sab ke liye hun, I won't tolerate this"
"Anu please, you are my last hope, he is definitely wrong but just kuch din ke liye hide this thing"
"Ashu you were scolding him a minute ago"
"I would still scold him anu, but you know how important this series is for him, please just hide it please Anu" she joins her hands
Anu hugs her sister who was vulnerably begging her "Ashu it's not about you scolding him or something, but I am lawyer Ashu, ek galti mere liye galti hi hai, chahe vo choti ho ya badi, chahe vo ghar mai hua ya bahar, you get it?"
"I understand Anu, it's your job but please kuch din ke liye chupao please, uske series ke baad tum jaise bole vaise"
"Uska series kyu aaraha hai beech mai, agar ye issue serious hua tho he will anyway lose his liscense to play"
"Anu please, mere liye I beg you maine bachpan se kuch nahi pucha hai just do this for me" Anu leaves from there without a word
As soon as she leaves Karthik hugs her tight, forgetting about her healing wounds, but rather than her physical pain his emotional pain was high she knew, she hugged him back giving him the warmth which he needed, her hospital dress was soaking with his silent tears she could feel it, she pulls him out of embrace and cups his face, the tear stricken face which was showing vulnerability, sorrow which was breaking her heart, she places her lips on his forehead lingering there for a longer time, more tears fall out from his eyes she rubs them and this time places her lips on his without much thought neither of them pulled back and started kissing it was much needed for both of them a kiss of vulnerability, compulsion and love.
~•💓•~
PRECAP: You are so dead