Sep 2018
Mumbai
Shub's Version: I entered the dressing room for the practice session and was surrounded by my fellow team mates.
"Kya hua ? I asked.
Ishan: (Shub's fellow team member and a very good friend) Tu bata ? Kya hua ?"
Shub: "Abe! Main kya bataun, I just came here. Tumlog sab aise kyun dekh rahe ho mujhe ?"
Ishan: "Dude, you seriously don't know or you are just pretending ?"
Shub: "Bhai, dara mat. Hua kya ??"
Ishan: "Bro!! 'The Sara Tendulkar' wished you happy birthday on Instagram."
Shub: "Haan toh ?"
Ishan: "Abe! How do you know her ? Aur kya ?"
Shub: "Arjun introduced us. Last year in Dubai, tumlog bhi toh the wahan"
Ishan: "Exactly. Saala hum sab mile the wahan, but she never wished any of us on social media."
Shub: "Bhai ab ispe main kya bolu ?"
Isnan: "Saale, tune reply bhi kiya hai. Aur ye kya code word me inside jokes and comment session chal raha hai tumlog ka?"
Shub: "Arrey. She just meant that I am no more U19 and I jokingly replied that she is still under13. All in fun bro!"
Ishan: "Hmmmm! So you are telling me just like that you wrote such funny replies on "Sara's" comment ?
Shub: "Yyyaaaaaa!"
Ishan: "Baaah! Waise toh mujhe pata hai tu sher hai, par saamne bandi bhi toh Sara thi na, isliye doubt kiya tujh pe, chal koi nahi. But you know na, if ever you need to share anything, I am there."
Shub: "Ya man! Thanks."
God!! What had I done! Honestly, the situation went out of my hands. It was sudden, too sudden for me. I couldn't think of anything and just said whatever came to my mind at once. It was not like I wanted to hide it from Ishan or anyone, par main bataun toh bataun bhi kya ? That we are kind of seeing each other ? Liking each other ? Obviously I cannot say that. Not untill I tell Sara how I feel about her! But then all this looks like I have put her impression at a tough spot. Everyone is gossiping as to how and why she wished me publically on my birthday. Only I know how pure her intent was, but how do I explain this to people. Uggghhhhh!!
Oct 2018
London
Sara's Version: Arjun, Alysha and few of my other friends are going to visit London for my birthday. Arjun landed a day before everyone else. He mentioned on call that he wanted to discuss something important. I wonder now which training he wants me to take to.
I picked him from the airport and we had a good lunch together.
Arjun: "Sara, I wanted to talk to you about something"
Sara: "Yeah, you mentioned that on call too, tell me, wassup ?"
Arjun: "Are you seeing Shubman ?"
Sara: (Shockingly) "What ? No! Who told you ? Did He ? It's not true"
Arjun: "Calm down! Nobody told me. But I am your brother, I can see things. I know he was here to meet you some months back. I have seen you guys following each other and I am just protective of you"
Sara: "It's nothing like that. He was not here to see me. He had some work and we just happened to meet. There's nothing between us."
Arjun: "Okay! I believe you. It's just that I know you too well, Sara. You will not meet someone who is nothing and not tell me about it. You have bored me to death with your boring random date stories. All I mean to say is, may be you are not ready to accept it, but there is something."
Sara: "Arjunnnnnn! I don't know. It's so difficult."
Arjun: "For sure it is. But if you ask me, he is a sensible man and an even sensible cricketer. But apart from that, you will have to figure out things and you will have to tell me about it too, so that I can be there for you. Okay ?"
Sara: "Yeah! It's just too initial."
Arjun: "I know. But I want you to be sure first. And just so you know, everybody in Indian Cricket Team has noticed your comment on his birthday post and his comment on yours."
Sara: "Really ? What do we do now ? Does Baba know ?"
Arjun: "I don't know if he knows. They had met recently. Baba told me he feels Shubman has an amzing potential to be the next big thing of Indian Cricket Team. But apart from this, he didn't mention anything related to him. I think he would have been doing exactly what I am doing right now, if he knew!"
Sara: "Can't believe you are my younger brother. Talking so much sense, who is giving you so much brain ? Whom are you dating these days ?"
Arjun: (Laughingly) "It's not about me right now. I suggest you guys talk it out and discuss. I have heard he is being considered for India A matches too, so he is occupied too."
Sara: "Yeah, I know. He has told me about it."
"I am sure he has, still there is nothing going on, hai na ?" Arjun said teasingly
Sara: "Shut up now, let's go and have milk cake, my treat."
Arjun: "Yeah it better be your treat. I have earned it."
Oct 12th
Midnight,
London
Notification popped on Sara's phone
Shub: "Happy Birthday, Sara! I wanted to call you but I am sure you are around people. It's your big day today. I didn't know what was the correct thing to do. I so wanted to be with you today. But please know, more than anything I wish you to be happy, today and always.
Hugs,
SG
Sara read the message. She was having a great birthday with all her friends around. But her heart missed Shub. There was no way she was not realizing that. She replied him immediately.
Sara: "Thank you for the wishes, they mean a lot to me"
Shub: "So, how's the birthday?"
Sara: "It's going good.
Shub: "Hmmm."
Sara: "Is there anything bothering you ?"
Shub: "Yeah, kind of." But how do you know about it ?
Sara: "Not sure, just felt it. Actually there is something even I want to talk about."
Shub: "Okay, I hope all good ?"
Sara: "Yeah yeah!
Shub: "If you don't mind and if you are not doing anything inportant, can we spend the Christmas and New years together and talk about it ?"
Sara: "Ummm! Yeah Okay, but where ?"
Shub: "You tell ?"
Sara: "No, you tell."
Shub: "Italy ?"
Sara: "Okay, but what do we tell at home ?"
Shub: "I am going to say I am going for some seminar. Can't think of anything else."
Sara: "Okay, I will also figure out something."
Shub: "You sure ?"
Sara: "101%"
Dec 2018
Shub is packing his suitcase and Shahneel is sitting beside him.
Shahneel: (Suspiciously) "Who has kept this seminar at the end of the year ? Aren't they all partying in Italy at this time?"
Shub: "Don't eat my brain. I will forget to pack something or the other."
Shahneel: "Dude you literally haven't packed anything related to cricket. I am freaking out, what the hell are you upto??"
Shub: "Shut up! You handle Maa Papa here, Okay.?"
Shahneel: "Are you going with some girl ?"
Shub: "What do you mean by 'some' girl ?"
Shahneel: "Okay, then tell me who are you going with ? Or else I will call Jugnu and ask."
Shub: "Abe! Aake bataungaaa. Wahi toh figure out karne jaa raha hoon, batane laayak kuch hai bhi ya nahi."
Shahneel: "Life me pehle baar you sound serious on a girl's topic. Is she pretty ?"
Shub: "Prettiest :)"
Shahneel: "You are a gone case. Din me taaare dikh rahe hain tumko, just be careful, all this should not effect your cricket.
Shub: "Yes Madam. I am aware of that."
Shahneel: "Chal have fun! May you get whatever clarity you are looking for and haan, take care. I will handle everything here."
Sara also told Arjun about her going to see Shubman in Venice, Italy. After all it was Arjun only who had asked her to have a clear conversation with Shub about this. Arjun assured her of handling everything back in India.
They both were so excited to see each other but at the same time, there was fear. Fear of not being on the same page, may be, fear of having different expectations from each other, fear of losing it all. With all these questions Shub from Delhi and Sara from Mumbai boarded the flight to Venice.