POV: Ishaan Kishan
‘ Why are you sitting so quietly?’ It was Shreyas’s voice that brought Ishaan back to reality.
Both of them were on the sets for an ad shoot. Ishaan scratched his head and looked around. There seems to be a delay.
‘ you want a smoke?’ Ishaan asked as he got up.
‘ always’
‘ Will you tell me why you are so quiet?’ Shreyas asked again, breaking the silence they had their first cigarette in.
Ishaan stared at the ground. The air still felt humid from last night's rain, and even though it wasn't raining anymore, the day felt gloomy.
‘There's someone I love, and I promised to protect that person, but I don't know how’ ishaan said, almost to himself. His mind kept going back to the meeting him and Shubman had with Ibrahim.
‘ Is it Aditi?’
‘ No ..’ he hesitated, avoiding his eyes. Should he tell Shreyas about Shubman.
‘ Then who?? You keep secrets from me now?’ Shreyas joked pretending to be hurt.
Ishaan rolled his eyes. It is true that he is hiding something from him, he just hasn't found a way to bring it up yet. At least that's what he's telling himself. Maybe he's just afraid of the judgment it might bring, more afraid of ruining Shubman's reputation than his own.
‘ I will tell you in due time. And since when did you become such good friends Aditi?’ Ishaan questioned.
‘last night, when you left the party, I dropped her home. She's a fun girl, and I think….I think she likes you a lot, ' Shreyas teased.
‘ We have known each other for a really long time, that's all there is’ Ishaan shrugged, making a mental note to apologize to Aditi for ditching her at the party.
‘ That's how all love stories start. Childhood friends to lovers’ Shreyas laughed and put his arms around Ishaan.
Ishaan playfully pushed him away, only to have shreyas jump on his back as a revenge move.
‘ yaar, whatever it is, when you are ready, remember to tell me. Otherwise, sach mein I will get hurt’ there was a seriousness in his tone. Ishaan smiled in a silent agreement.
POV: Shubman Gill
Shubman was distracted throughout practice. He could hear the coaches giving him instructions, he could hear his teammates talking to him, but he was unable to decipher what was happening around him. He felt as though he was stuck in a glass box, alone and afraid.
‘ Oye, Gill! What are you doing yaar!’ he heard Rohit yell from a distance.
Shubman was missing all the balls that were coming at him. Any batting attempt he made was futile. He made several attempts to concentrate, but his mind had other plans. All he could think about was what Ibrahim said to him and Ishaan.
‘ Shubman… Shubman!’ Virat was standing in front of him.
‘ What's up with you today? Tu teekh hei? Are you okay?’ Virat asked.
Shubman removed his helmet and looked around. Everyone was either directly or indirectly looking at him.
‘ I.. I uh, I don't feel so good.’ Shubman stammered.
‘ Go to the locker room’ , Virat instructed.
Shubman felt embarrassed as he walked off the field. He was the next big thing in the cricket world, he had no room for mistakes, yet somehow he was failing at practice. With each step he took, the embarrassment in him was slowly turning into anger. Anger at himself and at his incompetence in keeping his feelings at bay. However, what bothered him the most was the root of all this; fear. A fear which he had hid in the innermost corner of his heart and mind. A fear which he had worked so hard to forget. He could almost feel it claw itself to the surface of his life, threatening to ruin it, bit by bit.
Virat, Rohit and KL Rahul walked in and approached Shubman who was sitting on the floor, his head lowered.
‘ Gill, what's going on?’ Rohits question made Shubman look up.
Shubman opened his mouth to answer, but couldn't bring himself to speak. He scratched his head and rubbed his hands on his thighs and looked away. All he could think was that speaking it out loud might make his fears come true.
‘ Shubman?’ Virats' tone was softer.
Shubman looked at them. He slightly bit his lower lip and took a deep breath.
‘ Remember the police case ? The um… the..’ Shubman managed to say.
Virat and Rohit exchanged worried looks.
‘ what police case???’ Rahul asked, confused.
‘ You weren't there at that time, I think it was around the time you took the leave for your marriage’ Rohit explained.
‘ Okay and?? If there was a police case, wouldn't it be on the news?’ Rahuls confusion grew.
Shubman was picking at his nails, remembering the horror he went through in those few months. Virat put his arms around his shoulder to calm him down.
‘ well?’ Rahul insisted,looking at the three of them.
‘ I..I can't’ Shubman sniffled.
‘ Shubman had a stalker. It was around six months back I think. The stalker sent him notes written in blood,’ Rohit revealed.
Shubman shut his eyes tightly, trying not to see the flashbacks.
‘ He also broke into Shubman's house…the previous house he used to live in...’
‘ He??? It was a he??? Also where the fuck was the security???’ Rahul interrupted in shock.
‘ Ibrahim was on leave at that time, his mother was sick. And uh, I don't know…. I guess there was a collapse in the security line which went unnoticed,’ Shubman explained.
‘that psycho took pictures of Shubman sleeping, and mailed it back to Shubman. They also left a message on the mirror… in blood’ virat continued.
He looked at Shubman in hesitation, who once again had his eyes tightly shut. Shubman was reliving that night again.
‘ It's okay Shubman’ Rohit patted his hands.
‘ He… he also’ Virat tried to tell Rahul but stopped.
‘ I was a bit drunk that night. I came home and passed out. I…I uh woke up because I felt someone… someone touch me’ Shubman explained gritted teeth.
Virat tightened his grip around Shubman's shoulder.
‘ you don't need to continue,’ Rahul said softly.
‘No, let me finish. I… I woke up to him…touching my lips, before I could process what was happening, he was gone. The police arrested him a few weeks later, and you know what he said?’ Shubman couldn't stop.
‘He wasn't even a bit remorseful about what he did. He was cooperative when the police interrogated him. He.. he told them.. He told them how he bypassed the security by posing as a delivery guy…. He.. he um’ Shubman went on.
‘He showed all the cuts he made to write the notes’ Shubman was crying now.
Rohit and Virat tried their best to console him. Rahul sat horrified at what he was hearing. His teammate had suffered so much and he didn't know anything about it. He couldn't even fathom what Shubman had gone through. Shubman was hiding so much behind his bright smile, who would have guessed it.
‘tum itna jo muskura rahe ho
kya gham hai jisko chhupa rahe ho’
‘how is it so that you are smiling so much,
what is the sorrow that you are hiding’
‘ You know Rahul, his entire room was covered with my photos. Photos he took after he violated my privacy!’ Shubman almost screamed.
‘ Shubman it's okay, you can stop now’ Rahul almost pleaded to him now.
He didn't want to make Shubman scratch his old wounds.
" Ibrahim.. Ibrahim said that he's out on bail now, Virat Bhai, he's out…he's out on bail now" Shubman frantically looked around, almost as if he suspected the stalker to be there.
‘ He said he would ruin my life.. he…he said he will make sure that I suffer as much as he does!’
Virat hugged him to make him stop. Shubman was shaking in fear. Rahul came over to them and patted Shubman's head trying to calm him down.
‘ Go home, Gill. I will talk to the coaches and the rest of them.’ Rohit said.
Shubman shook his head. He didn't want anyone to know about this. He didn't want that psychopath to know that he is intimidated by him or his threats.
‘ Take today off',’ Virat tried to make him understand.
Shubman wiped his tears and tried to calm himself. Maybe Virat was right. Taking a day off might help him calm his nerves. He needed to find a way to get through this.
‘ How did it stay out of the media?’
‘ It was Mahi Bhai. He pulled some strings to make sure that no one got the wind of it’ Rohit answered.
Shubman straightened himself as he remembered what Mahi told him that night.
‘ You belong more to the people now than you belong to yourself. They call you prince, and no matter how heavy the crown is, you will have to carry in a way that no one knows how burdened you are. Shubman, no matter what happens, you cannot show weakness to that man, or to the public. You have to endure this, if you want to be named king one day.’
Shubman needed to be strong, for himself, for his family and above all, for his Ishaan. Ishaan, who helped him get through everything. Ishaan, whom he loved the most.
But who was going to tell Shubman, that no matter how strong he makes himself, he cannot withstand the storm that has entered his life.