The next morning, the entire team was high spirits, he had never seen them this happy before. They were packing their kits for the flight in the evening.
It was in the afternoon, he had finally texted Sara. Her exam should be over in an hour or so. He thought.
Shubman: How did you exams go? Reply as soon as you see this. So, we won the match, and apparently there is going to be a felicitation ceremony in Ahemdabad for us. They're thinking of bringing in Sachin sir as the chief guest. If you can do something, so that I can finally see you.
His focus on his phone was broken by Abhishek's voice.
"Kya bhai, Kal Wali se mann nhi bhara h kya abhi, kabse usko text kiye jaa rha h" He teased Shubman.
"I get you bro, mai iski jagh Hota to bhul nhi pata" A hand landed on his shoulder, it was Prithvi.
"Bathroom me bhai sahab bdi aish kr rhe the, I heard them" Prithvi laughed.
Prithvi and Abhishek high-fived, Shubman was beet red at this point.
"Teri awaz mere se jyada aa rhi thi, tu to third base tak gya tha" Shubman somehow managed to fire back at Prithvi.
"Atleast mere Wali end tak thi, Teri Wali beech me bhag gyi" he teased again.
"Hein? Shubman, terese aise umeed nhi thi, ladki ko disappoint kr diya, kitna chota h tera" Abhishek further poked fun at his expense, as he laughed out loud.
"Aree yrr-" "Aisa nhi h- mai wo galti se kisi aur ka naam le lia tha" He groaned at their teasing.
"Kiska"
"Sa-" he stopped himself before he could reply. His eyes went wide, he had almost blew the cover.
"Sa- kya?" Abhishek asked again, curious.
"Sa- sa- sachin" He uttered involuntarily.
Both Prithvi and Abhishek's boomed with laughter.
"Hein? Tere aise bhi Arman h unke liye?" They continued laughing.
"Ye to dusri aur team ke liye bat karta h" Prithvi laughed. "Koi nhi koi nhi, pehle bta diya Hota, to tere liye ladka dhud dete, bht open minded h hum"
"Oii Chinta mat kr isko felicitation me chance mil jayega" Abhishek teased him.
He had brought this teasings upon himself, the moment, he had uttered Sachin sir's name. God save him.
"Kya ho rha h yahan" Ishan came to his rescue, he sighed in relief.
"Aree Ishan, isne tujhe kabhi bataya apni chahato k bare me" Ishan looked at his face suspiciously. Had he told them about Sara? Why are they asking him this all of a sudden.
"Ye unse felicitation me milke confess karega" Prithvi added.
"Hein? Tune inko bta diya? Lowkey rakhne ki baat hui thi na?" Ishan looked at him with wide eyes, surprised that he had betrayed Sara, like that.
"Shubhi? What in the-?" Abhishek looked at him dead in the eye.
"Hum to majak Kar rhe the- tu sach me unko- " Prithvi continued for him, equally surprised at Ishan's words.
"Nhi- Nhi- yrr, tumlog Galat samjh rhe ho aisa nhi h, wo kisi aur ki baat Kar rha h" Shubman tried his best to explain.
"Kisi aur ki-"
"Kitno ko ghuma rha h hu" Ishan looked at his suspiciously.
"Mujhe laga to committed h, ye dusri kon h" he continued, as he narrowed his eyes at Shubman.
"Wait- lemme count, felicitation wala, ishan jiske bare me bol rha wo, and Kal raat wali- teen total"
Sala tu to player Nikla, field mai bhi, field k Bahar bhi" Prithvi looked at him amused.
"Wait- Kal raat Wali? Ye kon h ab" Ishan asked Shubman, looking at him directly.
"Australian ladki thi, jisko bathroom me le Jake isne kuch kuch kiya" Abhishek smirked, while interlocking his fingers and clapping his palms together, replicating the sound of skin slapping.
Ishan's eyes widened as he continued to look at him.
"Nhi yrr- tum log Galt samjh rhe ho, sab misunderstanding h, aisa kuch nhi h" Shubman tried defended himself.
"Kitna jhoot bolega Gill, pakda jaa chuka h tu, wo bhi range haton" Abhishek fake sympathized with him, thumping his shoulder.
"Tu ruk mai btata bhabhi ko" Was all Ishan said, before he went to grab his phone. Shubman took his phone before him and ran. Ishan ran behind him to take back his phone. "RUK- bhagta kahan h bsdk---"
It was only in the flight, Shubman explained the entire fiasco to Ishan. Ishan being, Ishan was rolling in laughter.
"Tere sath Jo Jo Hota h na, wo kisi TV show se kam entertaining nhi h-" he somehow managed to utter in between his throes of laughter.
"Cricket me career nhi Hota na, to Mai pakka ek TV show produce karta about your shenanigans"
"Gill diyan Gallan" he made a frame with is hands. And laughed out louder.
The other passengers were staring at them at this point, some amused, some annoyed.
It was only after reaching the hotel in Ahemdabad, in the afternoon, he switched back on his phone. As expected Sara had seen and replied to his texts. He was still feeling guilty about that incident, however, he put that thought aside as meeting Sara was his first priority.
Sara: "That's amazing Baby!I'm so so happy for you I was rooting for your team, I have downloaded your match, im planning to watch it in the flight"
"I can't wait to see you, I'll try my best, to go along with Dad to the felicitation ceremony, but if that fails somehow don't worry, I'll make some other arrangements."
"Flight se utar k text karna, I'll be reaching Mumbai by 5 pm on Friday."
She had sent the message 9 hours ago, she was probably in flight right now, Shubman calculated. He should rest for a sometime, he thought, it will be a while before she texts back.
He looked at Ishan, who are already dead asleep beside him, and went to sleep.
His peaceful slumber, was broken by Ishan, who was shaking him by the elbow.
"Aree uth jaa, dinner karne jana h, bhabhi k sapne baad me dekh Lena, aise bhi tu milega hi Kal unse."
This made him sit up straight, shit- he had forgotten about Sara, he searched for his phone on the bedside and reached quickly, to open Sara's WhatsApp Chat.
Sara: Good news, baby, looks like Baba ne accept Kar liya h invitation. He was planning to take Arjun with him, to introduce him to the team and some other officials of BCCI.
Maine request kia, ki mujhe unke sath time spend karna h, to mujhe bhi ke chalo Ahmedabad. Flights book Kar li thi inhone, but Thora request kia to Mere bhi seat book Kar di.
Sab thik h, bas Arjun keeps looking at me suspiciously. Bol rha h, itni time spend karne ki iccha kabse ho gyi humare sath, ki 15k ki last minute flight, apne pocket money se book Kar li. 🥲
Ab kya bolun mai isko, cricketer ka to pta nhi, par detective bht aacha bn jayega ye, isko shak ho chuka h, we have to be careful.
By the way, ek kaam karna wahan pe stadium k pass rukoge na to jagh dekh k ana kahan milna h, there will be media, we have to be very careful. Kuch garbad na ho.
I'll be there In Ahmedabad till Sunday only. Aur Baba ko naa bataye nikl bhi nhi paungi, so this is our only chance.
Call karna raat ko, imma sleep off this jet lag.
He couldn't stop smiling reading her messsage looks like, his Sara, was as excited as he was to see her.
His reverie was broken by Ishan's Sharp voice.
"Oo majnu, Tera kuch nhi ho sakta, so k utha nhi ki seedha, phone pe uske messages dekke muskura rha h, chamdi sala" Ishan shook his head.
"Ishann, thori help chhaiye" he looked at him innocently, ignoring all his words.
"Bhauk" Ishan looked at him annoyed.
"Kal Teri bhabhi aayegi na wo bol rhi, jagh dekh k rakhne k liye stadium me, Jahn hum mil sake, media k chupke and baki logo se"
Shubman's tone requesting.
Ishan raised his eyebrow. "Tu bhi kya yaad rakhega, but samjh jaa bhabhi k liye Kar rha hu mai, tere liye nhi, chal ab"
With that they left the room.
In the field, the same day, 2 am, in the night-
"Pkka koi hme chor samjhega , mai bol rha hu" "he chhath Maaiya, kya kya karna padh rha h dosti k khatir" Ishan mumbled and they walked side by side in the dark stadium looking for a appropriate spot.
"Kal subha bhi to aa sakte the na?"
"Maine coach se pucha Kal practice hogi kya, to unhone btaya, ki Kal stadium band rahega subha se, decoration karne k liye, to aj hi karna parega" Shubman said matter of factly.
"In mamlo me bda dimag chalta h tera, nhi Gill?" Ishan laughed.
"Aree chup kr, karna padta h, tu nhi samjega, jagh dhund abhi"