Three weeks later:
'Hello, or should I say Good Morning sir', Hardik said sitting next to Virat.
'Hello', Virat responded with a smile.
'You know, I had some serious talk to do with you', Hardik said softly.
'Yes?', Virat said facing now exactly towards Hardik.
'Not now. Not here. There are so many people here on the airport. But surely once we get down to Australia', he said.
'Ok', Virat said shrugging his shoulders.
'Coffee?', he asked.
'Sure', Virat replied.
'Wait, what's the time?', he asked him.
Virat looked around to find his watch. It wasn't there.
'What is it with you and your watch? You keep forgetting it. Even in the last tour it was the same', Hardik commented.
'Actually, Aarushi...', he blurted out and then realised, 'nothing, I just keep forgetting it', he said to him.
'No worries, I'll bring the coffee', he said and went towards the counter.
'What is it with him and his watch?', he asked Raina.
'Actually, he never keeps his watch with him. He had a habit of giving it to Aarushi when he went home and she would be the one to give it back to him. He never brought it himself', Raina explained with a sigh.
'Oh, I just wonder why he doesn't move on?', Hardik commented.
'Who is not moving?', Rohit said interrupting the two of them.
'Virat', Hardik said.
'Well, you don't know about it, Hardik', Raina said.
'Yeah, well, how badly did they love each other?', he asked.
'Badly?', Rohit asked with surprise.
'You know what I mean', he said.
'It's a long story', Rohit said.
'Well, the flight to Australia isn't a small one', Hardik said.
'Ok, I'll tell you all about it', Rohit said.
Hardik was a new entrant in the team. With his excellent performance in the domestic season and the national team in a dire need of an all-rounder, he had made the cut. He was just three tours old but he was beginning to understand the functioning of the environment.
'Hey, Jasp', he said to another newbie Jaspreet Bumrah. He was a fast bowler.
'Yeah', he said turning.
'Where have you been my brother?', Hardik said putting his hand around his neck.
'You seem happy. Did you watch a movie last night?', he asked with a wicked smile.
'Yeah, I know where you're going. Except it's not that', he answered.
'Well, you can say so', Jaspreet said raising his eyebrows and shrugging his shoulders.
'I am not an addict, okay', he said defending himself.
'Yeah, okay', Jaspreet said sarcastically.
'You know what, just let it go. I don't want to talk to you', Hardik said leaving him.
'What's the deal with you two now?', Ajinkya said joining them.
'Nothing, we are great', Jaspreet said giving a smile to Hardik. He returned a frown to him.
'Good, c'mon the announcements have been made. Let's get going', he told to the both of them.
'Shall we?', Jaspreet asked Hardik. He moved forward without replying him anything and Jaspreet let out a laugh.
'So everything good, brother?', Rohit asked Ajinkya giving him a hug.
'Yeah, yeah how are you? I didn't get a chance to meet you this time around', he said.
'Hmm you were the one busy as a bee. I called you several times and Radhika told me you were busy each of those times', he said.
'Yeah, well, I was a little busy with some jobs, here and there', he told him.
'Ok, forget all that now. Let's go', Rohit said.
They all boarded the flight and most of them got busy in watching movies or listening to songs.
'Rohit, you promised me something', Hardik came disrupting him. Rohit was watching a movie.
'Oh, yes. Come here and sit', he said asking him to sit next to him.
'So where does it all begin?', he asked excitedly.
'Are you like a romantic?', Rohit asked him.
'Well, who isn't. A good love story is what anyone loves, right?', he asked him.
'Yeah, I guess so. This one's a little sad though', he said.
'Well, I already know the tragic part. In fact, I see the tragedy in his face every time I look at him. I want to know the happier part', Hardik said.
'Ok, so here we go. They first met at a party organised by BCCI for cricketers....'
Virat was occupied by a thousand thoughts. He was trying to focus on the various aspects of game but his mind wandered without him even knowing. So many times had she accompanied him to foreign tours that he had become used to her presence now. He didn't know what people demanded of him when they said that he should move on. They didn't know how much it hurt in every moment of his life and the fact was he didn't want to let go of these feelings. They made him feel closer to her.
'Virat, I am feeling so sleepy. How long is this flight?', Aarushi said resting her head on his shoulder.
'Well, we are travelling to England. What did you expect?', he said caressing her head.
'I am beginning to hate airports and flights all because of you', she said.
'Love comes at a price. Someone nicely put it, right?', Virat said with a chuckle.
'Yeah, let me sleep now', she said snuggling close to him and burying herself in his chest.
'Sir, would you like some tea or coffee?', the air hostess asked Rohit who was engrossed in telling Hardik the story.
'Tea, maybe. Or wait, coffee...', he replied
'What happens next? C'mon you can have anything', Hardik said anxiously.
'Let me catch a break, dude', Rohit said sipping his coffee.
'Ugh', Hardik crossed his arms and sat watching him impatiently drinking his coffee.
'Uncle', Shaurya came up to Virat. Shaurya was Raina's son.
'Yes', Virat picked him up and placed him on his lap.
'Please let me play a game on your phone', he said.
He was all of five and Virat was surprised at how fast this generation was learning the technology. He handed him his cell with a smile. He watched him closely as he opened the game he wanted to play and was completely rapt in the game after that.
He got bored, though after fifteen minutes and went to sleep in his lap. Virat caressed his hair and all things were then left to imagination.