TO BE LOVED

Chapter 23

We landed in India, it wasn't different. People were still at airport, waiting for us to arrive but they were not excited to see us, they were angry, disappointed.

The reality is worse than our imagination, the scenes which I am watching by my eyes, are worst than what I have seen on social media and read in articles.

As we were going going to Hotel, yes we are staying at hotel because police think we need security right now, as we were going back to hotel there were two police cars before us and behind us, I don't know why I am feeling like this but it felt like, we have done some crime, and that's the reason people are hating us so much.

I felt soft touch on my hand, I looked at Siya, then I looked around me at everyone. This is the first time I have seen team bus this silent.

"I don't know when, but everything will be alright." She whispered, I let out rush of air I was holding from so long, I hold her hand.

We reached the hotel, the situation here was same as it was at Airport. Police Officers are pushing people aside to just make a way for us, it was so crowded out side the hotel. After sometime they make way for us to finally go into hotel.

As I stepped out of the bus, people were screaming, and for some reason I was not able to hear them, my ears went numb, my eyes were seeing enough, players walked before me, people were looking at them with hate, I saw some of them burning picture of team India winning 2011 world cup. They were trying to came to us, police was pushing them back, some of them trying to throw stuff at us.

In all that one person threw stones in our direction and it hit Siya on forehead right up from her eyes, it was so sharp that her forehead ended up bleeding.

"Siya you okay?" I hold her by the shoulders from behind as she was walking before me. I looked at that direction again, one person again threw stones at our direction but before it could hurt Siya I came in her way, while my back was from where stone was coming. I looked at her, she was in my arms. She looked hurt, this is the last thing I want to see.

Somehow we made it inside to hotel, Pooja quickly did Siya's bandage.

"You okay?" I said, kneeling down against her sit.

"I'm fine don't worry." She said with smile.

But that smile didn't calm me down, the way from Airport to the hotel was longest one I have ever seen in my life.

They love the sport so much that they forget loss are part of the game and players are human too.

ICT have never been this silent before, this hurt before.

I was in my room, tossing and turning in my bed, trying to catch some sleep which seems far away. I set on my bed, watch Siya sleeping peacefully besides me, she snuggled into me more as I moved, I kissed her forehead gently and I saw that bandage on her face, all the things from this world cup campaign were coming in my mind till now each and every thing, which lead us here. 

Somehow I clearly saw where we were going wrong, that drop catches, that soft dismissal, that No balls, the way I got run out....

Siya snuggled into me more, she loves to cuddle me, I slept by her side, she wrapped her hand around me and rested her head so close to my chest. I found something hard behind my back so I quickly grab it with out disturbing Siya's sleep, it was her diary, she was trying to write but couldn't so she slept. I opened the dairy.

Dear Virat,

Swipe up!