Be Wondrous Like Thunder

Disappointment Hurts More Than Pain

Chapter - 2 - Disappointment Hurts More Than Pain

Hardik Pandya did not have friends; he had family.

And he carried this outlook along when he entered the cricketing world and was lucky enough to find people who had cared for him.

"You are my brother, Rahul. I will never leave you alone."

The day Hardik had found Rahul shedding silent tears when he was being trolled relentlessly for his poor performance. Rahul had snapped at Hardik, asking to be left alone, but Hardik had shrugged away his friend's anger and had persisted with his support.

"Of course it matters to me. Whatever you say, matters to me. Why would you even say that it doesn't? Do you really think so little of me, Virat? You are not just my Captain; you are my friend and my brother."

The day when Virat had taken him to task for attending parties till the early hours of the morning. After that dressing down, Hardik had reduced the frequency of his night time shenanigans.

"It was just a prank, Rohit! I am sorry. I really am. Don't stop talking to me. You are supposed to always forgive your younger siblings!"

The day, during IPL season, when one of Hardik's pranks had backfired spectacularly and had almost landed Rohit in the hospital. Rohit had ignored Hardik for three whole days before the youngster had left all of his attitude behind and had heckled his Mumbai Indians captain till he was forgiven.

Standing under the shower and relishing in the hot cascade of water hitting his head, Hardik could remember many such incidents. With Jaddu, with Jassi, with Ajju, with Bhuvi and even with the kids.

It was not just lip service; Hardik actually thought of his team members as his family, his brothers.

And Mahi bhai... The respect he held for the senior most player in their team overwhelmed him at times. He had a friend, a brother, a mentor and even a father figure in MS Dhoni.

Despite the absolute enormity of MS Dhoni's status, Hardik was yet to meet a more humble and down to earth person. The only other person who Hardik felt could come close was Kane Williamson.

He had so many special memories with MS Dhoni that he would be hard pressed to find just one. From forgiving all of his stupid antics, saving him from Virat's wrath more than once, lending him a shoulder whenever the worries took over, hearing his crazy rants, to calming his temper; MS Dhoni had done what only a few could and which, other than his immediate family, no one had bothered with.

Hardik placed his head against the glass wall of the shower room and swallowed his tears. An hour of stupidity and he had ruined the relationships for himself and also for Rahul.

An hour of stupid ramblings and his words were out for the world to hear, to judge and to be used to malign not just him but his Team. The incident would never go away. People will always call him sexist, a woman-hater; he deserved that and more.

But his family and his Team? His Rahul? His Virat, Rohit, Mahi bhai? They deserved none of it.

There was a knock on the bathroom door and a voice floated in.

"Planning to drown in there, Hardik? Leave some water for the other guests too."

Snapping out of his thoughts, Hardik turned off the shower, hurriedly dressed and vacated the bathroom.

"Sorry," he mumbled as he stood awkwardly in the middle of the fairly large room unsure of what was expected of him. He had never faced such discomfiture with his Team before.