Everything but her

For those who care

Present-
Virat was broken in his thoughts by a knock on his door. He was completely shaken and before opening the door, he slid back his laptop on which he was viewing the old photographs of Aarushi and him together. The trail had been set for the moments which he sat reminiscing. He opened the door and saw Raina standing in front of him.
'Come in', Virat said directing him inside.
'What are you doing?', he asked him.
'Nothing just some work.'
'Ok, so leave all work and let's play a round of Fifa 15.'
'Hmm, not now.'
'Why? I have to take revenge of that last time when you defeated me. Please Virat don't spoil the fun.'
'Okay. But just this one game and whoever wins is the ultimate winner. Deal?', he said taking out his hand.
Raina shook his hand and said, 'Deal.'
They started off with the game. Raina kept on explaining him what they had been doing for all this while. He also probed him as to what he had been doing but ended up at a loss. After a long haggling, Raina finally emerged as a winner.
'So who's the ultimate winner now?', Raina said doing a little victory dance.
'Ok, sir you win', Virat said bowing to him.
'Defeat taken in such grace? Are you the real Virat Kohli or am I meeting a duplicate? Are you alright Virat?', Raina said coming close checking his face.
'Stop that. I told you I am not in a mood. I was going to lose anyway today.'
'And why is that?'
'Nothing just stuff.'
'What stuff?'
'It is nothing worth mentioning.'
'But it is worth spoiling your mood?'
'My mood is not spoiled. It is just one of those days where I am enjoying being alone.'
'Oh, so you have turned melancholic?'
'You can say so.'
'What are you thinking?'
'Nothing, man.'
'So you won't tell me?'
'There is nothing to tell.'
'Okay, don't tell me. I will also not tell what we are planning', Raina said getting up and moving towards the door.
'Wait, Raina what are you guys planning?', he asked stopping him.
'No, you have to tell me first.'
'I will tell you, I promise but tell me first.'
'Okay, so we are planning to arrange a little party for Mahi bhai when he comes here for the ODI series.'
'Oh yeah that is a great idea but there is still a lot of time before that.'
'Yeah, we were just thinking about it. Your turn now.'
'I was thinking about Aarushi, you know reliving all the past memories. Just saw her pictures in my laptop and couldn't help but think about her.'
'Oh, ok. Everything ok between the two of you after all that happened?'
'Yeah.'
'See don't complicate things more than they already are.'
'No, I am not trying to do that.'
'You do not know what you are doing Virat. I am telling you just stay calm and detached at this point. Don't let anyone sway your emotions and just listen to your heart this time before anything else.'
'Yeah, I won't let anyone come in the way of my happiness this time, I promise.'
'Good, now will you grace us with your presence at the dinner table?'
'Actually...'
'No actually', Raina cut him short. 'Just come in and eat something. Don't become a Romeo. Join us in 5 minutes or else I will come and pick you up.'
'Okay.'
Raina moved out of his room warning him once again to join on the dinner table. However, Virat had no appetite. He had a thousand questions running simultaneously in his mind. His brother had called him at least 10 times since yesterday but he was ashamed to even pick up his call because he knew he would be asking him about the same thing the whole world was talking about and he had had enough. He did not want to answer all those questions. Ok, for once he might do it for his brother but he knew that was not the end. He was going to be surrounded by these questions for quite some time. He was looking for an escape. His family was fine. His teammates were also fine up to an extent but all those other people. Who were they to question him? And don't they kiss their girlfriends? What had he done so wrong? Why was he answerable to them? And he knew he wasn't.
Just to make sure his brother doesn't end up thinking that Virat had lost it, he called up his brother. And as expected, he was worried about him. He wanted to know if he was fine. In the conversation that lasted about fifteen minutes, his brother asked him for an umpteenth time, 'Are you really fine?' And Virat gave him the similar answer that he was and it was nothing so big that could destroy him. He had seen worse. Ok maybe he hadn't but he had to make sure that his brother did not worry about him. He ended the conversation and started moving downstairs before Raina literally dragged him.