My Lover's The Sunlight...

MATARGASHTI

The trio - SKY, KL and Rishabh could not keep smiles off their faces when they came down for breakfast. The ear to ear smiles on their faces seemed downright eerie to Shreyas who whacked Rishabh on his head in lieu of a greeting, "Saale, subah subah battisi kyu nikal raha hai?" "Kyu be, tujhe kya meri khushi se jalan hoti hai?" The batsman leant closer to him as he whispered, "I want you to be happy with me." And off he went with a wink, leaving behind a tomato, well a person blushing like a tomato as the two other players with him went, "Oh, ho!" 

But before he could be teased to their heart's content, the little bundle of happiness entered the breakfast hall running, capturing all hearts in an instant. Her father entered a moment later with his best friend on his back. "All of you put your hands together for our reunited loverbirds!", shouted Jadeja. His announcement was followed by a loud round of applauses as Ishan dropped Shubman unceremoniously on a chair and went to fix the breakfast platters for him and Aleya. After about fifteen minutes, when everyone settled at the breakfast table, Sir Jadeja cleared his throat ceremoniously, "Kal raat ko tune bola tha saare confusions aaj subah clear kar dega. Toh convict ji, kya aapko khud se kuch batana hai, ya phir aap hamare prashno ke uttar denge?" "Jo bhi puchhna ho, don't hesitate. Par mein yeh guarantee nahi dunga ki aapke saare saawalon ke jawaab mein de sakta hun."

"So here is the first question," Siraj bhai was the first to go, "inte saal tu tha kidhar?" "India mein hi tha. West Bengal mein tha." Shreyas picked up, "Why did you not clearly tell us that you were going to leave?" "Mein uss vakth sahi mental state mein nahi tha. It was all like everything was suddenly going all wrong." KL asked, "IPL kyu chhoda tune? Wapas kyu nahi aaya?" "Jab tak mein stable hua, meri life mein Aleya aagayi. Tab agar mein laut aata, toh media aur social media meri beti ki life barbaad kar dete." Surya went next, "Mujhe puchhna toh nahi chahiye, par phir bhi puchhne ke liye sorry. 'Leya tumhari apni beti hai?" "Ji bhai. Aleya mera khun hai." Ashwin bhai asked, "Aleya ki birth mother ka kya?" "There was never any birth mother. She is only mine, only mine." 

It did not escape the ICT family, that Ishan's arms were slowly tightening around his daughter, as if he was afraid that someone would try to part them. Jaspreet's question was the softest, "Teri life mein itna kuch ho gaya. Tune phir bhi hum sab ko kuch bhi nahi bataya. Tu kya hume apna nahi samajhta? Hum sabke number block kar diye. Apna phone aur sim card change kar liya. Social media handles par bhi kabhi messages ka reply nahi kiya. Kyu?" This time there were genuine tears in his eyes, "Maaf kardo bhai. Please. Mujhe ap sabko apne faasad mein nahi uljhana tha. I would have just dragged you down, just like I did in the 2023 World Cup and Test series." Suddenly he felt he was engulfed in a hug and judging from the warmth, it was Shubman. 

They were quickly joined by Chahal, Kuldeep, Rishabh, Jaspreet and rest of the older team members. "Tu hamare liye bohot special hai. Bohot special hai. Believe me Ishan, you were, are and will be the backbone of the team", reassured KL. Shubman backed him, before Ishan could refute, "Vi bhai, Ro bhai, mein, hum sab field par terese achhe hai, yeh kehna hai toh kuch mat bol. Hamare mental health ka dhyaan tu rakhta tha." "Jab bhi hum demotivated rehte the, tu aata tha hume cheer up karne ke liye", Hardik said after him Chahal continued, "Ishu tu team India ki jaan hai." Siraj chimed, "Tere bina koi ab pranks tak thik se plan nahi kar pata hai. Sab ke sab naalayak hain idhar." "Tere bina ICT mein suna suna lagta hai, yakeen kar", Ashwin ruffled Ishan's hair, lovingly. "Sorry bhai. Mein daar gaya tha. Kuch samajh nahi aa raha tha. Then it seemed like running was the only option I had left." 

"Bohot ho gaya. Bas, ab mat ro. Hum tere anshu nahi dekh sakte." Jadeja wiped away the moisture from his eyes and they all shifted to the lounge for a team cuddle session - an activity integral for the moral stability of the ICT. After nearly an hour, the others slowly left, leaving Shubman by Ishan's side. Aleya already had been whisked away by Rishabh for her first meal of the day. The taller looped a hand around the shorter's shoulders, pulling him closer. Ishan immediately gave into the half-hug, resting his head against Shubman's shoulders when he asked, "Aleya ka dusri parent kaun hai?" "Mereko iss baare mein baatein nahi karni." "Toh yeh bata Aleya dikhne mein meri tarah kyu hai?" With his heart threatening to burst out of his chest, Ishan whispered, "Teri tarah hi thi." "Tu idhaar hi ruk. Tune subah se kuch bhi nahi khaaya. Tere liye breakfast lekar aata hun." 

Shubman needed to get away from Ishan for a moment to breathe because what in the actual fucking hell did he mean that Aleya's other parent was like him! Aggressively he shoved enough food for both of them on a plate before returning to the couch. As he slowly fed the parantha to Ishan, he could not help but remember the days of their past where feeding each other was a part of their usual banter. "Vi bhai aur Ro bhai ko sab pehle se pata tha na?" Shubman's voice was so quiet that Ishan wouldn't have been able to hear it had he not been so close to him. To the small nod he got in reply, came the counter question, "Tune unko bataya, phir mujhe kyu nahi bataya?" "Kyuki mein jaanta tha ki you would prioritize me over the game that is your life. Your reputation was already in a precarious position at that time. Agar mere liye tere career, tere sapno ko kuch bhi ho jaata, toh mein khud ko kabhi maaf nahi kar paata." "You don't regret doing this?" "No. I have no regrets, because this got me the best thing I could ever ask for - my Aleya." 

The plate was empty by that time and Shubman got up once more. This time he did not return and Ishan understood his position so well, the whole situation was in fact taking a toll on all of them. He knew there were unanswered questions, but he could not throw the BCCI under the bus in this case and lose everything he had just got back. He could pretend just fine that everything was like before - that there did not exist a gorge between him and Shubi. He was left to his musings for few long minutes before Rahul bhaiya ordered for everyone to head to the practice grounds for their next match. Ishan got up and sighed, trudging towards Rishabh and Shreyas' shared room for his best friend had his new practice kit as per Rohit bhaiya's instruction. He also had to talk to Aleya and drop her at Tilak's apartment on his way to the ground. 

AUTHOR'S NOTE: 

Kaise laga? Yeh likhna start to kal raat ko hi kiya tha, but complete ab jaake hua. Toh mein aaj mere crush ko Shubi aur Ish ke baare mein bata raha tha. Mera ek chutiya dost hai jo tuition batch mein phone laaya tha. Toh meine usske phone pe wattpad open kiya aur mera profile pic dekhkar, meri crush cum bestie ne excitement mein screen lock kar diya. Meine apke dost ko bola uska password dene ko, but he had to open his phone himself and despite me telling him not to see it, he scrolled through my feed. Fuck him! He was like who are these guys. He showed the pic to another cricket enthusiast to confirm and that fucker said that these are morphed. Like how dare he! I would have broken their noses then and there had it not been for sir coming to the room. 

Enjoy, Adiraj.