𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑯𝒊𝒅𝒅𝒆𝒏 𝑪𝒐𝒏𝒕𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒔

𝟴. 𝗜𝗻𝘀𝗲𝗰𝘂𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆'𝘀 𝗚𝗿𝗶𝗽

Chapter Eight: Insecurity's Grip

The rain was pouring heavily even before the match began. The entire field was covered with tarps, and the audience sought shelter from the downpour in the stands. Meanwhile, the players waited in the dressing room, passing the time by joking around.

Shubman observed his teammates and the staff, laughing at Rohit Bhai's forgetfulness. They reminisced about how Rohit forgot his kit bag earlier today, only remembering halfway to the venue. Nehmat scolded him for it, a responsibility that Riktika, Rohit Bhai's wife had rightfully given her considering Rohit's tendency to forget things. Nehmat had issued a stern warning to Rohit, stating that if he continued to forget his belongings, she wouldn't hesitate to strip him of his captaincy. The threat was met with laughter from everyone on the bus, despite Nehmat's seemingly angry demeanour. She may have appeared diminutive at just five feet tall. It was embarrassing to be scolded by both the logistics manager and a 23-year-old. However, he couldn't retort, as Riktika had granted Nehmat the authority to do so. Shubman couldn't help but chuckle to himself as he remembered the scene. The confidence of the petite Nehmat, standing at just five feet tall, as she issued a warning to the team's captain, seemed almost comical. It was as if she were the selector of the cricket board, exerting authority beyond her stature.

His eyebrows furrowed as he glanced around, searching for Nehmat. Spotting her outside, leaning against the wall with her legs propped up on the seats as she scribbled on a piece of paper, he sighed. Once again, she was sitting alone. Despite being everyone's favourite on the team, the age difference often left her feeling isolated. Even Jasiwal had found companionship among other debutants and IPL mates.

Resolving to reach out to her, Shubman stood up and made his way down the stairs. He knew Nehmat might annoy him with her antics, but he no longer minded after hearing the words spoken earlier.

He settled next to her legs, prompting Nehmat to glance up momentarily before returning her focus to the paper in front of her.

"What are you doing?" he inquired, attempting to sneak a peek at her work.

"Nothing, just drawing," she replied, quickly raising her knees to shield her creation from his view.

He leaned back slightly, feeling the chill in the air. "It's quite cold out here. You should head back inside or else you'll catch a cold," he advised gently, concerned for her well-being.

She glanced briefly at him before returning her gaze to the paper, replying softly, "You should head inside. Your well-being is more important for the team than mine. Even if I catch a cold, I'll manage." Her words conveyed a sense of selflessness, but Shubman could sense a hint of sadness behind them.

He bit his cheek, feeling a twinge of annoyance. He realized that he preferred the lively, talkative Nehmat over the quiet one. He longed for her to fill his ears with her chatter, not her silence. As he observed Nehmat, he could see the lightning strike loudly, causing him to shiver involuntarily, along with almost everyone else at the stadium. However, Nehmat remained unfazed, completely absorbed in her drawing. Despite the unsettling weather, she seemed entirely at peace, lost in her world of creativity.

As the wind picked up, the paper slipped from Nehmat's hand, fluttering away in the gusts. Without hesitation, Shubman reached out and caught it before it could disappear into the storm. He quickly handed it back to Nehmat, who swiftly took it back with a grateful nod.

Their eyes met briefly, and in that fleeting moment, Shubman caught a glimpse of the drawing.

It was a breathtaking sketch of snowy mountains with a serene farm nestled between them. In the centre of the scene sat a lone figure, a girl gazing out at the sun as it dipped below the horizon, casting hues of orange and pink across the sky. The drawing emanated a sense of tranquillity and solitude, yet there was also a hint of longing in the girl's posture as if she yearned for something just out of reach.

Mesmerized by the beauty and depth of Nehmat's sketch, Shubman hesitated for a moment before finally gathering the courage to ask about it.

"That's a beautiful drawing," he said, his voice soft with genuine admiration. "What inspired you to create it?"

Nehmat looked down at the sketch in her hands, a contemplative expression on her face. For a moment, she seemed lost in thought, as if revisiting the memories that had inspired her artwork.

As Nehmat gazed at the sketch, she felt a surge of emotions welling up inside her. She didn't want to share the story behind it, yet her heart seemed to compel her to confide in the man sitting before her.

"It's... it's the place I always wanted to be," she murmured, her voice barely above a whisper. "Away from everyone, just surrounded by the mountains and the quiet."

Her admission hung in the air, vulnerable and raw. Nehmat felt a knot forming in her throat as she revealed a piece of herself she had kept hidden for so long.

"Why do you want to be away from everyone?" Shubman asked, his voice soft amidst the torrential rain outside.

Nehmat hesitated, her gaze drifting to the drawing in her hands before she spoke. "So everyone can be at peace, and also among the quiet, I too learn how to be quiet instead of always uttering nonsense," she confessed softly.

Shubman's heart pained as he listened to Nehmat's confession. Guilt gnawed at him, realizing that perhaps his actions had inadvertently contributed to her feeling weaker than she already was. Memories of the previous evening flooded his mind when he stumbled upon Nehmat talking to her three-year-old niece at sunset. He had inadvertently overheard her pouring out her heart, confessing her struggles and vulnerabilities.

Hiding behind a nearby tree, Shubman had listened intently, not wanting to intrude yet unable to tear himself away. He had felt a pang of shame for witnessing Nehmat's raw vulnerability, a part of her she likely kept hidden from most people.

Now, as Nehmat opened up about her need for solitude and silence, Shubman's heart ached with regret. He wished he could take back the moments when he had unknowingly added to her burdens.

As Nehmat looked up at Shubman's face, she saw a hint of disappointment there, but what she didn't realize was that the disappointment was directed inwardly, towards himself, not towards her. Nehmat's insecurities clouded her mind, making her mistakenly believe that she had somehow disappointed him. Feeling foolish for opening up to him, she couldn't shake the feeling that once again, someone was let down by her vulnerability, reinforcing her belief that she was a disappointment to others, just as she had feared.