You Belong With Me

2

"Wait, you're into guys?" Vanshika nearly spat out her coffee in disbelief.

Vanshika, bless her open-minded soul, was all for love without boundaries. She firmly believed that love could strike anyone, anywhere, with anyone, regardless of gender. But for Rahul, it was like stepping into uncharted territory. He hailed from a time when even love marriages between a boy and a girl raised eyebrows, let alone someone admitting to being head over heels for another guy. Was this even a thing back then? And to add to the drama, here was Rahul, as traditional and old-fashioned as they come, dropping the bombshell that he was into guys. It was a bit much for Vanshika to wrap her head around.

"Is that a crime now?" Rahul retorted, a hint of offense in his tone.

Vanshika attempted to mask her surprise with a quick apology, "I didn't mean it like that, I'm sorry. Of course, you're free to love whoever you want. But you, being the epitome of the ideal man while shattering stereotypes and traditional thinking, it's a lot to process all at once!" She exhaled heavily after blurting it all out in one breath.

Rahul flashed a smile and remarked, "Life's all about unexpected surprises, isn't it? I never imagined I'd fall for a guy, but here I am. Maybe we were meant to be, if only Sourav felt the same."

Vanshika scrutinized his expression, trying to decipher his thoughts through his face and eyes. The most sought-after bachelor, already smitten with someone, yet his love remained forbidden. What could be worse? Rahul's charisma was so magnetic that if he asked a woman to leap off a cliff, she'd probably do it gleefully. Many women still adored him. He had endless options at his disposal. But alas, his heart chose the one option that was off-limits. In a country like India, where loving someone of the same gender was considered taboo, it made perfect sense why Rahul's love was entangled in secrecy and restraint.

"Okay, tell me, Rahul! So, you and Sourav shared a love that society deemed forbidden. And wait, who exactly is this Sourav character?" Vanshika's curiosity bubbled over with impatience, her questions firing off like rapid bullets.

Rahul couldn't help but chuckle at her enthusiasm, as if they were watching some Bollywood blockbuster and she was dying to know the climax. "Let me rewind the tape to when this rollercoaster ride began. It was 1996 when I made my debut for India in test cricket at Lords. And guess who debuted alongside me? None other than Sourav. I already knew him, but that tour brought us closer. He was something else, I tell you. Dashing, talented..."

Flashback

As soon as Sourav smashed his debut test hundred, the stadium erupted into chaos. His teammates cheered and clapped wildly, and there was Rahul, his partner at the non-striker's end, walking up to him to bump fists. Sourav was beaming with joy, finally proving himself worthy of the Indian XI. But you know who was even happier? Rahul. He was that guy who celebrated others success as if it were his own.

Rahul couldn't help but admire Sourav as he stood at the crease, his demeanor exuding both grace and power. It was like watching poetry in motion as Sourav effortlessly wielded his bat, sending each ball flying with precision and finesse. Rahul found himself entranced, unable to tear his eyes away from the spectacle unfolding before him. As he exchanged a fist bump with Sourav, he couldn't resist offering his congratulations.

"Congratulations! Well, played," Rahul exclaimed, his admiration evident in his voice.

"Thanks," Sourav replied, his focus still firmly fixed on the game at hand.

As the game unfolded, Sourav's brilliance seemed to sparkle even brighter, reaching its pinnacle with an impressive score of 131. Rahul, on the other hand, found himself happily soaking in the radiance of Sourav's century, grateful for the chance to witness such a spectacular showcase of cricketing finesse. After Sourav's dismissal, Sourav observed Rahul's performance with keen interest, feeling a swell of pride for his fellow debutant.

The following day found Sourav perched on the Lord's balcony, eagerly rooting for Dravid to reach a century as well. Alas, luck wasn't quite on his side, as Dravid fell just short at 95. Despite missing out on his own century, Rahul remained unfazed, harboring no regrets. He understood that his moment would arrive in due time.

Upon entering the dressing room, their captain, Azhar, commended Rahul's performance with a simple "Well played, Rahul."

Rahul responded with a modest smile. As he settled onto the bench, Sourav joined him, offering a reassuring pat on the shoulder. "You were absolutely brilliant out there," Sourav remarked.

Meeting Sourav's gaze, Rahul replied, "I'm not disappointed about missing my century. I genuinely feel satisfied."

Sourav regarded him, struck by Rahul's demeanor. While others lamented his failure to reach a personal milestone, Rahul exemplified the essence of a team player, his spirit untouched by any hint of regret. Instead, his joy stemmed from contributing to the team's victory.

Witnessing such maturity and selflessness in someone so young left Sourav in awe. He couldn't help but feel a swell of pride knowing Rahul was his teammate.

Flashback over

"Have you got any snaps of Sourav? I'm dying to catch a glimpse of him," Vanshika bubbled with excitement, the unfolding romance gripping her.

Rahul chuckled in response, "We were national players, Vanshika. Our matches are all over YouTube, and you can find Sourav's pictures plastered across the internet."

Vanshika mentally facepalmed herself. How silly of her to forget! Of course, they were still big shots. Cricketers were like royalty in India, as Shreyas had once explained to her. Without wasting a moment, she fired up her browser and keyed in "Sourav." Then, she paused and clarified, "Sourav what?"

Rahul leaned in and whispered, "Ganguly!"

As Vanshika laid her eyes upon Sourav's pictures, she found herself utterly spellbound by the sheer charisma exuded by the man. Truth be told, Vanshika hadn't quite anticipated him to be such a heartthrob. It's like when you imagine one half of a couple to be a bit plain, and then you meet them, only to find out they're drop-dead gorgeous. Vanshika had presumed Sourav might be just average, maybe even below par in the looks department. But lo and behold, he was nothing short of stunning, reminiscent of Rahul's handsome demeanor. The thought crossed her mind that they could've formed quite the striking pair.

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