The world is where your smile is

Chapter 4

2 weeks later...

Rinku had been in a lousy mood from morning.

Or yesterday evening, to be exact.

KKR had lost dismally against CSK without giving an ounce of a fight, and the responsibility for that lay with the batsmen who simply failed to get going at any point since the Powerplay ended.

In the two seasons he'd played as regular, Rinku had never found himself completely unable to middle the ball like he did yesterday. Everyone else had also been unable--hence the result.

"Just a bad day," Shreyas had said yesterday, seeing his face. "Forget it, Rinku."

But Rinku couldn't.

What added to it was today was the 'anniversary' of him hitting five sixes against GT last season, as the media team kept harping on about and playing repeats. Not just them: everyone kept harping on about it; Venky, especially, just wouldn't stop.

Maybe Rinku would not have minded this much if Nitish had been here. Maybe he would even have enjoyed the big fuss being made about the 'anniversary.' Because somehow when he recalled that day, it seemed to him mostly about Nitish bhaiya.

The way he hadn't stop shouting the whole night. The way he'd spoken at the interview, grinning like crazy. The bat he'd gifted Rinku. The way he kept telling everyone (from Harsha Bhogle on air to the liftman at night): 'agar Rinku ye kar sakta hai toh wo kuchh bhi kar sakta hai.' 

And Nitish still wasn't back in camp.

And Rinku was simply not in a mood to celebrate.

And no one would listen.

Late afternoon, Shreyas strode noisily into his room, saying, "VC booked a hall in his city's best casino to celebrate one year to the best knock ever in IPL, be ready in an hour or so, Rinku."

"Not today," Venky complained. "I've got to go and drop Shruti to the airport."

Shreyas glared at him significantly. 

Whether Venky read his warning or not, he said anyway, "Oh, all right, I'll join you guys later if you're still there."

"I don't want to go, Shreyas bhaiya," said Rinku.

"No, you seriously need to go," said Shreyas, who had never mastered the art of subtleness. "I won't have you moping around the whole day 'cause we lost one match."

___________________

Nitish reached KKR's team hotel in Chennai around eight in the evening.

He hadn't informed anyone he was coming beforehand because he'd wanted to surprise them--except a text to Rinku (which he hadn't seen) because he couldn't keep a single secret from Rinku--which was a bad idea, it turned out, because the hotel was empty but for a very downcast Angkrish.

"Where are the others?" Nitish asked, astonished.

"They all went for Rinku bhai's party," said Angkrish.

"R-Rinku's party?" Seeing how morose the kid looked, Nitish was forced to change his question. "And why didn't you go?"

"Shreyas bhai wouldn't let me."

"Why?"

"Because he says I'm underage," said Angkrish plaintively. "I'm not underage, Nitish bhai. I'm 18. I turned 18!"

Nitish lowered down his luggage and put an arm around him. "That's too bad...never mind, we'll go next time."

"I won't be allowed next time, too," said Angkrish, tone getting even more tragic. "Shreyas bhai allowed Suyash to go--he's barely 20. What is the difference between barely 20 and nearly 19, Nitish bhai? And that too he's shorter than me!"