You Belong With Me

26

As Rahul slowly regained consciousness, the room came into focus around him. His eyes fell on Sachin, who was seated beside him, a look of concern etched on his face. Rahul blinked, trying to make sense of his surroundings. It was Sachin's room. He sat up abruptly, his mind racing with questions.

"Where's Sourav?" The urgency in Rahul's voice was unmistakable.

Sachin's expression softened with relief. "Thank goodness, you're okay."

Ignoring Sachin's relieved tone, Rahul pressed on, panic rising within him. "Sach, where's Sourav? I need to talk to him."

Sachin sighed, his brow furrowing with concern. "Calm down, Rahul. Sourav's not here. After the meeting, he left in a hurry. But he promised to explain everything to all our members in detail tonight."

Rahul's heart sank as he gazed at Sachin, a tinge of disappointment clouding his features. He couldn't believe what he had just heard. Sourav was retiring. The news hit him hard, like a sucker punch straight to the gut. Something was clearly amiss in his ex - boyfriend's life, but Sachin hadn't breathed a word about it. What could it possibly be?

Rahul felt a surge of frustration mixed with sadness. He wanted to shake some sense into Sourav, to make him realize what a terrible decision he was making. Not only had Sourav broken Rahul's heart by ending their relationship, but now he was dropping the bombshell of retirement from cricket. It felt like the world around Rahul was crumbling, and he was left standing alone, trying to make sense of it all.

"Why, Sourav? Why now?" Rahul's voice was barely a whisper, his words filled with hurt and confusion. He couldn't fathom why Sourav would choose to walk away from the game they both loved so much, especially when it seemed like cricket was the only thing holding them together anymore.

Sachin's expression softened, sympathy reflecting in his eyes as he reached out a comforting hand to Rahul's shoulder. "I know, buddy. It's a lot to take in. But maybe there's more to Sourav's decision than meets the eye."

Rahul shook his head, a bitter taste lingering in his mouth. "I don't know Sachin. He barely talks to me anymore. It's like I don't even know him." 

Sachin sighed, his eyes reflecting a mix of understanding and concern. "Are you not shocked by this decision of his? How have you accepted it?" Rahul asked, his frustration becoming more visible.

"You know how stubborn Sourav is, Jam. I wasn't aware of his decision either. I found out about it just like you guys did, in that press conference. I tried talking to him after, but he... he just left, saying he'll explain everything tonight." Sachin's voice carried a note of anger and frustration.

As the weight of Sourav's decision settled on his shoulders, Rahul couldn't help but feel a sense of despair wash over him. He had lost Sourav once already, and now it felt like he was losing him all over again. Only this time, there was no chance of reconciliation.

With a heavy heart, Rahul turned away, his thoughts consumed by the unanswered questions swirling in his mind. What had gone wrong between them? And more importantly, was there anything he could do to fix it?

Flashback Ends

The incident hit Vanshika like a gust of wind on a hot summer day—unexpected and bewildering. "But why?" she questioned, her eyes searching Rahul's face for answers.