You Belong With Me

60

"Rahul, please say something," Sachin pleaded, his voice breaking the heavy silence. There was a note of desperation in his tone, a longing for his friend to respond, to acknowledge him.

Rahul finally lifted his gaze, his eyes meeting Sachin's. They were filled with a storm of emotions-confusion, anger, and a deep-seated worry that gnawed at his insides. He took a deep breath, trying to steady himself before speaking. "What do you expect me to say, Sachin?" he began, his voice tinged with frustration. "Tomorrow, we have the finals. The biggest match of our lives. I've been stressing about it for weeks, trying to get everything perfect, trying to stay focused."

Sachin flinched at the raw emotion in Rahul's words but didn't interrupt.

"And now, you choose this moment, of all times, to drop this bombshell on me? The night before the finals?" Rahul's voice rose slightly, his hands clenched into fists at his sides. He felt like a dam had burst inside him, releasing a torrent of feelings he had kept bottled up.

Rahul stood up, his heart pounding in his chest. He felt like the ground beneath him was slipping away. His mind was a whirlwind of confusion and anger. He didn't know what to do or what to say. All he knew was that he wanted to drop everything and confront Sourav right then and there. But he couldn't. His throat tightened, and his voice came out choked, "I don't know how to react. I don't know what to say. I want to leave everything and go confront Sourav! But I can't!"

Sachin stood up as well, his face pale but resolute. "I didn't want to keep it from you any longer, Rahul. You deserved to know the truth."

Rahul felt a surge of anger. "I deserved to know this the moment Sourav told you! You didn't tell me anything all these years, and now suddenly you decide to spill the beans? I don't understand the strategy behind this." He shook his head, the weight of the situation pressing down on him like a heavy boulder. "Why now? Why couldn't you have waited until after the finals? Or told me sooner? Anything but this... timing."

There was a long pause, the silence between them heavy with unspoken words and unresolved emotions. Rahul's mind was racing. The upcoming match, the most important game of their lives, was tomorrow. And now, this bombshell. It was too much. He felt overwhelmed, torn between his duties as a coach and his feelings as a lover.

Sachin took a hesitant step forward, his eyes filled with regret and sorrow. "I'm sorry, Rahul. I just... I couldn't keep it to myself anymore. I thought it was better if you knew the truth, even if the timing is terrible."

Rahul sighed deeply, running a hand through his hair. He could see the guilt in Sachin's eyes. He knew Sachin meant well, but the timing couldn't have been worse. The finals were everything they had worked for. This was their chance to prove themselves to the world, to make their country proud. And now, his mind was a whirlwind of confusion and doubt, making it hard to focus.

"We have the finals tomorrow," Rahul said, his voice heavy with the weight of responsibility. "The country is my first and foremost priority!"

Sachin nodded, understanding the gravity of the situation. "I know, Rahul. I know how much this means to you. To all of us."

"Look, Sachin," Rahul said finally, his voice softer but still strained. "I need some time to process this. We'll talk more after the finals, okay? Right now, I need to focus on the match."