Sparks Fly

16. New York.

16. New York.

Shreyas looked at Kanishka, through the door window. "The people who put you in this condition, Kanishka, main unko chodunga nahi. Tumhare liye, mar bhi jaun toh bhi chalega."

"Shreyas?" It was Ritika.

"Bhabhi? Aap soyi nahi?" He asked.

"Tum bhi kaha soye."

"Bhabhi..."

"Shreyas, tell me one thing. You planned to go to NYC. But did you plan what you will do when you enter the hotel? Where you will even find those perpetrators?"

"Everything is sorted, Bhabhi," Shreyas said. "Hotel mein check-in ke baad......" 

The whole plan was ready. Everyone was ready. They were going to take revenge from those who put Kanishka in that situation. 

A masked man, eavesdropping on their conversation, muttered, "We'll see how you succeed, Shreyas," before leaving.

3 days later.......

Kanishka was still in hospital and all except Ritika, Athiya and Anushka had gone to New York.

At the airport....

"It'll take us around 15 hours to get to New York from here," Shreyas said after they'd finished security check-up. "So the plan will start from day after tomorrow."

The group, eventually reaching the gate, finally sat down. Anisha, seeing a girl blush seeing Abhay, asked, "Woh ladki tumhe dekh kar blush kyu kar rahi hai?"

Looking at her, he replied, "Kyun? Tum, jealous ho rahi ho?"

"As if, me and jealous? Never."

"But nah, she's not my type." Abhishek replied.

"Nah, she's not my type," Anisha replied, imitating him. "Aise toh tumhe koi nahi milne wali, samjhe." She rolled her eyes.

"Kyu? Tum toh ho na." He said.

"Me?! Never, Mr. Sharma."

"We'll see, Mrs. Shar- I mean Miss. Kapoor."

"Maine bola tha, Abhay ko Anisha se pyaar ho gaya hai." Shubman said to Ishan, the witnesses of the "fun" banter of Anisha and Abhay.

"And he just indirectly confirmed it himself," Ishan added.

"But unfortunately he won't accept it," Virat said. "Like you two."

"Exactly Virat Bhai, Shub knows he loves Aadhya but see, he won't accept it." Ishan said.

"Tu bhi kuch alag nahi hai, Ishan." Virat replied, laughing. "Even you like Kashvi and haven't accepted it."

"Bhai yaar," Ishan said. "And Kashvi is just a friend. Just a friend."

"Just a friend?" Shubman teased.

"Toh? Aadhya is not just a friend to you na?!" Virat said.

"Cheeku Bhaiya, decide who's side you are! Apne kiddo ke or Ishan's!" Shubman said.

"Both of you are, Shub," Virat replied. "Once I'm gone you won't see me for a while, so let's just focus on what we're going to New York for."

Shubman had heard that line from a video clip, "Once I'm gone you won't see me for a while," where Virat had said at an interview, and hearing it again, made it exactly fit in his head again. 

Virat Bhai brought that up again. He can't be leaving now, can he? He wouldn't leave us, he wouldn't leave cricket this easily. It's not possible, it's not. He wouldn't do that. He would not just----

"Guys, boarding ka time ho gaya hai." Shreyas said, breaking the silence.

Everyone knew how emotional Shubman was when that topic of Virat retiring came up, just like Rohit and Mahi Bhai. 

Virat sat next to Shubman, and behind them Rohit and Ishan. Shreyas and Abhishek were in the seats in front of Virat and Shubman. Anisha, Kashvi and Aadhya were in the middle row. The other members of their team were going to reach later than them.

"Cheeku- I mean Virat Bhai," Shubman said, in a not-so his usual calm voice, "Please give me my phone back. Please."

Few hours ago, before the boarding....

It had been a few days since the India vs England Test 3, where on the first innings of India, Shubman was out for 4 runs off 8 balls. 

They were waiting to board, when Shubman's phone had another notification, from a troll. Virat had then seen him read all the posts, trolling him.

-He should be kicked out BCCI!! he doesn't know how to play, why keep him??

-prince?? more like just a kid! gully cricket khelna jaake.

There were thousands more, and Shubman even knew he was going against what Virat had taught him. "Never look at the posts, it'll just hurt you even more."

"So, what's the plan?" Virat asked, and Shubman immediately put his phone away.

"Bas...nothing. Behen ko hurt kiya hai, badla lenge..." Shubman replied.

"Hm, okay." As Virat turned away, Shubman went back to his phone.

-if he struggles so much, why even have him the selected squad?

As he was about to scroll further down, it was the test of patience for Virat. He took Shubman's phone, and put it in his pocket.

"Virat Bhai-"

"What did I tell you, Shubman? Never look at the posts, it'll hurt you even more. Don't you think I know? I've done the exact same thing years ago, just like you. It was Mahi Bhai who explained it to me." 

He continued, calmly, "We're going to New York to find the culprits, let's focus on that. Not these idiots, okay, kiddo?"

Shubman nodded, "Yes, Virat Bhai." But Virat knew that Shubman had said yes just for him. He didn't really mean it.

"Ab, phone?" Shubman asked.

 "Punishment, for reading the trolls' posts." Virat said.

Reality:

"I'll give it to you, when I want to, kiddo! Tera punishment abhi bhi chalu hai."

"Okay, fine." 

Meanwhile, "I'm sure this is only Karan's sister and cousin." Anisha said.

"Kabir?" Kashvi asked. "He's Karan's cousin, isn't he?"

"Yeah. And Kanishka was always hated by Kavya - a, Kanishka is better dancer than her. And b, Kanishka broke up with Karan." Aadhya said.

"That means to find out why this was planned, and if not those two, who planned this. And there's only one person who can give us the answers." Anisha added.

"Because Karan is in jail, but his siblings are not. They might have done this for revenge," Abhishek said, joining them. 

"Did anyone ask you?" Anisha asked. 

"Ak, he's just helping na, why are you being so mean?" Kashvi asked.

Eventually they reached New York.

"Cheeku Bhaiya, kisi ka phone aaya hoga, please?"

"Wait, I'll check." Virat replied taking out Shubman's phone.

"Hm....hai. There are phone calls."

"Of who? It might be urgent!"

"Shub, it's just Anushka, and Ritika's calls. And I've already spoken to Anushka and Rohit has spoken to Ritika. You don't need to speak to them."

Virat went ahead. "Chal Shub!!"

"Aaya Bhaiya!" 

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How was it?

Precap: Truth.