TANGLED IN THE SHADOWS

Part -13

When Jadeja reached his workplace, he didn't open the shop. Instead, he sat down on the steps in front of it, lost in thought. His mind drifted back to his high school days, a time when life seemed so much simpler, yet so full of potential.

He remembered Mahendra Singh Dhoni, a popular name among teachers for his academic prowess. Dhoni was the epitome of a star student. Ravindra Jadeja, on the other hand, was both a favorite among teachers and a legend among students for his endless pranks and infectious energy.

In those days, Jadeja had chased after Dhoni every chance he got. "Dhoni, go on a date with me," he'd say, flashing his trademark grin. But Dhoni would always politely decline with a warm smile. "Not today, Jadeja."

But Jadeja was persistent. He never missed an opportunity to ask Dhoni out, and each refusal only made him more determined. When prom night approached, Jadeja asked Dhoni to be his date.

"Will you be my date for prom, Dhoni?" Jadeja asked, his voice tinged with hope.

Dhoni looked at him for a moment, then nodded with a gentle smile. "Alright, Jadeja. I'll go with you."

Jadeja's heart soared. He had finally gotten a yes from Dhoni. But that night, prom night, everything went horribly wrong. He never made it to the dance, and that night marked the beginning of a long and painful chapter in his life. The details of that night remained a dark secret he didn't like to revisit.

Sitting in front of his shop, tears slid down his cheeks as he thought of all he had lost. The flowers and cookies were from Dhoni, the one person he had been avoiding since that fateful night. His once happily ever after, now a painful reminder of what could have been.

His thoughts were interrupted by the sound of footsteps. He looked up to see an elderly neighbor, Mrs. Patel, approaching.

"Jadeja, dear, why aren't you opening the shop today?" she asked, her voice filled with concern.

Jadeja quickly wiped his tears and forced a smile. "Just taking a moment, Mrs. Patel. How are you?"

She gave him a knowing look. "I'm fine, but you don't look alright. Is everything okay?"

Jadeja sighed, struggling to keep his emotions in check. "Just reminiscing about the past, you know how it is."

Mrs. Patel nodded sympathetically. "The past can be a heavy burden. But remember, you have friends who care about you."

Jadeja smiled weakly. "Thank you, Mrs. Patel"

As Mrs. Patel walked away, Jadeja's phone buzzed. He looked down to see a message from Dhoni: "I hope you liked the flowers and cookies. Can we talk sometime?"

Jadeja stared at the message, his heart heavy with conflicting emotions. He knew he couldn't keep ignoring Dhoni forever, but the pain of that night was still fresh.

Back at the house, Hardik and the others were trying to relax, but the atmosphere remained tense. Hardik turned to Krunal. "Do you think Jadeja is okay? He seemed really off earlier."

Krunal shrugged. "He's dealing with something personal. We just need to give him space."

Rahul added, "Yeah, but we also need to be there for him. He’s helping us, after all."

Ishan nodded. "Agreed. When he gets back, maybe we should talk to him, see if he wants to open up."

Shubman, looking thoughtful, said, "Whatever it is, it must be something really important for him to react like that."

As Jadeja sat outside his shop, lost in memories and torn by the message from Dhoni, he realized he had a choice to make. He could continue running from his past, or he could face it and find a way to heal.