Unexpected Match

CHAPTER:3

•Ishan's pov•

I was at the end of practice when Hardik bhaiya came to me "chal na I'll bowl some for you" he said ,
"Theek hai bhaiya" I said.
I was tired since I was practicing my drives for hours now, but i couldn't deny him, how can I, when he asked himself even though we didn't have anything scheduled.
We practiced for a while. Afterwards I am getting off my gear, someone approaches me, so I look up and "oh!"

"Chal let's have lunch together." Hardik said. "okay bhaiya aap chaliye main aata hun yeh sab saman rakh k." I said. We were the last ones practicing, almost everyone has already left. So it was genuine of him to say that we'll have lunch together. But I can't be any happier to have lunch with him. Even though I told him to leave and I'll join him later he stayed and helped me gather all the stuff and put it in the changing room.
We went to our separate rooms.

I took a shower and got dressed, I opened the door to go upto hardik's room so that we can go downstairs and have a late late lunch. But as I opened the door, I see him already waiting for me. So we got to the restaurant and had it all to ourselves. Since all the other team members have already had their lunches.
We were having some small chit chat about the practice session during our meal. He's suddenly asks
"So.... Ishan, I was kinda curious! We don't talk as much about personal things and life , do you have a girlfriend?".
I was caught off-guard, I choked .
He handed me the glass of water. I said "aammm... Nahi single hi hun bhaiya, game ka itna pressure hai gf ko kaise time de paunga, abhi yeh sab nhi soch raha main".
"What about Aditi?" He asks.
"Arey she's my childhood friend, aur kuch nhi 😅." I laughed awkwardly.
He didn't pry much, we finished eating. He dropped me at my room.(Since his is just 2 down mine. Ha! Awkward laughs)

After I entered my room I was thinking, what got him talking with me , because we are in the same IPL team for years and we played for the National team. All this while we've never shared a talk just by ourselves.(If we ignore that time when I was hit by his throw). And absolutely not close enough to have lunch only by ourselves.
It was a plus plus for me, I respect him so much as my senior, never had the courage to have spent time with him. Let alone ask him to give up his previous time for me.

Later that night:
We have to fly to Ahmedabad for our first match against GT. So I was packing my things when my manager walked into my room " Ishan" he said "yes Raj come on in, I am just finishing up with my packing" I said. " Okay! Just wanted to let you know that you'll have to share room with someone when we're out of our home ground." He said.
"It's alright but please just don't pair me up with Tilak, he won't leave me be."
I said. " The team management is seeing about that matter". He said and left
I completed my packing, I was tired so I lied on my bed, thinking hard what else do I need, shoes, socks, toothbrush, trimmer.... I drifted to sleep.

Tilak took a seat beside me on the flight. I am trying so hard to sleep. Even though I slept early last night it wasn't a peaceful one, i kept waking up in the middle of the night. Now I am closing my eyes pretending to sleep but Tilak is talking non stop "Sweetheart, I know you're not sleeping. Talk to me na. You're going to share the room with me right. Even if we're alloted with different members let's swap and settle in the same room !!!." I ignored his talks and kept my eyes close " aye! you don't respond to me now I am gonna attack you with tickeles, I am dead serious about it. Be prepared". And so he does , tickeles me so hard. I had to open my eyes and counter attach him. "Aab dekh tu." I said. And started off with tickling him. It went on for a while. He had an upper hand so I had to evacuate from my seat and run off. "ruk ja bachu , I won't let you go that easily" he said. "chal pakad k dikha mujhe pehle" I was laughing like crazy and so was he. I ran and ended up right next to Surya bhaiya. I pleaded to him "bhaiya save me , Tilak won't stop messing up with me" as Tilak approaches "what are you two upto this time, always cause chaos" Surya said. "Bhaiya ask him na, is he going to be my room partner?" Tilak wains
"Bhaiya I just want to have some sleep on the flight please shoo him away " I said "Arey we don't know yet with whom we're sharing our rooms, so let's just settle in for now, and Tilak get back to your seat and have some rest as well " Surya said. "Thank you bhaiya " i said
"Chal aab so ja chup chap" he said.
I bundled up next to him held his arm and put my head on his shoulder and sleep peacefully.

In between the haste of landing, reaching the hotel. I found out that I'll be sharing rooms with Hardik bhaiya. (Meri kismat 😵)
So here I am standing in front of the door of our room and contemplating should I knock or should I run and find Tilak, so that we can execute his plan of swaping room mates.
The door was ajar.
Just as I was preparing to get inside he saw me "come on in , what are you standing there for, and that too for so long." He said.
I went inside and am standing between bed and the couch. As he asked "which side of the bed you want?" Although he was already settled and put all this thing in the dresser yet he wanted to know what I wanted. I thought and I said "bhaiya aap bed pay so jao , I'll sleep on the sofa." " Sofay pay kyun soyega , just say which side you want there's enough room for both of us on the bed. "
It was a crucial decision to take I am scared what if I kick him by mistake in my sleep, lord save me . "Any side is okay with me!" I said and we settled down. As I was putting my things away ,he said " tujhe abhi bathroom use karneka hai kya? Nhi toh main naha k aata hun".
"Aap naha lo bhaiya , main bad may fresh hounga." With that he went to the bathroom .

It took him some time I almost forgot that I had a roommate, I was all settled and was sitting proped against the head board and using my phone. He emerged from the bathroom, with just a towel wrapped around his waist, it isn't that I've never seen him top less but ,To say I was awestruck will be an understatement. He's so fine (of course he is TT)
I was starting too hard as tiny droplets of water slide from his wet hair through his neck and all the way down to his chest.
He noticed me staring and said " like what you see?" With a cocky accent as in teasing me. I was bought back to reality. I shook my head slightly. He said " I am just kidding baba" and laughter a small laungh. "Go and take a shower" so I took my stuff and ran into the bathroom.

As I was showing, my thoughts were everywhere, how he's so good of a player and a husband, a dad, a senior mentor. And then his physic that I saw earlier flashed information of my eyes. I am blushed hard remembering his words '"like what you see?"' what did he mean by that. Probably just have his kinda tease.

As I am done with my shower I went outside and saw no-one is in the room 'maybe he went to have dinner it's already late' so i locked up the room and am leaving for dinner I saw sky bahiya , Rohit bhaiya and jaspreet bhaiya. So I went along and had dinner.

As I am going back into the room discussing strategy for the batting unit with Rohit bhaiya I am already at my doorstep. I said good night to everyone and punched my key card. As I went in I saw something or someone visible at the balcony. I freaked out. Scanning closely i see it's none other than Hardik him self, with a beer can in his hand and some empty one's lying around. 'yeh toh khane Gaye hi nhi , yaar inko Maine room may band kar k dinner kar ne chala gaya tah' 'shit!!!' ' and more over how can I not have checked k balcony ka door band hai k nhi, what if kisine bomb dal diya hota room may 😭'.

I approached him slowly and sat down " bhaiya aapne khana kha liya kya? Akele kyun yahn baithe ho?" He was probably a bit tipsy. " Khane ka man nhi hai yaar. Aa baith na mere pas."
As I sat there beside him I could feel that he's feeling really down. There were news among the team that maybe he's going through some family problems, rumours like he's getting a divorce.
"I miss Agastya." He says and puts his head on my shoulder.

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Thank you so much for reading.
Do interact with me. And let me know if there are any issues.
I am crying 😭 😭 coz of the divorce news.
XOXO.
Yours,
💛