After having dinner...the group returns to their rooms for the night...Each of them, tired from the day...
Mahi and Yuvi's room
The room is dark except for the soft glow of a bedside lamp...both are in their beds...yuvi is drifting off to sleep.... however, Mahi lies awake...staring at the ceiling...the weight of his thoughts pressing down on him...inside Mahi,a storm is brewing....he shifts restlessly...trying to push the memories away...but they keep coming back...
His thoughts drift back to Priyanka....and her memories....but he keeps it all bottled up...not letting a hint of his turmoil show
Yuvi : (half-asleep, yawning) aaj tumne bohot aacha kiya...got everyone laughing....even jammy bhai ko chess mein haraya...you are on a roll..man
Mahi : (forcing a small smile) ha...yeh din aacha raha
Yuvi turns over in bed...his back to mahi, unaware of the inner struggle his friend is going through...Mahi turns his head slightly... glancing at yuvi to make sure he is really drifting off. when he is sure yuvi is nearly asleep...Mahi allows himself a moment-just a moment-to let the mast slip
Mahi : (whispers , his voice is steady, but there is a slight tremor in it, a hint of the pain he's been hiding) i miss you .. Priyanka...i am trying to be strong.... i am trying.... but it's so hard without you
A tear rolls down his cheek.. followed by another...but he quickly wipes them away...as if refusing to let himself break down completely....pushing the emotions down deep... burying them where they can't reach the surface...He turns on his side... facing the wall..away from yuvi.He doesn't want anyone to see him like this, even his best friend.
For a brief moment, he closes his eyes and sees priyanka's face in his mind...the image is both comforting and painful...but he doesn't let it linger.....he pushes it away... focusing on the present, on the responsibilities ahead of him
Mahi : (whispering) i will keep going....for you
With that, mahi takes a deep breath... calming himself...he knows he can't afford to break down...not now...not when so many people are counting on him...he is the captain now...the leader - he has to be strong, even when it hurts...
Mahi's hand instinctively reaches towards the small travel bag he keeps beside the bed...he unzips it carefully , not wanting to disturb yuvi...and pulls out two items....a small worn-out bat and a tiny figurine of a happy man, both of which hold deep significance for him...
Mahi : (whispering to himself, a soft smile forming) My lucky charm...
Mahi holds the small bat first..the wood smooth and familiar under his fingers... it's the bat he used to play with back in Ranchi as a child- a time when life was simpler and dreams were just beginning to take shape...the bat has seen better days...but to Mahi... it's priceless... it's a reminder of where he started...of the journey that brought him to this point...
He closes his eyes for a moment, recalling those early days.. playing cricket with friends on the dusty fields of ranchi. That bat had been his constant companion and even now, after all these years...he believes it brings him luck...he never travels without it...a small piece of home that keeps him grounded...
Mahi : (softly) you have always been there with me... haven't you ??
He then picks up the small figurine of a happy man- a gift from priyanka... its simple thing...but to mahi, it's one of his most treasured possessions...priyanka had given it to him as a good luck charm... telling him it would bring him happiness and success wherever he went...
