Bade Sapne

◇ Part 2 ◇

Shubman's POV

The room was suffocating.

I sat on the edge of the bed, staring at the half-packed duffel bag in front of me. My hands itched to grab it and just leave—leave all of this behind. I wanted to get to Gujarat early, get my head back in the game, anything to avoid thinking about Vira, about Ishan, about the mess everything had turned into.

But even cricket hadn't been the escape it used to be. I wasn't playing well, and it was obvious to everyone. The media, the fans, my teammates—everyone had started asking questions. They wanted to know why I wasn't myself. Why my form had dropped. Why I couldn't focus.

I couldn't even answer that myself.

My phone buzzed on the nightstand again, another notification. I didn't want to check, but my hands moved on their own, swiping the screen open. There it was.

"Exclusive: Vira Breaks Silence Amid Controversy."

I clicked on the video, jaw tight, bracing myself for whatever was about to come.

Vira appeared on screen, sitting in a car, her hair damp from the rain outside. She looked exhausted—like she hadn't slept in days. I felt a pang of something. Guilt, maybe? Or maybe it was pity. Whatever it was, it quickly got buried under the frustration and anger I'd been carrying with me for days.

The reporter's voice was sharp, relentless. "Vira, do you feel responsible for Shubman's poor form in recent matches? Is the situation between you, Shubman, and Ishan affecting his performance?"

I clenched my fists. Of course, they'd bring that up. My form. As if Vira was the reason my game had gone to shit.

And then I heard her voice, quiet, unsure. "I... I don't know. There's been a lot of misunderstanding."

She looked away from the camera, her fingers nervously fidgeting with the sleeve of her shirt.

A part of me wanted to turn the video off. I didn't want to hear her excuses, her defenses. But something kept me watching, almost as if I was waiting for her to say something that would make it all make sense.

But she didn't.

"I don't want anyone to think I'm responsible for what's happening," she continued, her voice trembling slightly. "What's happening with Shubman... it's just... it's complicated."

Complicated? What did that even mean? I let out a frustrated breath, feeling the anger bubbling up again. Everything about this situation was complicated, sure, but how did she not see what was happening? How could she not realize the mess we were all in?

And then, just as I was about to stop the video, I saw it—a single tear slid down her cheek.

My heart twisted. She quickly wiped it away, turning her head to the side, trying to hide it from the camera. But I saw it. I saw the way her face crumpled, just for a second, before she straightened herself.

That image stayed with me. I could feel the weight of it settle in my chest, making it hard to breathe.

I wanted to stay angry. I wanted to keep blaming her for everything that had happened. It was easier that way. Easier to focus on my own pain, my own frustration. But that tear... that tiny drop of emotion... it broke something in me.

I shut off the video and threw my phone on the bed, pressing the heels of my hands against my eyes, trying to shake the image of her face from my mind.

Why did I feel bad for her? Why did seeing her hurt make me question everything I'd been feeling?

I ran a hand through my hair, pacing the room. I didn't have time for this. I needed to get to Gujarat, focus on the game. But no matter how hard I tried to push it down, that image of her—of her breaking down, just for a moment—kept coming back.

Maybe she was hurting too.

But what did that change? Did it mean anything? Could it change anything?

I didn't know. All I knew was that this situation had spiraled out of control, and I was stuck in the middle of it.

With a frustrated groan, I grabbed my duffel bag and slung it over my shoulder. I needed to leave. I needed to clear my head before the next match, before I lost even more of myself to this mess. But as I reached for the door, I hesitated, the memory of Vira's tear still fresh in my mind.

For the first time in days, I didn't feel just anger. I felt... conflicted.

And I hated it.

YOU GUYS IM SO SORRY, BUT YOU'LL HAVE TO WAIT TILL TOMORROW TO GET THE LAST UPDATE :(( sorrryyyyy