Shadows Of The Stumps

Chapter - 33

Rahul sat in the dugout, staring blankly at the field where the game continued without him. He had just been dismissed for a mere 12 runs, and an unsettling worry gnawed at his chest. The sensation was unlike anything he had felt before-an invisible weight that made it hard to breathe. He is upset about his performance, yet there was something deeper stirring within him, an unease he couldn't quite pinpoint.

"Hey, you okay?" Virat asked, his voice cutting through the haze of his thoughts.

He and Rohit were sitting beside him, their faces etched with concern. But Rahul shook his head, a sense of urgency rising within him.

"Nahi, there's something else. Something... more," he replied, his voice barely above a whisper.

Virat glanced at Rohit, and a shared understanding flickered between them. They had seen Rahul through countless ups and downs, but this felt different. It wasn't just the game; it was as if an unseen shadow had cast a pall over his spirit.

"It's Meera, isn't it?" Rohit ventured, a hint of concern in his tone.

Rahul's heart sank at the mention of her name.

"Maybe she's just busy," Vi suggested, trying to reassure him. "You know how things get at the academy."

Rahul remained unconvinced, his mind racing. It wasn't just the absence of communication; it was the fear of not knowing if she was okay. It felt like losing a piece of himself, the part that found solace in her presence.

"No," he insisted, shaking his head again. "I have this feeling... like something's wrong."

Vi sighed, glancing down at his phone. "Okay, then. How about you give Athiya a call? She might know where Meera is."

"Yeah, maybe you're right," he said, his voice steadier now. With trembling fingers, he fished out his phone and dialed Athiya's number. Each ring felt like an eternity, a countdown to uncertainty.

Finally, there was a click, and Athiya's familiar voice filled the silence. "Hey, Rahul! Are you good?"

"Hey, Athu, How are you and bhabis? Have you heard from Meera?" he asked, trying to mask the urgency in his tone, no matter how worried he was he would never want her to get worried.

A pause filled took over the otherside as Athiya looked at the others. "She's okay, Rahul, just tired. They had this bonding party. You know how the colonel and the academy can be. She sent her best wishes to all of you."

The hesitancy in her voice didn't escape Virat's notice. Just then, Anushka shouted, "Tell the two beside you to stop overthinking, or Ritika and I will kick them out!"

Rohit retorted with a laugh, "I don't know whose wife is more violent!"

As they chuckled, Athiya reassured Rahul, "We'll tell you if anything's wrong, okay?"

After hanging up, Rahul felt a mix of relief and lingering anxiety.

Meanwhile, Ritika and Anushka whispered to Athiya, "That was close," just as Athiya broke into sobs.

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The NZ Test Day - 4 had come to an end. The dressing room was still humming with the echoes of the day. Rahul sat slumped in a corner, lost in thought. The weight of expectations, successes, and failures pressed heavy on his mind. They had fought hard in the Test match against New Zealand, clawing back from a near-certain defeat. Yet, the batting collapse at the end left a bitter aftertaste. And social media made sure that bitterness lingered, the internet was indeed a strange place, the people advocated for you one minute and in the very next they wanted you out of the time. He couldn't let the thoughts go, he could feel a headache coming.