The Untold Love : Cricket Romance

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Ishanvi

I deleted the message. I couldn't tell him. Not anymore.
I know Sameer would say it's not a big deal, that missing his semi-finals wouldn't bother him, but I know better. Deep down, I know how much it matters to him, even if he won't admit it.

An Hour Ago...

God, why wasn't he texting me back? I stared at the screen, willing the little "typing" dots to appear. When they didn't, I sighed, switched my phone to airplane mode, and headed to the kitchen.

For the next three hours, I threw myself into work. Dessert after dessert for the hotel guests' lunch, each one crafted with care. The compliments rolled in-guests loved my desserts, and their smiles lit up my day. I thought, this has to be one of the best days of my life

When lunch ended, I had an hour before dinner prep. The first thing I did was turn off airplane mode and check my messages. My heart flipped when I saw Sameer had replied. Not just replied-he sounded so excited to hear my news.

I called him immediately, heart pounding, but before he could pick up, my manager's voice cut through the air. He called me in his cabin. I immediately went inside.

Ahaan: Oh, done with your call already?"

Me: Yes, sir, I'll call later. You needed to talk to me?"

Ahaan nodded. "Yes, I wanted to talk to you about Mr. & Mrs. Ahuja. I called them after you left and arranged a meeting for the flavor tasting."

Me: "Okay, so what did they say?"

Ahaan: "They asked for the meeting tomorrow evening at 8 p.m."

I froze. My stomach dropped, and my face must have shown every ounce of my shock because Ahaan tilted his head curiously.

I forced myself to speak. "Sorry... umm... Aren't they free earlier? Maybe in the afternoon?"

Ahaan: "No, I actually asked them to keep it in the afternoon since I knew you'd be busy with dinner prep, but they insisted they weren't free then. Is there a problem? I can have the other chefs handle dessert prep so you can focus on the meeting."

Me: "Umm... no, there isn't really... a problem. I was just concerned about the... dinner preparations."

Ahaan: " Oh, Don't worry, I'll arrange for another chef to take care of that."

Me: "Okay, then... I'll keep things ready for the tasting. Excuse me."

I walked out of his cabin and went straight into the washroom, my thoughts spiraling. I clenched the sink's edge and stared at my reflection, frustration bubbling to the surface.

"Okay, Ishanvi, calm down. The match isn't important. Your career is," I whispered fiercely, almost like a mantra. "You don't have the right to ruin this opportunity. Just chill and get the things ready for tomorrow. It's a big deal."

But even as I said it, my heart betrayed me. The match was important-to him, and to me. It wasn't just a match. It was Sameer. No matter how many times I repeated the words, they didn't feel true.

I pulled out my phone and typed, the words spilling out faster than I could think:

Listen, Sameer, I'd like to apologize before anything happens. I have no solution for this, and I feel awful.

I have an important meeting for a wedding cake at 8 p.m. tomorrow, which means I won't be able to watch your match like I always do. I wish you the best, and I'll be rooting for you as always, even if I can't be glued to the screen. You'll do amazing, I know it.