Shadows Of The Stumps

Chapter - 127

The stadium pulsed with energy, a sea of blue and green roaring as the award ceremony played out on one end while the players on the other prepared for the battle ahead. The air crackled with anticipation, the weight of history pressing down on the field.

Meera stood at the edge of the boundary line, her arms crossed as she scanned the crowd, eyes trained for any signs of trouble. The security detail had been on high alert for days, and exhaustion tugged at her, but there was no space for fatigue tonight. Not in this match. Not when the stakes were this high.

Beside her, Arjun stood in equal vigilance, his hands resting on his belt. "This feels different," he muttered, eyes following the players warming up on the field.

Meera let out a slow breath, nodding. "Because it is."

On the other side, Sanjana was in the middle of interviewing Jasprit Bumrah, who, instead of giving a straight answer, was thoroughly enjoying teasing her on live television.

"Sanjana, why do you always ask me the tough questions? Just say you like making me nervous," he grinned, as she rolled her eyes, barely holding back a laugh.

"Bumrah, focus—"

"I am focused. On how red your face is right now."

The camera caught the exact moment Sanjana lost her composure, smacking his arm as the audience erupted in laughter.

Meanwhile, on the field, Virat, Rohit, Rahul, Axar, Hardik, Shreyas, Jadeja, Shami, Kuldeep, Harshit, and the rest of the squad were deep into their warm-ups, some stretching, others passing the ball between them.

As the echoes of the roaring crowd settled into background noise, Meera's mind wasn't just on the match. Arjun could sense it. He always could.

"So," he started casually, his hands resting on his hips. "Are you going to tell me, or do I have to drag it out of you?"

Meera frowned, glancing sideways. "Tell you what?"

"Oh, don't play innocent, Noor. I've seen the way Hardik's been acting around you. The man looked like a teenager with a crush when he dropped you home last night."

Meera let out a small sigh, shaking her head. "It's nothing, Arjun."

"Bullshit," he said, crossing his arms. "I've known you my whole life. That look on your face? That's not 'nothing.'"

Meera rolled her eyes but couldn't fight the small, tired smile that pulled at her lips. "You don't miss a thing, do you?"

"Not when it concerns you," Arjun said, his voice softer now.

Meera sighed, shifting her weight slightly. "It was... good. Unexpected, but good."

"Good?" Arjun raised a brow.

"You know what the biggest problem is, Bhai?" she said, voice barely above a whisper. "Every time I let myself feel something, I think of Ayan."

Arjun stilled beside her, his teasing demeanor slipping away.

"Meera..."

"No, I mean it," she interrupted, swallowing hard. "I don't know how to explain it, but it feels like I'm betraying him. Ayan wasn't just—he wasn't just my boyfriend, Arjun. He was family. To you. To Rahul. To all of us. And Arya too..."

A lump formed in her throat, but she pushed through it.

"I still remember the day we lost them. Every detail. Every single second of that mission. The blood. The gunfire. The way we couldn't do anything."