✔The Cricketer's Ex-Wife[The Cricketer's Series Book 1]

Chapter 2- Pleasure meeting you

Shaurya Gupta curled his fingers tightly around the racquet's handle as he waited for the squash ball to bounce back off the wall. As soon as it did, he hit the ball back harder, sending it whirling to the wall.

Again and again, he repeated the action. Hit- wait- and then hit back. Adrenaline soared through his veins, helping reduce the frustration and anger he felt. He would have instead had a punching bag, but the gym did not provide one, and his own equipment was yet to arrive from Delhi. So, he had to work with what he had.

The glass door to the court opened, and his best friend cum manager, Lakshman aka Lucky, walked in with a disappointed look on his face, but Shaurya paid no heed to him and continued to play. Lucky just leaned against the wall near the door and stared at the back of his friend's head for almost 15 minutes.

When he realized that Shaurya wasn't going to acknowledge or say anything to him, he spoke as loudly as he could, "Shaurya, seriously?" Trying to talk to his friend over the blaring music and the loud noise of the ball hitting the wall. "You just left without telling me where you were going, and you are not answering your phone either. Do you know how worried I was?"

Shaurya finally stopped playing and looked at his friend. "Why? I am a grown man and not a child that you need to babysit me all the time."

"You think I enjoy this?" Lucky let out a frustrated groan as he followed Shaurya as he drank water from his water bottle. "At this age, I am supposed to have my children and look after them and not you, A 'grown man' that refuses to act like an adult. What is wrong with you? Can you for once act responsibly?"

Shaurya sighed and sat down on the bench. He leisurely patted his face and neck with a towel without looking at Lakshman. "Relax. I was feeling restless, and you were sleeping, so I decided to come here to blow off some steam. What's the big deal?"

Lakshman pinched the bridge of his nose and scoffed. "Nothing. Not a big deal at all. As usual, I am the one that is overreacting. Forgive me!"

"It's fine," Shaurya said, purposely misunderstanding his friend's sarcasm. "Let me go take a shower and get ready for the meeting with your girlfriend's mother's company."

"She is not my girlfriend." Lakshman clarified, looking a little flustered. "I heard about Red Eagle from my mother's astrologer. They did PR for his company. They have bhakts all around the world, you know." He said as they walked along the corridor to the changing rooms.

Shaurya stopped short and looked flabbergasted. "You chose my PR company based on that astrologer you go to?"

"Stop saying anything about Manglu baba," Lakshman held locket around his neck with the baba's face on it and tucked it inside his shirt. "He knows everything about your past, present and future."

"Shaurya Sir, I am a huge fan of yours." A young man came running up to them. "Can I get a selfie with you?"

"Actually, he is a little busy-" Lucky started.

"Sure." Shaurya beckoned the guy and passed his stuff to Lucky to hold.

"Thank you, Sir!" The man said, genuinely touched by Shaurya's gesture. He left happily after getting a selfie with his favourite sportsman.

"Why did you do that? You need to start acting a little more star-like." Lucky grumbled as they stood inside the locker room.

"Because I am not a star." Shaurya shrugged his shoulders. "Did you not know about this baba seven years ago?" Shaurya asked as he punched the code in for the locker. "Okay. Fine. I am sorry. I shouldn't question your faith."

"He suggested a few things that will change this slump." Lucky said as he leaned against the lockers. "As per his readings, your name requires an additional a at the end and an extra h."