The crack within

The weight of guilt

Virat standing on the other side of the door saw MS break down in Suresh's arm. He could over hear their conversation. And gnawing feeling was growing in his heart. He slowly walked back to his room.

He was coming from practice when he spotted Raina going to MS's room. He doesn't know what came over him but he followed Raina and he stood behind the door listening.

He came to his room and dropped his kit on the couch and sat on the edge of the bed thinking and re thinking what he has heard just now. He has had his doubts from the time he had shouted on MS. There had been gnawing somewhere in the back of his head that was again and again questioning himself. But he had forcefully quoted that voice. Today seeing MS break like that, brought back a flood of memories...memories of when he had broken down like that and MS had held him. Memories of when he was young and media followed him like vultures and MS had shielded him, when his form slipped and he had motivated him. When they had lifted the world cup together and MS had wrapped both of them in one flag, Virat was new to the team, he was outsider among people who were family to each other. So he actually had clung to MS throughout the celebration. He remembered each and every detail and with each memory that voice in the back of his head grew louder that "MS cannot do this."

Hardik sitting in his room was nothing better. He read and reread those articles about himself and still wondered how MS had done such a thing. He suddenly noticed something, the name of the restaurant was mentioned, he hadn't said the restaurant name to Mahi Bhai. He just said it two blocks away but there are plenty of restaurants in this neighborhood. It was impossible to know in which one the went. Then how did the papers know?

Virat restlessly paced around his room. He needed closure on this matter. Also tomorrow was the second and the last T20 and he had a feeling they would lose this one. But for once cricket was not on his mind. He needed to be sure somehow about what he should think. But he couldn't, just then he heard a knock. It was Hardik.
V: Harry come in. Kya baat hai?
H: Nothing, it's just I just noticed something.
V: what?
H: I never told the name of the restaurant I was going to bha...MS...but the papers have printed it.
V: Harry, why didn't say that earlier?
H: I just noticed it. I don't know what to think anymore. Only he in the team knew I was going, but he didn't know the restaurant. Nobody knew except if Isha told someone.
V: Ask her if she told anyone.
H: I will. But then why did Jatin taki MS's name.
V: I understand what's going through you Hardik. I am in the same place as you.
Virat put an arm on his shoulder. But Hardik slipped out of his grip. He didn't want to have any conversation now.
H: I will go now Bhai. Just wanted to tell you this.
Hardik left.

Virat remained unsettled throughout the day. He headed to the gym as usual to vent his confused feeling in the afternoon. After a long session he came to his room.showered and crashed on his bed. His mind still having a fight within. He slept and dreamed. He saw himself, like his younger debutant self. He saw MS looking like an guiding angel leading him up a hill. Clearing the path for him, cutting through the obstacles and protecting him. And then when they reached the peak, he saw that his debutant self had transformed into his current self. And then he pushed MS off the cliff. Virat woke up in sweats and gasped. What did that dream mean? The voice in his head was louder than ever telling him "He cannot do this." No he could not go on line that he needed closure. He decided in the fleet of the moment, and messaged Sourav, formally, saying that if he could get the photos tested for Photoshop. Sourav immediately texted back saying that, they were already bieng tested. Virat asked if he could know the result as soon as they arrive. Sourav said, he will tell him by tomorrow.

Sourav had a conversation with Yuvi last night, he knew in bits and pieces things that were happening. When he received the text from Virat, he almost lit up. This text could mean only one thing, Virat was starting realise that MS couldn't do this. Sourav knew in his heart that only if Virat apologized MS would not retire maybe. He was not sure, if even after that MS would stop. He quickly msged Yuvi telling about Virat and that if he found anything against Sanjay he should send it to him and Virat ASAP. Virat needed to reconcile with MS, for Indian cricket. He had called MS today, just to pacify him. Just because you are strong doesn't me you cannot be broken. Sourav sighed and sat back down on the laptop searching old articles about Manjarekar, MS stays or not, he will ruin Manjarekar for sure. Nobody touches his boys and gets away with it.