When life happens

Jassi's best friend

"Where are you going?" Neha asked Jassi who was slinking out of the hotel early in the morning.

"To visit my best friend," said Jassi. "I'll bring her here, I do that every time we come home."

"Is she your childhood friend?"

"Yes, right since we were born. We lived in the same flat, same floor too."

Jassi looked really fond of the person he was speaking about, and since it was a 'she', Neha couldn't resist asking, "Is she like your sister?"

Jassi grinned, getting her implication. "She is 100% like my sister," he said solemnly. "She's going out with Shubman, but it's a top secret, don't tell anyone."

"Shubman? Gill?" asked Neha.

Jassi nodded.

"Oh god, and you're the one bringing her here? Where's Shubman? Where's Shubman?" demanded Neha, going into her hyperactive mode.

Shubman had joined the camp the last night since the Test series started in a week.

"I'm sure he's sleeping," said Jassi. "You go and bother him, and bye."

Jassi escaped before Neha could think of another question.

...........................................................................

Tani, Siri and Neha were sitting on the grass with Hardik, Kuldeep and Yuzi before the practice session started when Jassi returned with a pretty, shy looking girl.

"My best friend Sonali," he told them.

Hardik, Kuldeep and Yuzi clearly knew her from before, because they all smiled and greeted her, and Hardik sent Siri a sideways glance, which puzzled Siri.

Jassi caught it.

"Sonali was his target before she met Shubman," he told Siri grimly.

"She was never my target!" protested Hardik loudly.

"Sure," said Sonali sarcastically. "Hi, Neha, Tani, Siri," she said in a friendly voice which appealed to them immediately.

The team went away to practice and Neha broke the ice by saying, "You can stay with us till Shubman gets free!"

Tani and Siri stared at her as Sonali blushed.

"Did Jassi tell you?" she asked Neha.

"Are you Shubman's girlfriend?" asked Tani, unsubtle in shock.

"She is, yes," said Neha, delighted to have caused such a shock.

"Whoa, when did this happen?" asked Siri.

"A little over a year ago," said Sonali, a little shyly. "We decided to keep it a secret from the public because you know how the media gets when...."

"We know," said Neha, Tani and Siri together.

"Jassi didn't tell me the story," said Neha. "Can you?"

"It's a long story," protested Sonali.

"We have at least three hours to kill while they train," said Tani.

"Point," said Sonali, and she started telling them her fairytale like story, reliving it once again.

∆∆∆∆∆∆∆

Sonali was watching India vs New Zealand from the clubhouse in Ahmedabad; like every time, her best friend had secured that for her.

She was alone that day. Being an introvert in general, she didn't have many friends, and both her closest friends had declined to watch the match. They didn't like cricket.

Sonali was sitting and cheering for her team alone, wishing there was someone with her, and right towards the end of the innings break, she realized she had better gone to the washroom once so that she didn't have to get up during the second half even once.

Not wanting to miss the beginning of India's bowling, where Jassi would bowl, Sonali was running through the corridors, muttering, "Where the hell is that damn thing?"

And BAM! she slammed into someone hard, and two arms caught her on instinct.

"Whoa, whoa, slow down," said an unknown voice near her ear as she tried to recover from the blow. "Why are you running like this?"

Sonali drew back and began to say, "No, it's just like.... ARE YOU SHUBMAN GILL?"

Shubman laughed and said, "Sure I am....but why were you running?"

Sonali stared at Shubman in awed silence, and Shubman continued, "Were looking for the washrooms? Cause if you were, it's down the right corridor there."

"Ahh thanks," said Sonali. "I was looking for them."

"I knew it," said Shubman. "I dunno why they hide the washroom like it's some sort of treasure; someone always seems to be looking for them!"

Sonali started to laugh, Shubman's open friendliness was irresistible.

Shubman laughed too, and Sonali waved goodbye to him and ran away.

......

That night, Jassi had invited Sonali to a party where the entire team would be present, and as soon as they reached, Hardik came and grabbed Jassi's arm.

"You won't believe what happened!!" cried Hardik. "Oh hi Sonali."

"Hi," said Sonali, amused to see his wild state of excitement.

"Jassi, come on," said Hardik, beginning to pull him away.

"Sonali is here with me!" said Jassi, protestingly.

"It's ok, you go, Jassi. I'm hungry anyway," assured Sonali.

Jassi reluctantly went away, and Sonali went to the buffet table and stood contemplating on which salad to try, when a voice beside her said, "I wouldn't try any of those if I were you."

Sonali turned to see Shubman's eyes laughing at her.

"Why?" demanded Sonali.

"They're all rancid," said Shubman, with a disgusted expression.

"What? Rancid stuff in a high profile party like this!" said Sonali, shocked.

"It is what it is," said Shubman solemnly. "I can take you to the good stuff if you'd let me."

"You make it seem like some sort of a drug," said Sonali, shaking her head.

Shubman bent over and put a finger to his lips. "Shhh! They'll have me arrested for doping."

Sonali found herself laughing again at Shubman's nonsensical chatter. "Guide me to the good stuff then."

"Sure, Sonali," said Shubman, winking.

"How d'you know my name?" demanded Sonali.

"I have my sources," said Shubman mysteriously.

"Sources," said Sonali, snorting. "You probably just asked Jassi!"

Shubman ignored her comment studiously and took her arm and dragged her away to the non-veg section.

∆∆∆∆∆∆

"That's the first time we properly talked," said Sonali.

"Isn't she lucky," said Neha, glancing at Tani.

Because it was an accepted fact among them that Tani and Neha would always remain single.

"She is," said Tani.

They hadn't realised how long they had been listening to Sonali's story, but just then the team retuned to the hotel and Virat bhaiya called out for the third time, "Are you girls coming for lunch or shall we leave you behind?"

"Coming, coming!" they yelled back and ran to join them.