CHAPTER 22.1 - A PROMISORY 'SUMMON' (Part 1)

Hellooo everyoneeeee...

Okkkkk....so as I was thinking about the whole Issue with a BoT site mirroring Wattpad, I did have this thought in mind, that this is technically a problem being face by a lot of writers on Wattpad and Wattpad on the whole, and maybe as long as my work is being Mirrored under my Wattpad Username - it cannot be technically be termed as like a Blatant Plagirism, and also keeping all of that in Mind - as I mentioned in the previous note, its like no platform Online is completely safe, and I guess I just Gotta embrace this Mirroring issue as a Flipside of Posting work up Online as there are two sides to a coin Always, so as good as technology can benefit us by giving us a wider platform online and freedom of writing out our plots and stories / there's the other side of the coin that's like an opportunity cost that comes in the form of global technological risks involved in the same process as well.

But nonetheless we must take steps towards safeguarding our work as much as we can, from our End, and do our Bit. And in this case I have taken a couple of steps -as in reporting all this matter about the Mirrored website issue to the concerned authorites  and at the same time, I also do want to now incorporate measures to keep an open eye for Blatant Plagirism where in people as in individuals can claim ones work to be theirs and post it up claiming it to be theirs another different usernames and, identities on various platforms, hence here on I will be including Copyright Notices in every update as well, as well as in the very Introductions of my Works.

So as of now, as I had written a 4k word Update already of the next Chapter 22 - I am posting that as up as, Chapter 22.1 (Part 1) - because that's what my Hearts Guiding me to do!! The Second Part of this Chapter will come on Tuesday. Apologies guys for Splitting the Chapter into Two parts, but that way atleast I am able to post one Tonight as - promised.

Will be Eager to know what you all think.

Thank you so much for your amazing feedback uptil now Guys.

And yes this is the First Draft. Please definitely ignore editing/common repition of words errors etc - since I have not proofread.

I shall let you all dive in without - further Delay

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CHAPTER 22.1 - A PROMISORY 'SUMMON' (Part 1)

Next day(25th April, 2019) - 630 PM

Arnav's POV

I smile and wink at Ravi, and gesture him to get on the team bus first, and I follow him next and step on the bus to join the rest of our team-mates, and our coaches and support staff, who had already made their way in, as we waded our way through the media, that had been awaiting outside the arrivals terminal at Chennai.

Yup.

Guys.

We just landed into Chennai for we have a match with the Chennai team, scheduled for tomorrow at the M.A Chidambaram Stadium. Also, please note - I am also smiling a little extra for two reasons. One,I am very satisfied with the little media exchange I just had with a couple of Media reporters, as they tried to corner me with the topics related to Ayana and Pia. Two - I am pretty sure, at the back of my Head, that Khushi's probably already caught onto it already, and is probably in splits over it right now, and maybe Cap is all grinning about it too. ( I can't wait to catch up with him too, as in when I see him at the Hotel.As I stated earlier, in the very beginning - I am quite close to Cap in both our equations, personal and professional.)

I grin at everyone, as I high five my team-mates and support staff who had taken their seats in the frontal rows and aisles of the bus as usual, and chat with them a little along the way, as they tell me how I was at my cheekiest best with the media today, and I thank them each for their wonderful support as always. As a unit, each of us as players, at times, goes through this constant media/social media scrutiny and analysis with matters related to a range of things, which don't usually stay limited to our performances on the field,(for someone out there always finds a way to connect a dot with the things that are very personal to us and even though we have mentally conditioned ourselves to get used to it, there are times, it can be overwhelming of course and that is why I have tried my best as Skipper at developing a team culture that incorporates this unsaid bro-code in our teams(both in the Bangalore team, and also in the Men in Blue's dressing rooms) - that we will all as individuals in the team do our best(in ever little way that we can), to be collectively supportive to one another, as and when any member of the team faces these things, because we have all seen from our experiences that sometimes these things can obviously play with your mind.

I thank everyone once again and make my through to the last row on the bus, which is where I mostly prefer to sit. Also,yes, there surely is an increase in pace in my stride for a very important reason ofcourse - everyone. The reason being the fact that I cannot wait to just settle in my seat, so that I can resume chatting with My Sparkle, (who is at her Home in Delhi, for the day, and will shift into the hostel with the rest of the team tomorrow morning, as they get into massive practice for the next two days to get prepped up for the second semi-finals of their domestic season on the 28th April. She's also waiting for my message. Since we obviously got into a quick chat as I landed and I told her by the end of it that I'd text her from the bus, since our ride time to the Hotel was about 35 minutes, from the airport).

I see Ravi plonk in the seat next to me as he winks, looking into his phone and grins - " it's not even been four minutes, and your cheeky couple of liners exchange with the media, has already gone viral online..."

I grin and wink at him as I dish out my phone too and I ask him, opening up to my whatsapp, knowing that I will have messages waiting from My Sparkle already about the same - "really??? has Cap seen it too??"

Ravi winks - " yes, of course, he just posted the initial bit of your clip online on his Insta saying - that he totally reciprocated your emotions on the reunion and was awaiting your arrival at the Hotel too...hold on...I am just going to comment saying - how unfair is it off him to just await your arrival. I mean what about me???"

We share a warm laugh.

He looks into his phone and grins - "damm this is fun, Rohan is already having a ball on this as well, he's commented how he's so, disappointed he's the one who is in Mohali right now...and will miss onto the bro-mance..."

We share a warm laugh again.

Ok.Everyone.

I think before I get consumed into chatting with My Sparkle. I think it is only fair as I give you all a brief context over the cheeky couple of liners, I had exchanged with the media reporters.

So as we were wading our way out, a lot of our teammates, were surrounded and being asked about the game preparations for tomorrow with the match with Chennai etc, and I had obviously given a heads up to everyone that I was just going to walk through it all silently, because I had anticipated that the minute I would say anything, the topic might just get shifted to Pia or Ayana, in the next sentence. However, right before our team bus pulled up in front of us, Coach sir, asked me to join him in collectively answering to a media reporter, and I obviously could not, not join him. And well, as I had anticipated, the minute we finished talking about the game and cricketing preparations, the first question that was asked off me was - "ASR, please tell us, how was it seeing Pia last night. I mean should we all get ready to celebrate a Re-union?"

I had smiled politely and replied - " oh yes you surely should get ready to celebrate a reunion - but not a one that involves Pia and me, for that's surely long over buddy and is going to stay that way, but I surely assure you that there's another reunion that I am very excited about and that is the one that involves My Golden Captain, and me, you know since I haven't been able to catch up with him much in person ever since the IPL began since we play for different sides ...and today is the day we meet after quite bit...so I am obviously beyond just excited and can't wait to get to the Hotel actually. You all know I love him..." and I had winked straight at the camera as I added - " Cap...wait up for me for that evening round off coffee...ok? I will be there soon...just about 35- 40 minutes.."

Another reporter had immediately asked - " ASR, that's a cheeky way to evade our attention ofcourse, and okay since you say that Pia and You really are long over and it stays that way, then can you tell us, is it that it stays that way because you have met someone else perhaps? A someone named Ayana Mehra.."

I had chuckled amused as I had replied, shrugging my shoulders - " did you just ask me a question and state the answer off it, almost pretty much yourself buddy?? I mean that's amusingly presumptuous, indeed..."

The reporter prompted again - "so you mean, there's no potential brew up in there in between of Ayana and You then??"

I had chuckled as I admitted shrugging my shoulders and grinning - "there isn't definitely, and surely not a one that I know of/or am an active participant off Buddy,"

The Reporter prompted again - "but there are speculations that..."and I had cut him short in between as I had said - " ahhh...yes I am surely aware of that...but last I checked up on my vocabulary knowledge, there's surely a stark difference in between the definitions of a speculation vs the truth right?? I mean that's what I remember buddy, but you tell me if the dictionary's and thesauruses of the world have changed their definitions on the two aspects...I mean, maybe you would know better since cricket consumes my mind so much that I could be wrong in my wordly vocabulary knowledge.."

The reporter had smiled sheepishly as he had said - "well, the definitions of the two in the dictionary's and thesaureses do remain the same ASR...there isn't a change in that.."

And I had winked at him mischeviously and patted his arm, sportingly and said - " and thank you so much for clearing that up for me, buddy..,"and right then I had looked back at Coach Sir, DB, Ravi, Sherma from my team who were around me, grinning and had said - " but guys, nonetheless how about we make a stop by a bookstore on the way to the hotel so that I can pick on a pocket dictionary as well, to brush up my knowledge base in Vocab,..you know since I mostly live, breathe and think cricket and the game's vocab...I think I need a round of brush up on the rest for sure..."and I had then turned to the reporter and he was grinning himself as he spoke into the mike - " cheeky and yet so polite and subtly assertive in always stating your point across ASR. We get it...you are obviously annoyed because of the speculations and rumours and how the Q&A's often get diverted from Cricket, which gives us your answer clearly for now that there's probably no truth in it at all, "and I had replied with a wink and a grin - " and this is exactly where I want to channelise the KBC host avatar of Bachan Sir and say to you my friend...that you've just won yourself the million dollar price money, for that was the right answer coming from you, indeed..." and that had made not only us all but the reporter and everyone else from the media around, crack into a laughter as well and then I had asked him politely that if he had any other cricket or game related questions he could surely ask me or any of us from the team for a couple of minutes, for the team bus was pulling up and we had to leave. And what followed then was an exchange of couple of Q&A's that were strictly related to the Game and Leagues progression, before we all started to make our way into the Bus.

I hear Ravi say now as he plugged in his earphones as the bus starts to move - " ok, I know you need this time to chat with your secretive someone...so I am just going to listen to some music and have some fun on Insta in comments...although I can't believe you wouldn't tell us all, who she is, even though the two of you are now officially together.."

Guys - this morning as I had caught up with everyone over breakfast and after - I had given a heads up to Ravi, Noor, Payal and Akash that I was now seeing someone that I was really serious about, but I had to keep it a secret for her sake a little longer and would talk to them about her identity soon. Akash and Noor had obviously given me the look - that they would get it out of me sooner or later for sure but were happy for me nonetheless when I had assured them that my equation with my secretive someone, truly felt all right and made me very happy too.

I smile at Ravi as I say - " sorry brother...I don't mean to hide it, but the situation around us just requires a little cover for now, you will know when I tell you who she is, and it won't take you a minute to understand her reasons for the same.."

Ravi smiles and pats my arm - " don't worry about it at all Arnav, we can see that you are very happy with her, and that's what matters to us at the end of the day..."

I thank him and gesture to him that I am about to get busy on text now and he nods grinning and returns his attention to his phone too.

Also please Note everyone - I have now changed Khushi's code name in my phone from C.22 to Sparkle.

I finally open my Chat box with her - Grinning.There's a message awaiting from her to be read - obviously.

Her : (laughing emoticons)Okkk this is exactly where I reinstate the point I once made with such great conviction. Ask me what point..the minute you see the message k?? I am not texting you about it pehle se..(laughing, winkings emoticons).

I chuckle as I reply.

Me : what point, Sparkle? Also, the bus just left the airport. You free right? We do have a good 30 mins for chat..

Her : yes yes Arnav..i am free...but only for twenty minutes thike? Because I have to get working on something very important that I need to finish up working on before we get on the video call tonight, as in I just got the idea for it five minutes pehle..and I do want to get on with it, because then I will be with Dad and Mom no as we watch the match in between Mumbai and Punjab...please please pretty please don't ask me what is it that I am about to start working on abhi like on text...I will obviously tell you, but in the night....also...take a guess on the former point na??(wink emoticons)

I chuckle as I read that and I obviously know what she wants to say.

Me : okay..Sparkle...my guess on the former point is that this is exactly where you want to say that - now you know why I called you Mr.Kind Yorker back then in time.

Her : ahaaa...are you sure Skipper Blue?? Of your answer?? I mean shall we lock it?? You do know its like that million-dollar question on KBC.

I grin.

Me : yes I know Sparkle...lock it, and c'mon tell me...did I win the price money....?

Her : please know I do aim to create a little suspense with those dhaa dhaa sounds, that actually come in KBC haha...for a bit...like so I am just going to say...wait for it...like five seconds...imagine those suspense noises in your head, will you please?? Like pakka se imagine...like hurry na...

I chuckle to myself.

Me : okk done Sparkle. Imagined.

Her : and you just won yourself a million dollars Skipper Blue. (winksssss), for you were right once again...as in you read my thoughts...I obviously wanted to say that you were totally like a Mr.Kind Yorker in your reply to those reporters...I obviously caught onto it live because I am in Dad's study just now no..and he had a news channel on, on the TV...and please know it took every bit off my pretence mode to act all clueless and not burst into splits in front of dad...as in I was in splits...but more like in my head...dad was all like,super impressed and went all like ASR handled it so well...he does know how to put his point across subtly, without ever offending the person on the other end...its rare...indeed...

Me : really? was uncle impressed? I wonder what his reaction will be when he comes to know about how I feel about You and US...Sparkle...do you wonder the same?

Her : I knowwwwwww rightttt!! I mean yes...I was just wondering the same too.....alsoo yes...I do want to tell you something though..as in I was waiting for you to get on the bus, so that I could update you on the same, like araam se as in..it happened while you were on the flight...and please don't be mad at me for this,ok? like it was inevitable for me to get out the situation....

Wait. Could this be about Mr.Polo -Hridhaan?

My insides Groan.

Me : you know I can't be mad at you Sparkle...please tell me what is it...

Her : pakka* infinity promise please?? You promise you won't be mad at me...because what I am about to tell you can come across as unexpected to you...

Me : Promise * Infinity - Sparkle.Now..cmon tell me...

Her : okay so here it goes...(please imagine me almost biting into my nails nervously as I type it out to you) and noooo...don't grin too much and think about starting to take my case on this...because you have to read what I type next first...also please know in advance that this is like totally your fault as in , you'v got me going all crazy in happiness and euphoria as I have been in a perpetual daydream mode because of You (you know since I just can't stop thinking about US and last night),and all because of that I'v been smiling and grinning like an idiot to myself ever since I reached home...so Mom like obviously caught onto it and she cornered me in my room as I woke up from my nap around 5ish and was all like - ok khushi...whats up?? You were even smiling in your sleep just now...what is this about?? Something happened on this Jaipur trip that you want to talk to me about....and well then I couldn't help it okay....as in ...you know I do tell Mom like everything...so I just talked to her a little bit about us as in like cryptically... as in I just obviously told her that I had met someone a couple of months ago and everything and were getting to know each other through being connected otherwise like virtually, and now it just feels like, I am starting to like this person a lot lot * infinity more than I could ever imagine....and the reason why she sees me smiling in my sleep is because this person just makes me very Happy...so yeah...but we are taking our time in figuring things out(as in I didn't tell her that we are now like together and dating and everything, I just wanted to build up the context first, so that when I actually tell her that I am dating someone, she doesn't freak out much for now...) and I obviously asked her to keep it a secret from dad(she said she would)...okkk this is exactly where I pause to check...if you aren't mad at me for this...Arnav...as in about giving a hint to Mom about..US...

I grin to myself as I read that. Is she crazy to think I'd be mad at reading this?

I am beyond - Elated.

Me : why would you think I'd be mad reading this Sparkle? I am beyond Elated. Or make that Elated * Infinty.

Her : reallyyyyy????? Omg...thank god....i am so relieved now.also...elated *infinfity?????????????like for real??

Me : yes really Khushi. Ask me why?

Her : why???

Me : because I also did give a heads up to Ravi, Noor, Payal and Akash, this morning and also had a talk with Anjali about the same too that I am seeing someone now that I am really into deeply, but would like to keep her identity secret for now and would get around to telling them soon about it. I will be telling Rohan and Cap the same thing too, since you know I am close to them.I do want them to know that I have met and am officially with someone who makes me very happy and lights up my Life...so obviously I am beyond just elated to know that you felt comfortable about US enough - to drop a hint to aunty about this...also you aren't mad at me for telling everyone what I did at my end right? and I would like to steal your words here and say that this was totally your fault too, because you see I'v been grinning for months while typing away into my phone and have never been happier...they obviously picked up on it...

Her : and you are crazy to think I'd be mad at reading that Arnav..i am obviously elated * infinity as well and totally back to grinning...like an idiot...ok I think I need to reduce the intensity of my grin a little bit, before Dad picks up on the obvious and asks me about it...

Me : godammit Sparkle. Can't tell you how much I miss you already....i can't stop thinking about you...

Her : I miss you too Arnav...and please know that I obviously haven't been able to stop thinking about you too...

I smile as I read that.

Me : also I don't want to stop thinking about you...cant wait to have you in my arms again and ravage your lips with mine. Insane. What have you done to me dammit...?

Her : I don't want to stop thinking about you too...is the reply to the former bit...and to the latter...it is just......................

Me : does that latter bit of ......mean that you are blushing insane as you read that, Sparkle?and drinking up on water to hide it because you are next to Uncle?

Her : hawwwwwwwwww...how do you know??

I grin as I write.

Me : well, I just know you in and out- Don't i?

Her : oh yes that you do...acha listen...now I gotta go ok...like in five minutes...k? remember I have to work on that thing...are you reaching the hotel soon too? You are obviously going to catch up with Cap and get busy in all of that too right??

Me : yes....planning to watch on the game with Cap only...also yes will be reaching the hotel in ten maybe...not too much traffic...also why not give me a hint on what this is about...as in what is it that you want to work on before we get on the videocall tonight??

Her : ufffff....no....don't ask me for hints na Arnav...like pleaseeee wait wait...na....

Me : c'mon Sparkle, just a little Hint will not harm. Is it Anything related to Channel 1 or 2 ????cricket, or Rahul or Anjali or our families?

Her : haha...very clever Captain...if I answer this you will obviously know....by the process of elimination in your guesses....okkk fine...ill give you an obvious hint...its about Channel 34 ok which means this is important and it's about US...now you please wait...and give me time to get working on this...k??

I grin as I read that.

Me : aha...I liked what I read Sparkle...about us it is..

Her : yes...and very important too....now I am going off ok..tata for now...speak soon.....and yes we are still on for our chat through the match though as we watch obviously and discuss cricket...but lets discuss about the Channel 34 ka topic when we videocall later...thike? Tata for now...

Me : ok Khushi...its strange though...you haven't left the chat and I miss you already...

Her : copy that Arnav...copy that....(okkkk bbyyeee for reallll...ughh whats wrong with me, like I say I have to go but I just don't feel like leaving too....what are you doing to me haan??) pakka and final bye - for a bit.acha listen you don't reply only...you will reply and then I will get talking to you...then I wont be able to work on this thing I want too....i will text you in an hour...ok?

I smile to myself as I read that as I put my phone back into my pockets and look out the window - grinning.

How could I not feel this Happy?

Also, I can't help but wonder what she is upto and is going to talk about tonight, on the video call.

Just Can't bloody wait to find out.

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TADAAAAA!!!!!

How was the Part 1 of Chapter 22 Guysssss?? (wink winkkkkk.....)

Let me know what you guys think as always, you all know I love reading your feedback and comments. Any theories on what Khushi is upto?

Next Update : will be giving on Tuesday Night.As Monday is my Son's bday!! He is turning- Fourrr!! 😊.Thank you all for your lovely wishes for him.

Wish you all a Happy weekend. I am so happy to post this Tonight.Made an conscious effort to adapt to a tricky speedbreaker faster.(He He...wink wink)

Thanks, guys, for all the Love and Support.

Much Love Guys.

Always.

Tadaaaaaa!!!!!!

Let