Hello everyone..
Here I am with a short and sweet 3k word update for the day!
I will be giving another update tomorrow as well,that’s why I decided to split the otherwise superlong update into two posts!
Will let you all dive in without further delay
Let me know what you all think.
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Chapter 12 – The UpperCUT
Two More Weeks Later
Mumbai – 9.00 AM – The Trident Nariman Point
Arnav’s POV
I watched the boys get up from the breakfast table and they walked out the restaurant and I quickly picked up my phone and looked at the watch.
It was 9 am here.
Which meant it was still 530 am in Cape Town.
Khushi was probably still sleeping.
And I quickly leave her a text.
Me : Khushi, I just finished breakfast! The coffee I just had reminded me off the one you made for me, the flavour was so similar, but your’s is still way better.I so have to figure out a way of getting a sip off your cup through the whtsapp video call.Why hasn’t that been invented yet??
I smile as I read what I had written and tap send.
And I was just about to get up from the table when I spotted Cap walking back to the table with a cup in his hand and I smiled and asked on reflex – “ your green tea??”
Cap grinned – “ yes..”,and he takes a seat and I sit back in mine and he grins – “ this is almost like a home for you isn’t it?”
I grin, leaning back in my chair – “ yes Cap..as comforting as home, after the sri lanka tour ends , id be coming back here more often..”
I played for the Mumbai team in the IPL and Trident Nariman Point was our home during the IPL.Its where we stayed all the time.
Cap played with the Chennai team.
Cap grins – “ the hospitality here is wonderful Arnav, there isn’t any doubt about that..”
I smiled – “ it is..”
Cap grinned - “ and I know you love Wankhede as much as I do..so we are going to have to win it tonight, the crowd never disappoints us and hence we are not going to disappoint them too, I do not want to go into the t20’s with another draw..”
I nod – “ ofcourse Cap..its going to be a good game and we are going to win it tonight..”
He grinned – “ incase we win the toss you keep your uppercut and pull shots ready ASR, I want you to be aggressive today..a big total on the board always adds on the pressure for the chasing team..”
I nod – “ yes cap..”
He smiled – “ but in case we chase..the story will be different altogether..”,and he paused as he spoke – “ iv been watching and observing in the nets Arnav, your backfoot shots have really improved..”
I grin – “ thanks Cap..iv been working on that for a while..i knew its been one of my shortcomings..”
Cap grinned – “ not anymore..”,and he sips his tea.
I smile – “ yes, not anymore..”
So today we were in Mumbai for the 3rd ODI between Sri Lanka and India which was scheduled to start at 3PM Indian Standard Time at the Wankhede Stadium, one of my favouritest stadiums in the country.
I loved the pitches in there and the ground.
And ofcourse, the feel of the crowd here in Mumbai was always a different feel altogether.
We had levelled in the two test series with Sri Lanka. We one test, they won one.
And by chance it was the same scenario in the two ODI games we had, had till now.They won the first won and we won the second one.The first odi was held in delhi and the second one at Eden gardens Kolkata and now we were here in Mumbai for the third and final odi game and then after a couple of days break we had 5 t20’s matches scheduled.
It was going to be good to end this series with the t20 format because the IPL started just a week after, so most of us would be in the rhythm of the format.
Cap gets up and I walk with him as we make our way to the elevator and I ask – “swimming?”
He nods – “ yes Arnav, you know I love swimming anyway..but its been good for the back.joining me.?? Or hitting the gym with the other guys??”
I smile – “swimming first with you Cap and then ill hit the gym too..”
He walks out the lift and he says – “ ill see you up by the pool in 30 minutes then?”
I nod.
And I make my way to my room.
Just as I step in, my phone buzzes.
Its Khushi calling.
But wait.
It was just 540 am in Cape Town right now, why was she up??
Was everything ok??
I felt my heart panic as I picked it up and I asked , before she could say anything – “ khushi?? Everything ok?? Khushi..answer me dammit, are you ok??”
I heard her sleepy voice through the phone – “ Arnav..”,and she paused as she yawned– “ yes, yes im ok..i just called to say im sorry..”
I felt relief rush over me and I sit on the sofa and look out the window that gave me the view of the marine drive which the locals called the queens necklace, because it shined and looked just like that in the nights when the lights lit up the vicinity. I ask – “ why are you saying sorry Khushi?? Theres nothing to be sorry about..”
She yawned – “ I guess I do..i forgot to message you when I reached home last night Arnav..i was so tired and exhausted, and you wont believe I crashed the minute I lied down on bed..didnt even change for the night..because it was almost 2 am..”
Oh that.
So ofcourse when id woken up this morning and not seen a message from Khushi about her reaching home from the uber schedule, I had been worried ofcourse, but luckily she had shared the gps tracking app with me that Rahul had installed in her phone and given me access too, so I had first thing out done that.
I say on reflex – “ khushi its ok..i understand..the uber must have been very hectic..”
I heard her yawn – “ yes it was Arnav..”,and she paused as she spoke – “ and I was stirring in my sleep right now and I realised that I had probably slept off without messaging you, so I thought to call..”
I answered honestly – “ when I didn’t see your message in the morning, I tracked you on the gps app with your phones location, it showed me that you were home..and I was at peace then..”
“You tracked me by my phones gps??”,she asked again, her voice still loaded with sleep.
I admitted – “ yes I did khushi, looks like you aren’t the only one who can use tracking tools to keep an eye on my safe landings..”
Everytime I was on a plane, even on these domestic travels, I always shared my flight details with her.
I knew she was tracking the planes that I was flying in.
She spoke softly – “ gosh Arnav..”
And I spoke on reflex – “ yes khushi??”
And I waited for her to answer but when she didn’t for two minutes and I heard her steady breathing through the phone, I realised that she’d fallen back to sleep.
Ofcourse.
She must have been so so exhausted.
But.
I feel totally moved that shed woken up in the middle of her night to call me.
I put my elbow on the sofa and I continue to look out the window,as I feel my heart warm up with the thoughts of Khushi.
We were getting closer by the day, and that was because we had spent the last two weeks being completely connected again.
Our calls continued.
Our Chatting and texts did.
And so did our video calls.
We were able to make time for it all by making adjustments around my playing schedules too.
The fact that she understood me so well - was like a icing on this cake.
My eyes fall on my phone and on the date,and I cant help but smile at that memory of first meeting her, a month ago.
Yes, it was now a month to the day when we first met.
But it didn’t feel like that at all, it feels like iv known her for a long long time.
And lf I start listing out the magnitude of the things she was making me feel day by day, it would be night right here
This girl had nailed herself into the walls of my heart and I knew that she was never leaving them.
I always thought that amongst the many things I was blessed with in my life and for which I thanked god every day – my family and cricket would always be on top of that list of being one of the best things to have happened to me, in my Life.
But now – I feel like I want to add her to that list too.
Right on top – next to My family and cricket.
She had no clue what she was doing me.
And I wasn’t telling her yet, because I didn’t want to overwhelm her yet.
I had to wait for the right time, just like I have to wait to time my shot at the ball,before I fire a uppercut off my bat into the stands for Six.
The Uppercut was also one of my favouritest shots.
I planned to play a lot of them today, if the situation and the pitch permitted.
I smile to myself as I pick up my swimming gear and make my way out of my room, to join Cap for the swim.
We were going to leave for the stadium by 130 after a quick lunch because the game was to begin by 3pm and would end by 11 pm.
A day in international one day cricket lasted for approx 8 hours, with 3 and a half hours of playimh time to each side and the break time for meals in between.
But I never ate in between the playing time of the ODI’s.
I couldn’t eat.
The adrenaline rush through me whilst playing an odi was different altogether.
I reach the pool and I watch Cap chilling in the waters in a back float and I quickly change and jump into the water myself.
……………………..
1:00 PM
I hung up on the phone with Mom and I couldn’t help but grin.
I had the best mother in the world afterall.
I still had to talk her outta that silly superstition of not leaving her seat whilst I was batting, because I did tell her that it was going to be a super long innings today and I did plan to concentrate at batting through it.
We had to win today.
I picked up my kit and settled it all, and was just going through my stuff to make sure I hadn’t missed out anything.
Right when my phone buzzed.
It was Khushi.
I smiled as I picked it up.
And I heard her chirpy voice – “ hello hoodie guy..please tell me im on time and I didn’t miss out on the chance of being able to wish you all the best for the game..”
I grinned – “ well, just in time khushi, Iv gotta leave my room and join the team in ten minutes..”
I heard her chirpy voice – “ oh that’s great because I have ten minutes too..i feigned a headache and asked my boss if I could take a quick breakfast break…”
I looked at the time.
It was 930 am in Cape town and Khushi always had breakfast before work.
And I asked concerned – “ why did you skip breakfast khushi??”
“oho..i didn’t hoodie guy..it was an excuse..id set the timer on my phone according to your 1pm IST..so that I could talk to you for a while..”,she spoke,and she paused as she added – “ you know what, I had such a funny dream last night Arnav..”
I asked now curious – “ really what dream??”
She spoke – “ ok not a dream..i don’t know if it qualifies as a dream because it wasn’t visionary it was more like auditory..i think I heard your voice in my sleep last night..i keep telling myself that im crazy to think so ever since I woke up..”
And I chuckle on reflex.
And she asks – “ what??”
I answer honestly – “ well, because it wasn’t a dream khushi..you did hear my voice, because you did call me around your 530 am in the morning..”
“whattt?? Really?? But I checked my call log..”,she answered, now sounding worried.
I chuckle – “ khushi it wasn’t in your call log because you called me on whtsapp voice call..”
“oh..shucks..i didn’t check that..sorry Arnav..”,she spoke.
I asked – “why are you sorry khushi??”
And she asked – “ ok tell me what did I say because I don’t remember, I was probably in my sleep..”,and she paused as she asked nervousness evident in her voice – “ did I say something stupid?? I must have for sure, god why am such a goof ya..”
I chuckled and I said – “ khushi, chill ok..you didn’t say snything stupid at all..”
She spoke – “acha forget it..even if I did say anything stupid, not news to you, you know im stupid..ok so I wanted to tell you two things – because I will not get the time to because you will be off for the game ..”
I looked at my reflection in the mirror now whilst I was talking to her and I loved the smile I had on my face and I speak – “ what is it khushi??”
She speaks – “ I start big bus this Saturday..”
I grin automatically – “ that’s great khushi..”
The excitement is evident in her voice – “ I know right..i just received a email from them ten minutes ago and you were the first one I wanted to tell this too..you know iv been waiting for this email for almost two weeks now..”
I – “ I am so happy for you Khushi..and whats the second thing..”
She – “ so you know its diya’s bday today and rahul’s throwing a house party..”
And I say automaticaaly – “ you should go khushi..”
She – “ ofcourse I want to go I mean but I probably will go in late but im a little nervous because obviously Armaan will be there and I haven’t met him after our talk the other day at Chai and Coffee.. will it be weird..should I cancel and just not go altogether??”
Armaan.Ofcourse.
The Ex- Boyfriend – who loved khushi and wasn’t over her yet even though it had been more than a year to their break up.
Why did he have to pop up again?
Ofcourse.Rahul – her best friend was the common point in between.
I heard her voice - “Arnav..you there??”
I speak honestly – “ khushi you should go, it doesn’t matter ok..it wont be weird, youv had that talk with him and youv been honest..it will be ok..”
She – “ ok then hoodie guy..ill let you off now..i know you gotta game to play..all the best and enjoy yourself out there..”
I grinned as I spoke – “and it will be a good game anyway..”, I completed her sentence for her.
I could almost hear the smile in her voice – “exactly hoodie guy..good luck to you..speak laterzz..message me whenever you are free after the game..you know I wont text or call till then, because I wont know if itll be the right time..”
“thanks khushi..ill text you the minute im free..you know I will..”,I state honestly.
She spoke softly – “ I know..”,and before I could say anything further she hung up.
I quickly walked to the safety locker and picked up my wallet and placed it my bag, for it held krish’s lucky toss coin which was proving to be my lucky toss coin too, because I was now carrying it to every game and I had been performing very well ever since.
I make my way out and I remember her all the best wish.
She always told those words to me - all the best hoodie guy..just enjoy yourself out there and it will be a good game anyway - whilst she wished me luck before every game.
And.
She was the only one in this whole wide world who asked me to just enjoy myself out there in the field in that all the best wish.
She was the only one who didn’t say – Arnav all the best- go win this one.
Everyone wished me luck and then talked about winning in the next breathe.
Even Mom,Anjali and Dad – did that unconsciously.
Even I did that to myself and my team mates all the time.
But not Khushi.
And i know why.
Because her perceptions/opinions for me didn’t revolve around my winning or loosing a game.
And as I walk up to the rest of my team in the lobby and her face revolves in front of my eyes and I feel that fuzzy warmth in my heart again.
I remember her all the best wish again.
And I smile automatically as we now start to make our way into the team bus which would take us to the Wankhede.
I take my usual spot in the bus and now, im more sure of what id been thinking earlier.
Khushi was indeed at the top of that list of being the best things to have ever happened to me right next to my family and cricket.
And I thank God for all three all over again.
My Family.
Cricket.
And
Khushi.
She had no idea how priceless she was.
She had no freaking idea how precious she was to me.
But she would know soon.
When the time was right.
And when the time was right – I was going to aim for that perfect UpperCUT shot that would totally whisk her off her feet ,straight into the Air.
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Tada Guys!!
Let me know what you think!
Ignore erros haven’t proofread.
Much love guys
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Comments (2)
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Jai Shri Ram @SoniRita
+ 32
1 years ago
Hehe Khushi called ASR at 5:30 am to say sorry aww. N when they talked again n she told him she had a dream lol that was cute scene. Aww ASR is now considering Khushi his top priority after cricket n his family wow.
Jai Shri Ram @SoniRita
+ 32
1 years ago
Such amazing updates, m enjoying reading it.