Beginning of The End

XIII

"Where is Virat?"

The Indian team was scheduled to play two consecutive t20 series in the same venue, one against Australia and the other being against South Africa.

All the players were on the bus, ready to leave for the match location, all but one.

So the question was genuine, but Jinx had to take in a deep breath to stop himself from glaring at Rohit when he heard him.

"He's going to meet us there." Thankfully Ravi bhai answered the question, and Jinx didn't have to worry about controlling his tongue.

He avoided saying anything to anyone, just went to sit on the first seat of the bus where only one person could be seated with the sole purpose of avoiding everyone.

Jinx could feel the weight of the eyes stuck on the back of his head, and he felt a portion of the weight burdening his heart. They hadn't done anything for him to snub them like this.

He felt the guilt washing over him when he saw the expectant eyes of Rohit on him when he sat down and the crestfallen expression when he placed his bag next to him. He looked away from Rohit swiftly, just to catch Rahul looking at him with shocked eyes. And he felt the guilt increase.

But the more his guilt tried to take charge of his actions, the more he felt his anger from earlier overpowering the former.

It was so unlike him to hold a grudge, that too this long. It made him feel strange about himself, but at the same time, it didn't. In the past years, Anushka had become more than just Virat's wife for them. She wasn't just a superstar they had seen on the screen anymore. She had become so much more.

And to see her lying on that hospital bed after everything she had gone through, Jinx didn't know how he controlled his emotions. Maybe because he knew he had to remain strong for his best friend.

His best friend, who wouldn't let his emotions out anymore. His best friend, who stood outside the hospital room all night, waiting for the doctor to update them on her condition. His best friend, who didn't let his eyes shed a single tear.

The only good thing was that Anushka was kept under observation for one night, after which the doctors let her go. Jinx could not stay there for the night due to the hospital rules, and he had to be with Dev and the other boys. So he had to leave Virat at the hospital with a heavy heart- knowing he would have Jasper by his side was a small relief.

Jasper was an honest man. Highly dignified. And he cared for Virat immensely.

No matter how much Jinks tried, he wouldn't tell him what had happened after he left. Jinks only had a vague idea of what it must have been like, Virat must have been walking through the empty corridors, staring off into space, hiding a storm within him.

They could only guess because no one could ever know what Virat went through in those eight hours.

But Jinks knew they must have been terrible because the next thing they knew, Virat had decided to send both Anushka and Vamika back home, hiring a full-time nurse to take care of them.

Jinks didn't want to imagine how hard of a decision it might have been. Being so near them and yet so far. He knew he could never have the courage to do this. He didn't think it was possible for him to respect Virat anymore than he already did.

But an hour later when he saw Virat standing in the changing room, his wedding ring dangling in the middle of his chest on that familiar silver chain- he knew he was wrong.