Little Book Of Red Lies | Shubman Gill ✓

37. Strong & Weak

Anand put his hand around Shubman's shoulders. It was not often that Shubman encountered people who were taller than him but this was one such rare occasion when someone towered over him.

As they took their first step, a breeze brought him a whiff of Kavya's scent. For a moment, his breath stopped. He thought it was his senses that were playing tricks on him but as they walked, he smelled her. Her. Shubman had to use every rational cell of his brain to not smile and pretend as if nothing had happened.

"I'm going to be honest with you. What I want is to play for the Indian team." Shubman's attention snapped back to Anand. What?

Anand enjoyed how Shubman gave him the judgemental look.

"Yeah I know, I know, I'm crazy. But I have been thinking about this for a while. What's the use of being jealous of Sachin Tendulkar when I can experience what he did?"

Shubman struggled to not punch his fingers on his face. The audacity of him to think he'd be as loved as Sachin was, drove Shubman wild.

"But, how-"

"How, when, where is all up to you. I won't waste my energy on that. You are a vampire for god's sake Shubman. When will you learn to use your powers? Compel selectors. A few journalists. Forge a new identity. And Ranji trophy records. I don't know, do something. This is your chance to impress me."

Impress him? What in the freaking world? When Shubman thought he was about to loose his mind, he inhaled, hoping to catch the familiar smell again. When he did, he calmed down at once.

He swallowed.

"The day I hear people chant Anand Anand in the stands, Kavya will be yours."

It was unfair. All of this would take a lot of time. The only upcoming international match was the world test championship final. After that, the first tour was supposed to be in September.

"You don't have a choice, sweetheart. Either this or Kavya stays with m-"

"I'll do it." A plan had begun brewing in his head. If he succeeded, it would not only mean getting Kavya back, but also, getting rid of this devil.

"Great."

Anand forwarded his hand for a handshake indicating that the deal was sealed, but Shubman asked him, "Are you a bowler or a batsman?"

Anand smirked, "What do you reckon?"

His confidence and smugness gave Shubman his answer. "An all-rounder."

"A batting all rounder." Anand gingerly added.

Shubman could see the hunger for fame in Anand's eyes. And he was going to use it as the weapon to trap him in his own plan.

"Send me updates on Kavya's phone." He ordered Shubman and turned to zap away. As he superspeeded his way out from the forest, a strong wind blew, with Kavya's faint scent, lingering. He sniffed it until his nostrils burned. She had been here, as he had guessed.

Instead of rushing his way out, Shubman walks through the forest. Wondering which trees she had touched.

When Poornima found him, he was hunched down, sitting on a giant rock. As soon as he saw her, he got up.

"How is she?" His words were hurried and urgent.

"Not hurt." Shubman exhaled.

"She told me to tell you…"

And as Shubman heard Kavya's words, he felt as if he was being peeled open. His layers of skin, shed themselves until only his bare, fragile heart was left.

A heart that loved her.

As these words formed in his head, he knew that the first person he had to tell this about was Sara.

*****

He was sitting in Sara's bedroom. It had been twelve minutes since he had told her that he wanted to talk to her. But he didn't know how to frame it. Only when she was in front of him, Shubman realised how heartbreaking it would be for her. Her boyfriend…falling in love with her bestfriend.

Shubman did not want Sara to feel unwanted. She was amazing. Truly. It wasn't about her but him. Words, that no one ever liked to hear.

Sara sought Shubman's eyes, searching for what she had been sensing since quite some time now. But Shubman's head hung low. He was deeply ashamed of breaking her heart.

"I'm sorry." He said in a voice so small that if Sara hadn't been expecting the words, she'd have never heard it.

As soon as the words left his mouth he raised his head a little. Sara caught his painful expression. He was crying, she noticed. Tears started flowing from her eyes too. She had wanted it to work out between the two but, God had other plans, she believed. Better plans, even.

Even in her misery, Sara is partly happy. She had seen that Kavya not only made Shubman weak with worry, she also made him strong. She was his strength and weakness. And when these two combined, only love took birth.

"I'm sorry too." She felt the need to apologise for accidentally ending up between the two. Her apology was empathetic and angry. She was sorry for thinking she had a chance with him. Sorry for putting herself through this pain. Sorry for not realising earlier that had always been a little too affectionate when it came to Kavya.

Her head throbbed. She asked Shubman if he could leave. There was nothing left to talk about. Shubman wanted to comfort her, tell her things that would make her feel better but he knew that now was not the time. Sara needed to get the anger and the foreign bitterness, out of her system before he apologised again. Glancing at her antagonizing expression one last time, he left the Tendulkars' house.

As Arjun watched his sister's baggy eyes the next day, he couldn't help but wonder if they were cursed at love.

Time would eventually prove him wrong.