"You are strong..." (A Rohit-Jaddu Friendship Fanfiction)

Part 4

When Rohit and Virat were returning from dinner that night, Jaddu caught up with them.

The captain and vice captain looked so gloomy that Jaddu felt compelled to say, "There could be worse things, you know."

Because someone always had to be cheerful.

"Like?" demanded both of them.

"Like going out in the group stage like our dear neighbours did," drawled Jaddu with a snort.

Virat gave a grudging smile, but Rohit was studying Jaddu intently.

"Or not winning a single match in the entire tournament like our neighbour's neighbours," said Jaddu, his voice trembling with laughter.

"You're mean," said Virat, as he started to laugh too.

Virat's phone rang, and he told them, "I'll come back later."

He left.

"There could be even worse things," Jaddu continued, seeing that Rohit hadn't smiled. "Like say, being labelled as rakshas in Ramayana like our island--" Jaddu was positively glowing by now.

"You don't have to do that, you know," said Rohit unexpectedly.

"Do what?"

"Act like you don't care."

Jaddu's grin vanished fast enough for Rohit's words to be confirmed; that it was just an act.

"I'm not acting..." said Jaddu, sounding extremely serious for him. "Maybe I don't care as much as you do."

"You and I both know that's not true," said Rohit quietly.

Jaddu said nothing.

"Have you ever cried, Jad?" asked Rohit curiously.

"I guess I have...when my mother was alive," muttered Jaddu, staring at the ground as if crying was the most shameful thing imaginable.

"And never since?"

"I don't think so."

"Why? Don't you ever feel like crying?"

"I do, but when she was alive, it was like.. she cared if I cried...after she went, it wasn't any good crying, dad was too strict and my sister wasn't at home a lot, so there was no one who'd care if I cried or not...I mean...do you get my point?" Jaddu felt his face burning; he didn't think he had ever spoken of these things to anyone since his mother passed away.

"I get your point, but what do you think we are, Jaddu?" demanded Rohit. "Don't you think we care if you're hurt or not?"

"Yes," admitted Jaddu. "But I'm a lot more emotionless than you guys... Jinks and Bhuvi are downright kind, and you're an animal activist, and even Virat stood up for Smith that day--I know I wouldn't do any of those..."

"But you'd be the first person to make Virat laugh if the crowd was against him," said Rohit. "You'd take a cruel dig at those people--which makes you think you're emotionless--but you'd be doing it out of loyalty to the people you care about."

"That's an interesting idea!"

"Yes, isn't it?" said Rohit. "A loyal person can't be emotionless, Jad. And you're probably the loyalest among all of us. I don't know why you think it's some sort of crime to show sadness or anything. Why do you think you always have to act cheerful?"

"I dunno. Habit, maybe."

Rohit sat down on a window sill and pulled Jaddu down beside him.

"How are you feeling right now?" asked Rohit.

"Are you a counsellor, Ro?" asked Jaddu snidely.

"Shut up and answer my question. What are you feeling right now?"

"I don't know...seems like the only thing I ever wanted was to win a World Cup with you guys..."

"I know, I feel exactly the same. So does Virat, though he already won a World Cup."

"So...things kind of suck now," said Jaddu frankly.

"At least you admit that, though you really don't know how to express anything," said Rohit, shaking his head.

"I knew I shouldn't have said anything," said Jaddu regretfully. "I knew you'd laugh."

"I'm not laughing!" said Rohit hastily. "I just wanted to make you a little less abnormal than you are. Just a little bit."

Jaddu never sulked, nor did he ever mind jibes like that, nor did he ever try to protest. So as usual he started to laugh his infectious laughter loudly and continued till Rohit joined in.

Rohit felt strongly that there was something genuine in this laugh of Jaddu's. It wasn't a facade anymore.

After they had laughed like crazy for quite some time, Jaddu asked, "I can tell you anything, right?"

"Sure!"

"You know, the thing I feel worst about right now is that I promised you I'll take us through, and I couldn't. It feels... awful." A shadow seemed to fall on Jaddu's face as he said this.

"You tried, didn't you? You almost did it!" said Rohit. "You can't imagine how proud we--I-- am of you."

"Are you really?"

"Do you seriously doubt it? You're, like, the heartbeat of the entire nation, Jad. We're all so proud of you," said Rohit with feeling.

"Heartbeat of the entire nation?" repeated Jaddu wickedly. "Why, that sounded quite poetic, Ro!"

Once again Rohit tried to fight back a grin unsuccessfully.

He knew Jaddu would never really lose that cheerful mask.

Only, it might show occasional cracks from now on.