"Sorry, that I don't believe anyone could really fall in love with me,"

Virat Kohli wanted to disappear. He didn't want to face anyone. He didn't want to talk to anyone. He didn't even want to see anyone right now, especially one Manish Pandey.

Not at all, after the stint, he pulled on Manish.

Virat didn't actually want to hold on and sob on Manish as he did. He wasn't planning on unloading on anyone or anything. But he had been holding in for so long, he couldn't help himself

Finding familiar, non judging eyes of a person. Who had seen who he really was? What he had actually gone through? What all this was for him! Virat couldn't help but hug his bestie and let it all out. He didn't mean it to happen though.

Unloading his burdens, letting someone in, letting someone really read his troubles wasn't at all Virat's style. He always felt those problems were his to deal with, he couldn't burden anyone with them. It wasn't right.

But so much has been going on from the past few days, so much and he felt like an utter failure, a total and utter failure. The dressing room talks were getting leaked, plans were getting leaked, even the smallest thing he said was getting laked somehow and being made a public spectacle. He didn't know what to do?

Well, besides acting as a villain while getting his team's stingy looks. It all seemed like a repeat telecast of 2014 to him. He didn't force Mahi Bhai to retire. He never did. He never asked Mahi bhai to hand over captainship to him. God, he knew he wasn't ready for captainship of all formats.

But did Mahi bhai, no, not Mahi Bhai, MSD-the greatest Captain of Indian team listen to him? No, not at all. Did he care to share anything with him? Nops, again. Did he think it was kinda his duty to inform Virat about life-changing decisions? Decisions like retirement and stepping down from captainship? Nops, Nada again.

Mahi Bhai, never felt it was kinda the right thing to do. He never felt he should have informed Virat before retiring from tests in Australia neither he inform Virat before stepping down from captainship. Virat got to know about being Captain both the time from management.

Was he hurt?

Nops. Not at all.

Why will he be hurt? His big brother has taken such a big decision regarding both of their lives without informing him. He had gifted him a prestigious position. Why should he be angry? There wasn't anything to be angry at all.

Nops. Not at all.

There wasn't any other option besides taking it all in stride. After all, he had things to do now.

When Mahi bhai announced about his decision to the whole team. Virat had clapped and wished MSD a happy retirement. He had accepted the decision the fastest, hadn't protested even once.

After all, did Mahi bhai give him any right, any reason to protests? He hadn't even informed him beforehand. He didn't even tell him anything. So, how what Virat said at that precise moment would have made any difference?
It would have been for nought.
And Mahi bhai already had made up his mind. Who was he to try and change it?

So, he just did the right thing, accepted the decision, it wasn't like his wordings could change anything and it made almost everyone, believe that there was an ego problem between Mahi bhai and him. It made everyone think that he was the reason Mahi bhai step down. Everyone decided he was the one responsible.

After all, who else besides him could make that happen?

Even his Rahuliyaa thought so, it had hurt but Virat hadn't let them know. Well, what difference telling them would make? He remained silent made sure they won the goddammed series and made more sure, that no one sees the glassy look in his eyes.

And then, during the ODI and T-20 series,  Mahi bhai came back and everything was alright again. The tension, the charged cutting environment had disappeared. They were again the same relaxed group, after all, their Captain was back.

And now, it had again changed.

He didn't know why Mahi bhai stepped down. He didn't know why he retired. He didn't know why he stepped down? He didn't know how the dressing room talks and moments were being leaked. He didn't know anything.

God, what would he have done to have Mahi bhai back here? He had even gone as far as to beg the BCCI president to send the whole squad together. But as if Mahi bhai knew what he did, he didn't join the team. He said he'll reach before the T-20 series start. But Virat needed him now.

Of course, he didn't call Mahi bhai and tell him those exact words?

Why should he?

Did Mahi bhai tell him anything??

And God why did they made him the captain again? They should have made Ro captain. He was better in all those things anyway. At least, under Ro's captainship, they won't lose to England 4-1 in the test series. The dressing room talks won't be getting leaked. Ro would have been better than him in all these.

Why did they make him the captain again?

All he had done till now was mess up.

The whole team was getting trolled because of him, his words and his choices. His phone was buzzing with about a million notifications about every day. Every time, every other person cursing or laughing at him.

God, he knew he wasn't as good as Mahi bhai. He was a bad leader but all he wanted to do was give them chances. He knows they deserved it. They were good but the world seemed to be against his ideas.

Was he being an emotional fool here? A captain should be neutral right but he can't be. He will always choose Bhuvi, Jassi, Kul, Rah, Harry over anyone. There was no second thought on this matter.

And yet, lines such as "Humility may not be on-trend in Indian cricket these days but its earliest benefits are steps towards reflection, awareness, and as CS Lewis described it, "not thinking less of yourself but thinking of yourself less" were being published for him.

Well, Virat was used to these lines about him. What he didn't like was how they were targeting Rahuliyaa, Harry and everyone else.

His Rahuliya had returned from injury. This time was very necessary to build up his confidence. Harry couldn't perform well but he had ample talent. Virat knew. They just needed a little experience. They'll do better. Virat was sure. He just knew it.

Or

Is he being an emotional fool?

Virat didn't know!!! He just knew everything was hurting. The team giving cold-shoulder. Virat knew they didn't really mean it, when they said; "Who could really bear someone like him?"

He knew they were joking. The snide tone was feigned but those words pierced Virat's heart, alright. The environment he was currently strapped in, all the negativity slashing his heart. Virat couldn't help but think, "Could anyone really bear or like him just for himself?"

"Was there a single person out there who didn't hate him?"

"Did the team like him because of himself? Or because they had too?"

He didn't know. Virat just knew everything was hurting. He was feeling really stuffy. He knew he should talk with someone. Mahi bhai would have wanted him to talk with them and clear the air. But Mahi bhai wasn't here and did Mahi bhai talk to him?

No, na then why should he?

Yups, Virat wasn't absolutely going to tell anyone, How much he was hurting!!! He just wanted to go home and avoid everyone and everything. He should definitely switch his phone off and throw it somewhere. Yeah, he'll do just that after this series ended.

~~~~~~~~~

Manish knew Virat was avoiding him. Well, he had known that idiotic idiot from the U-19 days, even taken care of him when he was sick and he knew what kinda Captain Virat was too.

He knew the guy who didn't inform his team that he was suffering from 102° fever and played a match like nothing was wrong. Manish knew about the fever only because he was the guy's roommate and had suffered a heart attack when he fainted just like that in their room.

Yes, Manish and Jaddu have spent the whole night and coming few days taking care of that idiot. But did he miss any match? No, nops, not at all.

Manish kinda know Virat, well Captain Virat, included very well.

After all, Virat was his captain first. So, it has taken him all but two seconds to look past Vi's busy drama. The guy was avoiding everyone. He wasn't at all busy. He was being an overdramatic, sulky kid, who was ignoring everyone to show his anger. It wasn't quite working.

Manish actually wanted to shake Jad and ask him how couldn't he see past Virat's act? They both have seen this behaviour during the U-19 days, didn't they? Virat was kinda like those people who'll be the first one to tell everyone about the happy things but keep the bad things to himself.

And so, Manish was kinda out on a Virat hunting mission right now. He knew Virat was avoiding him because of the breakdown. It was so like Virat and Manish wanted to bang his head somewhere. Virat didn't want to burden him with the reason behind his break down. His bestie was kinda insane that way. He totally looks past the fact that Manish is currently being worried to death, not, knowing what's actually hurting him.

Manish will get that guy and make him spill all the beans. He just needs to find that stupid person first. He was walking looking around, trying to spot that moronic idiot when he heard a voice that made him stop at his place.

"The captain isn't allowing it,"

"Yes, he is isolated but still not letting them get their way. He won't let them change the team,"

"I know, I know, I'll keep you updated on the plans for the rest of series. Yes, Pandey is here. Yes, do one thing publish tomorrow the difference between Pandey and Kohli. How Kohli has become a mountain in Pandey's career? How Pandey admitted Kohli was the reason he wasn't given any chances in the team? Yeah, yeah, I know that'll be such a masala story. You can make the headline better than me, haha hahaha, areey don't worry it'll take some time but he will be in the team,"

"The team is against the captain. Areey, I made sure they feel Virat is the reason behind MS's sudden decisions. Yeah, yeah, it'll work if it didn't we will change the captain again. The public is against Kohli and his arrogance anyway,"

Manish's blood was boiling hearing the man's words already. It didn't take him much to understand the whole scenario. It was internal politics again. Who they wanted in the team anyway? And when the hell had he spoken anything against Virat anyway? Virat had helped him, he didn't hinder his career.

Manish wanted to bash that man's head and make sure he could never laugh that annoying high-pitched laugh ever again in his life. But to his bad luck and that man's good luck, he had disappeared before Manish could see him.

But to his good luck, Manish found Kulcha there, searching for the same man. They had also heard the man's conversation by chance and were ready to sprint to their team to inform them about this new development. Manish stopped them.

They needed to find their melancholic, self-doubting, blaming and isolated captain first and make sure, he was alright with Kulcha and Manish's joint effort. They successfully spotted Virat sitting beside the pool sobbing.

Manish knew, he just knew his bestie was being a broody, gloomy, over-thinking soul without any reason. Okay, maybe not without any reason.

Kulcha wanted to descent on Virat at that moment, hug him tightly and say sorry. But Manish stopped them. He knew Virat will close off if they mentioned anything about the past few days right now. He knew his friend. He knew Virat will act like a total jerk and send anyone away reeling now and the kids will become more gloomy after that thinking they lost their Vi bhai or something even more silly.

So, Manish told them to stay there. He'll motion them to come after he analyzed the situation. Thankfully, the kids decided to listen to him and Manish walked towards Virat.

"Are you avoiding me, Vi?" Manish asked Virat. He knew he was but still, what a better way to start a conversation then blaming your bestie?

"N..no, no" Virat said clearing his throat. He sounded broken. Manish didn't like a down Virat. He liked a laughing, happy, hyperactive, childish Virat and Virat's glassy red, watery eyes confirmed Manish's doubts. His idiotic bestie was definitely beating himself but will he tell what's bothering him? Nops, not at all.

Overdramatic, self-sacrificing, trouble magnet idiot.

"Are you crying Virat?" Manish still asked acting as if he didn't know anything and Virat's watery, red glassy eyes weren't proof enough.

"Nops, not at all, I...I drank the chilly soup. It's because of that,"

It was the lamest excuse, Manish had ever heard and Virat was an absurd actor. But this was his idiotic bestie and Manish kinda know what he was going through so he didn't call Virat out on his blatant lie. He didn't want Virat to close off and disappear again mumbling about work.

Instead, Manish nodded giving Virat you have gone crazy look but he settled beside Virat before Virat could run away and chilly soup!! as if Virat will ever drink chilly soup.

"Umm...did you want something?" Manish heard Virat ask him glaring at the water and Manish wanted to retort to Virat. But he didn't, he understood his bestie that much.

Virat was acting like this to anger him and send him back and Manish wasn't going to let him succeed at all.

"Yes, I wanted to talk," Manish said seriously instead. He could visibly feel Virat tense beside him. Didn't he say, Virat will act like a total jerk or close off or run away if someone brought up the past few days, right now?

"About what?"

"About our old days, of course, Vi. We are meeting after so many days. Remember, that time during the world cup, you fell sick and vomited on Jaddu. I so wish I had a camera back then that moment needed to be preserved in history," Manish finished with a wistful.

From the corner of his eyes, he noticed Virat relax and a smile was almost there in Virat's eyes. So, the good ole' days were a good topic. Manish continued with the topic. He liked talking about those days.

They laughed remembering the time when Jad, Vi and he had to share a room. It was chaos. Total chaos and the way Virag fell down from the bed. Virat denied that ever happening. Manish was certain Vi fell down the bed screaming "mummy" while Virat argued about that day being totally imaginary.

Manish motioned for Kulcha to join them.

He noticed how Virat tensed a little bit watching them but Kulcha did a good job to vanquish that tension. Kul sat beside Vi and Yuzi for reasons unknown to Manish, sat between Virat and Manish.

Both the kids, pestering them for more stories.

And this time, Virat felt great joy telling them about how Jaddu, Manish and Virat used to make tea for the team during their U-19 days. Well, making tea was their code for planning new pranks. Yes, they planned pranks while preparing tea on the heater. Yes, it was crazy.

But at least, no one doubted that anyone could plan pranks in the kitchen or making tea. The coach used to think they were such good boys taking care of everyone.

"Coach called me good boy only, he knew all about Jad and you," Manish contradicted Virat's words. Happy, Virat was finally smiling.

"Nops, he called me a good boy," Virat argued pouting.

"You're being disillusioned bro," Manish stated matter of factly.

"Nopsieeeee," Virat gave Manish a loop sided grin.

Manish rolled his eyes.

Kulcha laughed.

Manish was happy they were able to distract Virat from all the things that were eating him inside that night, Manish stayed in Virat's room reminiscing their days while Kulcha informed the rest of the team about everything.

Manish thought everything will be sorted now. They'll talk and clear their misunderstanding and stuff. But he was underestimating his bestie.

After all, his bestie had to do his over nautanki too.

Didn't he?

And Virat was doing just that being perfectly polite and distant while talking to the rest of the team or avoiding them using Manish as an excuse.

Especially when Ro or Jaddu tried to invite Vi for anything. Vi was all like "no, I've done it with Manish or I made this plan with Manish," even when they didn't do any such thing.

Manish just wanted to ask his idiotic bestie, "didn't he like Manish being alive?" Because the killer looks everyone was sending him Manish was sure, Virat was going to get him killed.

But what to do?

He can't ditch his Virat too.

Manish just hoped Mahi bhai comes soon.

And Rohit doesn't kill him before that but what all the seniors forgot as they got busy with the traitor hunt and mollifying their captain, were the two recent addition of the team.

They weren't involved in the hunt.

They didn't know what was going on.

And the image of Virat created in their mind wasn't quite good.

They were easily manipulated by the media. 

-to be continued-