January, 2019...

"Do you remember the first time we opened together, Rah?" Mayank whispered.

Rahul stared at him for a moment before his lips broke in a proud and indulgent smile. "Started from the bottom, now we are here, Monkus!" Rahul whispered back to his best friend.

Mayank grinned ignoring the fact Rahul just called him by the most annoying nickname he could ever come up with. Rahul grinned back at him.

And with that they stepped into the field to open for India first time together... All set to create history!

As they stood on the crease, they couldn't help but recall all the times they have played together. Their faces were reflecting unfiltered pride and happiness.

"It feels so amazing!" Mayank exclaimed looking at Rahul.

"Opening for your country? Yeah, it does! We are opening for India for the first time. It has to be special." Rahul spoke smiling.

"We aren't opening for India for the first time, are we?" Mayank said and Rahul rolled his eyes at him.

How stupid his best friend can be?!

"I mean we are opening for India together for the first time." Rahul spoke.

"Why didn't you say the same thing to the selectors that you said to our childhood coach, Rah?" Mayank asked with a teasing smile.

Rahul looked at him confused for a second but the other moment he laughed out recalling the incident Mayank was hinting at.

"Match is gonna start. All the best, bro!" Rahul said between the laugh walking to the other end of the crease and Mayank grinned back at him.

"Mayank will open with me." A boy of around thirteen years spoke.

"Rahul, Mayank won't be playing in this match. You go and open with the other boy standing there." The man standing beside him who seemed to be the coach said.

"No! If Mayank won't play this match even I won't play." Rahul said stubbornly while Mayank stood at a distance fidgeting with his bat.

"What kind of stubbornness is that?" The coach snapped at him.

"It's not stubbornness. It's just that we have to play together. We always do!" Rahul spoke as if it's the most obvious thing in the world and the coach stared at him.

"But why don't you want to open with the other boy?" He asked Rahul after a moment.

"Because he isn't Mayank!" Rahul stated innocently.

After some time, Rahul walked up to Mayank.

"I'm sorry. I couldn't convince him." Rahul said sadly.

"It's okay. I'm not upset." Mayank said smiling.

"Didn't you want to play?" Rahul asked.

"I did. But I'm happy that atleast you are playing." Mayank replied with a smile.

"We will open for our country together one day, Monkus!" Rahul said grudgingly.

"We will. It's a promise!" Mayank promised.
------------------------------------

Rahul and Mayank were sharing the same room in that series. After the match was over they were playing some video games at night.

"Can we go out for sometime?" Mayank asked fed up of playing video games with his best friend who was least concerned in listening to his question.

"Rahul?" Mayank called.

No response.

"Rahul?" Mayank called again.

No response.

Irritated by Rahul's ignorance, Mayank shook him hard snatching the joypad from his hand and finally succeeding in getting his attention.

"I was about to win!" Rahul exclaimed.

"Who the hell were you about to win against? I already left the game." Mayank asked in disgust.

"You did?" Rahul asked casually sipping his black coffee.

"And people say he is nice to them!" Mayank muttered exasperated.

"Why are you getting so worked up, Monkus?" Rahul said teasingly.

"Don't call me that." Mayank said in a warning tone.

"What?" Rahul asked making the most innocent face.

"Do you want to test me?" Rahul asked raising his eyebrows at him.

"What are you talking about, Monkus?" Rahul said resuming his feigned innocence.

"Wait I'll show you." Mayank shouted and started hitting him with pillows or whatever his hands could grab.

"Hey, no!" Rahul bent in an attempt to escape from the flying pillow and ended up spilling his coffee on Mayank's t-shirt and both of them fell down.

"What did you do??" Mayank shrieked eyeing Rahul. Rahul in turn started laughing out loudly annoying Mayank even more.

"I swear I'll kill you one day!" Mayank said cursing him. He got up and rushed to change while Rahul was still laughing.

Mayank's phone was ringing while he was still in washroom so Rahul answered the call. He randomly unlocked it and starting scrolling through the gallery where he came across a pic which brought a million dollar smile on his face. And that was when Mayank came out and saw him smiling.

"Isn't that my phone you are using?" Mayank asked raising his eyebrows.

"Isn't that my t-shirt you are wearing?" Rahul said rolling his eyes.

"Is it? It was kept there so I just wore it." Mayank shrugged.

"Idiot," Rahul said. "Forget that. See what I got?"

"What is that?" Mayank asked sitting beside him and sneaking in the phone.

Rahul showed him the pic he was looking at. "Remember when we took this one?"

"Rahul? Rahul?" Mayank shouted on phone on not getting any reply from other end.

"Yes?" Rahul said albeit a bit.. sulkily.

"What happened?"

"Nothing."

"Have you hit your head somewhere in the morning?" Mayank asked raising his eyebrows.

"What?"

"I mean I knew you have some mental issues but such a major one?" Mayank teased.

"What are you saying, Monkus?" Rahul asked irritated.

"You are selected in Indian Cricket Team! You will be making your debut for India!" Mayank exclaimed excitedly. "And you don't sound even a bit excited to me! Aren't you happy?!" He asked or say complained.

"I'm happy. Ofcourse I'm!" Rahul answered in a low tone with a slight smile seeing his best friend so happy for him.

"Then why are you sounding like you know you will get out on a duck in your debut game?" Mayank asked grumpily.

"Stop kidding." Rahul rolled his eyes.

"It's such a great news, Rah! You should be celebrating right now! Why are you sounding low?" Mayank said seriously.

"I'm happy. I'm very happy. But.." Rahul's voice trailed off.

"But?" Mayank prompted him to say.

"You won't be there!" Rahul said quietly.

"Rah.." Mayank whispered faintly.

"Why couldn't we make our debut together?" Rahul asked in a desperate voice.

"You're idiot. Absolute idiot! Why are you thinking so much? You're making your debut and it's all that matters right now." Mayank tried to divert him.

"No! I'll be alone there. We could have played together. We should have!" Rahul wailed.

"So who said we won't? We will play together. We will definitely play together one day. Just not this time!" Mayank said in a voice that comforted Rahul and it started to sink in.

"We will play together, right?" Rahul asked much more calmly this time.

"Yes, we will." Mayank said cheerfully.

"You're coming at airport." Rahul said.

"You are ordering me?" Mayank asked raising eyebrows.

"Whatever you take it as!" Rahul smirked.

At airport...

"I want a century!" Mayank said.

"I will buy it and send it to you. Where can I find it though?" Rahul said sarcastically.

"Stop being a jerk!" Mayank rolled his eyes. "I'm serious." He added.

"Yeah, ofcourse." Rahul laughed.

"When will be you coming back?" Mayank asked in a quieter voice.

"No idea." Rahul shrugged. Mayank nodded.

"We will meet soon. You remember our promise, right?" Rahul said looking at him.

"Yeah, I do." Mayank smiled.

"We will open for India together one day!" They said in unison and hugged each other on an impulse.

"I love you, Monkus!" Rahul said.

"I hate you too!" Mayank replied with a little laugh still hugging him. Even the nickname which used to irritate him sounded so good at that moment.

"Wow! Why aren't you two dating each other yet?" One of their other friends asked capturing their hug in his phone.

They broke the hug and laughed out at his statement. It was finally time for Rahul to leave.

"I'll miss you!" They said at the same time.

Mayank looked up at Rahul after recalling that day who seemed to be doing exactly same.

No matter how the things have changed in all these years, what remained constant was their bond.

One debuted before the other!
One was man of the match while the other one was going through a tough phase!
One was on the field while other was in pavilion!

But none of these could ever affect their friendship. They celebrated each other's achievements. They supported each other in tough times. They stood beside each other in everything. Most importantly they never let the distance come in between their bond. Their friendship didn't fade but grew stronger over the years.

"I was far more excited than you on your debut." Mayank grinned at him.

"The same way I was at yours!" Rahul replied. "We fulfilled our promise, Monkus." He added giving a full smile.

"Yeah, we did." Mayank smiled back.

"We opened for our country together today!" They exclaimed together.

______________________________________

A/n

My first try on Rahul- Mayank pair! I know it could have been a lot better. But it was a first try on them so bear with me please.

Also, I've been obsessing over these two quite a hell lot lately. They are just goals! (See the cover pic ❤️)

Please vote and comment and tell me how was it!

Love ❤️