The tournament was already halfway through. Arjun was performing exceptionally well. He had gained back his previous form. Hyderabad was on the top of the table. Everything was going well. And the big news is Divya and Shivin are getting married in a month. Isn't that exciting? I was literally on the seventh heaven when they announced it. I have actively been assisting Divya in her wedding preparations and shopping. After all I am her best friend.

Hyderabad had to play against Mumbai in the next match so the team was in Mumbai. And this time Arjun had convinced me so well that I had literally agreed to watch the match live in the stadium. Can you imagine me going to the stadium to watch a match? Anyways I had to go to the team hotel to pick up our tickets. Our here means Shivin, Divya, Shawn, Mihir and I. You read that right, Mihir. In this short span of time Divya got so attached to Mihir that I can't tell you. She has completely included him in her close friends circle. Coming to me, he was just an Associate. I was not that comfortable having him around taking into consideration our previous history. Thinking about all this, I didn't even know that I had already reached the hotel. Arjun was waiting for me in his room so I got there.

"Hello beautiful! How have you been?", enquired Arjun letting me into his room.

"I think I'm dreaming. Somebody has just called me beautiful"

"It's because you are! And I'm pretty serious"

"Thanks for the compliment. I'll have to leave real quick so give me the tickets"

"Hold on! We are literally meeting after two months and instead of having chat with me you want to leave. That's rude"

"Sweetie, you know right, I have to shop for the wedding. I haven't started it yet. Divya is going to kill me if I don't complete it by this weekend. And I have to go to your match tomorrow. So I just have this day left"

"What if I say that I'll come with you?"

"Seriously? Are you even allowed to do that? You have a game tomorrow"

"Mumbai is taking the ground today. We already had our practice yesterday. I think it's going to be okay"

Just then we heard a knock on the door. It was the team manager.

"Arjun, the coach and the owners want to see you in the recreation room, now"

"What do you mean, now? Is it very urgent?"

"Yes it is. It's about tomorrow's game"

"I'll be there in a moment", said Arjun. The manager left.

"Addy, wait for me. I'll be back in few minutes. We'll go shopping together. I know that sounded awful but I really want to go shopping with you"

"I'll wait for you. Go, attend the meet and come back soon!"
----

It was almost evening. The meet had been going on for hours now. I was really restless and pissed at Arjun. Had he let me go I would have easily completed all my shopping. Just then the door bell rang.  I saw through the peephole and it was Arjun.

"What took you so long? I have been waiting for you since ages now?", I shouted angrily.

"I have something very big", he responded.

"It better be bigger than the wedding because I'm going to tell Divya that you stopped me from shopping"

"It is actually bigger than the wedding"

"Don't beat around the bush. Just come to the point"

"I am the Captain of the Hyderabad team", he announced excitedly.

"What? Are you kidding me? Is this some kind of a stupid prank that you are playing on me again? "

"No, I am serious. I am the captain"

"Why will they make you the captain? Your captain has been doing so well?"

"The captain got injured yesterday in the nets. The injury is a little serious. So the vice captain is made the captain"

"Were you the vice captain? None of us knew that"

"Actually, even I didn't know that. Apparently, a few IPL franchises don't announce their vice captains to the public. But they have a name reserved in-case something happens to their captain"

"So you'll be playing as a captain tomorrow. I am so happy for you"

"Okay,  You couldn't go shopping because of me so I'm going to make it up to you. I'm going to ask my designer for your clothes and everything is on me"

"Look someone's become extra sweet"

"This is actually nothing compared to what you have done for me. You have literally changed my life. You were always there with me in my hardest times", he said taking my hands into his and cupping them. "You mean the world to me"

Before I could say anything, my phone rang and it was from work. I had to take it. We had quick chat. As soon as I was done with it, I came back to Arjun.

"Sweetie, I have to rush. We are in a bit of crises. Veer and Mihir want me there now. Bye, see you tomorrow"

"But......"

"All the best. Love you"

-----------------
I had gone to the stadium for the first time in my life ever. It was seriously surreal. The crowd and their spirits were exceptionally super high when Arjun came out for the toss. The coin favoured the opponents who chose to bowl.

So to everyone's surprise Arjun was not opening this time. In this season he's been constantly performing well as an opener. The word that he would come one down was spreading like fire in the stadium.

After the opening partnership broke after scoring 45 runs, Arjun entered the ground. The whole stadium was cheering for him. As he advanced to the crease, he had a brief conversation with the other batsman. As he faced the first ball, the tension on my face become evident. Mihir noticed it.

"Are you okay? You seemed to be tensed", he asked.

Duh! I'm definitely tensed. It's my man who's playing.

"No, I'm good", I responded. I sounded as normal as possible.

"I love watching Arjun play. He's got a great potential in him", intervened Shivin.

"Yeah. I told you guys that my bff is super talented", boasted Divya.

As soon as Arjun scored a boundary, all his fans started cheering and so was I. I was super excited that I jumped straight out of my seat and started screaming.

"Relax! It's just a boundary", ranted Divya.

What the hell? Is showing my excitement a problem to her? I have never stopped her from doing silly things.

"You can't stop me today. I'm sure that he's going to score a century. That's why I'm cheering for him", I responded.

"It's Wankhede. Arjun's home ground. I'm with you!", hi-fied Shivin.

After that Arjun went on to score a quick fifty. There were a lot of shots. Shivin and  I couldn't just control our emotions. It was a proud moment for the both of us.

"He's truly a run scoring monster", annouced Mihir.

"He's been constantly performing well. I just hope he gets back into the national team as soon as possible", said Shivin.

"He will", I assured him.

Arjun went on to score 94 soon after that. 94 in 46 balls. All of us were eagerly waiting for that 'magical six' which would lead him to his first IPL century. As the bowler approached to bowl I quickly crossed my fingers and closed my eyes.

"Oh, there is an elevation and a fielder in deep square leg. I just hope it clears the...  and it did. It's a maximum", announced Shivin.

I opened my eyes to see Arjun waving the bat in the air. It was his first IPL century. First century as a captain as well. He did the Thor thing looking at me. I asked him to do whenever he scores a century. It was a long time ago. He made fun of me when I asked him to do that.

He still remembers it.

"I'm super proud of you!", I shouted.

"He can't hear you", said Divya.

"So what? I'm really elated and no one can stop me from expressing my emotions"

"Weird", taunted Divya.

"I have never seen this side of yours. I thought you were calm and composed. You're seriously very interesting", said Mihir.

I become a freak for the people I love and admire.

I just gave him a wide smile. I was looking into my phone when suddenly the whole stadium become very silent. I just looked down to see Arjun walking out of the ground. The whole team was welcome him back with a standing ovation.

What just happened?

"It was the non striker's mistake. Arjun had to sacrifice his wicket for him. He could have scored a 150 very easily. He had to get out on 123 for the other batsman mistake", said Shivin dejectedly.

I didn't know what to say. I was completely clueless. My eyes were searching for Arjun. I could spot him in the dugout talking to the coach. There was just one over left and they had scored 236. Arjun keeps telling me that any score can easily be chased down at Wankhede. So they had to give a tough target. At the end of the match, Hyderabad managed to score a 243. The coach was patting his players as they returned to the dugout.

There was an innings break after which the team had taken their positions in the field. Arjun was rotating his bowlers aptly. The fielders were placed on point. It seemed like he was a very experienced captain. They soon got two wickets in the power play. Arjun cleverly kept changing the field according to the batsman. Soon Hyderabad registered it's first win under Arjun's captaincy. It was an emphatic victory as a captain.

The crowd was slowly leaving the stadium. Divya and Shivin had to leave early for thier dinner date. The cricketers were exchanging greetings. Arjun was with his teammates celebrating. He came aside, looked at me and waved. I waved back. He tapped on his chest and looked at me. I literally had butterflies in my stomach. I didn't know what was happening to me. I was just not myself. What was happening to me?

Did I just fall for him?

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