Match Made In Hotel | Ruturaj Gaikwad ✓

Hai tujhe bhi ijazat

A/n - To every ICT fan and Virat admirer, this is my sincere attempt of making you smile.

Ruturaj

"Everything is moving so fast around me and inside me. I feel this pulse beating within me, the adrenaline rush, the thrill. I keep thinking about the season. Every thought of mine has had cricket in it. I need to unwind but I am not able to divert my attention to anything else. I tried listening to songs but it's not helping me."

I take a breath. I needed an outlet other than cricket. Something or someone who would let me express my feelings and hence I asked Kriti if she was free to get on a call with me.

"Hmm, do you want to go on a long drive?"

"At this hour?" I ask checking the time. 10:23 pm!

"You sound like you need some place that can help you slow down a little. And I know a place that is capable of doing exactly that. But it is about a 30 minutes drive from our hotel."

I hesitate. It will be way past midnight when we return.

"Don't worry about the time." she adds, knowing my nature.

"Umm, only if you are willing to-"

"Rutu, I know what I am getting into." I can hear her smile as she reiterates what she has always told me.

"Okay."

"Okay. I will pick you in 15."

"Drive safely. See you soon."

"I will. See you!"

I decide to switch my yellow hoodie with a light brown tshirt. The more dull the color, the less chance of attracting the staff's attention. As I tighten my watch's strap I look at my reflection in the mirror.

You look like you are going on a date, Rutu.

I shake my head, somehow hoping that it would help me wipe that sheepish smile off my face. Just the knowledge that I am going to see her in some time has put my mind at ease.

*********

In a flurry to avoid raising any suspicion, I climb in her car without exchanging any pleasantries. She has a similar, guarded expression as she starts driving. She momentarily turns her head to look at me.

"Phew. Now that there's a considerable distance between the hotel and us, we can talk freely. So tell me, did you talk about this with Thala?"

"I did. And his words helped me relax." I intentionally take a pause.

"Then why did you call me?"

"I just wanted to hear your voice."

She lets out a grunt and I watch her, amused.

"Can't even concentrate when he says things like that." I hear her murmur. I chuckle.

"Yeah, yeah, laugh all you want but you can't blame me for finding it difficult to concentrate when the guy I am attracted to admits calling me just to hear my voice. I mean, how are you so sweet, Rutu?"

She looks at me for a few fleeting seconds before focusing on the road again. Looking at her serious expression, I understand that it was not a rhetorical question. She is genuinely curious.

I sigh.

"Maybe because some people have been bitter to me?"

Her head jerks in my direction. She looks horrified. I reach out to stroke her arm as I say, "I have had bad experiences. But they are in the past. I would rather not talk about them tonight."

"I understand. You are quite remarkable, you know that? Turning bitter experiences into sweet personality." I watch her smile and the IPL already seems far away.

"Oh by the way, I have something for you which you'll get after we reach there."
She has something for me? I can't wait to know what it is!

**********

We settle down on the sand of the ECR beach. I look around. The cool breeze, the soft waves, Kritika grinning as she searches for something in her purse.... I don't think there could be a better way of unwinding.

I close my eyes as I tilt my head towards the skies.

When I open them, I catch Kriti looking at me with adoration in her eyes.

She offers a folded handkerchief to me. It seems familiar. Because it is! It's mine! I look up to her to confirm, she nods. I notice a small message stitched on it.

"Rutu se hi ऋतु sundar"

I run my hands through the message, absorbing the warmth and energy she might have wanted to transfer to me.

"This is one thing that I want you to remember. You make this world a beautiful place, Ruturaj. The world of humanity. The world of cricket. Others are bound to realise this, sooner or later."

I nod, swallowing the lump that has been forming in my throat.

She gets up abruptly. "I'll be right back." she says. I watch the low tide recede. By the time she is back, I have finished humming the first verse of Yeh raatein yeh mausam.

She was right, Rutu, you needed some fresh air.

As she approaches me, I notice two blue balloons in her hand. I chuckle. This beautifully thoughtful girl.

"Appa used to say that if we want to let ourselves loose, we have to empty our insides of all doubt and apprehension. Only then we can float in the sky like a balloon. So, Mr. Gaikwad, let all your doubts fly away with this balloon and loosen up."

We are grinning widely as we let go of our balloons. I surprise her by picking her up and twirling her around.

She closes her eyes. With the crinkles beneath her eyes and her laughter, I feel refreshed.