*Aslesha*

It's the day of the match.

And I've never been so bloody excited for a match before!

Shabnam, Saumya and Pari had come to my place so we could come here together. So I didn't bring baby doll today and we just came by a cab.

"You've seriously not seen Viraj Singhania play before?" Saumya asks raising her eyebrows.

"Well.. I'm not that much into sports" I say.

"I've seen him. He's really good" Pari says as we get inside the college. It's so crowded today because the Xavier's students are here too.

"Ya lets see" I say.

Kuch jyada hi taarif ho rahi hai uski.

"Hey girls!" Joel meets us near the entrance of the college's stadium. He gives Shabnam a quick kiss on her cheek and I just have an awww moment.

"I can't believe I'm going to watch a cricket match with 4 beautiful girls" he says proudly.

"One of them is your girlfriend by the way" says Shabnam giving him a fake smile and we all laugh.

When we go to the stadium, the front seats are almost fully occupied. We rush and grab seats in the 7th row.

Thank God we came early. But thoda aur aage baithne mil jaata toh behtar hota.

"Mujhe aage baithna tha" Pari whines as she sits beside me. Saumya is on my other side and beside her are Shabnam and Joel.

"Aww look at Paro whining to get a front seat to watch Majnu" I tease her.

The ground is quickly getting packed and is buzzing with energy. I'm already sure that this is going to be an amazing night!

"Who's the captain by the way?" I ask Joel.

"You remember that guy, Viraj ke ghar pe bean bag pe baitha tha. Neel Chaddha" he says and I nod.

Chaddha? Hahaha.. I always found that surname funny.

A group of girls come and sit in the row behind us. The heavy perfume makes me turn and look back and it's none other than... Khoon peene wali Trisha and her friends.

Inhe bhi yahi baithna tha kya yaar!

Why the hell are they wearing mini skirts and crop tops? Do they even know yaha kitna uchhalna kuudna hoga. Aur heels? Kisi ka galti se kisi aur pe per padd gaya toh yaha se langdi ho ke niklegi. Gosh! Best of luck with that.

Joel and Shabnam go to bring some snacks. The toss happens and our college wins deciding to bowl first.

I start munching down the nachos that Shabnam gave me and our team comes to the ground and starts warming up.

They all are wearing a maroon coloured jersey and tracks with their names in white behind.

I instantly spot Viraj and whoa whoa whoa!!! Does the boy look hot in that jersey?

He looks strong and focused and athletic and sexy!

Super duper sexy.

Ok Aslesha, you've started drooling before the match has even started.

He and Neel are talking about something seriously as he does some stretching exercises.

Then they all go in the middle and do that huddle up thing like cricketers do. I wonder kya bolte hai ye log? I'll ask Viraj later.

Then they all break the group huddle and I see Viraj looking around the ground like searching for someone.

His eyes stop towards my direction and then he narrows his eyes and grins. Oh my god, he was searching for me!?

The group of girls behind us start giggling. Oh please, I know he's looking at me! How can you miss the gaze of those blue eyes?

He smiles and winks at me. Wow! Viraj winking is hot hot hot!!

And I need to stop calling him hot hot hot. Ugh.

Pari purposely coughs beside me and I roll my eyes.

"Oh my god Viraj Singhania winked looking at me. Oh my god oh my god oh my god! Did you guys see?" I hear Trisha saying and I have an urge to snap at her telling her that 'he was looking at me'.

But I don't. Let her dream. Andhi kahi ki.

As the match starts, everybody is supporting and cheering for their own team.

Our spinners and bowlers are doing a great job. In just 5 overs they have scored 35 runs with one wicket down.

I see that Sid and Tej are the bowlers of our team and they take one wicket each. When Rudra takes a catch, Pari screams and cheers for him loudly.

"Oww mere kaano ke parde faad di tu" I say laughing as she dances beside me.

Then Jay takes a catch. 4 wickets are down after 15 overs with 130 runs. One of the batsman is playing really well who made a half century. He needs to get out soon warna score 180 tak jaa sakta hai.

Then in the 17th over, Viraj gets him run out by a direct hit on the stumps. I start cheering and screaming for him and Pari is the one saying to me, "Oww mere kaano ke parde faad di tu".

They don't make any runs after that and we get a target of 168 runs in 20 overs.

Not bad.

Our whole college is super confident as I hear many people saying that 'Viraj toh aasaani se maar dega'. Many people will be seeing him play for the first time.

But I see that the familiar faces from our school are the most excited as they will see him play after 3 years.

All of this is just getting me more and more excited. I'm dying to see him play.

Pari and I go buy some sandwiches and coke in the break after the innings. We get back on time to see the openers enter the stadium.

"I didn't know Rudra and Jay are the openers of our team" I say.

"Jay achha khelta hai. Aur Rudra bass settle ho jaaye toh maarte jaata hai dhadaa-dhad" Joel says. I wanna ask when does Viraj come to bat but I don't.

Pari will start teasing me again. But what can I say? I'm just too hyped about watching him play.

They both start steadily but I now get what Joel was saying. Rudra form me aa jaaye toh maarte jaata hai.

Rudra makes 33 runs and Jay is about to make a half century as he is on 42 runs but gets out. So after 10 overs our team is 75 runs with 1 wickets down.

And then Viraj steps on the ground. The energy of the stadium is doubled as he walks towards the pitch with determined steps. There are whistles and shouts all around me. I am awestruck.

This boy has our whole college worshipping at his feet. Wow.

He looks more sexy now with that helmet and gloves stuff.

Viraj is on the strike and the very first ball is a bouncer which goes straight above his head.

Whoaa. Easy there.

And the next ball Viraj takes a step forward and swings the bats making the ball cross the boundary with a sixer.

For a moment, just one second, the whole stadium goes quite and then there are cheers and hooting and screaming and shouting and dancing.

After that it's like every ball that hits his bat is either going for a four or six. The amount of screaming and shouting I'm doing has already made my throat sore. Rudra completes his half century making 56 runs.

Viraj on the other hand makes 70 runs and we complete the chase just in the 18th over.

He finishes it off in style and Rudra literally jumps on him when he hits the last ball as four, hugging him. The whole team gets on the ground and start hugging each other.

Some of the students run towards them on the ground, including my friends. Even Trisha and her friends push me away and get ahead.

I had heard that winning a cricket match was a rare occurrence for our college. So I get it why everyone is going crazy.

I see Pari jump in Rudra's arms as she hugs him tightly. Rudra toh asli me ab jeeta hai, I think and smile.

Everyone is around them so I stand at a distance looking from afar.

"You were soooo good" Pari gushes jumping up and down. "Maine kaha tha na aaj tumhare liye atleast 50 runs banaaunga. Banaa toh mai 100 deta but target low tha" Rudra replies.

The girls have surrounded Viraj and I just shake my head smiling. I remember his words from before. 'Faaltu me itni ladkiya pagal nahi hai Viraj Singhania ke peeche'. He was amazing. Ladkiya toh pagal hogi hi.

I don't know much about cricket but the way he was hitting the ball was so graceful and with ease. As if it's totally natural for him, like breathing.

I seriously couldn't take my eyes off him. I still can't.

He and a guy from our team are having a conversation, when his eyes fall on me. Shit he caught me staring.

I give him a smile. He raises his eyebrows as a gesture asking me 'kaisa laga?'

I make a face and shake my hand in a gesture saying 'thik-thak'.

He laughs at that and I laugh too. Well I'm not gonna tell him that I was cheering for him like a crazy fangirl and that he was amazing. Ego aur fuul jaayega uska.

The coach comes and asks them to get back to the locker room for a while.

But instead of going inside the building Viraj starts walking towards me.

Wait, why is he coming here? I look behind to see if there's someone waving at him or something. Nobody.

He is sweaty and his jersey is sticking to his body at all the right places enhancing his muscles. His hair is damp from sweat and still he looks like some model. This is so not fair!

"Look at you looking all gross and sweaty" I say crunching my nose in disgust.

"As expected" he laughs. "Eventually you'll accept it how you were totally drooling at my sight on the ground." he smiles and I roll my eyes.

"Party me milte hai. You are coming. End of discussion. See you soon" he says and then runs towards the building without hearing my answer.

Konsi party? What the hell.

"Aashi, there you are!" Saumya comes towards me smiling.

"Hey, baaki sab kaha hai?" I ask.

"Gate ke yaha wait kar rahe hai. Joel said that we're going to a party. At Neel's house. Victory party" she says.

Oh toh ye party. But Pari ruk paayegi ya nahi? Arre ha, uske dad out of town hai. Yesssss.

Joel, Shabnam and Pari are already in the car waiting for us. I get inside. The boys of the team will go together I guess.

We stop by a hotel to get food. Joel got a call from Sid asking him to bring chicken biryani. So we take 20 plates of chicken biryani and 5 of veg biryani.

Now I'm damn hungry!

I call papa and inform him about the party. He seems pretty cool. Aise papa sab ko mile.

When we reach Neel's place, it's past 10pm.

Neel's house is not a house. It's an effing bungalow.

Parties se mera koi jyada achha connection nahi raha hai. I didn't attend a single party after the party incident at Saloni's place.

But I push that memory away. I don't wanna think about that day.

We get inside and I look around. Sid and Rudra are pushing the couch inside one of the the bedroom.

"KHAANA!" Tej squeals like a little girl and takes the plastic bags from my hand.

"Ab tak koi aaya nahi hai?" Pari asks Rudra. "Sab ko 11 ka timing diya hai. Lets eat before everyone comes" he says leading us inside a room. It's the kitchen.

"Toh fir unko kya khilaaoge?" I ask. "Vo log khaane nahi peene aa rahe hai. Aur snacks vagera sab hai unke liye" Rudra answers.

"Aashi!" Jay calls out when he sees me. He has a beer bottle in his hand which is almost empty now.

"Hey Jay, you played really well" I say and he takes my hand in his. "Oh thanks" he says. I look across the room to find that familiar face with blue eyes and right then he walks inside the kitchen.

"Almost sab kuch bedroom me shift kar diya hai" he states and his eyes fall on me. He smiles at me and I smile back.

When his eyes fall on my hands he looks away and grabs a bottle of beer. Oh Jay is still holding my hand. I awkwardly remove my hands from his.

Pari and Shabnam get all the plates as everyone grabs a place to sit in the kitchen. I take my plate and go and sit beside Viraj who is sitting on the counter.

He smiles a little as I fold my legs and sit comfortably. "Hey dummy" I say happily.

"You can't stay away from me bilkul bhi na. Kaise fataak se baju me aa gayi dekho" he smirks. I am about to go and sit somewhere else when he grabs my hand and laughs.

"Sorry sorry sorry! Mazak kar raha tha paglu. Baitho yahi" he says.

I press my lips together and sit back again.

"Idiot" I mutter under my breath. "Lekin tum sahi me mere bina nahi reh sakti ha. Sahi me wapas baith bhi gayi" he teases again earning a slap on the thigh from me.

"Bahot maarti ho yaar tum" he says rubbing his thigh where I hit him. "You deserve it jackass" I retort.

We start eating. I was totally famished and this biryani is so tasty. I feel better now.

Viraj is already on his second plate. When I'm done with my plate I start eating from his plate. He doesn't complain though.

Hum dono ek dusre ka khana toh aise hi khaa jaate hai. Jaise bilkul normal hai ye.

"Come on hurry up. Sab log aane lage hai" a guy named Farhan who is also in the team informs us.

He comes towards Viraj and drags him outside the kitchen.

"Rudra ne mujhe pilaa di" Pari comes towards me giggling. "Tum bhi thodi pee lo Aashi. Come on" she says pulling me towards the dining table where Rudra, Tej and Saumya are sitting.

Everyone is outside now enjoying the party and it's just us in the kitchen. The music has started playing outside loudly and I can hear the chattering of people.

"Hey asle.. asle.. asless.. oh god ye kaisa naam hai tumhara? Address ki tarah" Tej slurrs and everyone laughs.

"Come on now it's your turn to try the drinks. Ye lo vodka" Saumya says handing me a glass.

"Vodka? Seriously? You need something strong yaar Aashi. Vodka se kuch nahi hoga" says Jay and sits beside me. He takes the glass from my hand and puts it away.

"Now try this" he says handing me a glass of another drink.

"Vo pehle kabhi drink nahi ki hai. Let her start with something.." Rudra says but Jay cuts him off. "Maza issi me hai. Come on Aslesha. You can do this" he says smiling widely.

I take the glass and Tej starts wolf whistling and Saumya starts cheering for me. "Aashi Aashi Aashi..."

I touch the glass to my lips and the sour taste of liquid that touches my tongue makes me crunch my nose. "Aise nahi pee paaogi. Fatak se peeyo. Come on everyone. Bottoms up!" Jay says and I gulp down the liquid all at once.

Whoa!

~•~•~•~•~•~•

Late update. Sorry for keeping you guys waiting. I was a little busy this week. But the party is not over yet and there's a lot to come. Also happy rakshabandhan to everyone who celebrate it! Keep reading. Ily :)