RAGHVANSH'S POV:
[A FEW HOURS LATER]

I soak in my bath tub and continue watching the rain outside sipping my red wine. I sigh. The last week wasn't great for me nor is this one.

My eyes keep begging for a sight of her and my ears for her angelic voice. A smile makes its way to my lips as her image flashes in my mind.

YOU CAN'T FALL FOR HER.

My smile shortens, I'm trying hard. I stare outside surprised as usually I m find rains unbearable but it doesn't look that bad today. I chuckle thinking how a mere thought of her lights my day up.

Talking about today.

The moment I laid my eyes on her, my anger subsided. It didn't take a minute to understand she was my new orthopaedic physician. I didn't want to torture myself - knowing a month was enough for me to fall for her. I did go to reception to ask them if any other physician was available only to be handed a form which I did start filling but my hand stopped moving on it's accord.

I came back to the ward to just give her a lame reason. My heart cried to see her eyes well up, I'm sure it was because I walked off and that was quite disrespectful to a doctor. I plead guilty. I just wanted to hug her and sooth her that moment.

I feel my insides burning as the image of her with that Dhruv guy flashes infront of me.

HOW DARE HE FORCE MY PIHA FOR COFFEE.

My Piha? Yeah, I mean....whatever. Coming back, I was about to punch that fucking guy in his face but it would've been intimidating to Piha.

PIHA

Her name as angelic as her. I put on my bathrobe and make my way to my closet. I dress up and sit on my bed knowing exactly what to do.

I pick up my iPhone from the end table and open Whatsapp. I tap on the 'Squad Ghouls' group only to see '2387 unread messages'.

No wonder. They probably think I'm dead. It's been a week since I haven't opened whatsapp or any social media. I click on the Video call option ignoring the date or time. WHAT DAY IS IT? I don't even remember the goddamn date.

Only if you would've put as much attention you put in observing Piha. I organs groan.

"Oyee where?" I hear a familiar voice. "Ithe!" (Here!)

Oh. I divert my attention to the video call.

"Thank God you called, was just planning for your funeral." I flash him a sarcastic smile.

"Where are you all?" I ask the 3 of them as Kaushal declines my call.

"Home."

"Bedroom."

"My uncles place." They reply.

I sigh in annoyance. "I mean Pune ki Mumbai." (I mean Pune or Mumbai)

"Mumbai." Comes Raunaks' instant reply.

I throw the other two a questionable look. "Pune." They say.

"I want you two at my place, now." I say and hang up.

Let me just give you a short discription of my gang. I might say that I hate them but if I trust anyone on this planet then it's going to be them.

Aryan Kumar (31 y/o). I met him 16 years ago when we were in high school. He's always been the person closest to me since my teenage years. We were part of an environmental rally event in the same group, it didn't us a long while to become close buddies due our love for sports. He debuted in the Indian cricket team nine years ago as a pace bowler and is the vice captain now.

Shivam Thakur (30 y/o). He's a sports manager who works for India's official live sports telecast broadcasting channel. It was five years back that I met at one of our interviews and since then the three of us have a quite unbreakable bond.

Raunak Shah (25 y/o). Well Raunak is the kid of our group and the most entertaining I must say. He debuted in in the Indian cricket team five years ago due to his striking sixes in the under- 19 world cup. We met at Aryan's house party over a year ago. It was quite easy for us to get along with him given to his lame jokes and broken humour.

And at last Kaushal Singhania (27 y/o). Singhania debuted in the Indian Kabaddi team nearly five years ago as a star defender. I introduced him to the others at a after party during 2019 world cup.

They're the only people whose company I enjoy and trust. Though the absence of a partner always saddens me. Also the fact that they're the only people who know my parents existence, and not the orphan facade the world knows me as.

My stream of thought is disturbed due to Shivam's groan-

"This better be important Birla, my car almost flowed down the street." Shivam says only to be ignored. "And how many times did I call you, could have atleast answered once, we were so worried about you."

"HE.... Was worried about you." Aryan says as Shivam glares at him.

They plonk themselves on my bed which causes me to fall down the bed. I throw them murderous glares.

OK

Wait

I gotta tell them about Piha before her thoughts engulf me and I get lost into those cocoa coloured orbs.

"HE'S FUCKING BLUSHING. Can you see that Shivam!" Aryan smacks Shivam.

Am I?

"Are you fucking kidding me." Shivam yells and they start their assumptions. Ouch my eardrums.

"Will you yet me speak?!" I yell scaring them.

"Put those two fuckers on call, I don't want them to miss on anything." I say as Shivam excuses himself to call Raunak and Kaushal. I rub my forehead and sigh.

____________________

RAGHVANSH'S POV CONTINUES:

"You look tensed Raghvan." Kaushal frowns. "I did notice it during our last week mat sessions."

They do care for me.

I can't lie to them.

"Piha, Dr. Piha Deshmukh. I crashed into her last week at Fortis. Since then the deep brown orbs don't seem to leave my thoughts. Why does it feel life I've met her before? Why does she make me feel so vulnerable? Why do I want to forget all my worries and have her in my arms all day." A sob escapes my mouth. "I can't fall for her, fuck it, I can't fall for anyone. I can't ruin someone else's life.

Both of them rub my back. "Birla, it's okay."

I recite them about everything since last week to today.

"Raghvansh, don't stop yourself, it's gonna pain more and you'll regret it later." Kaushal says flashing me a sad smile.

Will I regret it later?

What if I don't become like my parents?

"You have no idea how happy I am for you. Atleast you can say you've experienced these feelings. It sounds like both of you are meant to be." Shivam grins.

Meant to be?

"But what about her? She's so beautiful, so innocent, so soft-spoken. No chance she's single. I'll end up like one of those drunk lovers who couldn't be with the one they desired to, and it's just me thinking about her. She might be calling me a creep for staring at her all day long."

"So don't stare at her." Raunak simply says. Wow, why haven't I thought of that before.

The others throw him a disappointed look.

My eyes start to protest the second she disappears. They just don't seem to get enough of those deep eyes.

"Maybe you should woo her." Aryan suggests. Ok I've had enough of their nonsense.

"Do you want me to scare that innocent soul? I have my ways, I just wanted to share with you bastards. Well tha-thanks for listening to uh... Me." I awkwardly say just to receive their disgusted looks.

"That's fine, just make sure you introduce us to bhabhi (sister-in-law) soon." I would've spit water on Aryan if I was drinking any.

That was quick.

I throw a deathly glare causing him to gulp in fear.

"Anyway enough about me, how's Mumbai? Paus padat ahe ka?" (Is it raining?)

Raunak nods. Raunak is from Bombay where as the rest of us are from Pune.

"Eww yaar (buddy- mostly used as a slang), I wish I was in Pune. Mumbai is already flooded." He says with the one percent general knowledge he has. I'm happy that he's aware about the rains in Pune or usually he's just busy cracking his stupid jokes which they apparently find funny.

"Birla, did you check our manager's message?" Kaushal looks at me.

I unlock my phone and tap 'Sarvesh IKT (Indian Kabaddi team) manager'.

No. Please, no.

"They've cancelled our practice sessions for another two day."

I sigh thinking how annoying these two days are going to be.

~√~√

Chapter cast*

Utkarsh Sharma as ARYAN KUMAR

Avinash Tiwary as SHIVAM THAKUR

Rohit Saraf as RAUNAK SHAH

Devdutt Padikkal as KAUSHAL SINGHANIA

Author's note*

Hey, hope you're doing well!
Do vote and leave a review if possible.
The next update will be out on 4th, Friday.
Take care!