2024

The soft murmur of voices and the sound of laughter drifted from the living room as Shubman lay sprawled on his bed, his face buried in his hands. 

The photos of Navya, scattered across his room, were a constant reminder of the years he had lost. 

The album was open beside him, the familiar pictures staring up at him like ghosts, their memories haunting him in ways he had never anticipated. 

He didn't know why he was crying, or why it felt like the weight of the world was pressing down on him, but all he could think of was her—the girl who had once been his everything.

The ache in his chest was unbearable, the grief of what could have been flooding back with each passing second. 

His head throbbed with the weight of unanswered questions. 

Why hadn't he gone back to her that night? 

Why had he left her waiting under that tree, in the same spot where they had shared their secrets, their hopes, and their dreams?

He had broken her trust. 

He had broken them. 

And now, all he had were these fragments of a past he couldn't reclaim.

The door to his flat creaked open, but he didn't notice. He was too consumed in his thoughts, drowning in the realization that, after all these years, the one person he needed to fix things with—was still nowhere in sight.

"What the hell is going on here?"

It was Virat's voice, sharp and filled with concern, that broke through his haze. Shubman didn't move, his body stiffening as he wiped the tears from his eyes, his hands still trembling.

The door swung open fully, and his teammates—Rohit, Hardik, Yashasvi, Rishabh, Ishan, and the others—all stepped in, their expressions shifting from curiosity to immediate worry when they saw him lying there, his face hidden in his palms.

"Shubman?" Hardik called softly, taking a step toward him. 

"What the hell, man? What's going on? We thought you were just a little off, but this..."

"Fuck, man. We thought you were just in a mood. But this?" Rohit added, his tone full of disbelief. 

"What the hell happened?"

Shubman didn't answer. His throat felt too tight to speak, and the weight of their questions felt like too much to bear. 

The boys exchanged glances, concern growing in their eyes as they stepped closer to the bed. Yashasvi was the first to reach him, gently sitting on the edge of the bed, trying to catch his attention.

"Hey, buddy," Yashasvi said softly, his voice uncharacteristically gentle. "We're here for you, okay? You can talk to us."

For a long moment, Shubman said nothing. He had never been good at showing weakness, never been good at asking for help. 

But the rawness of the moment, the desperation of his unspoken feelings, made him finally crumble.

"I fucked it all up," he whispered hoarsely, his voice barely audible as he finally looked up at his friends. "I fucked everything up... with her."

Hardik's expression softened. "Who? What are you talking about?"

"The girl I told you about," Shubman said, his voice cracking as he spoke, as though the weight of those words was too much for him to carry. 

"Navya. I left her. I promised I'd come back, and I didn't. I left her waiting, and I never called. I haven't talked to her in... years." His voice broke, and a sob tore through him before he could stop it.

Rohit's brows furrowed, his concern evident. "Wait. You mean Navya? The one from when you were kids?"

Shubman nodded, the ache in his chest intensifying as he thought of her. "I didn't know what I was doing. I didn't know what it meant back then. But now, looking back, I love her. I've always loved her. And I—" 

He wiped his face roughly, his voice breaking again. "I fucked it up. I ruined it. She probably hates me now. I can't even find her anymore. She's gone from my life."

The room fell into a heavy silence, and for a moment, the only sound was Shubman's shaky breaths, as his teammates processed his confession.

Virat spoke up first, his voice low but firm. 

"You need to talk to her, Shubman. Don't just keep it all inside. She's still out there. You need to fix this."

Yashasvi nodded, his tone gentle yet resolute. "Yeah, man. You don't know what could happen if you don't at least try. You'll always regret it if you don't."

Shubman looked at his friends, their faces filled with understanding and support. His heart felt like it was cracking open with the weight of their words. 

Maybe he didn't know where to start, maybe he didn't know if she would even welcome him back after all this time. 

But they were right. If he didn't try, he would regret it for the rest of his life.

"I can't..." he muttered. "I don't know how to fix this."

Hardik leaned in, placing a hand on his shoulder. "It's not about fixing it, Shubman. It's about being honest. With her. With yourself. You owe her that much."

Rishabh, ever the playful one, added, "And if she doesn't give a shit about you anymore, at least you'll know you tried. No regrets, bro."

Shubman let out a shaky breath, his heart still aching. The emotions swirling inside him were chaotic—guilt, longing, fear. But one thing was clear: he couldn't let this go. Not now, not ever.

"Thanks, guys," he said, his voice barely above a whisper as he wiped his face again, trying to compose himself. "I—I don't deserve friends like you. But I need to fix this. I need to find her."

The boys shared a collective nod of approval, their expressions softening as they backed away to give him space. They knew how much this weighed on him, and they knew he wasn't the kind of guy to open up like this unless it was serious.

"You got this, bro," Virat said, clapping him on the back. "And if you ever need us, we're here."

Shubman nodded, feeling the weight of their words settle in his chest. For the first time in years, he felt like he could breathe a little easier, knowing that he wasn't completely alone in this. 

Now, all he had to do was find her. 

And hope that, somehow, she'd be willing to listen.

soup rants!!!

the fourteenth chapter is here!
did we like it?
do comment your favorite part
what do you think will happen in the next chapter?
until then
yours lovingly,

soup <3