A/N : When I started the story, I didn't expect it to reach 1K reads so soon, let alone 5K, and I didn't expect so much of support either, so I'm truly grateful for all the support, it means so so much to me. I'm not good at words when it comes to expressing my gratitude, sorry about that, but thank you so so much for your unwavering support, the comments and votes, it means a lot to me. And the Diary Entry will be at the end of the chapter.

" I think that'd be perfect for an Instagram story." Seb said and Jugnu nodded.

" I can't believe she agreed for a photoshoot at such an early notice." Shubman muttered

" That's how Ma'am is!"

" She has the ability to take up things last minute, and take the best out of it."

" The immense amount of patience and enthusiasm she has is truly admirable."

Shubman's brows raised but he seemed to agree.

The well spent days in London with her under one roof made them know each other quite better.

And he'd seen the patience she held with the smallest and most annoying things, it was surprised and admirable.

And, it made him realise, probably he did get on her nerves a lot for her to lose her cool with him around.

" Will she be coming here?" He asked the staff who shook their head.

" Ma'am is flying to Boston."

" Today?"

" Tonight."

" From the Mumbai Airport?"

" Yeah."

" When is she to return?"

" No clue."

He sighed.

" She's coming back next week. For MI vs GT's match." Jugnu told him.

" Of-course..." He muttered.

She'd been an ardent Mumbai Indians fan since she was a kid, her Father played for the team, now her brother was there on the team, although he wasn't among the playing eleven.

" Hey Siri, call Arjun."

" Calling Arjun." The monotonous voice responded.

" What's up man?"

" All good. What about you?"

" I'm good too. Swamped with practice. So?"

" So...uh..um..the thing is..."

" Di isn't around Shub, she's in office."

" I..No! I didn't call to ask about her!"

Arjun chuckled over the line.

" Yeah? Then why did you call?"

" I...can't I call a friend? To know how are you doing, and how's everything going?"

" The thing is Shubi, so far, you either call to complain about Di, or to ask whether I'd come online to play."
He sounded amused and Shubman sighed, dragging a hand down his face.

Jugnu laughed and Arjun seemed to have heard him.

" KP? Is that you?"

" It is! Been long, how're you doing?"

" I'm doing good. How about you?"

" I'm doing pretty good as well. How's Sara?"

" Busy. She's got studies too. Too much of work for her. She could really use a break, but that is if she listens."

" Why is she flying to Boston?"

" Work Shubman, work."

" With...?"

" With Chaya but Sid will be joining her there."

" Sid who?" Shubman immediately asked.

" Sidharth, our cousin." Arjun let out an amused chuckle and Shubman let out a sigh of relief.

" With his girlfriend Larrisa."

" Oh! That's...that's great!"

" I know. Well..I'll talk to you later yeah? I hope the shoot is fun."

" How did you know?"

" How would I not Shubi? You're having a photoshoot with my sister's brand, of-course I'd know."

" Yeah...right. It is...fun. The staff is pretty cordial."

" Good to know! I'll see you in a week then! Bye!"

" Yeah, see you! Bye." He muttered as Arjun hung up.

" What's up? Eager to see Sara?"

" I don't know..."

" What do you not know?"

" It's just....very different when she's there. Something with the air when she's around. Something about her that she perfectly manages to change the atmosphere. She's just...indescribable. What she does to me is indescribable."

" What she does to you is makes you fall for her. The more you deny, the harder you fall."

" Kuch nahi samajhra yaar Jugnu."

Jugnu looked at him, surprised.

He'd expected him to deny it as always.

But he didn't.

" Ki gal hai?"

Shubman shook his head with a sigh and got up once his touchup was done.

Jugnu watched his cousin and best-friend, concerned as he saw him in an emotional turmoil, questioning his own feelings.

" He seems off." Seb said watching him grow frustrated.

" He is. I pointed out he's fallen for Sara, instead of retorting he simply said he doesn't understand anything."

" This cannot happen right before the IPL. Him going through an emotional turmoil. That will affect his form!"

" I know."

" How can we fix it?"

" We can't. Only one person can."

" And that is?"

" The very person he's questioning his feelings for. Sara."

" But...but...right now? It's impossible!"

" We should let him be for a while. On his own."

" No what's wrong with you? We cannot-"

" I know him Seb. Calm down. He needs to be left alone. After the shoot, he'll probably insist on going back to the hotel and resting. So let him. He's done with his practice for the day."

" He could use a distraction KP! Probably a movie or a game-"

" You're trying to get Sara off his head for the time being? It won't work. Because his mind isn't the only place she resides in. Besides, her thoughts would only etch further in his mind the more we try to distract him. He needs to be left alone to think about it."

" It will work?"

" It will."

Seb didn't seem to agree but he simply nodded.

Like Jugnu had said, Shubman indeed insisted on some time alone and retired to his room quite early, saying he was having a headache and would have dinner in his room.

Hardik, although concerned, decided to let him have his time, but made a note to ask him later.

" Do you think it's regarding the match?" Shubman had overheard Sai Su ask Hardik, sounding concerned.

But Hardik clicked his tongue in denial.

" It's regarding a girl."

" Sara T?"

" Yeah."

" How are you so sure?"

" Because I've been there. Gone through all that."

Shubman didn't stop to hear the rest of it.

There was only one person he felt like ringing up at this odd time.

And so he did.

Despite knowing that he was either busy or having his dinner.

" Kake? What's up?" Shubman could hear Siraj's voice in the background asking for help while Faf and DK ganged up against him.

" Are you busy?"

" Never for you kiddo. C'mon, blurt it out, what's bothering you?"

" How..how did you know?"

" That something is bothering you? C'mon Shubi, how would I not know? Chal dass."

" Sab gadbad hai Cheeku Bhaiya. Whenever she's around, she makes me confused. Frankly speaking, I don't understand what happens to me. Everytime she walks into the room, the world around pauses, as if she's the only one present. I often say I don't enjoy her presence, I detest her but I always seem to detest her absence more. I realise I enjoy seeing her riled up but only because she looks absolutely adorable when mad, her laughter is just so beautiful, like a musical chord one would want to play again and again. I realise my heart picks up pace only in her presence, she does to me, something that no one else ever never even managed to. I realise, I seem to hate her tears, her sadness more than I claim to hate her."

Virat chuckled on the other line, and Shubman was sure he was smiling hard, his eyes twinkling.

" This, what you feel, isn't hatred Shub. This is called love. And you, my boy, are in love."

" Am I?"

" Kya baat hai, aaj inkaar bhi nahi kar raha tu. You tell me, are you not?"

" I wish I could understand."

" I'd love to praise and reward whoever cancelled your hotel booking in London. They did all good work. This London trip totally changed you."

Shubman merely hummed, surprising Virat all the more.

" Accept it Kake. Because everyone apart from the Prince himself knows that he's fallen for the Princess."

" Falling for the God's daughter is like walking into the lion's den."

" Sachin sir is sweet Shubi! C'mon! We all know that."

" He is." He agreed.

" I got Anushka calling, I'll talk to you later yes? And I don't want another denial this time. Bye!"

" Bye."

As Virat hung up, Shubman sighed and pulled out his diary.

26/03/22

Dear Diary,

There is something about her that always draws me to her.

I fail to understand what.

Everytime she isn't around, I yearn for her presence more.

That shouldn't be happening if I hate her, should it?

Is it really love?

Like everyone around me says.

Cheeku Bhaiya too, his experience with love so far has been the best I feel.

Him and Anushka Bhabhi are absolute goals.

Everyone adores them.

I do too.

But,is that the kind of love I would experience too?

Which everyone envies and yearns for?