It was break time.

Shri sat alone, lost in thought.

It had taken her barely a few minutes to blend in with the team—everyone had been so warm, so welcoming, it almost felt like she belonged there.

And yet, there was a part of her that always retreated into solitude when left alone.

Her mind drifted until a voice snapped her out of it.

Soft. Curious.

"Hey, Shri."

She turned around to find Riyan Parag standing there.

He was the youngest of the squad, yet someone who had already seen the brutal side of the sport. Trolled. Criticized. Mocked. Over the years, she had watched the internet tear him apart—every bad season, every off moment, turned into a meme, a joke.

It was unfair.

He was young. Still learning. Still growing. Fans seemed to forget that players were human too. There was a thin line between constructive criticism and outright cruelty, and people had long since crossed it when it came to him.

But Shri had always believed in one thing—after a recession, there is always a recovery.

And when that recovery phase comes, people forget the downfall ever existed.

She had a feeling Riyan’s time was coming.

"Hey, Shri, you okay?" he asked, voice laced with slight concern.

"Yeah, I’m good. Just lost in thought," she admitted.

Riyan nodded. "Oh, by the way, I’m Riyan. Nice to meet you."

She smiled. "Nice to meet you too. I loved your performance in domestic cricket, by the way."

A grin stretched across his face. "Thank you so much. Actually, I saw you sitting alone and thought I’d give you some company."

"Aw, that’s really sweet of you, Riyan."

"So, are you enjoying your time here with the Royals?"

"Absolutely. And between you and me—not that it’s a secret—I’ve been a huge RR fan for years. I literally used to dance to Halla Bol—the original 2008 version—when I was a kid."

Riyan watched her animatedly talk about the team, excitement lighting up her face. He found himself smiling, staring without even realizing it.

Shri noticed. "What?" she asked shyly.

He blinked, snapping out of it. "Nothing. Just… love how excited you get talking about RR. That kind of love from fans is what keeps us going, you know. It means a lot."

"Arey, why are you thanking me?" she chuckled. "You guys play your hearts out on that field. You earn this love. And after so many years, it’s almost like… we have a special connection with the franchise."

Riyan smirked. "So, co-dependence, right?"

Shri laughed. "Absolutely."

A beat of silence passed before Riyan leaned forward slightly. "So, Shri… since we’ve got nothing to do right now, how about a game of 21 questions?"

Shri raised a brow. "That depends. Are your questions going to be boring?"

Riyan placed a hand over his heart dramatically. "I’m offended. I’d never be boring."

She laughed. "Alright then, you’re on. Ladies first, right?"

"Of course."

                                     ---

21 Questions Begins

Shri: "What’s your favorite subject?"

Riyan: "English. It’s actually my best subject. Okay, my turn—how old are you?"

Shri: "22. You?"

Riyan: "Same. Do you like stuffed toys?"

Shri: "Hell yeah. I have a few at home. Cat or dog person?"

Riyan: "Tough one… but probably dogs. Wouldn’t know for sure though—my mom never let me have pets. That’s why I have so many stuffed toys. They’re my kids, actually."

Shri laughed. "That’s adorable. I’m definitely a cat person. I don’t mind dogs, but I’ve always loved cats. I actually have three back home. I only adopt strays."

Riyan: "That’s amazing. Okay, if you don’t mind… can we make this game more interesting?"

Shri: "And how exactly?"

Riyan: "Bolder questions."

Shri smirked. "Oh? Alright, let’s see what you’ve got."

Riyan: "Ever gotten drunk or high?"

Shri: "Hell no. Not my thing. You?"

Riyan: "Same. Never had the interest or the  time."

A pause.

And then—the question that changed everything.

Riyan: "Have you ever kissed someone? I mean… romantically. Not family or friends."

The smile slipped from Shri’s face.

Her heart clenched.

The memories hit like a punch to the gut—Sid. The years wasted. The regret. The pain.

She froze.

Shri: "Uhm… I—"

Riyan noticed the shift immediately.

His expression softened. "Hey, you okay? You don’t have to answer if you don’t want to. I’m sorry if that was out of line."

Shri forced a smile, shaking her head. "No, Riyan, it’s not your fault. It’s just… you know what? Forget it."

Before he could say anything else, a voice interrupted—

"Break’s over, guys! Back to work!"

And just like that, the moment was gone.

Unfinished.

With questions hanging in the air, but no answers to be found.

                                     ---

Back to Work

Shri refocused, shaking off the lingering thoughts.

"So, the pink is obviously staying—it fits Rajasthan for three reasons. First, Jaipur is the Pink City. Second, the state is vibrant and colorful. And third, branding—since so many teams wear blue now, pink helps us stand out.  And obviously the pink promise. But I do want to bring back a touch of the original blue jersey."

"Thoughts?"

Chahal smirked. "Thank you, aapka! Dhanashree ko pink jersey hi pasand hai—mujhe aaj bol rahi thi ki pink hi rakhna. Jaise ki mai design kar raha hoon."

Sanju laughed. "Welcome to married life, bhai."

The room erupted in laughter.

Shri laughed too. She loved this—being here, in this space, surrounded by people she had admired for so long.

The day ended far too soon.

As she returned to her hotel, exhaustion settled in, but so did a strange sense of fulfillment.

And then—

A notification popped up on her phone.

Instagram.

Her eyes widened slightly as she saw the name.

Riyan Parag.

Follow request received.

And a DM.

Riyan: "Hey!"

                                    ---

Riyan’s POV

After Shri left, Riyan couldn’t shake the feeling that he wanted to know more about her.

Not in a romantic way.

I mean, sure, she was unbelievably gorgeous—anyone with eyes could see that. But there was something else about her. Something that made him feel… strange.

He found himself searching her up on Instagram.

@shri_rawat

She had quite the following.

Without thinking too much, he hit follow and sent a quick DM.

"Hey!"

And then he stared at his phone, regretting it immediately.

"Shit. What if she thinks I’m a creep?"

He groaned, shutting his phone.

Hopefully, she wouldn’t.

Hopefully… she’d reply.

      _________________________________

Author’s Note:

GUYS, IT’S HAPPENING. EVERYBODY CALM DOWN. Shri and Riyan’s dynamic is already giving me LIFE. What do we think? Will she reply to the DM or leave him hanging?? Let me know in the comments and keep supporting! 🩷