Our lives fell into a rhythm during that time.

Texting and calling all the time during KKR's away matches.

Meeting everyday for long hours during KKR's home matches.

I decided to take Neeti along one day, because she was extremely eager to meet my 'boyfriend', as she calls it. But Shubman is not my boyfriend...not yet, anyway.

We had decided to meet in a CCD somewhere.

Shubman was sitting in a corner (as usual) when we entered.

"Hi, Shubman!" cried Neeti loudly and enthusiastically.

"Shhh!" I said. "He needs to keep a low profile!" Luckily there weren't a lot of people in the shop.

Shubman looked up and grinned at both of us. "Hi, Neeti." He stood up to shake her hand. I could feel Neeti buzzing with excitement beside me.

"RCB are at the bottom of the table. Switched teams yet?" he asked her, in his characteristic teasing tone. I tried not to feel possessive as he used that tone on someone apart from me.

"I would never do that!" said Neeti emphatically. "Shubman, Shubman, I always wondered, did you support KXIP before last year's auction?"

I thought I saw Shubman's face going a little white.

"Well, yes, I did," he said.

"I'm sorry." Neeti's eyes were sympathetic and understanding.

"What's wrong with that?" I demanded looking between the two of them.

"Nothing," said Shubman, rubbing his nose.

I felt extremely hurt for a moment, and Shubman must have noticed that, because he said gently, "KKR defeated KXIP in a final once, you see."

I still didn't see what was so bad about that.

"She won't understand," said Neeti aside to him.

I glared at her. "Of course I would--"

"How are your end sem preparation coming on?" Shubman asked, quite forcefully changing the topic.

"Terrible!" said Neeti dramatically, and began to say something about us being lucky that we don't have to study human biology, thus supporting Shubman in his topic change.

Shubman and Neeti, both being that kind of people who joke all the time, hit off really well.

I was starting to regret bringing Neeti along at all, but some time later, as Neeti was studying the menu card, Shubman reached under the table and clasped my hand for a moment. I looked up and met his eyes.

My jealousy or possessiveness or whatever it was vanished at once.

Shubman would never look at Neeti the way he looked at me just then.

That was good enough for me.