Game on, Love (Pitch and Pits #1)

16

Oliver

IT WAS LATE WHEN I unlocked the front door.

I knew I was coming back home to a quiet house, but as I removed my shoes by the rack, the silence was deafening, and that triggered the already ringing alarm bells in my head to go even louder.

At the stadium, I had watched Raina’s retreating figure for what felt like a lifetime before I moved.

I knew it was partly my fault. Well, it was more my fault than she probably realised. She had told me she was going to be taking a tour of the stadium today, and when I spotted her during our training, I encouraged Rihaan to check on her first.

It was two minutes.

Two minutes, and from a distance, I could tell that it was a bad idea.

One sharp exchange with her brother, and both of them pulled back so fast, their usual personalities replaced by something bigger and yet quieter than I’d imagined.

But still, when I reached her, she let me see the vulnerability in her before it all went downhill. The hesitation—God, that hesitation—when I’d looked at Rihaan and then at her. It wasn’t even that I wasn’t sure about standing in front of her. I just didn’t know how to balance it between them. I didn’t know how to help either of them, and somehow, I’d managed to fuck it up with both.

After she disappeared, I walked towards Rihaan, who was already packing up his bag and left before I could say something, and the look he gave me told me he wasn’t going home.

Then, just as I was leaving, Sean showed up unannounced and insisted on having a conversation. I would’ve dodged him, but then coach walked up to us and started critiquing my techniques; I was stuck. Both of them were set on making sure I wouldn’t fuck up my selection, but what neither of them realised was that it wasn’t in my game; it was all in my head.

And if I didn’t rush home back in time, I was afraid that the one thing helping me was slipping through my fingers faster than any ball I could swing.

I glanced around the house, staring at the stairs and the hallway, but something felt wrong.

Was she even home?

Walking into the living room, the lights were still turned off, and the spot Milo had claimed his own was empty. I ran my hand through my hair, frustrated. I knew I was overthinking it, but it wasn’t like I could just text her or call her to check up on her. Somehow, in the past few weeks, exchanging numbers hadn’t crossed our minds. We naturally just found the other when we were home.

I couldn’t exactly ask Rihaan or Vedant for it either; that just felt like it would open up a can of worms altogether that, after today, I was sure, that would not be helpful.

Stepping back outside in the hallway, my gaze flitted to the stairs a part of me wanting to go up to her room, but the sound of a key in the lock made me freeze. The door opened slightly, her soft voice echoed in the empty space, and relief flooded through me. “Look, Milo. We’re back .”

She didn’t notice me as she pushed the door, busy trying to calm the distressed cat as she stepped inside, but she wasn’t alone.

Axel was standing behind her, cradling Lilli like it was the most normal thing in the world. His gaze remained on the cat as he scratched behind her ears. This was the first time I’d seen Lilli in someone else’s hold except Raina’s and a strange feeling in my stomach formed.

“Milo, calm down,” Raina unzipped her cat carrier, and when there was enough space, Milo jumped out and sprinted up the stairs, clearly not pleased that he had to go outside.

I knew she had noticed me, I’d caught the awareness run through her. But instead, she turned to Axel.

“Thanks for the help.” She grabbed Lilli from his hold.

“I didn’t exactly have a choice,” He flashed her a grin before he noticed me. “Hey, man.”

I nodded back as she replied. “You could’ve said no. This was not me calling in my favour.”

Axel laughed, shaking his head, and unease ran through me. Shifting my weight, I watched them without making it obvious I was hanging onto their words. “Great, could’ve told me before, Rain.”

I didn’t like the way I felt at that moment—part of me wondered why she hadn’t asked me for help if she needed it when she knew I would’ve said yes—the other focused on them as his gaze flicked to me before he pulled her in for a hug.

“Call me if you need anything.”

“I will,” She replied, waving him off.

This whole thing felt like an imbalanced situation, and with each growing second, it bothered me. When she didn’t turn around to meet my eyes right away like they always did, my heart dropped slightly, but I took a step in her direction anyway.

“Everything okay?” I didn’t bother hiding the concern in my tone.

“Yeah,” She finally looked at me now, and I saw the guardedness in her eyes. “I had to take Milo to the vet for a follow-up.”

My brows furrowed; I hadn’t realised he was sick or hurt. “What for?”

“He hurt his tail during the water leak, and it was just to see if it was healing properly.”

“Is he okay?”

“Yep, good as new.”

“And Lilli?”

“She was with Axel in the car, I didn’t want her to be distressed over nothing. Milo is manageable compared to her.”

I nodded as she watched me closely. Lilli jumped from her arms but stayed nearby as I closed the gap. I knew I had to address what happened earlier, and the last thing I wanted was to make it more awkward or outright upset her.

“You alright?”

“Yeah,” She nodded. “Just… a long day, I guess.”

“What happened earlier?” I asked, testing the waters.

She took a long breath as though trying to convenience herself. “Nothing.”

I didn’t believe her for a second. I noticed the exhaustion in her body, but her eyes told me it wasn’t physical. I also knew she wouldn’t open up to me unless she felt safe to.

“Can I hug you?” I asked, and her eyes widened slightly in surprise before narrowing into a frown.

“What?”

“Hug. It’s when two people have their arms around each other as they hold the other.”

“Thanks for the definition,” She replied, and something lighter appeared in her, as though she was also reminded of the time she did the same to me.

I stayed quiet, waiting for her reply as I took another step closer, but it never came. Just a nod.

I released a small breath before sliding my arms under hers, leaning down and pulling her into my chest. Her arms instantly went around my neck as though we’d done this a million times before. Her entire body was pressed against mine, and she fit like a wave against the shore, instantly melting into my hold. Her breathing was uneven, filtering as I felt the exhaustion slowly drop out of her.

“I know you said you get it, but you’re wrong,” I whispered, tightening my hold, knowing it was the only way I could say it. “Look, Rihaan is my best friend; he’s been there for me in times when I’ve needed him the most, and I want to be there for him. But I want to be there for you too.”

She didn’t say anything, but I felt her heart race under mine, so I continued.

“And I didn’t hesitate because I’m worried I need to choose between the two of you. It’s not a competition. I can be there for you and him. I just don’t want to make it worse between you two.” I felt her lay her head on my shoulder.

“You don’t even know what happened,” She whispered, and something in my chest tightened. “What if he makes you pick?”

The way she asked that made me wonder if he’d done it before. My mind filtered back to Vedant’s words from the first morning she was here.

“I’ve taken your side long enough. Longer than I should have.”

Her grip on me tightened as I tried to pull back. “I will tell him the same thing. I’m not picking sides.”

“He’s your best friend.”

“If he is the person I know him to be, he won’t make me pick,” I replied honestly. “And Raina, you’re important too.”

She faltered under my hold, and I pulled back. I brushed a piece of hair behind her ear as she watched me. “I don’t know what this is between us, but I know it’s worth taking every chance.”

“You barely know me.” She stated.

“Maybe in this lifetime, but it feels like I’ve known you in all the ones before this one.” She took a sharp breath before something like understanding crossed her face. As though she had been trying to explain the pull between us, and my words were the only ones that made perfect sense. “And I know everything is chaotic right now, and you’re afraid of taking it too fast and getting overwhelmed. But I just want you to know that I’m here for you, and I can take it as slow as you’d like. I just don’t want you to go through it alone.”

Her eyes softened for a moment before something flickered in them. Like the voice in her head was trying to keep her on gaurd. “What if I’m not ready?”

“I can wait.”

She bit her lower lip. “What if it’s years before I’m ready?”

“I told you. You take as much time as you need.”

“What if I’m never ready?”

“Then we stay like this forever.”

She frowned, confused. “You’re kidding.”

“I’m really not.”

She leaned back, but I tightened my hold on her waist, keeping her in place. “You’ll get bored.”

“That’s what you’re worried about?” I raised my eyebrow, a little amused.

“You’re not ?” She asked, her voice going up an octave, and I couldn’t help but brush my thumb down her side.

“I’m a cricketer, love. Patience is kind of our thing.”

“You’re ridiculous.”

“Maybe so, but I sure as am not wrong.” I winked, and finally, the corners of her lips turned up.