Game on, Love (Pitch and Pits #1)

26

Oliver

MY ROOM WAS DARK as I stared at the ceiling. I’d given up on sleep after tossing and turning for hours. Now, the clock on the dresser mocked me as it glowed the time.

04:27 AM.

My mind had been on a relentless loop ever since my conversation with Mum last night.

It wasn’t an unexpected call, but what was unexpected was that I’d been so caught up with my own life to notice that she’d been lying to me. And no matter how much I wanted to be upset with her, I couldn’t exactly put it on her. I knew that Dad had been the one to persuade her to do so, which made me more irritated than anything.

Ever since he’d gotten his diagnosis, it was like he was fighting a battle that was more than just mental or physical. He’d always been larger than life to me, not just a world-class cricketer but my hero. At first, the signs were subtle: a slight tremor in his hand, a sudden fall as he hesitated in his stride. For a lot of young people, it may not be a cause of concern, but to a cricketer who relied on his coordination and movements, the alarms rang louder than a tower bell.

At first, he’d been adamant that it was nothing that physical therapy couldn’t fix, but losing his strength completely—the thing that defined him as a man and his life—hit him harder than any of us expected.

He was forty-nine. Everything about it felt so wrong, but it wasn’t until last night that I caught up on how bad things had gotten. He’d looked so frail, so lost as he stepped into the frame that it knocked the wind right out of me, though thankfully, it hadn’t crossed my face.

He’d made a joke about visiting him before I lost my old man, and I couldn’t help but think it felt like I’d already lost him. He had a smile on his face, but the look in my mum’s eyes told me that it was a show. And as much as I hated seeing him like this, I hated that there was not a single thing in the entire world I could do to help him.

I sighed, turning onto my side, and Milo grunted before shifting back in his place next to me.

He hadn’t left my side since Raina left, almost sensing that I needed something or someone around me.

A part of me wanted her next to me, knowing she’d understand what I was going through, but the hesitation lingered in my chest—just because she understood, it didn’t mean I had to burden her again. What if it triggered her? In a grey, cloudy sky, she was the one thing that felt like she was shining the light through the cracks, and I’d be gutted if I was the one who made her be like that again when I’d only just gotten her to open up to me.

My phone buzzed on the nightstand, lightening up the room with a glow, and I frowned, unsure who could be texting me this early in the morning.

But as I read the name, the knot in my chest that I hadn’t realised had formed, relieved.

Raina: Hey, sorry, I just saw these. My phone died halfway through the quali and I forgot to take a power bank with me.

A faint smile tugged at my lips despite the ache in my chest as I debated replying. I’d texted her my ‘views’ on qualifying in the hope it would make her smile that I was following through on our list, just like I knew she was.

That debate all but lasted two milliseconds, and I typed back.

Oliver: Rookie mistake, love.

When no reply came back in another couple of seconds, I switched apps to look up what the time was in Austin.

10:30 PM

That was quite late, considering I’d poked around her schedule enough before she left to know that she was planning to be back in her hotel room by nine to make sure she got a good night’s sleep.

Thinking she’d already passed out, I clicked my phone off and slid it back on the nightstand. I let out a deep breath, my shoulders still tight as the screen lit up next to me, but this time with a video call.

Raina’s name flashed, and I froze. I wasn’t exactly in the cheeriest of moods, and though she’d only ever seen me like this one time, I’d still masked it on better, and I knew I wouldn’t be able to right now.

But the memory of her voice and the calmness her brown eyes brought in me each time I saw them was enough for me to turn to hit ‘accept’.

My eyes squinted at the sudden light as the screen filled with her soft face that told me she’d just got out of the shower; her hair was up in a bun as she leaned back against her headboard.

For a moment, we both just looked at each other, our tiredness reflecting off before a genuine smile overtook her face. “Hey,” she said softly, and her mouth turned in a yawn.

Something in my chest loosened.

Fuck.

“Hey, Gorgeous. How are you feeling now?” I tilted slightly, switching on my lamp so she could see me too, though I instantly regretted it as a little crease formed on her forehead, I switched gears just to be sure. “Your segment was amazing.”

“I’m fine now. I wasn’t sure if it was a little too harsh, and no doubt some fans will call me out on it but Hazel is happy, so,” She lifted her shoulder, though she was sliding in her position, slowly by the second. “Have you not gone to bed yet?”

I sighed, before shaking my head.

She paused, the frown deepening a little. “What happened?”

“Just one of those nights, I guess.” I wasn’t trying to purposefully keep something from her. But I had never shared something like this with anyone either, and the words felt tight in my throat.

“Oliver,” Raina’s warm voice pulled me from a haze before I could enter my spiral—It wasn’t even a spiral at this point, just the same argument in my head each time, and each question was answered the same way. Every. Single. Time.

“Hm?”

She stared at me for a beat, before she spoke. “Can I ask you something about cricket?”

I frowned, thrown off guard, but at the same time, something in me calmed as I replied. “Yeah.”

“When it comes to choosing the order, you said the captain has to not just note a player’s strength but also who they work well with. Right?”

I nodded, still unsure where she was going with this.

“Why?”

“Well, because if it was uneven, both players would have a different goal, and it’s as simple as if they didn’t know how the other would react to a certain ball—like if it was a cover drive or a back-foot drive, in the moment I know which ones would end up by the boundary compared to the player and Noah can read me well enough to pick up on my cues too. This way, we know when to cover each other and protect the wicket at the same time. But, if instead, it was, let’s say, Sameer—who’s a Tail ender and has never been paired up with me in official matches, might not know how to read those cues well. And instead, we’d both get overwhelmed and create a weak partnership.”

She nodded, biting on her lower lip. “So, if you can read me well enough to know I’m having a difficult time, know that I can too . If you know that you’re able to give me a safe space to lean on you, know that I can, too. It won’t trigger me or overwhelm me because I know my strengths, just like you do too.”

Everything in me stilled as I went over her words. I hadn’t expected them, and I wasn’t sure how to react to them either. Understanding that she needed time and space came naturally to me, almost like my mind was in tune with hers to know what she needed, but before that moment, it hadn’t occurred to me that she might be in tune with mine, too.

“I’m not saying I need to know everything in the moment, but if there is something bothering you, I want you to be honest with me instead of deflecting,” She paused, almost like she hadn’t meant to say it, but I wasn’t surprised. Deflecting was easier than sharing, especially when you are around the same people you were when you were a kid. Nobody likes change, and once you stick a label on to the kind of person you are, no matter how old you get, you’re expected to be that version around them forever. “I just want you to know you can lean on me too.”

But as we sat in silence for a minute, the kind that felt more comforting than I’d ever known.

“I do trust you, you know,” I replied, meaning it. “But I’ll be better.”

She shifted slightly, pulling the duvet under her chin before nodding. “You want to talk about what happened tonight?”

I waited a minute. Two.

But the tightness in my chest never returned. “My dad… He’s getting worse.”

Raina stilled, her eyes filled with understanding as she whispered. “I’m sorry.”

I felt my pulse in my throat. I didn’t know how to respond to that, so I didn’t, and this time, she didn’t push.

Her eyelids were growing heavy, but she was fighting it. At that moment, I knew that I could watch like that for the rest of my life and never grow bored. It was mundane, but in an odd sense, I’d never experienced the genuine intimacy I had as she tried to fight sleep just so she could watch her screen.

Sometimes, less is more.

Her words echoed in my head, and I was suddenly glad it was a Sunday. Because, as much as Rihaan loved to drag me to train with him at the crack of dawn, he was oddly particular about Sunday being a sleep-in day. That meant I could steal another moment and watch her until she eventually dropped her phone or, if the sleep gods were in my favour, get a couple of hours under my belt, too.

Just as I was about to settle back comfortably, a loud knock echoed from my phone, and Raina instantly shot up.

Her eyes crinkled as though the movement was a little too fast for her.

“You expecting someone?”

She shook her head and muttered. “No.”

My lips curled up. I knew she wasn’t a morning person, but it was then that I realised that she didn’t like when someone interrupted her sleep—no matter the time.

She got out of her bed, carrying her phone with her, which made me feel something I couldn’t name.

I could barely see her as she looked through the peaking hole, but when the thud of her hitting her head on the door filled my room, confusion ran through me.

“What do you want?” She groaned.

I couldn’t hear the response, but it must’ve been to her satisfaction. “Give me a minute,” she replied before she walked back into her room.

She still wore an annoyed expression, but I knew it was from the interrupted sleep, and I couldn’t help but find it adorable.

“It’s Dev. I don’t know what he wants, but I doubt it’s going to be a quick conversation,” She replied, tugging her lower lip.

I nodded, as a small part of me relaxed that it was her brother, but at the same time, I knew she’d barely just begun to wind down. “If you need me, call me.”

“No. You need to go to sleep.”

“I don’t care. You call me if you need me.”

She rolled her eyes, shaking her head, but I saw the meaning each word held in her eyes.

Raina

“WHO WERE YOU TALKING TO?” Dev asked, the moment I swung the heavy door back. His voice held curiosity, but I couldn’t help but notice the overprotective tone it held.

Ugh.

I rolled my eyes, not bothering to invite him in, as I walked back into my room. I was already irritated that he’d decided to come to my room this late at night; if he’d come to play twenty questions about this, I might actually consider asking him about how his quest was going, something I’d also learned from Ma’s journals.

He walked in behind me—apparently, an invite was never even needed—as I got comfortable in my bed.

“So?” He leaned back on the table, and I realised I was too tired, so if quick answers got him out, so be it.

“It was Oliver,” A yawn escaped me, my eyes squeezing close. “Do we really need to talk right now?”

I didn’t see how he reacted to the first part, but the question was important enough for it to be dropped.

“Yes, why are you upset with Vedant?”

“I’m not upset.”

“Yes, you are. I thought things were going fine now.”

I sighed. “When did he tell you about his contract?”

“I was there when he signed it.”

Hm. I wondered if their staying back was more than just to celebrate Vedant’s win. “When did he tell Rihaan?”

He thought about it for a second before nodding. “Horror night.”

“When did he tell me?”

He paused, unsure. “I don’t know. When did he tell you?”

“He didn’t. I found out this morning like the rest of the world and some.”

Disappointment flashed in his eyes as his lips turned into a thin line. “I didn’t know that.”

“Now, you do.” Another yawn. “Was that all? If so, please leave me be. I’m tired, and if you take his side, I might just start a fight with you, too.”

“Okay, first of all. I have always been on your side when you’ve needed me so you know I won’t do that. Secondly, I’m now glad that you gave him shit in the interviews, he definitely deserved it.”

I stayed quiet, too drained to respond to it.

“Isn’t it like almost 5 back home?” He asked, and gone was the looming sleep as alertness ran through me.

“What?”

“Oliver?”

“Oh.. yeah.” I tried to relax, but the grin he wore told me he had other ideas.

“He’s not that bad, huh?”

“Shut. Up.”

“I’m not saying anything.”

“Liar.”

“No I mean it, he’s a good one.”

“I know,” Something in me itched to change the topic. So, I said. “I also don’t know if Vedant has spoken to you about this yet or not, but can you bring the journals to the house please? I want to read them.”

“You want me to bring all of them? Together?” He frowned, clearly unaware of the request.

“I mean, I want to see all of them, yes.”

“With Rihaan there, it’s not a great idea. He doesn’t take it well, that’s why they are at home. You could come by when I get back if you want to see them?”

“That sounds like the most stupid idea I’ve ever heard.”

“Trust me, with how Rihaan gets, it’s not.”

I chewed on my lower lip, going over his words. From what I’ve heard and seen, I knew he wasn’t exaggerating.

“Look, I’ll get back home in two weeks, and Dad’s going away at the same time if you’re worried about him.”

That caught my attention. “You’re sure?”

“I’m the last remaining brother in the good graces right now. I will not be ruining that, trust me.”

“Fine.”

Ma’s journals took priority over the… issues I had, and Dev already said he wouldn’t be there.

He nodded before a cunning look in his eyes appeared, and I knew he was going to press further on what was going on with Oliver, so I spoke before he could, and asked. “So…? Should I expect a Save The Date soon, or are you still waiting to—”

“I’m leaving,” He interrupted me, straightening up as he glared at me.

“You started it,” I said to his retreating figure, and his only response was a grunt before the door opened and slammed behind him.

Tugging on my lower lip, I glanced at my phone. A selfish part of me wanted to call him, but he hadn’t even gone to sleep… though his words implied that he would be waiting to hear back from me. I paused, going over his words again and wondering that maybe he meant that if I called him, he would pick it up, asleep or not. My shoulders dropped, because, if he had managed to fall asleep, I didn’t want to wake him.

Ugh.

“Oh my god, Shut up,” I whispered out loud to my brain.

Once the voice in my head was low enough to let the remaining working brain cells form a proper thought, I relaxed, grabbing my phone.

If I texted him that everything was fine, even if he had fallen asleep, this way, when he woke up while I was sleeping, I wouldn’t have left him wondering what the hell happened.

Me: He just left, but everything is fine.

Oliver: You sure? I’m here if you need me.

Me: Yeah, he wanted to talk about Vedant’s interviews but he got where I was coming from.

Me: And, even if you have a chilled day tomorrow, you still need to try and get some sleep.

When his reply came back within a second, I suddenly felt relieved at my decision.

Oliver: I’m glad to hear that.

Oliver: You should go to bed, too; you’ve got a busy day tomorrow.

Oliver: Sweet dreams, Gorgeous.

I went to sleep with a smile.