12
Raina
THE TENSION WAS SUFFOCATING.
The usual chatter, laughter, and lightness that usually floated around the campus were nowhere to be seen. Instead, the white lights seemed harsher and brighter than normal, and there was a pin drop of silence. When someone did speak, the voices were clipped, and the smiles were thin lines.
It was my first day working from the campus after the restructure was announced. I’d mostly been working from home, travelling or on-site for shoots and whatnot, but somehow, when Hazel said that today was much lighter compared to the past week, I was suddenly extremely thankful for the disaster my own life brought.
Dealing with my brothers and a ruined apartment? I knew what to expect.
Conversations with clipped voices and fake smiles? It made my skin crawl.
I was in the stuffy meeting room, where our heater did a horrible job of covering the late September chill. The loud, blaring noise only adding a hint of irritation to the meeting I had zoned out of approximately ten minutes ago. I glanced at the time in the corner of my laptop.
02: PM
My last meeting of the day was overrunning, and I felt drained. Chewing on my lower lip, I wondered if it was worth going home and just resetting my brain before I worked through my focus time like I had planned.
The notepad beside me had scribbled up notes and ideas we had for the end-of-the-year campaign, but after a couple of lines, I had given up. It was a testament to how anxious I was.
Everyone dealt with change differently, but I was someone who was so used to it that I was immune to the restlessness that came with it. But the more I talked about it, the more anxious I made myself.
Out of the four meetings I had today, including this one, all of them started in goodwill. We would start with the work bit; then, someone would say something and set the whole group off. And it was always something to do with the restructure.
By the time we wrapped up, I sighed with relief as I closed my laptop.
“Raina, you alright?” Hazel asked as she shuffled her stuff to carry back to her next meeting. Since the restructure she hadn’t known a moment of peace, and a little guilt settled in my stomach.
I knew I made it hard for her, and though I felt rightfully upset, she was also doing her job.
I waited till the rest of our team had vacated the room before meeting her eyes. “Yeah, just thinking about heading home. I was planning to make an action plan later today for everything I need to research and learn before the end of the year, but I doubt I’d be able to get that done here.”
She instantly brightened. “Ah, that’s a great idea!”
“You think?” I frowned. Hazel wasn’t stingy when I usually asked to go home and continue my work day, but she wasn’t pleased either. To her, being in the office meant you could leave your work here, and working from home meant it was harder to step away at the right time.
Hazel nodded. “Raina, I’m just glad you decided to take the role. I knew it was a gamble when the execs asked me, but when you came through, you really showed us that you’re committed to us, and I want you to see the same. The next two and half months, you take what you need to excel in the role. If you need anything from me or the team, let us know so we can help you.”
“Thanks, Hazel.” I replied, still a bit surprised.
“By the way, the new roles will be announced next week. Then, after that, if you want to be part of briefings or sit in any creative meetings for cricket, you can.”
I pursed my lips, thinking it over. “I think I’ll play it by ear. I don’t want to jump in too quickly before I know my stuff and question the wrong things. Plus, I still have the rest of the season for F1, including two more races I have to attend, so I need to focus on those.”
Hazel pondered my words and then nodded. “Alright, let me know if you change your mind.”
“I will.”
IN THE PAST TWO weeks, I’d grown to realise there were more than a few plus sides to moving with my brothers and Oliver; Like shortening my commute time by almost half, more if it was on days like today when I travelled off-peak hours—and if you’ve ever travelled using the London underground during peak hours, you get the difference it makes—but when the train pulled into my stop, I realised my favourite one, so far.
Liar.
Making my way through the tube station, a voice in my head mocked me, and I bit my lower lip to stop myself from smiling. Okay, maybe not my favourite one. But it was definitely among the top… three, at least.
As I left the station, instead of walking straight to the house, I took a detour, in the mood for a little pick-me-up.
I spotted the familiar sign swinging in the breeze, a group of girls leaving the building, as I stepped in. What looked like just another little café from the outside was actually a hidden gem. It was the kind of place that felt like stepping into a storybook. The soft hum of the music and chatter buzzed around me as the scent of coffee, fresh bread, and sugar filled my lungs.
I glanced at their display, which was filled with rows of Lavender Vanilla Cupcakes and Strawberry Macaroons, some Half-and-Half Cookies, Braided Pastry Hearts, and classic golden croissants.
Ariyanka smiled when she spotted me. “Hey, Raina! I haven’t seen you in weeks.”
“I know, I’ve been swamped! Everything looks great, though; what are you reading this week?”
Ariyanka, the owner, liked to change the display each week depending on the book she was reading, so the chances of finding the same sweets again or together were almost close to none.
“It’s a second chance romance, and it’s super cute, but it shows the flip side of their toxic relationship too, so I figured I’d mix it up!” She glanced at her display proudly, and I nodded, the opposite flavours reflecting in the treats. “It’s by the shelves, if you want to try it.”
I gave her a small smile. “I don’t think I can stay back today, but I’ll check it out next time I swing by.”
She beamed and nodded. “Sure, what can I get you then?”
Placing my order, I quickly paid and moved to the waiting side. The interior glowed as the sunshine entered the café through the big window glasses. The wooden arches were lit with low, dim string lights, framing bookshelves, and the tables filled with people reading or working on their laptops. The space breathed calm and inspiration, every corner inviting you to stay just a little longer.
The unique part about these books was you could only read them here— downstairs or upstairs where there were more books and reading nooks—but each book was annotated by readers here or around the world. You could bring your own and donate it or if you love the book you read here, you can go out to the bookstore right opposite the café, which was owned by Ariyanka’s husband, and buy it.
Carrying my drink along with the brown paper bag, I already felt a little lighter as I stepped back out onto the street and made my way to the house.
I opened the front door, and the instant welcome of voices coming from the living room made me frown. I walked into the open space, setting my drink and both bags on the kitchen counter and took the scene in front of me.
Rihaan was behind the couch, holding a pillow in front of him like a makeshift shield, his gaze hardened with frustration and slight terror. It was directed at the furry little animal that was perched up on Oliver’s chest—who also looked slightly terrified.
Oliver was the first to notice me, his eyes instantly meeting mine. “Welcome back.”
I stifled a laugh, and the way his eyes glinted told me he knew I was about to break. “What in the world is happening here?”
Milo hissed again at Rihaan, both of them completely focused on each other. “Milo hates him.” Oliver grinned, his hands resting on Milo’s back as if trying to calm him.
“He doesn’t—”
“No, he does. Raina, your cat actually hates me.”
I sighed, taking a step forward. “No, he just hates men—except for Oliver, apparently—but this is his normal reaction to you and the guys he’s met before you. Ask Vedant; he got a similar version of this.”
Rihaan looked in my direction. It was as if he suddenly realised who he was speaking to and stiffened. Quietly, he straightened his back and rushed out behind me, chucking his pillow backwards that landed by my feet.
Ugh. Whatever.
I turned to Oliver, who was watching me quietly as I threw the pillow back next to him. Taking a step ahead in his direction, I sensed that he was trying to read my body language by the way he scanned me.
But, I was focused only one thing. If this little traitor was really in the mood for human touch, I wanted it all. “Please.”
It wasn’t that often that I longed for his cuddles, reserving those for Lilli but being in the office made me needy. Milo watched me for a long second before leaping in my extended arm, and my shoulders dropped slightly. “Thank you.”
“You’re home early,” Oliver leaned back, his hair slightly mussed. “Thought you had meetings all day? Not that I’m complaining.”
I nodded, giving him a small smile. “I came back after my last one.”
“Rough day?” He frowned slightly, his gaze softened.
“Something like that. Thought I’d come back and freshen up before putting together a plan for the next couple of months.” I replied, opening the cabinet in which I stored the cat treats before grabbing one and opening it up for Milo.
“You went to Tales & Lattes?”
I looked over my shoulder to see Oliver inspecting my paper bag. “You’ve heard of that place?”
“Heard? I’m a regular. Ariyanka’s a fan .” He smirked, and I rolled my eyes.
“She’s married.”
“Nick is a fan too.”
I paused. “Really?”
Oliver sighed. “Okay, I think the first thing we should add to your list should be ‘How not to offend someone every time they mention they like cricket’.”
“Has anyone ever told you you’re dramatic?”
“It’s in the name, love.” He winked, referring to his last name, and I shook my head.
“Well, King ,” I said, walking towards him, and a proper smile overtook his face. “This time, my surprise was purely because of lack of information. She’d told me they loved Formula One and it was the only sport they watched consistently.”
“That was the case until I came into the sport,” He raised his eyebrows cockily. “They’ve switched lanes.”
“How tragic.”
He frowned down at me as I reached him—his six foot one to my five foot six—but there was only playfulness in his eyes. “You’re technically doing the same. What does that say about you?”
“Again, It’s tragic.”
“Even now that you’ve got cricket royalty to help you out?”
I chuckled. “You love that title, don’t you?”
“Because it’s true.” He shrugged. “You didn’t answer me.”
“I don’t have enough data to provide an accurate prediction for that.”
“You’re saying my charm and our previous interactions aren’t statistically significant.”
“It’s more like an… outlier.”
“Thanks, love. No need to hold back or anything.”
“Oh, C’mon, you know I’m right.”
“You basically implied that I’m a floating dot in the bigger picture.”
“Technically, we all are floating dots in the bigger picture.”
“Yes, but we both know you were referring to cricket.”
“Fine, I did. So, now it’s up to you to either skew the data or change the outcome.” I shrugged, shifting Milo in my hold as I reached for my paper bag, but he tightened his grip.
His voice was low when he spoke this time, and his gaze filled with something deeper than I understood. “You sure you want that?”
My breath hitched at the implication of his words. “Maybe.”
“How do I turn that into a yes?”
“Time.”
His gaze softened as he nodded before letting go of the bag. “As much as you need.”
I gave him a soft smile and turned to grab the rest of my stuff, but Oliver held my work bag before I could and shook his head.
Instead of arguing, I let him.
Upstairs, I spotted Lilli curled up on my bed, sleeping and placed my drink and bag on the cabinet near the door, my mind already drifting to the shower I needed to reset. Oliver walked in behind me, his presence filling the room as he set my bag beside the drink and scanned the room like it was the first time he had entered the room.
“You’ve moved a couple things,” His gaze lingered on the bed, the stack of cricket magazines I had on the bedside table, and finally on me. “I like it. It’s more cosy now.”
“Thanks,” I replied, taken aback he had noticed the small changes, but a voice in my head reminded me, it wasn’t the first time. “The room already looked great, to be honest. I just added some personal touch.”
He nodded. “My Mum did the house, so I’m sure she would appreciate that.”
“Your Mum designed the house?”
“She did. Both times, actually.”
“Both times?”
“Yeah… this is a family home. When my dad moved into this place after his dad at the start of his career, it was a little too ancient for his liking, so he hired her firm, and when she came to do a site visit, they met and well, the end product is standing in front of you.” He winked, and I couldn’t help but smile. “I practically grew up in this house, but they moved back to our house in the countryside when I was at boarding school and a couple years before I was done, she redid the whole place again to make it more modern, but also more to my liking as it would be my home.”
I watched him silently, his eyes were no longer connected with mine as he went somewhere else in his head, his words drifting as if he were speaking to someone far away, and I found myself holding my breath. Something about the softness in his tone made me realise how close he must be with his Mum, and the memories that pulled him were clearly good ones.
Oliver blinked, his eyes snapping back to me like he’d forgotten I was here. The corners of his mouth lifted. “That’s where I met Rihaan and Dev actually.”
“You all went to the same boarding school?” I frowned. Out of all the theories I had in my mind, I never expected this one.
“Yeah. For me, it was more of a family thing, something that was expected of me, but I think my dad was the one who convinced your parents to send them there. We all were kind of just thrown together.”
I blinked, digesting his words, though something about the way he’d said it made me curious. “Were you close from the start?”
“Not really.” He shook his head, chuckling. “Rihaan ignored me for the first two months. Even when we practised as a squad, he never spoke a single word. Dev was obviously a year above us so we barely saw each other. It wasn’t until our first ‘Chance to Compete’ match—which is basically where you play against other national secondary schools—that he’d bowled a leg cutter and knocked out one of their top players and ended up getting in a huge fight post match. I sort of help him prove that it was their fault, when Rihaan was definitely at fault.”
Something between a gasp and laugh spilled out of me. “You didn’t.”
“Oh, but I did.” Oliver chuckled, shaking his head. “We got away with it on the day, but our coach made us do drills every morning for a month straight. Even on weekend. But we were inseparable after that.”
His face was lit with the memories of their time together, and I couldn’t help but watch him in awe.
“What?” He asked when he noticed my stare, his smile still framing his face.
“Nothing,” I shook my head, tucking a lose strand of hair behind my ears. “Just didn’t realise you had this much history.”
Oliver nodded, staying silent. I wasn’t being completely honest, but I wasn’t lying either. The truth was, I had never met someone who shared so easily with someone he barely knew and as I went over his words, a part of me wondered if it meant something more.
“So,” He broke the silence, pointing to the magazines. “I see you’ve started the research part without me anyway.”
I rolled my eyes, my lips tilting up. “I got them before we made the bet. But you can’t expect me to rely on just what you teach.”
“Why not?”
“What if you test me on something outside of the scope?”
“You must really think low of me.”
“No, I just think you really want to win.”
“That’s besides the point.”
“No, that is my point.”
I moved towards my bed and Milo jumped from hold, flicking his tail on my face as he went.
Well, he’s had enough.
“So, in the span of thirty minutes, you’ve called me an outlier and… unreliable.” Oliver frowned, leaning against the wall.
Rubbing my lips with the back of my hand, I swiped away the grin on my face. “I never said that you were unreliable.”
“You implied it.”
I shrugged. “But I didn’t say it.”
“What if I could prove you wrong?”
“I would… retract my implication?” I asked, confused.
He nodded, straightening up. “Be right back.”
And then, he was gone. My brows furrowed at the space he was just at, as curiosity filled me, but I made my way towards the in-built wardrobe and pulled out a change of clothes before placing them inside my bathroom.
Oliver walked back in to the room just as I closed the door behind me.
“Here,” He offered me a paper, his free hand going behind his neck.
“What’s this?” I asked, my eyes scanning the text. I read the heading before everything in me stilled.
Pitch & Pits
“It’s basically the things we need to go over in the next 13 weeks to make sure you are an expert in everything cricket.” He replied, as my eyes scanned the text. It was a mix of things we needed to do, but somehow he had turned them all into different activities. From Watching classic cricket films to learn about the formats of cricket, to Hitting a Six, and Bowling Challenge to really understand the technical skill and strategy analysis. There were more simpler ones, like Watching game footage to learn the basics or Watching a live match on mute to practice commentating.
I looked back at him, my heart racing. “What’s with the name?”
He grinned. “Well, Pitch for cricket and Pits for F1. This way, you can add to the list the things you want us to do so you can teach me about Formula One.”
I stood frozen for a moment, unsure of how to respond. It was such a simple act—yet the feeling settled like a wave somewhere deep inside me before the pull I felt inside made it rise like a tide.
The constant back and forth, the compliments, the effortless way he found my eyes every time I was near him and the need to do things for me without me ever having to ask.
“You’re incredible,” I hadn’t meant for it to be a whisper, but I tried to swallow the lump that was forming in my throat, trying to steady myself but as his amber eyes watched me, all it did was grow.
He blinked a few times, and for a second I wondered if he’d even heard me. Then, slowly his lips turned into a soft smile, and I realised he was trying to keep his reaction contained, even though I’d caught him off guard. “Glad you finally agree, love.”