One for all, all for one

A few weeks had passed since their return from Goa, and life had resumed its usual rhythm. The team was gearing up for their departure to Colombo in a few days, where they would face Sri Lanka in an ODI series. The air was filled with a mix of anticipation and routine, as each player prepared in their own way.

One sunny afternoon, Virat was lounging on the hotel bed, scrolling through some photos on his phone. As he browsed through the gallery, a particular image caught his eye—a candid shot of Anushka from the wedding in Goa. In the photo, Anushka was caught mid-yawn, her face showing a mix of exhaustion and mild irritation, with a hilarious expression. Virat couldn't help but laugh softly, his eyes crinkling at the corners.

With a mischievous grin, he quickly sent the picture to Anushka, captioning it: "Caught you in your element 😂"

Moments later, his phone buzzed with a reply.

Anushka: "Oh my god, why would you even capture that?! I look so grumpy ! "

Virat: "You were tired, but still adorable. Couldn't resist capturing the moment 😜"

Anushka: "You better not be showing that to anyone else, Mr. Kohli 😤 !"

Virat: " Don't worry, Ms. Sharma, your secret's safe with me..for now...Miss you, by the way."

Anushka: "Miss you too Virat..We'll meet soon."

Virat smiled, feeling a warm glow in his chest. He leaned back against the headboard, imagining their reunion.

As the day progressed, the team was busy with their practice session. Ritika, meanwhile, was in her hotel room, diligently working on her laptop. She had been swamped with tasks, juggling between handling some pending work commitments and coordinating a few personal projects. The sound of typing filled the room, accompanied by occasional sighs as she navigated through emails and spreadsheets.

Ritika stretched her arms, feeling the tension in her shoulders. She took a sip of her coffee, which had gone cold, and glanced at her phone, checking the time. She had planned to finish her work before the team returned from practice, but there was still a lot left to do. Just as she was about to dive back into her tasks, there was a sudden knock on the door.

Frowning slightly, she stood up, wondering who it could be. She wasn't expecting any visitors. As she opened the door, her expression quickly transformed into one of shock and delight. Standing before her was Anushka, looking radiant and cheerful, a wide grin plastered on her face.

Ritika gasped in surprise, "Anushkaa ! Oh my god..What are you doing here?"

Anushka chuckled, stepping forward to give her a tight hug. "Surprise! I was missing everyone too much, so I decided to come and see you all before you guys leave for Colombo."

Ritika pulled back from the hug, her eyes sparkling with joy. "You have no idea how happy I am to see you!" she exclaimed, still holding onto Anushka's hands. "I was just buried under a pile of work, and you showing up is the best distraction ever!"

Anushka smiled warmly, when Ritika said, her mind racing with ideas. "We should totally surprise the others after practice. They have no idea you're here, right?"

Anushka shook her head, her eyes twinkling with mischief. "Nope, you're the first to know. I wanted to keep it a secret and make it special."

Ritika's excitement was palpable. "This is going to be epic! I can already imagine the looks on their faces. Especially Virat's! He's been missing you like crazy. Let's plan something fun!"

The two women quickly started brainstorming ideas, their voices filled with enthusiasm. Ritika, feeling a renewed sense of energy, abandoned her work and focused entirely on the surprise. They discussed everything from how to reveal Anushka's presence.