He supposed the fact that the BCCI had not contacted him yet was a good thing. Maybe they would overlook the entire incident after all.

Rohit had been right--Hardik had messed up badly. Rahul hadn't done anything much, except going along with Hardik a few times, but then Virat started seeing how they were getting blasted, how the commoners and even some of the old players were lashing out at Harry and Rahul, and Virat's annoyance at their stupidity had given way to blind fury at the whole world.

He went to the party quickly and scanned the crowd for either of his two brothers, and spotted Hardik.

Hardik wasn't on the dance floor; a rarity. He was sitting calmly beside a few of their team.

"Harry!" said Virat.

"Virat," said Hardik.

"I saw the episode," said Virat.

Hardik carefully judged Virat's expression. He did look angry, so Hardik braced for the telling-off.

Instead Virat said, "The whole country is full of dumb fools! Give them any opportunity and they pounce on it like a pack of wild animals--"

"Starving ones," put in Jaddu.

"Like a pack of starving wild animals," conceded Virat. "You, Harry--look at yourself sitting here, mopey and miserable. It was not your--"

"Part of it was his fault, Vi," Bhuvi felt compelled to say before Virat's blind support made Hardik feel proud of his feat or something, which was also quite possible.

"A bit but still, Harry, not enough for all this disgraceful trolling going on," said Virat firmly.

Hardik looked greatly heartened by Virat's supportive rant.

"So you're not giving in like this. Stand up," ordered Virat.

Hardik stood up, grinning.

"Good," said Virat.

Bhuvi and Rohit exchanged a grin too; Virat was awfully good at this sort of thing.

"By the way, Vi, Rahul was looking for you," called Bhuvi after them.

"I was looking for him too," said Virat, as he threw an arm around Hardik and steered him towards the dance floor. "How's Rahul?"

"I dunno...we haven't talked a lot since yesterday," said Hardik.

"Couple of idiots," said Virat. "You need to talk to him; let's find him first anyway."

_______________

Rahul had come to the party reluctantly; maybe only because he knew Virat would be there, and he just wanted to talk to him and make sure that he was not still annoyed with him.

He couldn't rest till he did.

For the first half hour, not knowing that Virat was in his room, Rahul searched for him everywhere.

But when he finally found him, he saw Virat's arm around Hardik, telling him something at which both of them were laughing.

So Virat knew about the entire chaos going on in the internet.

And he still yelled at him during the match, and he was comforting Hardik.

The whole world is unfair, thought Rahul furiously as he turned and stormed out of the banquet hall, straight to his room.

Stupid, he thought. I'm being stupid. Everyone is being stupid. Hardik. Bhajji paa. Karan Johar. Virat...no, not Virat. Virat is never stupid, Virat...

__________________

Finally Virat and Hardik found someone who told them they had seen Rahul leaving the party.

As they were also leaving, someone called Virat and so Virat had to turn on his charm and greet him and his family, and he whispered to Hardik, "You go, I'm coming in a minute."

Hardik barged into Rahul's room and said,"What the hell are you doing here alone?"

"Minding my own business," said Rahul, not looking up.

"No one in this team minds their own business," Hardik told him, perfectly truthfully. "Come down to the party."

"No."

"Rahul," coaxed Hardik. "Come with me, Virat was--"

"I told you I'm not interested in the party didn't I?" cried Rahul, flaring up at Virat's name.

Virat and Rohit (whom Virat had picked up on the way) had just come in and heard Rahul's last dialogue.

Virat went to sit beside Rahul and said, "Why are you so angry?"

"I told Hardik I'm not going to the stupid party, and he keeps on badgering--"

"Are you blaming it all on Hardik?" asked Virat.

Suddenly Rahul's eyes stung.

Virat was STILL taking Hardik's side!!

"I'm not blaming anyone," Rahul said, but he couldn't trust himself to say anything more, he was so mad, so he stood up and fled from the room.

Virat gaped after him.

"What's bitten him?" he asked Rohit and Hardik.

Because of course, Virat had not even thought of taking sides--but try explaining that to a kid who had decided that his parents are taking his sibling's side.

"Now you've gone and hurt your favourite brother," said Rohit drily.

"Favourite--" said Virat doubtfully.

"Everyone knows he's your favourite," said Hardik, and he didn't sound a bit offended.

"And no one even has a problem with that, so shut up and accept it," said Rohit.

Virat frowned and considered it.

Hardik and Rohit had a point, after all.

"Maybe you should be thinking about how to placate him," said Rohit helpfully.

"Thanks," said Virat sarcastically.

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