Latte Art
Don't change
The most expensive player, Won the World Cup, will be going to lift the trophy up.. bla bla bla...
Turned the TV off. It's been too much. Whenever he puts another channel, it shows the same news. Fuch those Indian channels! It's time to have a nap. Tosses the remote somewhere in the corner and lays down, knowing the sleep won't come, feeling it won't be a rest.
It's been the final time. His mind was not in a position to pack his luggage and stuff. He wanted to be here in his hotel room until the final. While sleeping, he was thinking it.
Flashback 1,
'You will be seeing me lifting the trophy up this year and heading to World Cup for lifting another.' Sipping the latte while declaring the unusual things. Trent Boult, on the other hand, made his face like he was witnessing the most disgusting thing even happened with anyone. He was swirling the spoon and spoiling the latte art. Hearing some laughter flied over him. 'You, Kewis, don't know how to drink LATTE?' Again laughter crashed. He put the spoon on the table hardly and sipped the coffee. Looked at him, holding his chin up, 'You can not predict it. So, who gave you the gut to yell?' He asked as if it had had enough. He sipped the entire coffee at once. Was about to get up. But didn't. 'I don't need any GUT to yell.' 'Let's see. Although Royals has a great team this year. So, it will be heavy for you to HOLD the top spot.' Then he stood up but faced him. 'And it's not a declaration. It is a GUARANTEE.' He left the place after saying it. Mitchell Starc, on the other hand, was laughing all his mind.
__________________________
'Team flies in different areas cause they have different matches day by day. I can not meet up with him. Though Rajasthan Royals has qualified for the final. I wanted to give huge congratulations to him. I can't tell it face to face. You know! Still deciding what am I gonna do.' Sent the message to Hazelwood, who was asking him his next step.
Flashback 2,
'So what are you gonna do? Will you be staying in the same hotel or not? If yes, I will write an application.' Boult asked Starc, who was noting his staffs for buying later. 'It will be taugh for me. You have no feelings, I see.' He answered it in another way. 'It won't be a problem for me. I'm not gonna miss you.' Boult finished his lunch and again swirling the latte. Starc stopped his writing and closed the notebook. 'Serious?' Boult looked at him while sipping his latte. 'Again?' Starc made a rude face. 'My coffee. My wish.' 'It's latte.' Starc corrected him. Boult, nothing but angrily looked at him. 'Shut up. Why don't you understand it's my wish each time? You shut up, or I will fly to NZ.' That time Boult fired up. Starc once again suppressed his laughter.
Both managed the time schedule to meet up at first. They hardly found time to meet. Maybe it stayed for hours but with lots of emotion and fun. Starc always loves to tease or make fun of Boult. He loves to watch his disturbing face. That made HIM laugh. But he lost sometimes against Boult. It was a bet between them for the team qualification. Boult declared that his team would be qualified first. And Starc declared his team would be the winner. They don't know who is gonna win it. But even after coming to India, they haven't been changed!
Last day of their meet-up,
- It's India.
- So?
- I'm not ordering any kind of coffee. I've heard their lacchi is good.
- Huh! Let me think first.
- Hurry.
- [looking at the menu, selecting his drink item]
- Hurry
- Uff! Shut up, Starc. Are you sure you're taking Lacchi?
- Yup.
- Fine. I'm gonna take Latte. Cause I've tasted Lacchi more than 3 times.
- [Made a weird face]
- What?!
- Latte? AGAIN?
- I promise. I will sip it without spoiling the lotus.
- [Smirkes]
Minutes later,
- [Stopped at the middle of sipping]
- Just drink Starc. Don't give looks.
- You promised?!
- I don't understand what your problem is with my style of drinking lattes.
- Let me tell you. You have to sip it without spoiling it, if you don't take extra sugar. And see, you're not taking sugars. So, just drink it how it is. DON'T SPOIL. It's our coffee. And it's not the way it should be drunk.
- If you don't shut up for now, I will vanish from here.
- [Starc laughs] Drink it, babe. But still saying it won't be good.
- Bla bla bla... SHUT UP.
The little quarrel between them always remained little until this day. After that day, they never met for months. They went busy for IPL and net sessions. Online chatting was stopped too. They never got sufficient time to even talk.
_________________________
Mitchell Starc couldn't give any die heart congratulations to Trent Boult after the team qualification. He was busy too. For qualifying his own team, KKR. After SRH won
against RR, Starc was sad a little. Cause the final stood as KKR vs SRH. Cummins vs Starc. He had no special mood to play. He even couldn't give a consolation to Boult. He wished he were in the hotel. Still.
The final was Starc's. We all knew it. He was so happy with his group and other members of his team. Gathered together for selfies and photos. He couldn't become the valuable player but still played so well after qualification for the final. He couldn't hold his tears after the Victory. He was delighted for the win. He was happy after becoming the man of the match and even lifting the trophy. AS HE SAID. But not the person around, whom he said.
Heard a calling bell...
Walked slowly to open the door. Remembering, he didn't order coffee. Opening the door, found a huge bouquet of flowers and a note. He kept it up. Closed the door behind him and put the bouquet on his table. Opened the note, reading,
'Hey, Boulty. My mind says, you're still here. Watching me on the TV. Not sure you're happy or sad. But I am sorry. Please forgive me. At least this time. You know I love to tease you always. I don't know why you didn't even wish me all the best. I can smell it. Whatever, accept the flower for me. I know you're happy now. Look, we both won the bet. Your team qualified for the final as you said. And I got the trophy. AS I said. Right?
And one more thing, Latte can be drunk by spoiling its art. As it mixed well, it tasted more good. Note it for me. And tell me after I tease you. Don't change. Love you.'
- Starcy
He got some emotions but couldn't express when he heard second door bell. He opened it and shocked to see Starc standing there. He jumped over him and hugged him tightly. Starc holds him back. "Miss me?" Starc says. "No." Boult lied. "I will make you spoiled latte after flying AUS." Starc pinged. "It will be tasty." Boult added. Starc smiles. "Hm." They kissed then. Kissed like they met after decades.
........