(Part 6)

The middleschoolers scattered around the dressing room discussed the toss and powerplay positioning.

"Catch, Ryan." Adam tossed the ball up high.

Ryan catching the ball tossed it back again, "Catch back."

"I bet we'll have to entrust wicket keeping part to Senior Elias. For, the half of the ground behind him will be positioned as per his instructions." Seraph told.

"Right." Cassiel agreed.

"Anyways, just make sure once you go for the toss Feng, choose batting like before, if you win it." Kenzo informed.

"Exactly, giving a target to the rival team feels much better than chasing it. It's less compelling." Helios agreed.

"Furthermore, Senior Senri told that the pitches are grassy and pace friendly, powerplay with the new ball will give us runs due to good visibility and prediction of ball's height and swing movement." Heber added.

Feng nodded lightly. His hesitation and nervousness clearly evident, Xavier assured, "Don't think too much, Feng. You are going to give your best performance ever today. Just be yourself."

Feng breathed out with a smile, "Thank you, Vice-captain. I won't let anyone down."

"But remember little ones, winning the toss is a matter that entirely depends on luck. Don't decide your performance and outcome by it." Alan advised, seated over a table and going through his phone.

"He's right, despite pitches being really pace friendly here. Miracles do happen. You never know when it's cricket. Tides change like circumstances, unexpected and sudden. So be it balling first or batting first. Get ready to give it your all." Elias added testing his gloves. "Adam, Ryan can you play catch with me too? I want to check out my gloves." he asked.

"Okay!" Adam replied as Ryan nodded.

The highschoolers soon joined them alongside the instructors.

"Looks like everything out there is set. Are all of you ready?" Isa inquired the middleschoolers.

"Hm, ready than ever!" Azazel raised his fists high.

"After learning a little bit more about the atmosphere and pitches here. I think we can give a good performance now." Seraph assured.

"Yeah, our practice in the ground, right after we arrived here was a great know-how too." Poseidon added.

Ren grinned, "Good job."

"Let's go then all of you. It's time for the toss." Haruf called.

____

Gabriel warming up around the backstage, glanced at his watch, "It's almost time. I better head back to the dressing room…" he thought pivoting around making his way back. However halting amid his steps, he narrowed his gaze.

A familiar face, possessing medium-length hair meticulously combed, silky strands flowed and extended behind his ears, reminiscent of sun rays gently radiating outwards. The figure casually blinked his cat like green eyes. Nile stood there, wearing a wide grin. His hands casually tucked into the pockets of his attire—an ornate golden jersey that exuded an air of distinction.

Gabriel gasped momentarily, instantly returning into his usual unruffled expression. A longtime friend was at that moment standing before him yet… not a single word left his mouth.

"Goodness gracious, even a simple 'Yo!' would suffice. Just seeing you makes me feel like you'd swallow me whole, geez..." Nile broke the silence, "Anyways, nostalgic isn't it…? It's been a while, Gabriel." he greeted sincerely. "I was looking forward to seeing you again," he expressed warmly.

Gabriel responded with a light nod.

"What's the matter? Are you so thrilled to see me that words fail you?" Nile teased, prompting a smirk from Gabriel, "Not really. I just didn't expect to encounter you here, especially like this."

"Do you mean in my role as Peshawar Zalmi's representative?" Nile guessed. "Haha, you see a lot unfolded after my departure, so I'm sure this is a surprise for you. Not for me though, as I anticipated our reunion," he confidently remarked.

Gabriel smiled shaking his head, "You haven't changed at all."

"While you sure do have." Nile added, sensing the change in his attitude, behavior, expression and actions in just a short period of time. His expression instantly turned bleak. Silence enshrouding the two for a while.

Gabriel maintained a focused gaze.

"Even with this meeting, it doesn't feel like our former friendship, Gabriel. So, ask whatever you wish to know. I couldn't respond when I left so abruptly last year, but now I can." Nile's voice grew solemn.

Gabriel exhaled walking closer. "I have no questions for you. Your personal matters are yours alone, and I won't press for explanations about why you left without a word. Christopher might demand answers, but we've accepted our loss. Fate and our diverging paths are unchangeable. However, there's one thing I've been curious to know…," he expressed as he walked past Nile, both of them facing away from each other.

Nile adopted a serious expression asking, "What is it?"

"Feng…" Gabriel uttered, casting a sidelong glance at Nile's back. "In the last match you played with us and abruptly left afterward. What happened between you and Feng?"

Nile grinned, seemingly expecting Gabriel's query. He ran his hand through his hairs, his expression turning dangerous. "I had a hunch you'd ask, but Gabriel…" 

His tone swapping to a mocking one he turned around. "It's surprising that Feng hasn't shared that with you. What a wonderful 'family' you are." 

Annoyed, Gabriel clenched his fists.

"You changed due to his influence, yet he doesn't consider you worthy of sharing his thoughts. That's your issue, isn't it?" Nile scorned, his expression one again shifting back to a gentle one.

"Gabriel, you were my friend, and I still hold you dear. But Feng Mir Ozer... I have never liked him. Whatever happened to him was his own fault. Had he not interfered in our matters, none of this would've occurred, and I wouldn't have left…" Nile whispered at the end. 

Enraged by Nile's words, Gabriel glared. "So, you truly did something…?"

Nile shrugged. "Who knows, Brother Gabriel~?" Losing his patience, Gabriel attempted to grab Nile's collar, but Nile swiftly stepped back, his reflexes sharp. "Gabriel… let's resolve cricket glitches through cricket. Remember, in the past, you weren't the only one known as 'Asura'," Nile recalled leaving.

Gabriel gritting, clenched his fists. "Nile…" he called.

Nile halted.

Gabriel's voice menacing with his pitch black orbs furious, he warned, "Whatever happened between you both in the past, just let it go. Don't dwell over it. Because, if I step in between your matter. I hope you do know the consequences you'll face. You might've shared my title, but you don't share my menace."

"Oh~? As if that would scare me." Nile waved leaving, "See you on the ground, Gabriel Harut along with your brother Feng Mir Ozer."

Silence befalling after the echo of his words, Gabriel slammed his hand on the nearby wall frustrated. 

____

The boys steeping outside the pavilion stood under the lights. Crowd and cheers, which they were not quite adjusted to yet, made them anxious. "I don't like this much crowd at all. It hinders our performance." Azazel narrowed his gaze uneasy.

"'The crowd has nothing to do with you' Play with this mindset." Evan advised, "You have to ignore them, not hinder your performance because of them."

"Is everyone out?" Rauf inquired.

"Yeah…" Poseidon counted the middleschoolers.

"No, Feng and Gabriel are still inside." Heber realized, "Let's go and call them."

"Me too, I am also coming." Mikael tagged along.

Back in the dressing room, Feng hastily grabbed his bat and hurried outside, unexpectedly colliding into someone. "Ouch. I'm sorry..." he muttered, lifting his head up only to find Gabriel in front of him, appearing disinterested with a noticeably worsened mood. 

Feng stepped back, silent and apprehensive. Ignoring the incident, Gabriel moved past Feng to retrieve his gear, preparing to head out.

Surprised yet his behavior comprehensible, Feng looked down acknowledging, "He's still upset. I haven't said a word to him after that and neither did he. Sigh~ it was clearly my fault..." Despite this realization, Feng summoned his courage and called out, "Gabriel."

However, his words echoing in the empty room, he received no response. The room was empty, the time he was absorbed in his thoughts Gabriel had already left. "He left…" he thought, his expression unseen, he wondered, "Seriously… why do his actions feel awfully familiar…?" 

Pakistan, Karachi (2 Years Ago)

The sound of rapid breaths filled the air as a twelve-year-old boy hurried alongside a woman. His hand clasped by his mother's, slightly oversized soft one. In the other hand he tightly gripped a tape ball. His purple hairs swaying in the breeze, he glanced around in a mix of wonder and uncertainty.

The woman, with short purple hair, intermittently cast gentle glances at the boy, revealing a sense of joy at his curiosity. Pulling a large suitcase, they traversed through the streets until they reached their destination— a sizable house with imposing brown wooden gates.

Astonished and quiet, the boy stood beside the woman. Exhaling softly, she set aside the suitcase and turned her attention to him. Smiling warmly, she adjusted his beret hat while he, with blinking grey eyes, asked, "Are we here, Mom?" His voice conveyed a blend of curiosity and nervousness. The woman reassured, responding with affection, "Yes, we've arrived."

"Listen, my dear Feng…" she imparted, "You're an exceptional boy. I want you to display that to others by being exceptionally polite and respectful before them today, alright?"

Feng, catching his breath for a moment, beamed with determination, "Absolutely! I'll be good. You don't have to worry…"

Wondering about his father, he added, "Will Dad join us?"

Pausing for a moment with her mouth slightly agape, the woman masked an assuring smile, "He will join us, but… he might be a little late."

Feng tracing her hurting, expression under a loving one and her words coated with assuring lies nodded, not daring to argue any further. "So, he isn't coming till the very end. I thought he could overlook mother's words but to think he didn't even listen to what I had to say, made everything clear. From now onwards we really… have to maintain this long-distance relationship." he thought disappointed holding his mother's hand, he turned back towards the house once more.