Shubman brought the car to a halt at Ishan's destination. As he stepped out of the car, Shubman reminded, "Just give me a call, and I'll pick you up." After exchanging goodbyes, Shubman set off for his date night with Naina.
Their initial stop for the evening was the movie theaters, where they opted for a horror film. Shubman had a love-hate relationship with the genre- genuinely terrified yet strangely drawn to them. He couldn't resist the thrill, even if it meant enduring potential nightmares later.
In the queue for popcorn and drinks, Shubman subconsciously placed his order, "A tub of butter popcorn, please." Naina remarked, "Didn't you mention on our first date that you've cut down on butter?"
She was right. With upcoming matches, Shubman had indeed cut down on butter and ghee from his diet. So, why the buttery popcorn now?
Perhaps it was the result of a certain someone named Ishan. It was a force of habit- ordering a tub of butter popcorn for Ishan had become a routine during their movie nights together. In the slip of the moment, Shubman momentarily forgot he was out with Naina, not Ishan.
"Yeah... yeah, you're right," he said, admitting his slip-up and added, "Cancel my order, please."
As the movie commenced, Shubman, though he'd never admit it, found himself on edge within the first ten minutes.
He never faced horror movies alone; typically, he'd watch them with his sister, who was equally scared, or with Ishan, who'd crack a joke every two minutes, turning horror into comedy.
In that moment, Shubman yearned for Ishan's company. He missed Ishan's attempts to spook him right before a jump scare. He missed the hand-holding and comforting hugs of Ishan during intense moments. He missed Ishan's humor, the jokes that turned his fear into laughter.
Yet, beyond missing Ishan, Shubman realized he missed himself. He missed the version of himself that existed when Ishan was around. It wasn't just about Ishan's absence; it was about the void Shubman felt in himself without Ishan.
It was more than just missing someone; it was missing a profound part of himself. He yearned for that special 'something' that he shared exclusively with Ishan.
With Ishan's thoughts dominating his mind, Shubman failed the register the movie's plot. The film's end caught him off guard, his mind preoccupied with the thoughts of a certain someone who was enjoying his night at the party.
࣪ ˖ ๋࣭ ࣪ ˖ ๋࣭ ࣪ ˖ ๋࣭ ࣪ ˖ ๋࣭ ࣪ ˖ ๋࣭ ࣪ ˖ ๋࣭ ࣪ ˖ ๋࣭ ࣪ ˖ ๋࣭ ࣪ ˖ ๋࣭ ࣪ ˖ ๋࣭ ࣪ ˖ ๋࣭ ࣪ ˖ ๋࣭ ࣪ ˖ ๋࣭ ࣪ ˖ ๋࣭ ࣪ ˖ ๋࣭ ࣪ ˖ ๋࣭ ࣪ ˖ ๋࣭ ࣪ ˖ ๋࣭ ࣪ ˖ ๋࣭ ࣪ ˖ ๋࣭ ࣪ ˖ ๋࣭ ࣪
Ishan, on the other hand, found himself immersed in the vibrant atmosphere of his friend, Ankita's birthday bash.
He couldn't deny it served as a much needed distraction from the labyrinth of thoughts about Shubman. The party provided the perfect escape from his web of emotions.
Ishan, true to his reputation, assumed the role of the life of the party. Determined to make the most of the night, he wore a facade of enjoyment visible to all but one- Sara, who was also on the guest list.
She approached Ishan, breaking through the lively crowd, and said, "Ishan, can we talk for a moment?" Agreeing, they sought a quieter corner, away from the boisterous crowd.
Ishan felt an unexpected warmth coursing through his body, an inexplicable feverish sensation.
Unlike that one ill-fated night at the club, he could swear he hadn't consumed anything questionable - just a glass of harmless coke. And not the mention, unlike the shady club, this party was no place for foul play.
Sara initiated the conversation with a casual, "How have you been doing?" Ishan reciprocated, "Pretty good. How about you?" She responded, "I'm doing well too."
Their conversation unfolded like that of casual friends, delving into topics ranging from T20 series preparations to the general chat and flow of life.
Throughout, Ishan felt an increasing warmth and drowsiness, sensations he hadn't anticipated.
Then came the question Ishan had anticipated, "How is Shubman doing?" A smile played on Ishan's lips as he responded, "Better than before. A lot."
Sara seemed content with the update, yet she detected a subtle shift in Ishan's demeanor, perhaps at the mention of Shubman.
Girls, as they say, are adept at reading people, and though uncertain, a faint idea of what might be going on formed in her mind.
Placing a comforting hand on Ishan's shoulder, she felt the warmth emanating from him and remarked, "Do you have a fever?" Ishan, caught off guard, hadn't considered this possibility. Did he have a fever?
Sara confirmed her suspicion by checking his temperature with a hand on his forehead. She expressed genuine concern. "You seem to have a high fever," she noted with worry.
It suddenly made sense to Ishan. Reflecting on the day, he realized he had been feverish all along. He had dismissed the feverish feeling as a consequence of Shubman's thoughts weighing on him.
"You should go home and get some rest, Ishan," Sara advised, genuinely worried about his well-being.
"Did you drive here?" She asked and Ishan shook his head, feeling too weak to articulate a response. "So did someone drop you off?" she inquired and Ishan nodded in response.
She didn't need a confirmation to deduce that Shubman had been the one to drop him off. Reaching for her phone, she proposed, "I'll give him a call to pick you up." Ishan halted her, "Don't. He's busy."
"Busy, you say?" Sara, seemingly unconvinced, retorted, "He's Shubman we're talking about. We both know he's never too busy when it comes to you."
In a playful tone, she reminisced, "I still remember the time he ditched our date when you weren't answering his calls."
She continued, "Turned out you were just asleep with your phone on silent." A laugh escaped Ishan as he recalled the memory, feeling a sense of comfort.
Despite his fatigue, Ishan hesitated. He didn't want to spoil yet another date of Shubman. He wrestled with the idea of revealing that he was on a date to stop Sara from contacting him. But revealing about his date to his ex didn't seem like the best idea.
As Sara persisted in calling Shubman, Ishan, drained of energy, surrendered, unable to resist her efforts to contact him. He really wasn't ready.
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Ssssszzzzzzzppppppp I'm going insane :D
𓇢𓆸
"You sometimes think you want to disappear, but all you really want is to be found."
— Kid Cudy
𓇢𓆸
Date Published: 05.01.2024
YOU ARE READING
Beyond The Boundary (Shubman Gill x Ishan Kishan)
Romance"Don't give me those eyes unless you want me to ruin you, inch by inch." It all started with one sinful dream. A dream that has been haunting Ishan for the past 4 months. A stupid dream that made him question the boundaries of his friendship with Sh...
