"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...
It was high noon as Ishan woke up with his shirt soaked in sweat, looking like he'd just finished a marathon. He was sweating buckets from every pore of his body. But hey, the silver lining was that it meant his fever was breaking. Feeling a bit grossed out at his sweaty state, he decided to take a cold shower.
As the chilly water rained down on him, it provoked the thoughts about the previous night that he was so desperately trying to avoid.
A nerve popped out as he cringed at his own shenanigans. Mental note: no more fevers or shady drinks, especially when Shubman's around.
Post-shower and feeling minty fresh, he reached for his phone, fingers scrolling furiously to locate Shubman's contact. He had to clear the fog of awkwardness looming over them. Two calls in, and Shubman was playing hard to get.
Weird... Was he ignoring him? Ishan contemplated the possibility of Shubman ignoring him. Nah, that couldn't be it. He's probably busy. Ishan really hoped the latter was true and not the first one.
Realizing he overslept, he missed his morning practice, which meant an afternoon session to make up for it. Perfect chance to face Shubman since their sessions would sync, where they could hopefully clear the air - or at least make the awkwardness a bit more bearable.
As Ishan strutted onto the field, exchanging pleasantries with KL Rahul and Shreyas on his way, he had his eagle eyes searching for Shubman. Ah, there he was- deep into some net practice. Ishan decided it was wise to talk after the man was done honing his cricket skills.
Of course, Ishan had to focus on his own game too. With the T20 series against Australia looming over him, he couldn't afford to lose focus, not when he was a vital part of the playing 11.
In those rare breaks in between, Ishan eyed Shubman like a hawk, waiting for a chance to swoop in for a chat. But oh no, every time Shubman was glued to either Virat bhai or Shreyas. There was no way he could possibly discuss the events of the previous night with them around.
Was this just an unfortunate coincidence? Or a strategic move to avoid Ishan? If it is the latter, then Mr. Gill was playing the master dodger.
As the practice session wrapped up, Ishan seized the moment, huffing and puffing to catch up to Shubman. "Hey Shub!" he called out, ready for that long-overdue talk. "Can we talk for a moment?" He asked, gasping for breath.
"Here?" Shubman questioned, and Ishan scanned the surroundings - definitely not the serene spot for drama. "No, not here. Our room maybe?" Ishan suggested, hoping for a secluded setting.
"Uh, I've got this event that I can't miss," he stammered. A terrible liar, Ishan thought as he persisted, "No worries, we can talk on our way back."
The excuses rolled in like an incoming typhoon. "About that, I... I think I'll head to the event right away."
Ishan almost laughed at the absurdity of the situation. It was as clear as day that Shubman was trying hard to dodge him.
Seeing the sweaty post-practice state Shubman was in after practice, Ishan cheekily asked, "You're attending an event in this state?"
Shubman, in full dodge mode, responded, "Changing rooms at the event. I can clean up there." He really was doing everything in his power to avoid a chat with him.
"Maybe we can talk after I get back?" Shubman suggested, looking like he'd rather face a barrage of bouncers than a chat with Ishan.
Half-pitying his friend's elaborate escape plans, Ishan nodded in agreement. It's not like Shubman could avoid him forever. They'd have to address the situation at some point.
As Ishan awaited, he channeled his inner Gordon Ramsay, taking it upon himself to cook dinner. He rarely cooks; only on special occasions. This was one of them - a gesture to smooth over the awkward events of the previous night.
He did, after all, go beyond the boundary with his actions. Especially when Shubman was already seeing a certain someone.
Occasionally glancing at the clock, he waited with the plates set on the dining table. The minutes stretched into hours with the dinner growing colder by the minute, but Shubman was nowhere to be seen. As the night dragged on, Ishan couldn't resist succumbing to sleep.
Past mid-night, Ishan awakened at the creaking of the door. His eyes barely cracked open, narrowing at the sight of a slightly intoxicated Shubman stumbling in. The boy couldn't have looked more guilty even if he tried.
Grumpy, half-buried in blanket, half-awake and certainly not in the mood for pleasantries, Ishan mocked, "Did you go hiking through a jungle or wrestle a bear? Because that's the vibe I'm getting."
His question hung in the air, met with Shubman's guilty silence. Ishan demanded answers. "Where were you?", he inquired, his tone a mix of curiosity and annoyance.
Shubman mumbled something that sounded suspiciously like, "Here and there."
Ishan, now wide awake, shot Shubman a skeptical look. "Here and there? Seriously?" he remarked, sitting up in bed and observing Shubman's slightly intoxicated sway.
"The event got extended... had to stay back." Shubman shrugged, attempting nonchalance that fooled absolutely no one.
"Event, huh?" Ishan scoffed, not buying into the weak excuse, "You sure seem to have lost track of time attending this 'event' of yours," annoyance dripping from every word.
Shubman, massaging his temples, tried to sidestep an argument, "I'm really tired, Ishan. Can we talk in the morning?"
Ishan retorted, "Sure, Shubi, because 2 AM is the perfect time for deep, meaningful conversations. Very convenient." If Shubman wasn't the guy he loved, Ishan would've definitely drop kicked him out of the window by now.
Left with little choice, Ishan resigned to his bed, unwilling to engage in a midnight argument. Shubman, too fatigued to change his clothes, slumped on the sofa.
The usual shared bed remained occupied only by Ishan, neither willing to bridge the distance that had grown between them, both figuratively and literally.
Congratulations, Shubi - another dodged conversation, Ishan mused, well aware that he needed to clear the awkwardness before the impending T20 series against Australia started.
✎ ✎
By the way, cricket fans, what are your opinions on this guy?
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"There are plenty of ways to die, but only love can kill and keep you alive to feel it."
