7 days

DAY FIVE ( PART 3)

POV: Ishaan Kishan.

Ishaan woke up uneasily and stared in confusion at his surroundings. It took him a while to figure out that he was sleeping on Shreyas’s couch. He stretched as he got up and quietly made his way to the kitchen.

With a coffee in hand and a cigarette dangling from his lips, Ishaan checked his phone. No missed calls, no texts from Shubman. Disheartened, he let out a puff of smoke. For the first time in his life, the black coffee was starting to taste bitter in his mouth. Maybe it wasn't the coffee, maybe it's the fact that he spent another night away from Shubman.

‘ the fuck are you doing here?!’ Shreyas voice brought Ishaan back to reality.

‘ I let myself in?’ Ishaan sheepishly said.

Shreyas frowned and stared at him.

‘ I didn't hear anything, if that's what you were worried about …’ Ishaan mumbled and tightly pressed his lips together.

Shreyas opened his mouth to say something but stopped when his boyfriend stepped out of the room.

‘ Everything okay babe?’ he asked Shreyas.

‘ yeah, just an unwanted guest..’ he replied, narrowing his eyes at Ishaan.

‘ Hi Tilak’ Ishaan waved.

Tilak had a brief conversation with Ishaan and turned around to Shreyas to say goodbye. Ishaan watched as Tilak whispered something into his ears and made him laugh. Seeing them together reminded Ishaan of Shubman. How he always lingered back in the doorway before heading to the airport so they could have one more hug, one more touch, one more glance at each other. If Ishaan is with him after his matches, he would kiss Ishaan the exact amount of runs he made. Ishaan smiled to himself as he thought of the times he had to sit idly while Shubman sat on his lap and kissed him a hundred times.

‘ oye’ shreyas was snapping his fingers in front of Ishaan's face trying to get his attention.

‘ Did you forget your way home?

Ishaan shook his head.

‘I need to talk to you about something.’ Ishaan was nervous.

A look of worry crossed Shreyas face. Ishaan didn't go home and let himself in to talk about something? It was unlike Ishaan to behave like this.

‘ what's going on?’

‘ I…I uh, I should have told you about this a long time ago. I don't know why, but I kept hiding it.’ Ishaan started to talk.

Shreyas stared at Ishaan who was avoiding eye contact, and rubbing his beard. His eyes were puffy, and red, his hair a mess.

‘ I'm uh…. I'm seeing someone,’ he finally said.

Shreyas raised his eyebrows.

‘ who?’

‘ Shubman’ Ishaan mumbled under his breath.

It took Shreyas a while to register what Ishaan said. After that, he felt a roller coaster of emotions all together. Confusion, happiness, more confusion and in the end, anger. Anger because his best friend hid something so big from him.

‘ Shrey?’ Ishaan hesitantly said.

Shreyas got up from the couch and started pacing around.

‘ so, you are telling me that you are going out with Shubman Gill?’

‘ THE SHUBMAN GILL?’

‘ Since when did you turn gay? Shubman Gill is gay?????’

Shreyas was asking one question after the other. Ishaan stared at him nervously.