Lemon Poppy Seeds

Chapter Six: The Most Valuable Player

Ishan watched Naina and Shreyas in the distance as the latter offered his hand to help her up from where she was sitting. He couldn't understand why the sight annoyed him, but it did.

"Aur sab khairiyat, bhaijaan?" Ishan turned around when he heard Shubman's voice behind him.

"Tu na, Rashid ke saath kam ghuma kar. Dheere dheere khud bhi Afghan jalebi bante ja raha hai," Ishan said slightly annoyedly.

"Arey arey, uss se bhi jealousy ab?" Shubman teased.

"What do you mean uss se bhi?" Ishan asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Shreyas?" Shubman said, like it was the most obvious answer.

"Kuch bhi! Main bhala kyun jealous hone laga uss se?" Ishan said defensively. "Na Naina meri kuch lagti hai, na mujhe achhi lagti hai."

"Maathe pe jhuriyan kyun padh rahi hain phir? Aur aise dekh raha tha jaise kha jayega."

"I'm being a hater bro, bohot passionately hate karta hoon. Dekh kaise chipak raha hai, flirt ek number ka."

"Par Naina toh single hai. Phir kyun na chipke?" Shubman questioned, faking innocence.

"Haan par..."

"Par kya Ishan? Mujhe toh dikh raha hai teri jal rahi hai use kisi aur ke saath dekhkar. Baaki teri marzi, tu maan'na chahta hai toh you'll do something about it. See ya brother." With that Shubman left, after patting Ishan's shoulder.

"Ya whatever. Usko kuch hota toh Shreyas ke saath nahi ghum rahi hoti," Ishan said to himself.

~ * ~

Isha was on her phone when someone tapped her on her shoulder.

"For fuck's sake!" she said loudly, turning suddenly.

"Are you okay? It's just me," Shubman said, visibly concerned.

"Yeah, sorry, I don't know why I thought you were Naina or someone, I just.. where is she anyway?"

A glimmer of confusion turned to realization in Isha's eyes when Shubman's fingers touched her jaw and turned her face to look where her best friend stood. She looked at Shubman when she heard him chuckle.

"What?" she asked.

"Nothing, I'm just trying to process all of this."

"You're probably judging her right now, aren't you?"

"I'm not. But I won't lie, he's not enjoying seeing them together like this."

"Shubman, I know woh tumhara best friend hai and nothing would have made me happier if things just worked for them like it did for us. But I don't want my best friend to be spun in a web of mixed feelings, I'm sorry."

"You're right, she shouldn't suffer if he can't make up his mind."

"Hey um, can I say something?" Shubman said hesitantly after a few seconds.

"Yeah sure, what is it?"

"I really like your company, I would like to meet you again, like agar hum dubara Ahmedabad aate hain or something."

"I'd love that, actually!" Isha said grinning. Was there another right answer to Shubman Gill possibly asking you out? Hell no! Only a moody Gautam Gambhir could reject him. Probably not him also but you never knew what was going to come out of that man's mouth.

"But um-"

"I was thinking this Saturday, I'll be in town," Shubman said, as if reading Isha's mind about what she was about to ask him.