Yours insanely

13.Holy chips

You walked out of the diner, expecting to see Shubman leaning back on the car like always.

Surely, you thought, you owed him an explanation after your sudden outburst in his arms yesterday.

You remember your sobs dying down after minutes, staying for even longer. You hugged him so tight that you could feel his heartbeat, just listening to it as if it were a metronome.

He held your face with his hands when you pulled away, wiping your tears away.

You waited until your breathing calmed and after that, as unGILLievable as it sounds, you did what you did the most so far. You bolted.

He sure did think you had a knack for running away.

Still he made sure you got home safe. There were a few guards stationed near your house.

It was 6 pm now but Shubman wasn't there yet.

He's always been there, even when he knew you'd probably say nothing and walk away.

Maybe he's just running late.

So you waited, standing beside a pole in front of a building where he'd be waiting.

Five minutes. Surely, he would have informed you if he wasn't going to be there like the other day.

Even then, you hadn't given him any reason to return, have you?

You looked around uneasily, at the empty roads as you occasionally circled the pole.

Where you lived and went about was not as popular as the rest of the region, to locals and tourists alike. That's why you chose this place; it's nice to stay low-key.

Twenty more minutes passed and he was not yet here.

You walked a couple of blocks and sat on a bench by the pavement, removing your backpack and thinking.

Somewhere along the line, you got used to him waiting for you. Looking forward to him asking you how your day was.

No one's ever done anything for you.

And when Shubman walked into your life and told you that he loves you, completely, utterly, not true according to you.

You thought he'll get tired of you in a week.

"Did he?" You said aloud, checking the watch around your wrist. You've waited an hour. Has he finally?

Then you realized. Seven days. Yesterday was the last one.

Meanwhile~

"Shubman, you've to stop moving," Ishan said as the duo finally walked to the younger one's bedroom.

He sat leaning against the headboard while his blazer and shirt were disposed of and the doctor walked in.

"Is this really needed now?" He questioned with a roll of his eyes.

"There's a bullet in your torso, mister. So yes, it is really needed," Ishan snapped before examining the gunshot wound.

Thank gawd Shahneel is still out because if she was here, she would've hit him with a dictionary.

"How the hell did I get attacked in my own warehouse," Shubman said with his jaw clenched while the doctor got ready with an injection.

It was supposed to be a non-violent day.

He'd have checked on the money and guns stacked up in the warehouse for the next shipment and then left to see you.

But his rival clearly had other plans.

Though Shubman had the upper hand in the end, like he always does, he was an hour late.

That's all he cared about despite the bullet in his abdomen.

"Snipers," his right hand man said. "Sidharth's. They laid wait till they had a clear shot. They've been taken care of."

He'll have to wait until the anesthetic kicks in to get the bullet out. That'll take too long.

"I'll go without them," he said. "Just take the scalpel."

"Okay, I'm starting to think you might be injured in the head as well," Ishan did not hide the bluntness in his voice.

"I need to go to Y/n," Shubman said and just earned an 'Are you kidding me?' look in return.

"I'll have someone check on her. What if she has gone home?" The older asked, gesturing for the doctor to go on with his work, assisted by a couple of other doctors.

"What if she hasn't?" He asked back and heard a sigh in return.

"Call her but you're not moving until you're treated," Ishan said, handing Shubman his phone.

"She's not using a phone, Ishu," he let him know.

"Then call her assigned bodyguard hiding in the shadows and ask him," the former said as a matter of fact.

The younger looked at his best friend for a while and then made the call; he knew he was just as stubborn as him.

On the other side, you were still sitting on the bench, thinking too much until a random guy walked out of nowhere to you.

"Holy chips-" You placed a hand over where you knew your startled heart was. "You scared me, dude."

The Conjuring franchise sounded more fun to watch. That's how much he startled you.

More interactive skills there, by the way.

"I'm sorry, ma'am. It was not my intention," the six-feet-something man said as he extended his arm towards you. "Mr. Gill is on the phone."

You eyed him suspiciously before you checked the caller ID, doubting if it was really Shubman.

Wasn't a week over already?

Getting the phone from him anyway, you slowly placed it near your ear because you hoped so badly that he hadn't grown tired of you.

You know, your actions in the past six days until yesterday said otherwise.

"Hello," you finally managed to say, relief flooding you immediately when you heard the voice speak to you.

"Baby," Shubman said immediately, voice laced with worry. "Why didn't you go home yet- Wait, have you had dinner?"

"I was waiting for you," you admitted and added at the end. "And I had my dinner."

"I'm so sorry, baby," he said from the other side of the call. "It was work. I'll make it up to you tomorrow, I promise."

You hummed a little in response. "Okay."

"I'll send your driver, sweetheart," Shubman said while his bullet was being taken out but you didn't know that. "Do you want to go to some other place?"

"No, just home. I'll walk," you answered. "Need some physical activity."

"Are you sure, baby?" He asked and you mumbled a 'yes' in confirmation.

He was never going against your decision, but he'll still make sure you walk home unharmed.

"If that's what you want, honey," Shubman said. "Get home safe, alright? I love you."

"Okay, I-" You stopped yourself and he held his breath on the other side. "I'll go home. Bye."

Hearing an 'okay' as a reply, you handed the phone back to the six-feet-something guy.

You got up from the bench, swinging your backpack over your shoulder and starting to walk home.

The next morning, there was a rose plant at your doorstep with a note that said 'I left them in the plant.'