The house was alive with noise—music pumping, glasses clinking, laughter echoing from every corner. Shubman Gill's birthday party was in full swing, and it felt like the whole world was there to celebrate. But as much as he tried to smile and act like he was having the best time, there was a piece missing.
Ishan.
Shubman stood off to the side, absentmindedly nodding at whatever his friends were saying, but his eyes kept drifting toward the door. Where was he? Ishan never missed a party, and especially not this one. He was Shubman's anchor—the guy who made everything fun, who always knew how to steal the spotlight in the best way. But tonight, Ishan was late. And it wasn't like him at all.
"Oi, Shub!" Anshu's voice snapped him out of his thoughts. "Earth to Gill, bro. What's up? You've been spaced out all night."
Shubman shrugged, trying to play it off. "Yeah, yeah, just... tired, I guess."
Anshu raised an eyebrow. "Tired? Dude, it's your birthday. Lighten up, will ya?" He paused for a second, then smirked knowingly. "Ahhh, I get it. You're waiting for someone special, aren't you?"
Shubman shot him a glare. "Shut up."
Shreyas, who had been eavesdropping, chimed in with a chuckle. "Don't worry, your boyfriend will be here soon."
Shubman felt his face heat up. "He's not— It's not like that," he mumbled, though even he knew how weak that sounded.
Before anyone could tease him further, Shubman's mom swooped in, ever the lifesaver. "Beta, come help me in the kitchen for a second, please."
Relieved, Shubman followed her, though the teasing looks from his friends didn't go unnoticed.
In the kitchen, his mom gave him a soft smile. "You've been distracted all night. Waiting for Ishan?"
Shubman sighed, leaning against the counter. "Yeah... I don't know, Mom. He promised he'd be here, but he hasn't even texted. It's not like him."
His mom nodded knowingly. "I'm sure he'll be here soon. Ishan wouldn't miss your birthday for anything."
Just as she finished speaking, the front door creaked open, and Shubman's heart did a flip. He heard a familiar voice, slightly out of breath.
"Sorry, sorry, I'm late! Got held up, but I'm here!" Ishan's voice rang out, full of that infectious energy Shubman loved.
Shubman didn't waste a second. He hurried back into the living room, and sure enough, there was Ishan, looking disheveled but grinning like he owned the place. He spotted Shubman and immediately made his way over.
"Oi! Birthday boy!" Ishan greeted with that mischievous glint in his eye, already holding out a small bag.
Shubman raised an eyebrow, trying to hide his relief. "About time. Thought you'd bailed on me."
"Nope! Right now," Ishan insisted, folding his arms.
Shubman rolled his eyes, but his smile was impossible to hide. He opened the bag to reveal a sleek silver bracelet, with the engraving S + I.
For a second, Shubman forgot there were other people around. He stared at the bracelet, feeling a warmth spread through his chest. It was simple, subtle, but the meaning was huge.
"You like it?" Ishan's voice had gone soft, almost nervous now.
Shubman slipped it onto his wrist, looking up at him. "It's perfect. Seriously."
Ishan flashed him a grin, looking relieved. "Good, 'cause I had no backup plan."
Just as the moment between them deepened, Rahul's loud voice interrupted. "Oi, Shubman, we still on for the cake or what?"
Shubman snapped back to reality, but Ishan's gift still felt heavy on his wrist. "Yeah, yeah, we're coming."
as they headed toward the center of the room for the cake, Ishan leaned in close to Shubman's ear. "You look good with that bracelet, by the way. Like, really good."
Shubman's face turned pink. "Yeah? Well, you're not looking so bad yourself."
They exchanged a quick glance, and for a moment, everything around them faded—the party, the people, all of it. It was just Shubman and Ishan, standing close enough to feel each other's warmth.
Of course, the universe wasn't going to let them have their private moment for long.
"Aww, look at them!" Shreyas teased loudly from across the room, earning a few laughs from the rest of the team.
"Get a room, you two!" Anshu called out, laughing.
Before Shubman could die of embarrassment, his mom stepped in. "Oh, don't tease them. They're adorable."
Shubman's dad, who had been quietly observing, joined in with a chuckle. "Looks like we should've set an extra chair for the family dinner, huh?"
Ishan's face turned bright red as he stammered, "W-What? No, no, I'm just—"
But Shubman's mom cut him off with a smile, pulling Ishan into a hug. "I'm just glad you made it, Ishan. You're part of the family already."
Shubman groaned, hiding his face in his hands. "Moooom, come on."
Later that night, after the cake was cut and the guests started to thin out, Shubman found himself on the back porch with Ishan. The party was still going inside, but out here, it was just the two of them under the stars.
Shubman glanced at the bracelet on his wrist, smiling softly. "You really outdid yourself, you know."
Ishan shrugged, trying to play it cool. "Yeah, well, you deserve the best."
They sat in comfortable silence for a few moments before Ishan finally leaned his head on Shubman's shoulder. "Happy birthday, Shub. I'm glad I could spend it with you."
Shubman rested his head on top of Ishan's, feeling more content than he had all night. "I'm glad you're here too. This birthday wouldn't have been the same without you."
They stayed like that for a while—just two boys, wrapped up in the warmth of each other's company, knowing that no matter what the world thought, they had each other.
