𝐓a𝐧g𝐥e𝐝 𝐅a𝐭e𝐬

Chapter-9

Ishan lay on the couch, staring up at the cracked ceiling, his mind racing. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't shake the image of Aditya standing so close to Shubman earlier that night. The easy way they interacted, the familiarity that hung in the air between them-it gnawed at him. He hated the feeling, the jealousy that had started creeping in. What did it even matter to him? Shubman wasn't his-he wasn't even supposed to be someone he liked. So why did it bother him so much?

He clenched his fists, feeling the fabric of the couch beneath his fingers, gripping it tightly as if holding onto some form of sanity. Across the room, Shubman sat by the window, his back turned, eyes fixed on the street outside. Always watching, always calculating, as if danger lurked just around the corner. Ishan's gaze lingered on him, noticing the tension in Shubman's shoulders, the way his jaw tightened every now and then. It was almost as if Shubman felt the weight of the world on his shoulders-and maybe, in a way, he did.

Ishan swallowed hard, pushing the thoughts aside. He didn't want to feel this-this pull towards Shubman, this weird mix of attraction and frustration. It made everything more complicated. But deep down, he knew it was already too late. The lines had blurred, and he was starting to see Shubman differently.

In the dim light of the room, Shubman turned, catching Ishan's gaze. For a moment, neither of them said anything, the silence stretching between them. Ishan wanted to look away, to break the connection, but something held him there. The unspoken tension that had been growing between them for days now seemed too thick to ignore.

"You okay?" Shubman asked, his voice low, almost cautious. His tone wasn't one of concern, more like he was checking for any signs of rebellion or weakness.

Ishan blinked, caught off guard by the question. "Yeah, fine. Just... thinking."

"About what?"

Ishan hesitated, his mind flashing back to Aditya. He wanted to ask about him, to understand what Shubman's relationship with him had been, but he didn't want to seem affected. It wasn't his place, and he knew it. Instead, he shrugged, trying to play it cool. "Just everything. How we ended up here. It's a lot."

Shubman nodded, his gaze softening a little. He stood, the motion smooth and deliberate, and crossed the room, stopping just short of where Ishan lay. His presence was overwhelming, a mix of danger and something else-something protective. Ishan could feel it, that magnetic pull between them, growing stronger with each passing second. There was something about Shubman that made him feel both safe and on edge, a confusing contradiction that left Ishan's heart racing.

"You don't have to worry," Shubman said, his voice steady, a strange calm in it. "I won't let anything happen to you."

Ishan wanted to believe him. He really did. But the doubts were still there, simmering beneath the surface. His gaze drifted to the window, trying to find something to focus on, something to distract him from the way his heart raced every time Shubman was near.

"Aditya..." Ishan started, the name slipping out before he could stop himself. "You two seem close."

Shubman's expression shifted ever so slightly-just enough for Ishan to notice. He leaned against the wall, arms crossed over his chest, as if weighing his words carefully.

"We were... once," Shubman said, his voice quieter now. "It was a long time ago. Things were different back then."

Ishan's chest tightened. He didn't know why he felt this way-this strange knot of jealousy twisting inside him. Shubman had a past, of course he did. But the idea of someone else knowing him in a way that Ishan didn't-it unsettled him.

"Why does it matter?" Shubman asked, raising an eyebrow. There was no malice in his tone, but there was curiosity.

"I don't know," Ishan muttered, looking away. "It doesn't. I just... noticed."