What after That?

Ch 39.

Mayank stood on the field, wearing his soccer uniform, grinning and waving up at  Abhishek, who was leaning over the railing on the second floor of the school building.

Today was the big soccer match, and Mayank was here representing his school against Shubman and his gang's school.

Abhishek had just "excused" himself from class, although he'd only taken a quick break to sneak a glimpse of Mayank warming up on the field.

Seeing Mayank's enthusiastic wave, Abhi waved back, signaling with a gesture to wait—he was coming down to meet him.

As he walked in front of Shubman's classroom to fetch him, he paused, Glancing through the small window in the door, he could see Shubman and Ishan seated next to each other.

Shubman had his head down, scribbling something intently on a notebook, while Ishan sat beside him, his eyes narrowed in a mock glare.

Although it looked as though Ishan might be upset, a suppressed smile tugged at the corners of his mouth, his eyes betraying amusement rather than any real anger.

Their chemistry teacher, standing obliviously at the blackboard, was engrossed in filling the board with equations, her chalk hand flying with a vigor that matched her sense of authority.

The classroom was anything but focused. The teacher was going on with her lecture in blissful ignorance, assuming she had everyone's attention, but it was clear the students were busy with everything except chemistry.

From the back of the room, a couple of boys whispered jokes, nudging each other to stifle laughter.

A few girls at the far end were leaned over their desks, exchanging notes, perhaps more invested in their latest gossip than in Avogadro's law.

Shubman and Ishan, meanwhile, seemed wrapped up in their own world. They were communicating silently, but with such expression that it was impossible to miss the exchange.

Shubman, his face lit with a mischievous smile, scribbled something onto the notebook, subtly sliding it across the desk toward Ishan.

Ishan glanced at the page, his lips curving further upward, and he shot Shubman a quick look, the amusement in his eyes unmistakable.

"Ye kab tak bolne waali hai?"

Ishan glanced at his watch and wrote back, "Abhi toh poore 35 mins hai..."

Shubman sighed dramatically, then quickly jotted down, "Tujhe neend nahi aa rahi?"

Ishan chuckled, shaking his head a little as he replied, "Aa toh rahi hai.. thodi thodi..."

Shubman's eyes lit up with mischief, and he scrawled, "Oh!! Ishan Kishan ji ko class mein neend aa rahi hai..."

Ishan glared at him, but his smile gave him away as he responded with mock indignation, "Hum bhi insaan hai..."

Trying to hold back his laughter, Shubman scribbled his next note: "Lunch nikaal na..."

Ishan's eyebrows shot up in surprise—it was only the second period! He raised his pen and wrote back, "Abhi se? Aur mam dekh lengi.."

Shubman's response came in the form of a pleading note: "Bhook lagi hai..." His face, though mischievous, looked suddenly and surprisingly innocent, as if he'd been fasting for days.

Ishan couldn't help but smirk but still wrote, "Nahi, mam dekh lengi toh panga ho jayega..."

But Shubman was nothing if not determined. "Tu wo sab mujhpe chhod de... Tu lunch nikaal toh sahi..."