Drawn to trouble. ( Ishman FF)

Chapter 38

As Ishan made his way to the staff room, Shubnil hurried up to him, looking nervous and fidgety.

"Ishan sir... ek baat batani hai," Shubnil said hesitantly.

Ishan turned to him with a kind smile. "Haan, bolo Shubnil, kya baat hai?"

Shubnil hesitated, glancing around to make sure no one was listening. Then he confessed everything—how Shubman had pressured him to show his answers during the exams and how Shubman had managed to tweak them just enough to avoid suspicion.

Ishan’s face fell as the truth sank in. "Shubman ne ye sab kiya?" he asked, more in disbelief than anger.

Shubnil nodded, looking apologetic. "Mujhe majboori mein karna pada, sir. Par please, Shubman ko mat batana ki maine aapko ye sab bataya."

Ishan sighed in disappointment . "Theek hai, Shubnil. Tum tension mat lo. Main baat karunga usse."

Later that day, as the final class ended, Ishan stood at his desk, watching the students file out.

"Shubman," he called as the boy stood up to leave.

Shubman turned, slightly confused. "Ji, sir?"

"Zara rukho. Mujhe tumse baat karni hai," Ishan said calmly.

Once the classroom was empty, Ishan gestured for Shubman to come closer.

"Shubman," Ishan began, his voice calm but firm."Tumne exams mein cheating ki kyun?"

Shubman froze for a moment. He quickly masked his surprise with feigned innocence. "Cheating? Main? Sir, aap ye baat kyun keh rahe ho?"

Ishan folded his arms, fixing him with a steady gaze. "Shubman, mujhe sab pata hai. Tumne Shubnil ke answers copy kiye. Ab mujhe ye samajhna hai ki tumne aisa kyun kiya."

Shubman swallowed hard, realizing there was no point in denying it. He scratched the back of his neck awkwardly, looking anywhere but at Ishan.

"Sir... woh bas ek mazaak tha," he muttered, trying to downplay the situation. "Main bas soch raha tha ki agar main top karun toh aap impress ho jaoge."

Ishan’s expression softened slightly, but his disappointment was clear. "Shubman, mujhe impress karne ka yeh tareeka galat tha. Main tumhare efforts appreciate karta agar tum genuinely mehnat karte."

Shubman looked down, guilt flickering across his face. "Mujhe lagta tha ki main itni mehnat nahi kar paunga, sir... isliye ye sab kiya," he admitted quietly.

Ishan took a deep breath. "Shubman, tumhare andar potential hai. Tum bas shortcuts lena bandh karo. Main tumhe kisi aur se zyada samajhta hoon, aur isi liye tumse umeedein bhi zyada hain. Tumne mujhe nirash kiya hai."

The weight of Ishan’s words hit Shubman hard. He hated seeing Ishan disappointed in him. "I'm sorry, sir," he said earnestly, his usual bravado replaced with genuine remorse. "Aage se aisa nahi hoga, promise."

Ishan nodded, his tone softening. "I trust you Shubman. Lekin agle exams mein main expect karunga ki tum khud ki mehnat se marks lao. Samjhe?"

Shubman nodded, determination replacing the guilt in his eyes. "Samjha, sir. Thank you."

They both left the class,
Ishan was a bit surprised at Shubman’s sudden silence, but he could tell Shubman was genuinely reflecting on his actions. As they reached the parking lot, Ishan saw Shubman walk towards his bike, preparing to ride off.

Ishan called out, "Shubman, tum mujhe ghar tak nahi drop karoge?" his voice a mix of surprise and expectation.

Shubman, still looking a bit regretful, paused before turning to face Ishan. He ran a hand through his hair, guilt evident in his eyes. "Sorry, sir. Main kuch soch raha tha, chalo, climb up." He gestured toward the bike, softening his tone.