Drawn to trouble. ( Ishman FF)

Chapter 45

It had been weeks since the sleepover, and the time since had been a whirlwind for both Shubman and Ishan. The basketball matches demanded all of Shubman’s attention, and Ishan was buried under piles of exam papers to grade. Their interactions were brief and professional—limited to the classroom and the occasional nod in the corridor.

One afternoon, Ishan was walking through the hallway, carrying a stack of answer sheets. Shubman, dressed in his basketball jersey, emerged from the gym with his teammates, laughing and exuding his usual confidence. Their eyes met briefly.

"Hey, sir!" Shubman called out, breaking away from the group and jogging over to him.

Ishan glanced at him, slightly surprised. "Shub, shouldn’t you be practicing? The finals are coming up, aren't they?"

Shubman shrugged, leaning casually against the wall. "We’ve been practicing nonstop. Coach gave us a break. What about you? Don’t tell me you’re still grading those papers."

Ishan sighed, shifting the stack in his arms. "Exams don’t grade themselves, you know."

Shubman smirked, his tone playful. "You work too hard, sir. Maybe you need a break too."

Ishan adjusted his glasses, trying to ignore the flutter in his chest at Shubman’s casual concern. "And maybe you should focus on your game instead of trying to distract your teacher."

"Touché," Shubman said with a grin. He hesitated for a moment before lowering his voice. "Hey... you free after the finals are done"

Ishan blinked, "Why?"

Shubman rubbed the back of his neck, looking uncharacteristically shy. "I dunno. Just thought we could hang out. Like old times."

"Alright. But only after the finals."

"Deal," Shubman said, his smirk widening as he walked backward toward the gym. "Don’t back out, sir!"

Ishan shook his head, a faint smile tugging at his lips. Despite the hectic schedules, he couldn’t help but feel a flicker of excitement.

After few days,In between the exams Ishan's parents came to visit him. Ishan's parents’ visit had been a welcome distraction, and between meals, sightseeing, and catching up, he had completely forgotten about Shubman’s suggestion weeks ago.

Today was the last exam and Shubman had planned to suprise Ishan. Shubman stood outside Ishan’s apartment, dressed sharply in a crisp white shirt and dark jeans, holding a bouquet of fresh lilies and roses.

Meanwhile, Ishan and his mother were seated on the couch, chatting over tea.

“So, beta,” his mom began, her voice teasing, “you were talking about Shubman earlier. How's he now?”

Ishan froze mid-sip of tea, heat creeping up his neck. “He is doing fine Mom but I only see him in college because his exams are going on” Ishan sighs.

His mom raised an eyebrow smiling,“He's always on your mind right?”

Ishan was about to respond when a knock interrupted their conversation. Relieved for the distraction, he quickly got up to answer the door.

As soon as he opened it, Shubman launched himself forward, wrapping his one arm around Ishan. “Baby, maine aapko bohot miss kiya!” he exclaimed, his voice brimming with excitement.

Before Ishan could process what was happening, Shubman began peppering kisses all over his face, landing a quick peck on his lips in the process.

“Shubman!” Ishan gasped, his hands instinctively gripping Shubman’s shoulders to hold him. “Stop—my mom’s here!”