The week progressed in a terrible way. Shubman was so bogged down by the circuitous discussions with his parents, ironically both being the kindest to him that he'd ever seen, he didn't even have the energy to talk to Ishan at the end of the day.

Of course Ishan must be facing the same kind of thing. He didn't seem much eager to talk either. When he did, he sounded totally depressed, all dull and despairing, like he was perpetually holding back tears.

The only time Shubman tried to comfort him with, "Ishu, we're going to figure it out-" Ishan broke in loudly, "HOW'S NISHA?"

"Um," said Shubman. "Her parents and she went to some friend's place, she hasn't been around all week since the day I came."

Ishan resumed speaking in a normal volume. Shubman didn't dare try the encouragement again.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The day Nisha returned, she and Shubman sat on their shared fence, exchanging their horror stories of the week.

"This friend of my mother's," Nisha said, "obviously, it turns out, has a son my age. I have spent all week learning his talents at surgery, cooking, singing, painting, embroidery, chess, cricket, football, badminton, tennis...."

"Is there anything missing from that list?" asked Shubman.

"Yes," said Nisha. "He sucks at video games. I think they threw that in to make his, uh, character, seem believable."

"Believable! You don't say!"

Nisha laughed. "How are you getting on?"

"Worse than even I imagined. And you know the funniest part?" Shubman said.

"I didn't know there would be funny parts for you to choose the funniest," said Nisha. "But nevermind, what's the funniest part?"

"Whatever suggestion they give me, I want to give it back to them. Whatever di or I give them, they give it back to us," said Shubman. "'You need to broaden your mind, Shubi, to realize you can love someone a lot without loving them romantically.' I need to broaden my mind? I need to?"

"That's bummer," said Nisha sympathetically.

"Then the other day di said 'Mom, Dad, why don't you go talk to a counsellor? They will make it clear to you that it's perfectly okay for Shubi to be in love with Ishan'," Shubman continued. "And then that evening they told me, 'Come on, Shubi, let's go and talk to a counsellor, they'll explain it all to you'."

Nisha laughed. That made Shubman laugh too. The pair of them were doubled over when Shahneel passed.

"When you were kids, I used to be scared whenever I heard these laughs over the fence, scared of what crazy prank you were about to get up to next," she said. "Now I feel scared too, but for a different reason. WHAT IS THERE TO LAUGH ABOUT?"

"You could've agreed to the counsellor thing, honestly, Shubi," Nisha said. "That would've worked in your favour."

"Nish," said Shubman and Shahneel together. "Their counsellor is Tina aunty next street because she had psychology in her twelfth grade."

Nisha nearly fell off the fence with an explosion of laughter. Shubman caught her to steady her. Mr. and Mrs. Gill passed by right then.

They smiled at the three of them, like nice sunny day ain't it? Their smiles widened when they saw Shubman holding Nisha's arm.

"Oh my God," said Shubman. "Oh my God, I don't like the way they were looking at us, Nish."

Shahneel nodded. "Yes, they definitely have you in their mind, Nisha. They are really pleased when they see Shubi hugging you."

Nisha turned to Shubman. "I think it would be inappropriate to laugh, but I feel a laugh coming on."

"Then by all means, don't try to keep it back," Shubman said grimly.

"It's worse because we're family friends," said Shahneel, perching on the fence beside Nisha. "Nisha's parents are looking for a groom. Ours are desperate to get Shubman attached to a bride. Hey, we live next doors, how convenient!"

Nisha didn't look like she had a laugh coming on anymore.

"Okay, I'll stop turning down all groom prospects from now," she said. "I must be attached to a groom so that uncle and aunty can't use me as a way out."

"Nisha!" said Shubman. "You don't have to do that! Are you mad?"

"I would have to do that eventually anyway." She sighed.

"I am not doing what they're telling me to do, ever," said Shubman.

"It's kind of different for us. You have a strong opinion because you have someone you love. I'm mostly indifferent. If you didn't love Ishan, you'd maybe have been okay with this marriage drama, you know?"

"Maybe," said Shubman. "Just don't say yes to the superman."

"Oh, no. I'm definitely going for mere mortals," said Nisha. "I hope Ishan's getting on better than you..."

"How is he?" asked Shahneel.

"I don't know," said Shubman. "He doesn't sound happy. I'm not hopeful that he's getting on well, but he is bound to be getting on better than me."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

No matter how much he laughed over the matter with Nisha, Shubman did not actually find any of it funny.

As the week became two and the next home series against New Zealand came near, his parents started losing patience and some of their kindness.

Their tender explanations changed to, "You're being stubborn like a child, you're not a child anymore" and "Honestly Shubi, this drama has gone on long enough, grow up."

"It's not I who needs to grow up," Shubman muttered resentfully.

"Really?" his father asked. He had very good hearing, thought Shubman, also resentfully.

"Dad, I love Ishan, nothing you say is going to change it, all right?" he said, loudly this time.

His parents heaved deep sighs like they were the ones suffering.