“So…why are we here?” Swami raised his eyebrows at the two lads sitting in front of him.

Ishan had called everyone half an hour ago into his room telling them it was an emergency.

“Mayank wants to tell you all something.” Ishan said, looking at Mayank who was sitting beside him on the bed.

“He wants to say it for half an hour but instead of opening his mouth he is staring at all of us like we are going to kill him.” Tilak snorted and Mayank embarrassingly looked down onto his lap.

“I just need a minute.” Mayank mumbled fiddling with his fingers.

“We have given you 30 minutes,” Aditi said, standing up from the bean bag and walking over to Mayank.

“Mayank you know na we won't judge you for anything. Just tell us whatever it is, no matter how much stupid it is.” Aditi said, petting his shoulder.

“Yeah even if you have murdered someone we will help you out.” Tilak said and Swami gasped.

“You murdered someone?” Swami widened his eyes.

“What n—” Ishan tried to interject but Aditi cut him off in the middle.

“Did you dispose off his body?” Aditi said and Mayank looked at everyone with widened eyes.

“No, I—” He started but Swami cut him off.

“It's okay, we can dump his body in the abandoned park three blocks away.” Swami hummed.

“No, that would be too obvious. We can bury him in the new building which is under construction. After the construction is completed nobody will be able to dig the place and find it.” Tilak said and Aditi clasped her hands with Tilak.

“That is a great idea dude.”

“Guys there isn't any body,” Mayank grumbled glaring at his friends.

“Wait…did you already bury it?” Tilak asked.

“He said no to that…maybe he burnt the man or something. That's why there is not any body left. But Mayank we need to hide his belongings which were not properly burnt otherwise police will be able to find the evidence.”

“Let's bury that evidence in the construction building then.” Tilak said and everyone nodded their heads.

“Guys there isn't any evidence. Mayank didn't killed anyone.” Ishan huffed out.

“Then why did you say you murdered someone?” Swami looked at Mayank.

“I did not, Tilak said it.” Mayank replied.

“Wait, did you kill someone?” Swami looked at Tilak.

“No of course not,” Tilak quickly replied.

“Then who is the murderer?” Aditi furrowed her eyebrows.

“Nobody! You guys calm down. Nobody is dead.” Ishan said.

“Then why are we here?” Swami grumbled.

“Because Mayank is in love with Abhishek.” Ishan said and Mayank gasped.

“You weren't supposed to tell it, I was going to confess it on my own.” Mayank whined.

“Dude you were taking so much time,” Ishan shrugged.

“Wait…Abhishek as in Abhishek Sharma?” Swami asked.

“Y-yeah” Mayank looked at them.

“You like Abhishek Sharma?” Aditi looked at him.

“Yeah, I like Abhishek.” Mayank said and looked at all of their poker faces.

Everyone went silent and just looked back at Mayank.

“Guys?” Ishan murmured not being able to take up the silence.

“Since when?” Swami said.

“What?” Mayank squeaked out.

“Since when do you like him?” Swami said in a monotonous voice.

“It's been quite a while. I was first uncertain of my feelings but from last week I was aware that I like him.” Mayank replied.

“Han toh dalle pichle ek hafte se pata tha aur hume ab bata raha hai.” Swami scowled roughly slapping the back of his head.

[Ya so idiot you know from last week, why didn't you tell us?]

“Oww what?” Mayank hissed at the sudden slap.

“Zyada uh ah mat kar, Ishan ko toh bata diya. Hume batane mein kya tax lag raha tha.”

[Don't make noises, you told Ishan. Does it needs tax to tell us?]

“Aree mujhe bhi aaj hi pata chala, ye toh mujhe aaj bhi nahi batata agar main force naa karta toh.”

[Hey I also got to know today only. He wouldn't have even telling me if I hadn't forced him]

“Toh hum sab se chupa kyu raha tha?” Aditi glared at Mayank.

[So why were you hiding it from everyone?]

“I– are you guys seriously okay with me liking a man?” Mayank looked at all of them in disbelief.

“Why would we care about where you put your dick inside? Wese agar tu bolta toh Abhishek se zyada sundar ladke laakr deta main tujhe.” Swami shrugged.

[If you had told us, we would get you more beautiful boy than Abhishek]

“Guys, don't badmouth about Abhishek. He really likes him.”

“Aree main toh wese hi bol raha hu.By the way are you and Abhishek?” Swami raised his eyebrows making Mayank blush.

[I was just saying like that]

“No all we did was make out and give hickies to each other. Nothing more than that.” Mayank mumbled shyly.

“Abee tharki I was asking if you guys are in a relationship or not.”

“Ohh” Mayank looked down in embarrassment and everyone laughed.

“Par tune sachi mein kuch nahi kara Abhishek ke saath?” Tilak smirked.

[But you seriously didn't do anything with Abhishek?]

“Mujhe toh lagta hai he was bottom isliye esa bol raha hai varna Mayank aur kuch na kare.” Swami snorted.

[I thought he was bottom that's why I asked otherwise Mayank would do something else]

“Oh fuck off, I am the top clearly.” Mayank groaned.

“But Abhishek doesn't look like a twink either. He can top as well.” Aditi shrugged.

“Guys are you for real? Do I look like the bottom type?” Mayank scowled.

“Oh shut up, you don't look like the gay type either but still here you are.”

“Wese baat toh sahi hai,” Ishan grinned at Aditi. Mayank grumbled as they all snickered.

[That's right actually]

“Ek kaam karte hai direct Abhishek se hi puch lete hai,” Tilak said.

[Let's do one thing. We can ask from Abhishek directly]

“No,” Mayank snapped at that and they all looked at him with uncertainty.

“Calm down Mayu, we will not make fun of Abhishek. Bas ese hi baat toh kar sakte h ab jo jiju ban gya hai.”

[But we can simply talk to him as he is our jiju now]

“Uhh please don't go to him.”

“Do you think we will still bully him? You know naa dost ki bandi ko touch bhi nahi karte hum.”

“Esi baat nahi hai, I trust you guys…it's just, Abhishek and I have broken up.”

[It's not like that. I trust you guys but Abhishek and I have broken up]

“What the fuck? Why?”

“Uh well you see…” Mayank bit his lip before narrating the whole story to them.

“And you couldn't just tell us about Abhishek? Instead you broke up with him?” Tilak looked at him in disbelief.

“Isliye devdas bana betha tha tu ek do dino se, ek baar aakar bata deta hume. Itna bhi trust nahi hamare upar? Kya itni fragile friendship hai humari?” Aditi scowled.

[That's why you were roaming around like Devdas since a couple of days. You could have told us once. You don't even trust us that much? Is our friendship so fragile?]

“It's not like that. But you guys bullied that one gay junior so I was scared to come out.”

“Are gadha hai kya? Hume toh bahana chahiye dusro ko bully karne ka. We bully nerds all the time but it doesn't mean we will leave Ishan.” Swami said.

[Are you an idiot? We need excuse to bully

“Excuse me, I am not a nerd.” Ishan glared at Swami who chuckled.

“Aree meri jaan bura mat man maine toh bas sach hi kaha hai.” Swami grinned.

[My darling don't get offended. I have told truth only]

“It's not true! I am not a nerd. Nerds are those who—”

“Who study most of the time, have good grades, don't have much friends and are virgin.” Tilak snorted cutting him off. Ishan gave a very ugly glare to him.

“Sounds exact replica of you Ish,” Aditi snickered giving a high five to Tilak.

“Why are you all after me? Hum yahan par Mayank ke liye aaye the.” Ishan grumbled crossing his arms over his chest.

[We are here to discuss about Mayank]

“Ab bacha hi kya hai? They broke up. Abhishek will find another man and our Mayu will continue being a devdas.” Tilak shrugged.

[What is left now?]

“Maybe Abhishek ne already banda bana bhi liya ho ab tak.” Swami hummed.

[Maybe Abhishek must have already made a boyfriend till now]

“Shut up guys, didn't Abhishek tell him to come back when he has guts to tell his friends? And he has done it now, I am sure Abhishek would be waiting for him.” Aditi said.

“Yeah you are right, but wouldn't Abhishek be mad at me?” Mayank said, making everyone sigh.

“Look bro, if you like him then you will have to woo him. Otherwise just sit here and cry while he starts loving someone else.”

“And it won't take him long to find a new boyfriend,” Tilak muttered.

“What do you mean?” Ishan looked at Tilak.

“Don't tell me you guys don't get those lovey dovey vibes from Shubman and Abhishek.”

“Hmm I also sometimes get those vibes,” Aditi nodded her head.

“They are just best friends and nothing else.” Mayank scowled. 

“How would you know? Just because Abhishek loved you first doesn't mean he will not love anyone else.”

“Hmm baat toh sahi hai, agar main teri jagah hota ab tak mana liya hota.” Swami nodded his head.

[Hmm you are correct, if it was me I would have convinced him till now]

“But—”

“Abee gadhe tu yaha par overthink karta reh and tere bande ko koi aur le jayega. Phir rota rahiyo.” Ishan snapped. Mayank pouted.

[Idiot you will keep overthinking here and some other guy will woo him. Then keep crying]

“Then what do I do?” He sighed.

“Go and apologise to him, thode flowers wagera le ja kar koi romantic mood setup kariyo. Dhang se propose kar diyo phir patch up ho jayega tum dono ka.” Aditi replied.

[Go and apologise to him. Take some flowers and all and make some romantic mood. Propose him properly and then you guys will patch up]

“Han idea acha hai. Jaldi jaa ab,” Ishan said.

[Ya idea is nice. Go now]

“Right now?”

“Nahi jab Abhishek aur Gill ki shaadi ho jaye tab.” Swami scoffed glaring at Mayank.

[No when Abhishek and Gill will get married]

“Aree but I need some time to—”

Swami and Ishan kicked Mayank out of the room.

—

Half an hour later, with a bouquet in his hand, Mayank stood out of Shubman and Abhishek's room.

He took a deep breath before knocking on the door.

Within a second he heard a shuffling sound coming so he immediately sat on his one knee holding the big bouquet of flowers in front of his face and when the door opened he started with the lines he practised on the mirror before.

“I know I don't deserve to be here sweetie but what can I do? I really can't lose you. I was a coward for making you keep our relationship secret but I promise I will never do anything of that sort again. In Fact I will myself tell the whole world that  I love you— Shubman?!” Mayank scowled immediately standing up.

The moment he was saying the last line he looked up wanting to see the beautiful face of Abhishek but instead he got Shubman glaring at him.

“What are you doing here?” Mayank muttered, dusting off his pants.

“I should be asking you Mr Mayank Markande.” Shubman retorted.

“Look, I am not here to fight with you. Where is Abhishek?” Mayank sighed.

“In the bathroom, but I will not let him meet you.” Shubman said.

“You can't stop me from meeting my boyfriend.”

“Ex- boyfriend and I most definitely can. I won't let you hurt Abhi again.”

“I am not here to hurt him. I was dumb before but I promise I have changed myself now.”

“Really? If you have changed then will you tell your friends that you are gay and like Abhishek?”

“I already did. In Fact they were the ones who gave me the idea to bring flowers for Abhishek.” Mayank said, gesturing towards the big bouquet in his hands.

“What if it's your friends trick to hurt Abhishek? They bully us all the time.”

“I promise nobody would bully Abhi ever again…and uhh maybe you as well. But my friends won't hurt Abhi, that I can guarantee.”

“I still can't trust you though. You have already hurt him once. Do you know how much he has cried for you?” Shubman looked at him.

“I know I am sorry. But I won't make him sad ever again. I promise, just please let me meet him. I really love him.”

Shubman looked at him sceptically not being able to trust his word. Suddenly the washroom's door opened.

Hearing the click sound Mayank immediately tried to get inside their room but tripped over his own leg.

Shubman caught Mayank by his arm but instead of helping him he fell over Mayank as well.

“What the fuck is going on?”

To be continued

Stay tuned for next chapter