Shubman was looking here and there while Abhishek was staring at him.

"Shubi-"

Abhishek started but was cut off by Shubman.

"I am sorry bro. That Ishan is an idiot. You know him he keeps troubling us. I will go and ask Mayank to come back"

He was about to run away.

"Shubman"

"I am sorry. I am extremely sorry" Shubman said panicking.

"Shubman just come here" Abhishek said sternly. Shubman calmed down and stood straight but still didn't move. He kept staring at Abhishek who tapped on bed in front of him and nodded. Shubman sighed and walked towards him with small steps. He sat down in front of Abhishek.

"I should not have come. I spoiled your moment. I am sorry-" he kept ranting.

"Shubman please shut up" Abhishek cut him off.

After Shubman stopped speaking, Abhishek waited for a moment.

"Shubi what was Ishan saying?" he asked calmly.

"You know how he is. Just ignore him. He just needs an excuse to trouble us. Just leave him and you enjoy. Just forget everything"

"Just stop it please. Shubman I get it what kind of person he is. But he wasn't lying"

"From when did you start to trust him over me?"

"That's not the point ok? Stop trying to get me away from the matter"

"I am not doing anything"

"So you are ok with whatever is going on?"

"Y..ya obviously. Why would I not be?"

He said looking down.

"Just look into me and say the same thing"

Shubman refused to look into his eyes.

"Shubi yrr. You could have told me right? I am your best friend after all. Shit I should have noticed myself. I am such a jerk. Fuck"

He said holding his head in his hands. Shubman shooked his head immediately and held his hand.

"No its not your fault. You didn't do anything wrong. It's just I miss you Abhi that's all"

"So how is it not my fault. That Ishan can see it and not me. Seriously. This is not how best friends are man. I feel like shit"

"No actually he didn't see it. I just umm he was talking to me so I kinda told him"

"So you can tell him and not me. Woah. How far we reached yrr!!! Damn it"

"Abhi calm down. It's all fine. You are just exaggerating things. I get it you guys started dating recently and want to spend time. There is nothing wrong in it"

"No nothing is wrong with me spending time with my boyfriend. But it doesn't mean I ignore my best friend. I am being such a jerk to you since I started dating. Now I can see it. Why didn't you just come to me and share with me how you were feeling Shubi? You could have just told me right?"

Shubman shook his head.

"No I didn't want to be an asshole. You are my best friend Abhi and I didn't wanna act like a jerk trying to separate you from your boyfriend"

His eyes got glassy with tears.

"I am still feeling really bad. I should not have told Ishan anything. He just spoilt everything. I am sorry. I will sort all this out. I will go and talk to Mayank. Don't worry you both will be fine. Trust me"

Shubman was about to get up but Abhishek held him and make him sit back.

"Just shut up and sit down ok. Everything is fine between me and Mayank. Nothing needs to be sorted. What needs my attention is us. And now if I think about it Mayank is also not giving time to his friends and that's not right. And Mayank can wait Shubi. He is important I know but you are way more important to me. I can't push you away like this"

"You are not-" Shubman started but was cut off immediately.

"Shut up ok. Now I am spending the last days of our term with you and I am gonna make it up however I have acted. I have been jerk these last few days but it's over now. I am gonna change that. I promise I won't leave you alone"

"Mayank?"

"Hnn. Mayank. Well as I told Mayank can wait. But don't worry I will figure something. I can give time to both of you instead of focusing completely on one of you. You are both one of the most important people in my life and I should treat both of you like that. I shouldn't have treated you like shit. And I think Mayank also should spend time with his friends. Let him"

Abhishek ended with a smile but Shubman was still not smiling.

"Oh God. What do I even do with you? I am not gonna leave you. You are not getting rid of me Shubi if that's what you are planning to do" Abhishek said in a teasing tone. Shubman finally gave him a smile.

"Hah finally that smile" Abhishek said in excitement. "Now we will plan what we are gonna do for our rest of our time. Starting from today. Let's have maggie and coffee like old days with netflix. Or you wanna do something else?"

"No I...I would like that" Shubman nodded.

"Great then"

______

"What the hell is wrong with you Ishan? I was spending time with Abhi....." Mayank kept on ranting.

"Just shut the fuck up. Can you see there are other people who exist in this world? Or you can just see Abhishek?" Ishan said in frustration making Mayank look at him with a wide mouth.

"What is wrong with you Ishu?" Mayank asked touching his elbow in concern which Ishan jerked away.

"Look we are happy you have a boyfriend and you are happy with him but we also miss you. We also want to spend time with you sometime like our old days and it seems like you have completely forgotten us all once you got Abhi. I am not asking you to leave him or anything but please at least once in a while we also expect you spend sometime with us. We miss you Mayu a lot irrespective of anyone told you anything or not we do. So please be with us also at times. Rest it's upto you" Ishan said raising his hands in surrender.

"Swami, Tilak and Aditi are going for swimming in sometime. If you think your friends hold a bit of importance in your life, please come" Ishan nodded at him and left leaving a dumbstruck Mayank standing there.

______

"So what is your and Ishan's scene?" Abhishek asked.

"What scene?" Shubman asked searching something on Netflix to watch later.

"Don't play dumb with me" Abhishek said more seriously this time. Shubman put his phone down and looked up finally.

"No seriously I dunno what you mean. What scene are you talking about?"

Abhishek sighed.

"He let you sleep in his room that day when he never even let his friends do that. Now he stood up for you like even against his best friend. I mean why? The bully Ishan Kishan. Why is he going soft on some boy? That also one of his main preys. What are the odds?"

"I think you are just overthinking. Oh ya he promised you and Mayank not to trouble me and he let me sleep there because for some reason he didn't want me to go and sleep Sara although I wasn't planning to"

Abhishek looked at him with a strong gaze.

"Look not troubling someone and hanging out or helping someone are entirely different things. If he had listened to me and Mayank he would have just left you alone. Neither of us ever asked him to be friendly with you. Are you hiding something from me? Am I missing on something being away from you these past days? Look Shubi I am really guilty about it and I promise to do anything to make up for my mistake but please don't hide things from me"

"Abhi Abhi I swear there is nothing to hide or tell. If there was you would have been the first person to know I promise. I don't know what's up with Ishan. Maybe he is improving. And Mayank also got soft on you why can't Ishan?"

"That's different. Mayank felt for me. Do you mean Ishan is falling for you by any chance?" Abhishek asked raising his eyebrow.

"What the fuck? No. From where do you even get such weird ideas?" Shubman asked frowning.

"What is so weird in it?" Abhishek asked rolling his eyes.

Shubman thought for a moment before speaking.

"Ishan is not gay" Shubman said after thinking

"Did he tell you that?" Abhishek asked.

"No but he is rumoured to be sleeping with a different girl almost every night. The whole college knows it"

"Exactly. Rumors. Which was even true for Mayank as well. So who knows?"

"But I am also not gay. I am into girls"

"Ya sure. Sara is trying her chance on you since months now. Imagine the hottest girl of college is after you and you don't take any step. Very straight of you" Abhishek said pressing his lips together.

"Look she is not after me. She never said it and I want to focus on my studies"

"Dude can't you get hints or what or maybe you are actually looking at wrong place altogether"

Shubman sighed.

"Can we not talk about all this? I thought you want to spend time with me but we are just talking about other people"

"Ah okk sorry. I won't say anything now I promise. Today is just about you and me"

______

Ishan was solving some numericals when someone knocked his door.

"Who the fuck is there now?" Ishan murmured before getting up from his study table. As soon as he opened he saw all his friends there. He got confused seeing them.

"What are you all doing here? I thought you went for swimming" Ishan asked.

"I am sorry Ishu. You were right. I was acting like an idiot. I know Abhi is important to me but it was a jerk move to ignore all of you. I shouldn't have"

Ishan smiled at him.

"I am happy you understood. None of us would ever want to separate you from your baby boy trust me" Ishan said teasingly making Mayank blush and everyone chuckled.

"Abey o ashiq band kar laal hona" Swami said slapping his back.

[Stop getting so red lover boy]

"But we also want to spend time with you. That's all bro. And it really means a lot you are going with them. I really really appreciate it and I am sure they too do" Ishan said happily.

"Actually Ishan we ain't going swimming" Tilak said.

"Why what happened? Ab to ye gadha bhi aa gya. What's the problem now?"

[Now this donkey has also come]

"That's exactly the problem Ishu. Now he came so we thought you were left out. So we thought of doing something that could include you as well. Our whole group together like we were earlier" Swami said.

"It was alright guys. I don't mind. You guys can go. You don't have to spoil your plan because of me" Ishan assured them.

"No we want you there. Our day or plan is complete with any single one of us missing. Now he has finally come and you won't be there what's the difference. We want you Ishan. Just come on now. Change quickly. Don't waste time" Aditi said.

"Ya please Ishan" Mayank requested with puppy dog eyes which Ishan couldn't resist at any cost. His lips broke out in a smile and he nodded. He quickly changed his clothes and they left.

_______

"Can I ask you something Ishu?" Mayank asked. They were going to the parking lot to get their bikes. Others were a bit ahead so they couldn't listen.

Ishan frowned listening his question.

"Tujhe kabse permission chahie mujhse kuch poochne ki?"

[From when you need permission to ask something from me?]

"Okk alright. I will come straight to the point. What's going on between you and Shubman?" Mayank asked making Ishan stop in his tracks. Mayank also stood at his spot looking at him for an answer.

"I am not getting what you are trying to say" Ishan said in confusion.

To be continued

Stay tuned for next chapter