Walls | ShubIsh

Arms of A Stranger

Everyone in the Mumbai Indians team is now living in one hotel. They were on the top of the table with an unbeaten streak. Kolkata Knight Riders moved up to a pretty rough start and has been excellent ever since. Shubman and Ishan were a joy to watch on the field with Shubman bragging 2 big centuries and Ishan playing a couple of match-winning knocks during MI's run chase.But their teammates knew something was really really off about them. They both were fully concentrated on the game but the seniors knew that there was the 'X' factor missing of what makes them Shubman and Ishan. 

Ishan was known to be the happiness charm of MI but that charm was now closed off and gloomy. He was excellent behind the stumps but Ishan didn't even smile a bit after doing an amazing stumping or taking a magnificent catch. This didn't go unnoticed by the teammates. When he was asked why wasn't he smiling. Ishan said the most unexpected thing,

"Am I here to play or show my teeth?"

Rohit said "Wait one more day. Let his Shubi come. He'll be back in his bubbly goofy form.

(Only if they knew)

MI will be playing KKR after 3 days. So the KKR team is coming tomorrow.

All of them were surprised by this behavior. Jasprit Bumraah said,"Leave it Yarr, this chota dynamite is trying to act mature. It's just a phase. Everyone goes through this. " 

In Ishan's room, he was leaning on the railing of the balcony and thinking about all the good memories he had with Shubman like (sneaking out of this hotel during the last Ipl just to drink chai from the street. Shubman always thought that this type of fancy hotel ruins the real taste of chai). Now to say Ishan was frustrated would be an understatement. Why can't he get one person out of his mind?

His phone rang. And his heart almost dropped. He answered the phone but how he wished he didn't have to. 

"Hello, Ishan. How are you?"

Ishan gulped but still managed to answer.

"I am good, Uncle"

"You're playing great, beta. The match against GT, you were amazing ."

"JI, uncle"

"I told you Ishan, It will be good for both of you. See how both of your games have developed in this season. "

Ishan remained silent.

"I know you will be seeing Shubman in tomorrow. Do you remember what I said, Ishan?"

"Yes, Uncle"

"Do you want his career to flourish?"

"Yeah"

"Then do as I tell you"

"Yes, uncle" 

"Have a good game, Ishan."

The line got dead from the other end. Ishan sighed. So, this was his life now and he didn't know how to live the rest of it. 

Shubman arrived with the rest KKR team the following day. He made a mental note to keep Ishan out of sight as much as possible. But blame his luck, it didn't happen. When he entered the lobby he saw a person with messy hair, a baggy and oversized sweatshirt and pants, headphones on, drinking some sort of beverage alone. Seeing him after nearly a month was a bigger shock than Shubman expected. He was stuck staring at this face.

Ishan was savoring his cold coffee when he suddenly felt an electric jolt he hadn't felt in months. It was the same feeling he got four years ago when he found himself blushing under a specific gaze. He didn't intend to look, but his curiosity got the better of him. He lifted his eyes and saw the most beautiful person he had ever seen - Shubman. The most beautiful magnificent no there were no words to describe how beautiful Shubman was. Ishan felt his eyes beginning to water for some reason, but he quickly regained his composure and his controlled instinct took over his emotion and his face was completely blank.

Shubman couldn't comprehend Ishan's reaction. He could swear that he saw tears in Ishan's eyes. He could swear he was not imagining it. But now his face was completely blank and emotionless, unlike the ISHAN  KISHAN he knew.

Shubman might've stood there forever if it wasn't for Shreyash dragging him to his room. No Hi. No friendly interaction.No nothing. He mentally thought "What do you expect the person who cheated on you just cause you are not enough would come and have a friendly chat with you? For this Shubman, for this, you'll get your heart broken each time."