7 days

September 24

POV: Ishaan Kishan.

‘ ISHAAN! Don't you dare talk to your mother like that!’ Ishaan's father's voice echoed in the house.

Ishaan stood in the living room, eyes lowered, seething from anger.

‘ Ishaan beta…’

‘ I….I don't want to eat ... .Can you all just leave me alone?!’ Ishaan screamed at his parents

‘ So you can come home drunk every night?! Do you even know what day it is?! Look at yourself Ishaan!’ Ishaan's father said as he grabbed Ishaan's shoulder.

Ishaan looked away, trying to avoid eye contact from him. It's been days since he has anything to eat. He drank bottles of alcohol to chase the sleep that refused to visit him. He smoked packs of cigarettes to destroy the lungs that dared to breathe the air which didn't carry Shubman's scent.

‘ You smell like a chimney, Ishaan! All you do is smoke! Have you got no care about how your mother must be feeling seeing you like this!’ his father continued.

Ishaan briefly looked up at his mother who was crying, and again lowered his gaze.

‘ Look at me when I am talking to you! What are you trying to do, Ishaan?! Tell me? What….what do you want to achieve by starving yourself? By …by smoking and drinking, and isolating yourself?’

His father held his face and forced him to raise his face towards him. The sight of Ishaan's face broke his father's heart. His radiant face lost all of its shine. His lips were chapped, he grew a messy beard.

‘ Answer me Ishaan!’ His loud voice made Ishaan flinch.

‘ Stop it…’ his mother finally broke down.

She came and grabbed his father's arms away from Ishaan's face.

‘ You are hurting him…’ she quietly said to him.

‘ I'm….I'm hurting him? And what he's doing to himself?! What is he doing to us?!’ he said, shocked.

She stared at him helplessly. It hurt her to see Ishaan like this, but it also hurt her to see them fight. 

‘ I can tolerate anything, but I will not tolerate his insolence towards you’ he tried his best to hide his anger from her, but failed miserably.

Ishaan watched from the corner of his eyes, as his mother held his father's hand, and looked at him desperately. They didn't need words to communicate, their eyes spoke enough for them.

His father let out a defeated groan and turned away from Ishaan.

‘ Ishu…please go..’ she whispered to him.

Ishann grabbed his jacket and keys of his Royal Enfield and left the house.

Ishaan drove around aimlessly through the winding roads, the endless traffic not knowing where to go. His heart ached each and every moment he spent away from Shubman. He couldn't eat, he couldn't sleep, he refused any assignments that his manager got for him. All he wanted to do was curl up into a ball, and sleep forever.

He slowed down his bike near the Gandhi Ghat and got off. The night's cold air embraced him, welcoming him to solitude. He chose a spot away from people's sight and sat down with a cigarette.

A million thoughts about Shubman raced through his mind. Everything that Simran told about him, how he is sick and still looking for Ishaan. Ishaan wanted to go back to him, but how? After what he saw, how could he go back? Wouldn't that be betraying himself?

Ishaan took out his phone and looked through Shubman's photos again. It is this only thing that brings him peace.

‘ Teri yaad aati hei aur chali jati hai, bas isi me Meri Raat din aur din Raat ho jati hai'