7 days

November 11

POV: Shubman Gill.

Shubman paced around the house eagerly waiting for Ishaan's arrival. He doesn't know how he got through the night, or how he spent the day at practice and with his teammates. All he could think about was Ishaan, how food it would be to hug him again. To kiss his soft lips, to feel his arms wrap around his waist. To hear him say ‘ Jaan-e-jahan’  to him.

‘ Why isn't he here yet?’ Shubman stood in the hallway staring at the door.

‘ Shubhi, sit down, he will be here soon’ Simran said.

Simran sat on the sofa and watched as Shubman smiled to himself, as he walked around. She looked at Ibrahim who looked as worried as she was. She pulled the hem of his shirt.

‘ You think he would understand?’ she whispered.

‘ Maybe this will finally fix everything….’ he whispered back.

‘ Oh my god, he's here…’ Shubman ran to the door as he heard the doorbell ring.

Shubman's heart stopped for a second as he saw Ishaan standing in front of him. He didn't know whether he should cry or he should laugh. He stared at him, till his heart felt like bursting from happiness.

‘ Ishu…’ he finally managed to say.

The minute the door closed, he wrapped his arms around Ishaan and hugged him tightly, almost knocking him over.
It was as though nothing had changed. Shubman was finally in the arms of his refuge.

‘ I missed you so much, Ishaan. Didn't you think of me even once?!’ he complained after letting go. 

Ishaan stared at Shubman's beautiful face, his heart sinking each and every second.

‘ Ishu there is so much I need to tell you. …you know…you know all of these problems, it's all because of Mayank…..i know you might have a hard time believing me, so I asked Ibrahim and Simran Di to be here…’ he rambled on and dragged Ishaan to the living room.

Ishaan looked at Shubman's hand which was wrapped around his wrist. No matter where Shubman dragged him, Ishaan was always ready to go as long as Shubman had his hands on him.

‘ Guys ... .look Ishu is finally home. .’

Ishaan looked at Simran and Ibrahim who welcomed him with warm smiles.

‘ I was just telling him about Mayank…Ibrahim ..can you tell him what happened. …’ Shubman said sitting down and pulled Ishaan to sit with him.

Simran and Ibrahim helped Shubman tell Ishaan everything that they had seen in the past few months. The horrors of black magic, of Mayank’s obsession, of the jinn's binding and how it made Shubman do things which were out of control. Ishaan listened to them, unable to comprehend what was going on. He shuddered as he saw the photos of Mayank's house and the Russian doll.

‘ But…but now it's all over baby…now..now we can be together in peace’ Shubman sighed, relieved and put his arms around Ishaan and kissed his shoulders.

‘ Please don't touch me…’ Ishaan's voice was barely audible.

‘ What..’

Shubman felt a coldness grip him.

‘ I said don't touch me.’ Ishaan said aloud and stood up.

‘ Baby..what's…what's going on?’ Shubman tried to touch his chest.

Ishaan hit his hands away and backed away.

Shubman stared at him in shock. His heart raced from fear.