Patience is Waning

Part 8 - Jealous

"We are going to meet Neha and her friend for dinner"

"Not this again" Shubman groaned, exasperated.

"It's not a date yaar. Neha she's a fan of yours. I promised her I'll take you to meet her"

"You didn't even ask me if I wanted to meet anyone"

"Pfft. Since when do I have to ask you?"

Shubman ignored it. "So who's this other girl"

Ishan suddenly blushed. Shubman eyed him suspiciously. "What?"

"She apparently is a fan of mine"

Shubman heaved a sigh. "Why are we having dinner with fans Ishh..I'd rather just spend time alone with you" he whined.

"Neha is like a sister to me not a fan"

"Ok fine" Shubman huffed. "When have I ever said no to you"

"Oh loads of times"

"Name one"

"Huh.. I can't remember anything from the top of my head."

"That's because I've never said no to you" Shubman rolled his eyes.

Ishan looped his arms around Shubman's . "Okay meri jaan.. you're the best and that's why you're coming with me"

Shubman sighed exaggeratedly. Ishan rolled his eyes. It was just a small dinner what could go wrong?

Quite a lot, apparently.

—-

Neha introduced her friend Sareen to Ishan for half a second before she started fawning over Shubman who was understandably awkward.

Neha had invited them to her newly moved in apartment, which Ishan thought was a safer space for them to meet without having to worry about prying eyes. However, once they were there he wished they had met at a restaurant so he could use the excuse of being seen and leave. Aargh.

Neha was talking to Shubman on the couch offering him various beverages (he doesn't like any of those, Ishan thought, annoyed). Meanwhile Sareen was still on the dining table with Ishan trying to keep her company.

Sareen was relatively shy so he had tried to make her comfortable by cracking jokes and easing her into conversation. Because her dear friend Neha was tooo busy drooling over Shubman to care, Ishan thought rather uncharitably. He had taken it upon himself to not make her feel left out but was thoroughly regretting it now.

Shubman had not made himself at home. He seemed a little lost but tried to be polite for Neha was after all like a sister to Ishan.

"What do I call you?" Ishan heard her ask and ground his teeth. He wants to turn around and ask her to call Shubman, bhaiyya but refrains. He doesn't know what's going on with him but the green eyed monster in his heart has been rearing its ugly head at inconvenient times.

Sareen had slowly gotten comfortable and was now sharing stories of how she became a fan of his. He feels lousy about only paying half attention but he can't help it.

Somewhere between all the awkwardness he turns to look at Shubman only to find him completely engrossed in what Neha is saying. That sets his green eyed monster off. He is focusing hard on what she's saying and he hears Ishan bhaiyya from her mouth.

He gets up abruptly, Sareen looks up at him confused, he gives her a vague smile. He marches up to Shubman sits right next to him like he didn't want even air to come in between them. Shubman looks momentarily surprised then his whole body relaxes.