thirty six | lemony & sober

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c h a p t e r : 36


"How is your Grandma now?" Ishaan asked Aditya while hoisting the duffle bag on his shoulders and ascending the stairs.

Ishaan hoped everything was going well in Aditya's family. No one would want to lose their family members, he saw the tears of pain in Aditya's eyes, the other day. It was painful for him as well.

"She is doing for now", Aditya muttered suddenly sobering up.

After reaching the first floor in silence, Ishaan spoke up, "I-", before he could speak any further.

"You like him", Saloni spoke up from the top of the stairs.

She and whoever she was talking to weren't visible from Ishaan and Aditya were standing. Aditya stopped Ishaan and indicated him to stop.

"Who? And no I don't like anyone."

This sounded like Ahana followed by a nervous laugh.

"You know who I am talking about. Don't tempt me to speak his name aloud. Now spill the beans", Saloni asserted, instead of the playful voice Ishaan was used to it was more intense, laced with worry and care.

"I-I like him but I think he likes someone else", Ahana's voice cracked at the end and it pierced through Ishaan's heart. He tensed involuntarily for some reason and decided to gave the girls the privacy they came at this abandoned staircase for.

He shook his head looking at Aditya and started taking his steps but couldn't help himself as the words flowed his ears, "Moreover, even if he didn't I am leaving n-".

Ahana froze when the familiar mop of brown hair was seen ascending the steps towards them. Not able to process anything, she did the thing that she always seemed to do, she ran.

Saloni's voice could be heard calling for Ahana but Ahana had already created the high walls, blocking every voice.

'She was leaving. When? and Why?', Ishaan felt a sense of betrayal went through him but it shouldn't be there after all they were friends or basketball-mates, he convinced himself just how he's been doing for the past some days.

He watched her run, 'she might have seen me' and the sudden urge to cradle her and tell her it's okay grew but then she liked someone, he felt disheartened and jealous from the nameless guy Ahana liked.

When he reached the top he found Saloni hunched back. She turned and a surprised expression came over her features watching Ishaan and Aditya," H-Hey!", she squeaked a greeting.

Ishaan muttered a small 'hi' but didn't give his usual smile and went the same way Ahana went.

All-day Ahana avoided Ishaan's eyes, she didn't even call anyone chotu(kiddo) and wasn't there on the basketball court. Others didn't mind because it was before the exams Ahana turned into her sober self but Ishaan knew it wasn't only soberness.

This continued and even Ahana had come back to her 'lemony' self after some days, she kept ignoring Ishaan and the latter understood it completely since how could you confront the person who had heard you confess, she needed space and Ishaan gave her as if it was an unspoken agreement between the too.

Until the last day of their periodic tests whenever a familiar cold hand dragged Ishaan through the crowds to a secluded area at the departure time.

˖⁺‧₊˚♡˚₊‧⁺˖

Cliffhanger! Who do you think it is?

 Cliffhanger! Who do you think it is?

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