Chapter 36

                                    

                                          
“Just take it,” 
“No, first tell me what is inside this wrapped paper.” 
“It's just a small gift, you can open it when you get back home. Don't open it now.” 
“I don't trust you Gill,” 
“Fine, I will not force you.” Shubman sighed, holding the wrapped up gift in his hand. He turned around to go back inside to put the gift back but was stopped by Ishan. 
“I will open it first and then decide if I want it or not.” Ishan said, snatching the gift from his hand. Shubman smiled watching Ishan eagerly who was roughly tearing the wrapping away. 
Ishan threw the wrapping paper on the floor as he looked at the gift. 
It was a crocodile stuffed toy. 
“How is it?” Shubman chirped but his happiness turned to distress as soon as he heard Ishan sneer. 
“Do you think you can give me this crocodile plushie and I will happily forgive you? What do you take me for? A kid?”
“I am not trying to lure you by giving you a plush toy. I just wanted to give you back your Mr Croc.”
“It's not my croc Gill, you think any plushie can be my Crocky? What do you t—”
“At least look into it's heart Ish, agar tab bhi tumhara Mr Croc nahi hua toh wapas kardena.” Shubman murmured pursing his lips. 
[If it's still not your Mr Croc then you can give me back]
“You think this is my Mr Croc? Not any crocodile plushie can be my Mr Croc, no matter how similar they look. You don't even know the reason why that plushie was Mr Croc Shubman so don't try to be so cool.” Ishan scoffed. 
“Ishan I know the reason why that plushie was your Mr Croc, your favourite and most trusted stuff toy. So please don't throw it away. It is your Mr Croc only.” 
Ishan bit his lip while glaring at Shubman before opening the zipper of the toy on its belly. 
“The reason why it was my favourite is because under here I u—” Ishan stopped in his tracks when he saw a picture in between the cotton stuffed inside the plush toy. 
He slowly took out the picture and indeed it was his photo, the photo he had kept secured inside his old crocodile toy when he was three years old. The reason why his crocodile plushie was his fav Mr Croc. Because the stuff toy was his hope that his parents would return.
So Shubman knew it. 
He also had the picture. The only picture of him with his parents, with him in his father's arms while both the parents were kissing one of his cheek. Ishan was giggling showing his two teeth to the camera while each of his chubby hands were grabbing his mum and dad's chin. 
Ishan thought he lost it. He didn't, Shubman had it. He had it for so long. He gatekeeped his only picture with his family.
“Ishan?” Shubman walked towards him as he saw how Ishan's eyes began to grow distant. He was tightly clutching onto the picture while his legs swayed in his place. 
“ISHAN!” Shubman gasped as Ishan passed out on the spot. He quickly held him so he wouldn't fall to the floor. 
“Get a doctor in my room, quick!” He yelled before taking Ishan to his room. 
—
Ishan gasped as he woke up. 
He tried to look around the empty room only for the sudden headache to kick in his head. He grunted while holding his head with one hand. 
“Argh,” He huffed while hopping out of the bed and as he did, the thing on his lap fell to the ground as well. He bent to pick up the crocodile plushie and again looked around. Nobody was in the room.
Ishan sighed, opening the zipper and again looked inside to find the photo. It was still inside. This wasn't a dream. He still had the photo. He pecked the picture before zipping the plushie again. 
“Mr Croc,” he muttered, kissing the crocodile stuff toy as well. 
“I missed you,” He said as if talking with the plushie and hugged it tightly. 
“Wait- Shubman,” he mumbled before looking for him in the room. He wasn't there. 
He went out of the room and strolled in the hallway but he was nowhere. 
There was some sound on the other end of the corridor, Ishan walked there knowing it was the direction of Shahneel's room. 
Don't ask him how he still had the whole house memorised. It was his dream house after all. How could he just not?
But along with him someone else had it memorised as well and even had the nerve to build it.
Ishan sighed, going towards Shahneel's room not wanting to think about anything else.
As he did he saw the door was already opened so he gave a knock before entering inside. 
“Ishan?” Shahneel looked at him as Ishan stood awkwardly. 
“Can I talk with you?” Ishan asked. 
Shahneel shrugged patting the bed and Ishan walked towards the bed sitting beside her.
“I messaged Shubman, he had to go for something important but said to message him when you wake up so you can go back.” 
“It's okay, I can go tomorrow too.” Ishan mumbled his fingers fisting the bedsheet. 
“It's not okay for me though. I don't want you here for even a second.” She said, giving a sweet smile to Ishan. 
“It's not my fault I am here. It was your brother who brought me.” Ishan scoffed. 
“Yeah and I am going to make him correct his mistake today itself.” She again shrugged walking towards her closet and started putting the clothes back into her clothes which were scattered on the bed. 
“Mistake? Of Course Shubman bringing me here is what you call a mistake but all the things he had done till now? They are not a mistake at all,” 
“Is this what you came to talk about? If yes then I am not free.” She muttered, focusing on her closet.
“It doesn't bother you even for a second? He is your brother so you will take his side right, I am sorry for thinking you would have considered my feelings.” 
“You think I didn't? You know the first thing I did when I saw him kissing you was to slap him without even asking his pov. And when I forced him to tell me about everything and getting to know how he treated you I beat him with a broom. Can you imagine? I was meeting him after so many years and instead of welcoming him to our home with his favourite food I welcomed him with a broom.” 
“You beat him?” 
“He deserved it, he deserved to be punished for what he did. He deserved to seek help for his sick brain so I even appointed a psychiatrist for him, and all those apology letters so you could know Shubman realised his mistake and was even sorry for it.” 
“I never got any letters,” 
“Because you ran away Ishan, you ran away from the orphanage and we didn't had any idea. We were told you got adopted by a family and didn't accept those letters because you didn't want to do anything with Shubman from now on. We weren't aware of what happened when Shubman left the orphanage.” 
“Sure you weren't” Ishan snorted getting up. 
“What do you mean?” 
“Nothing, I just thought maybe there are chances I might be wrong. Turns out I wasn't. He will always be an asshole.” 
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A/N - I am sorry...it's just- nvm 
I am sorry for not coming to wattpad