HARSHIKA: OS

The doctor had strictly asked her to take rest after today's incident. Meghaa had almost threatened her, if she did not follow the doc's orders properly and setting her up with all that she would need, she had left for the night.

And here she was supposed to be docile and demure patient who would stay back in bed and get some good hours of undisturbed sleep, while the antibiotic and saline dripped into her system through the IV drip.

But here she was propped up on her bed.Her back resting against a pile of pillows, stacked neatly against the headboard, the IV attached to her left hand and her right hand bust playing, pausing, and rewinding the video segment on the screen of her laptop.

The doctor had diagnosed her with typhoid two days back and she had insisted after a day's complete rest that she would resume shooting the last few scenes left, before the final pack-up.

She watched on screen,as she gave the shot.She was standing-everythign was fine,before the edges of her vision started to get blackened and she fell limp and numb.It was just a fraction of a second,within which she found herself drowning in a abyss of impenetrable darkness.

Saas Bahu Aur Shaazish had filmed that offscreen moment-her giving the shot and then slowly falling. She was standing right beside Harshad and when she fainted,he caught her in his arms.

She was unconscious at that moment , but the very thought of being in his arms made a tingle run down her arms.

And son the scene became a picture of chaos'.

Harshad lifted her up in his arms and placed her on the couch, her head resting on his lap.

Someone's hand was trying to block the lens of the camera, but their efforts were futile and the media continued shooting.

Preetika watched as with trembling hands Harshad reattached the IV and started rubbing her free hand..checking her forhead, which was burning with fever.

He had never seemed so worried,so pained and panicked-then?

Her heart was too fragile to entertain her mendacious thoughts , and dream of an improbable dream and an impossible possibility.

Harshad's voice was almost on the verge of breaking down as he hollered for someone to take out his car. Meghaa came on screen,but her voice faded out into the background..the words of the journalist seemed gibberish..her mind was far away from all of it...

Preetika had been watching the same footage over and again for the past one hour since Meghaa had left.

The same scenes,the same turn of events, the same faces, the same voices, the same words"and the same eyes, which were embedded in her mind. She couldn't get his helpless eyes, looking at her pale form, lying limp on the couch, out of her mind.

She was brought out of her reverie, with the ringing of the doorbell.

"Itni raat ko kaun hai..?"She grumbled under her breath, as with little difficulty she wobbled out of her bed, and tagged her IV stand along with her, all across the living room, to open the door.

The door opened with a creak and she found him standing in front of her,ina white T0shirt and grey flannel pants that hung low to his waist,in a way that made him look no less than a Greek God.His hair was slightly tousled, which made her want to run her finegrs through them.But Preetika Rao couldn't meet Harshad Arora's gaze.

"Tu-Tum..itni raat ko? Yahaan.?"

"Andar aane ko nahi kahogi..?"

He asked, a ghost of a smile lingering on his face before fading away.

Preetika moved aside, allowing him to enter .He locked the door behind him and walked into the living room of her apartment.

"Harshad tu-tumne bat-bataya nahi..?"

"Dinner ki.tumne..?"he asked non-chalantly,placing the bags on the kitchen counter.

Preetika walked up behind him, and asked once again."Yeh sab k-kya hai..?"

"Dinner ki tumne..?"Harshad asked her once again,his voice masking the raging storm within him and his eyes refused to look at her.

"No..."her voice was feeble.He looked up at her,from the work at hand.

"Great.."

There was something solemn swimming in his eyes. Their stunning, deep brown held a truth that his face could not hide. The despairing chill that they conveyed made her feel heartbroken. Preetika looked away; she couldn't bear it. What was usually strength, now showed weakness. What used to be joy now showed grief. Then a tear rolled down his cheek. She didn't see it, but could feel him crying beside her.

There was this unnerving stillness in the kitchen,as he went about reheating the convalescent soup that Meghaa had prepared for her.

"Have you taken your medicines..?"

"yeah.."She pointed towards the drip.

"Good.." he replied.

"Harshad.."

The microwave dinged ,and he took out the steamign bowl of soup out of it and placed it in fornt of her.

"I don't wanna eat..am not hungry .."

He looked up at her.Like really looked up at her and Preetika would never forget the look in his brown orbs.There was a frisson of fear and weariness in them,as if he was tired of fighting with himself, and agaisnt the antagonistic energy within himslef.

"Khana kha lo...zyada Jhansi Ki Rani banke ghumne ki zaroorat nahi hai..."

"Main nahi.."before she could complete she felt him,lift up her chin and force aspoonful of soup into her mouth.

She squinted ehr eyes at him and continued drinking the rest of the soup by herself, while he sat on the counter beside her, with an expresionless gaze.

He placed the bowl in the sink and was about to wlak away,when she caught hold of his arm..

"Harshad...?"

Harshad turned to look at her imploring eyes.

"Tum theek ho na...are you alright..?"She made him turn his face to look at her.

"It doesn't matter.."he removed her hadn awya from his arm and proceeded towards the door.

"It does..to me.."

"Oh really..?"he whipped around,his eyes, his voice mocking her.

"What's wrong with you Harsh..?'

"Aaj subah jo kuch bhi hua...uske bad bhi tum mujhe yeh sab kuch rahi ho..?"

She shuffled on her feet..and then loked up at his stormy eyes.

He was standing few inches away form her.

"I'm really so-sorry..you had to ta-take al th-the trouble.."

"Oh!"he let out a sigh.."To-Toh tumhe yehi lagta hai.ki main tumse isliye naaraz hoon..kyunki mujhe.."

"Haan..aur kya wajah ho sakta hai..?"

"Have you ever considered the fact that maybe..I was.."

"You were ,what Harshad.?"

"That I was scared of losing you..."

The tumultous thudding of her heart made it hard for her to breath.

"You never take care of yourself Pree..and today.."Harshad turned away from her...

"Stay back tonight.."

"I shouldn't.."He whispered back,his voice raspy.

"I want you to stay back tonight..I want you to hold me in your arms, while we sleep.."

"Pree--"

Preetika ddin't knwo from where she was getting all the courage to articulate her thoughts and probbaly embarass herself in front of him.

"No Harsh..i-i ne-need you tonight..oaky--I need to make sure that you know that I'm fine..and...and i am not goign to leave you..so yeah..I need you.."

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It seemed as if all his feard dissipated as soon as he held her petite frasm in his arms, and spooned her,and nuzzled his face in her hair.

Not a single explanation was needed,they knew the truth..thye had know it all along..and now today they had just coem to terms with it..

Harshad and Preetika..felt at home,for the first time...

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I knw dat its slopy and crappy..because it was pretty random.so plz bear wid me..

And please coment!

From

Ann