The Connection -Adiya OS

Aditya looked at Zoya who sat on the bed. Her face showed no expression at all and she had been sitting like that since the past hour. The silence was making him very uncomfortable but he didn't know what to say to her. Asking her if she was fine would be the worst question ever, because both knew that she wasn't.

He looked at his phone. His mother was calling him for the eighteenth time now. It was late, 2AM. She was worried but Aditya couldn't leave Zoya like this. The nurse came in and took her temperature once more, and nodded to Aditya to tell she was fine now.

"You can take her home now. She said.

"Thank you sister.

He looked at Zoya once more who was oblivious to his presence. "Zoya.

She didn't move. He got up and lightly touched her arm. "Zoya, we have to go now.

She looked at him blankly as though she didn't know who he was. Aditya was worried she might break down any moment, and he had no idea how to console her. He couldn't get over his own emotions, how could he help her?

Aditya offered her his hand, and after a minute she took it. He helped her get down from the bed and lightly put an arm around her to help her walk. Zoya was still a little weak.

"Zoya sit here for a moment, I'll just have a word with the doctor. Aditya made her sit in the reception area and went to meet the doctor.

"She is fine Mr. Hooda. Just give her the medicines on time. The doctor said.

"Thank you so much doctor.

"Take care of your friend.

Aditya considered the word friend for a moment. It was a lie. They weren't friends. In fact, he had never done anything nice for her. There wasn't any word to describe their relationship. But there was a relation, only it had no name to it.

Aditya got out of the doctor's room to find Zoya gone. His heart came to his throat as he immediately began to panic. He ran out of the hospital. What if Zoya tried to kill herself again? No, she can't!

"Zoya! Aditya began to shout her name. "Zoya.

Finally relief flowed through him as he found Zoya sitting outside in one of the benches. He went and sat beside her.

"I can't cry anymore Aditya. I just can't. Zoya said in a small voice. "At first, the pain was unbearable, and now it has become one with every nerve of my body. My tears are dried up and I... I don't even want to cry. I know I'm completely shattered and my heart has broken into pieces which can never heal. My soul, my heart everything just doesn't exist anymore, only my body. I feel so numb. I'm just existing Aditya but I've already died. Maybe this is the way I have to live now.

Aditya couldn't help the tears escaping from his eyes. "I know the feeling Zoya. I'm feeling it too.

Zoya looked at Aditya for the first time that evening and something beautiful happened. Aditya saw all the colours in the eyes. Only her eyes seemed to be bursting with life, which captured all her pain, and sadness. Zoya could feel herself connecting with Aditya. For the very first time he wasn't a bully, he was just a soul who was as broken as her. It was comforting to find someone like that.

"Crazy thing, I wanted you to feel the betrayal and the pain, and now that you do I wish you didn't. It was selfish of me. Aditya said.

"Maybe but I needed to see the truth. I can't believe..., Zoya somehow couldn't take his name. "I thought what we had was perfect. We were happy. But the funny thing is I don't know who to blame, him or me. Was it me who pushed him to do something like that? Was I not good enough for him?

"No Zoya. It was wrong on their parts but I know we will both keep doubting ourselves for the rest of our lives. We can never be in peace, forget being happy. They aren't even here to answer out questions. We deserve some explanation but we can't get any, because they are dead.

Zoya cried. Her eyes had found tears again and she wept silently. Aditya kept staring at her. She needed to cry. He wanted to comfort her but didn't know how. The only thing he knew now was that he needed to be there for her. Once, he would have given anything to destroy her, but now, he would do anything to save her.

Maybe he would also save himself along the way. Their pain connected them and this connection was the most fragile but important connection in their lives right now. Zoya was important to him, and he couldn't let anything happen to her.