HKKMJNM: Part 24a, Pg 145 - Page 10

Part 8

"Zoe check your stuff again. Is everything there?" Sarah asked her for about the fifth time in an hour.

"Mom I have checked and rechecked every time you have asked me to. For the last time I have everything in place." Zoya replied agitatedly.

S: "Have you packed the shawl and sweater I put on your bed."

Z: "Oh damn I forgot!"

S: "This is exactly why I need to ask you again and again."

Z: "By the way it's October Ammi. How cold could it be?"

S: "Keep it just in case."

Hammad entered the main hall and shouted.

"Zoe hurry up. Ammi Asad and Najma are here."

Zoya shouted back.

"Just coming. Ask Ramu Kaka to take my bags to the car."

Sarah had made Najma come to their place for the week as she didn't want her to be alone for so long. Zoya walked up to Hammad and whispered.

"Don't you dare rile her up. I don't want to hear any complaints from her."

Hammad replied.

"Rest assured baby sister, I'll make sure she fills up for you for the week. Come on I need a punching bag to survive."

Z: "Hammad I'll kill you if you do any hanky panky. I think I should tell Baba."

H: "Oye! I won't do anything to irritate your poor friend. You are such a cry baby, can't even fight without bringing Baba in between."

Z: "Call me whatever you like. Whatever I do serves my purpose so I am not changing anytime soon."

As Zoya moved towards the car after bidding her parents adieu Sarah called her back and started her lecture again.

"Eat your meals on time. Stay with your teachers. Don't go anywhere alone and Asad beta take care of her and make sure..."

Zoya moved closer to Sarah and whispered.

"Ameee don't embarrass me! I can take care of myself. Baba tell her na. Allah Hafiz."

The rest of the students were already there when Zoya and Asad reached the college. Besides Asad there were four other boys and three girls. They all introduced themselves to each other.

Dr. Sapna briefed them regarding their trip and then they boarded the bus along with the ten doctors and ten nurses from the hospital who were going to accompany them.

Zoya sat with a girl from third year, Anjali while the other two girls, Soha and Sajal sat opposite them. Asad sat on the seat in front of her with a final year student, Zain. The rest of the three boys, Rohan, Ishan and Amaan occupied the back seat.

Their ten hours long journey started.

Anjali said to Zoya.

"I feel like we are going back in time. There won't be any of the facilities we enjoy here. Even mobile phones don't work. Imagine how people manage to live there!"

Zoya replied.

"I think it's closer to nature."

As the journey continued all of them told each other about themselves and their lives. Zain got up and turned backwards in his seat towards Zoya.

"So Zoya, How come I haven't seen you around before this."

Z: "I don't know. Well, we have a big college and I am in first year and you in final. Hence it's really unlikely for our paths to cross."

Zain replied:

"Now that our paths have crossed, I am really happy they did."

Asad turned towards him and said.

"Zain stop flirting with her. She is not like those fools who swoon over you."

Zain replied rather loudly

"Acha so those who swoon over me are fools and what are those who swoon over you?"

Zoya piped in from the back.

"Well that is just mainstream!"

They slept for a while when they were tired of singing out loud for a very long time.

They boarded the bus again after stopping for a while Zain tried to sit next to Zoya. Asad called from the back.

"Zoya did you place your hand-bag here?"

"I didn't." She thought to herself but went back nevertheless to sit with Asad. Rohan moved ahead and occupied the seat next to Zain. Anjali sat at the back with Ishaan and Amaan.

Zoya: "Mr. Khan?"

Asad: "Asad, call me Asad."

Zoya: "Okay so Asad how did my bag come here when I remember placing it there?"

Asad: "Well maybe you don't remember me picking it up then!"

Zoya: "You did it to... Zain...hahaha. Bechara was trying really hard to be nice at the rest area as well. You spoiled all his attempts."

Asad: "Nah! He is not trying to be nice. He is trying to flirt. May be the love bug has bitten him."

Zoya: "So what is your problem?"

Asad: "Nothing! Why would I have a problem? I am just trying to protect you from him."

Zoya: "And why do you have to protect me from him?"

Asad: "He is the famous college Casanova and Aunty told me to look after her baby daughter."

Zoya: "1. I don't need to be protected by anyone. I can take care of myself. Thank you very much. Ammi says such irritating things out of habit. And 2. I am not a baby."

Asad: "Okay then you are a babe with whom Zain is trying to flirt."

Zoya: "What did you call me? Babe? Since when did the well-mannered Mr. Asad Ahmed Khan start using this kind of language? Wait till I tell Baba."

Asad: "You are such a baby. Now I get it why Hammad calls you whatever he does."

Zoya: "Go to hell, both of you."

"This place is so beautiful. When I complete my studies I am going to make my house here."

Exclaimed Zoya as she got off the bus.

All of them chatted off excited at the prospect of spending a week at the place which looked like it had been ripped off from heaven itself.

They helped the rest of the staff erect the tents and set all the things in place.

Then they rested for the night. The next morning patients started pouring in. Every person was busy and neck deep in work the whole day. They didn't get time to even talk to each other. Zoya and Ishan, being first years, were the only ones who did not have much to do. Nobody gave them any importance as well. All they had to do was pick up instruments or medicines and handling them to the doctors.

Finally the day came to an end. It was evening time and the sky was starting to get dark. It had gotten really cold as compared to day time. Wind had started blowing when Asad, Amaan, Rohan and Anjali came to the place where the tents for students had been erected.

"The hail-storm is picking up. Looks like our tents will be uprooted if we don't do anything about it."

Zain exclaimed as he walked up to the four of them.

"It's getting really cold too but I don't think the wind is that strong yet." Asad replied.

"Most of us just kept one sweater or a shawl just in case. What are we going to do now?"

Anjali lamented.

"This is getting much more exciting actually. Where are the other girls Anjali?"

Rohan piped in.

"Soha and Sajjal were with Dr. Sapna and Zoya... I have no idea!"

She replied.

Zain turned towards Anjali and said.

"Okay then I'll go look for her. Then let's go hiking. Everybody is free, right? Trust me it will be fun."

"Umm Zain. I will call her. I know where she is."

"Fine." Zain replied a bit resigned.

Asad called out to her outside her tent.

When Zoya came out of the tent, Asad told her about their plan. She replied.

"I am going to Dr. Sapna. She called me to check a patient's B.P. Something for me to do at least. Being in first year sucks. I don't know anything and I feel like a dork around here."

A: "Best of luck with that. Well technically you have passed first year. In my opinion med camp experience is the best in the first year only. You have a lot of free time to enjoy."

Z: "You can't enjoy when everybody else is busy and the only person available to keep you company is that Ishan. I am getting late. Gotta go."

The patient whose blood pressure Dr. Sapna had asked her to check was a very poor frail girl. She was wearing just a thin shirt while Zoya was feeling cold even through her sweater. She felt really bad for the poor girl. She put off her sweater and gave it to her. The look of gratitude on her face filled Zoya with warmth. When she left Zoya went back to her tent to take her shawl.

When she returned to carry on with the work she had been assigned she saw an old women outside tent where Dr. Sapna was checking the patients. Like the other patients this old lady was also very poor as was evident from her cloths. Zoya put off her shawl, walked up to the lady and wrapped it around her. The lady thanked her got up and went inside. Dr. Sapna saw this with inexplicable expressions on her face. After she was done with her patient she came out of her tent and walked up to Zoya. Just as she approached her, Zoya sneezed.

"Zoya, why aren't you wearing warm clothes?"

Z: "Dr. Sapna, actually I gave my shawl to that old lady. She was..."

S: "I saw that. Don't you have other warm clothes."

Z: "I had a sweater. I gave that to a little girl. She was feeling cold and...aaachooo"

S: "Zoya Faruqi! What the hell are you trying to prove? We all are wasting our time here and you are the only one with a heart of gold that you go about distributing your clothes to people."

Z: "Dr. Sapna I..."

S: "Not a word. Your duty as a doctor is to treat your patients and express empathy. That is all. You can't go around stripping yourself off your belongings for your patients. Tell me how far you can get with that. We are here to help these people and we can't afford having a sick person to look after amongst ourselves. That too just because of her own stupidity. Just go to your tent now and mind it if you get ill, this is going down in your report. You won't be coming for any further camps either."

"I am sorry Dr. Sapna. This won't happen again."

Zoya, who by now on the verge of tears, replied. Her tone softened the senior doctor a bit.

S: "It better won't. Now go and ask any of your fellows for some warm clothes."

It was about night-fall when everyone came back from their stroll.

"It's getting colder and colder. Oh dear God! Look snow... that too in the month of October!"

By now it had started to snow. As all of them were free for the night they decided to light up a bonfire and sit around it. They were busy looking around for wood when Asad realized Zoya was nowhere to be seen. He went to the girls' tent, called out to her and picked up the flap to enter. Zoya was sitting at a corner, with her knees against her chest. She looked like a wreck.

Asad got worried as he went near her and asked her.

"Zoya what's wrong?"

Z: "Nothing. I was waiting for you people."

A: "Liar. You must have heard our voices but you didn't come out. Did something go wrong?"

Z: "Dr. Sapna scolded me real bad!"

A: "Why?"

Z: "I gave away my warm clothes to the patients."

A: "And you got scolded for that. Hahaha"

Z: "It's not funny! Okay? I am feeling cold now. Was it wrong?"

A: "What?"

Z: "Whatever I did."

A: "Helping someone is never bad but Dr. Sapna has a point too. Ask Soha, Sajjal or Anjali. They may have a spare sweater. Come out. We are lighting up a bonfire."

Zoya asked all the girls but none of them had a spare warm garment to give to her. None of them had anticipated that the weather would turn so cold.

Zoya went out with the other girls where the boys had already lit a fire. As she was feeling really cold, she sat as close to the fire as she could.

Zain called out to her and said.

"Zoya don't sit so close to the fire. It's not safe."

Asad who was sitting beside her, said in a low voice.

"Zoya go back and check. You must have at least something."

Z: "I don't."

A: "Go."

Z: "I packed my bags myself. I know there is nothing."

She got up and went inside. On her bag was a black coat. She went closer and picked it up. The smell of cologne emanating from the coat was unmistakably his.

"Asad is such a nice person."

She smiled to herself and wore the coat. Although the size was too big for her but the fact that Asad had given his coat to her filled her with inexplicable happiness.

When she went back outside, Sajjal was sitting in her place. The only empty space in the circle was beside Zain. Begrudgingly she took that spot. The way that guy looked at her always made her a bit uneasy.

"Where did you get the coat from?"

Soha asked her.

Zoya didn't want them to make an issue out of it so she said.

"A senior doctor lend it to me. Look it's so big."

Ishan spoke up.

"People let's play a game."

"This guy is Zoya's brother! Oh God, don't let it be Zoya's favorite secrets."

Asad thought to himself.

After Ishaan got every-ones' attention, he continued.

"So the game is like this. You have watched Zindagi na milegi dobara, na? Look for example its Zoya's turn first. We will all speak one word and she will have to answer with the first thing she can think of. Got it? I took psychology in high school so I can tell you a thing or two about your personality or your life this way. And one more thing, be honest. It you falter before answering, you will have to do all the work of the person tomorrow whose word you faltered at. So let's begin with...umm... Zoya. Hey and I tend to be right most of the times. Don't get offended and if anyone is not game enough, leave now."

"Bring it on!"

Ishan: "Flowers."

Zoya: "spring."

Sajjal: "Happiness."

Zoya: "Care."

Asad: "Best friend"

Zoya: "Baba."

Rohan: "Life."

Zoya: "Hammad."

Zain: "Who's Hammad?"

Zoya: "My brother."

Ishan: "Zain speak when it's your turn."

Soha: "Asad"

Zoya: "Perfect."

Amaan: "Future."

Zoya: "Fear."

Anjali: "Marriage."

Zoya: "Commitment."

Zain: "Love."

Zoya: "Hamza."

Zain: "Now who is Hamza?"

Zoya: "My brother."

Zain: "How many brothers do you have?"

Zoya: "two."

Ishan: "So Zoya you love your family very much, that is pretty much clear. You live in the present and there is something fishy related to marriage and that is what is connected to fear and future. Care to share?"

Zoya: "Well, err... how can commitment be fishy in marriage?"

Ishan: "Accept it or not. I am right na?"

Zoya: "Fine but don't get personal."

Ishan: "Let's move on. Zain, your turn. Zoya start."

When all of them had their turns, Ishan's comments about everyone were:

Zain: You normally like things you think are difficult to achieve or are challenging.

Anjali: You are not much into medical studies. You are here because your parents wanted you to. You are more of a pleaser sort of a person.

Amaan: You are quite an ambitious person but you love money way too much.

Soha: You take life as a competition. No offence but you and Zain complement each other.

Rohan: You are emotionally challenged and won't be able to have a serious relationship in life until the other person makes too much of an effort.

Sajjal: You lost something or someone you loved and even though you don't except it you are still not over the fact. (Well it was my cat. I had it for over ten years.)

Asad had gone away to the senior doctor's tents as Dr. Sapna had called him. When he came back Ishan said.

"Come my brother. You are the only one left."

Ishan: "Finger."

Asad: "Ring."

Sajjal: "Family."

Asad: "Heaven."

Rohan: "Love."

Asad: "Sacrifice."

Zoya: "Trust"

Asad: "Zoya."

Soha: "Respect."

Asad: "Teachers."

Amaan: "Ten years from now."

Asad: "World's top Cardiologist."

Anjali: "Revenge."

Asad: "Day of judgment."

Zain: "Competition."

Asad: "Hammad."

Zain: "Is it Zoya's brother Hammad?"

Asad: "Yes."

Zain: "Looks like you two know each other really well. Cousins? Family friends?"

Asad: "Family and friends."

Zain: "What do you mean?"

Asad: "Well we are friends and her family is like my own family to me and my sister who happens to be Zoya's very close friend."

Ishan: "So dude you'"

Asad: "Don't tell me I am ambitious and I get very close to my friends. And I want to become a cardiologist. I already told all that."

Ishan: "You offended me dude. I won't say anything about you now. By the way I was going to say that you'"

Asad: "You were not going to say anything about me."

Ishan got up huffed and said:

"I am going to sleep. You people don't deserve me."

After everyone had gone to sleep Zoya got out of the girl's tent and went to sit on a cliff nearby. She was enjoying the calm and quite clean atmosphere which was so unlike the busy noisy Mumbai when somebody startled her by placing his hand on her shoulder.

this is getting good, i love how Asad said Zoya for trust and Zoya said perfect for Asad...