(Dedicated to Mandy for being one of the most stubborn people EVER.😆)
Some days later :
'You went to sleep at 1:45 yesterday,' said Abhay as Pia joined him for breakfast. 'That's why I didn't wet you.'
She scowled at him. 'Stop being such a Leena.'
'Sorry?' he said, trying to hold back a grin. 'Such a what, exactly?'
Piya glared at him, her eyes narrowed. 'Stop it.'
'Fine, I'm changing the subject,' he said. 'I took on a thirteen year old yesterday.'
Piya raised her eyebrows. 'What happened?'
'She lost her family in a car crash ten months ago and they shifted her to an orphanage,' he said grimly. 'She was attempting suicide apparently. That's why they contacted me.'
'That's sad,' said Piya, looking pensive. 'She's tough,' said Abhay, looking worried. 'She seems lost. She seems to have had it really bad. They should have contacted me when her family died. Instead, they put her in an unfamiliar place. And now she's attempting suicide!'
Piya watched him carefully. 'You get attached to your patients often, don't you?'
His head jerked up. 'No, of course not.'
'Liar, ' she teased. 'You care about them.'
'Fine,' he snapped. 'I'm a noble git, happy?'
'Not just that but also an obnoxious and controlling stupon.'
'Excuse me?' he said. 'What does that mean?'
She grinned brightly. 'Stupid plus moron equals stupon!' Now it was Abhay's turn to glare at her, and she threw back her head in laughter.
Abhay stared at her. Her eyes so alive, her mouth so crimson. He wondered what it would feel like to kiss her-
'Hello? Earth to Abhay? Where are you?'
He came to his senses at once, swatting away her hand. 'Shut up. I spaced out thinking of that girl.'
Piya raised her eyebrows. 'Really? Never took you for a pedophile.'
'You-' and the next moment, he'd sloshed water on her dress.
'Aargh!' she screeched. 'You wait till I get my hands on you, Raichand!'
'Really now, all you need to do is ask,' he said smirking.
'You insufferable, pompous prat!' she raged. 'Now I have to change, and I will be late, all thanks to your immature, obnoxious sense of humour!'
She stomped out in a huff.
Abhay shook his head to clear it. He really needed to stop pushing her buttons. He still didn't know why he liked to rile her up.
He'd probably have to get her a chocolate again. He knew she knew that he bought them, but he always pretended he hadn't, so he didn't have to hear her thanks.
A crash resounded from the direction of Pia's room, and without further ado, he left for the clinic- in one piece.
---------xxx---------
Piya paused in the middle of selecting readers' writings in her cabin. Abhay's smirking face swam in front of her, and again she felt a hot wave of fury. What was wrong with her? She was always cool and collected. Why did he rile her so much?
Back when they were in school, he'd always known exactly how to push her buttons. He always seemed to be amused by her temper. She'd tried so well to keep it under control, but more than a decade later, even though Abhay had changed, that particular ability of his hadn't changed.
Why did he affect her, anyway?
She wondered if she should ask Leena.
Piya swtiched off her mobile as she entered the gateway of Abhay's house. Who did he think he was, calling her up again and again? No doubt, he wanted to ridicule her again. On top of that, she had got caught in the rain when he had left her office and entered the parking area, which was a five minutes' walk. And it was the heavy, pelting rain which she'd rarely been caught in, in Delhi.
She sighed as she realized she would again be a target for rain-related jokes. Shaking her head, she fumbled for the keys, only to see that the house was unlocked.
She sneezed as she pressed the doorbell.
Not a minute had passed before Abhay had flung the door open, looking furious.
'Where - in the name of hell- were you?'
'Oh, you know, the place where I work?' she said sweetly, as she entered the house.
'Do you realise it's 9 o'clock?'
'Would you prefer midnight?' she snapped back.
'Why the hell were you so late? You do realise I was going mental here, right? I kept calling you and you kept cutting me off!'
She looked at him in surprised. He had been worried for her? 'I'm sorry, I'll try not to- achooo!'
'Sorry,' she mumbled again.
He still looked angry, but concern clouded his eyes.
'And on top of that you got drenched in the rain, too. Go to your room and change. I'm getting you something hot to drink.'
'Coffee?' she said hopefully.
'Don't get your hopes up,' he snapped. 'Go and change, for God's sake.'
'I don't need your pity, you know,' snapped Piya, as Abhay set about tucking her up in her bed. 'I'm not-achooo!-weak.'
'Of course,' said Abhay tonelessly. 'You're Superman's daughter.'
He ladled out some soup from one of the bowls of dishes kept on her bedside table.
'I don't want soup,' she said, turning her head away.
'It's not a question of what you want, but what you need,' he said irritable. He hoped she stopped her dramatic antics. They were irritating him no end.
'Shut up and stop being my doctor,' she snapped.
'Shup up and be a normal patient,' he retorted. 'Now, are you going to have the soup or not.'
'No.'
'I'll force-feed you, then.'
'If you do, ' hissed Piya, voice quivering in rage. 'I'll jolly well dump that bowl on you. I swear I will!'
Abhay glared at her, losing the last thread of his patience.
'Fine,' he spat. 'Go to hell.'
He took the soup and stormed out of her room, banging the door as he went.
Piya was half-tempted to call after him, but decided against it. No doubt he took a perverse pleasure in seeing her weakness.
She shook her head, and went about editing the draft of their cover story. It was a bold piece of writing by one of their best writers, but in several places, Piya had to change the wording so it sounded a tad more diplomatic.
She then set about checking the net for the episode she had missed.
Then she was overcome by a bout of sneezing, which prompted her to get back to the warmth of the bed and set about making notes for a new story she had started.
Her cell rang in the middle of her writing down her heroine's character traits. She smiled as she picked up the phone.
'Hi Leena,' she said warmly. 'What's up?'
'I just saw a fan page on Facebook, in your name,' she said. 'Why don't you make one yourself?'
'Come on, Leena,' said Piya. 'I really don't think-achooo!- that I ought to...well...put myself up like this.'
'Have you caught a cold?' said Leena worriedly. 'I told you to take an umbrella yesterday.'
'Leena, for God's sakes don't start,' said Piya exasperated. 'I just got slightly damp.'
'Are you sure?' pressed Alina.
'Yeah, I am, now stop worrying, okay?' said Piya. 'You ought to marry Abhay Raichand, you'd make a fantastic pair.'
'Why? What did he do now?' said Alina, trying to avoid giggling.
'He decided to play at being doctor because I got wet,' snapped Piya. 'And he was making me have soup.'
'Awww, that's so sweet!' cooed Alina. 'He cares so much.'
'Cares my foot,' said Piya rudely. 'He wet my dress today, why the hell does he want me to act like an invalid? And you know what? He practically yelled at me today because I was an hour late. Seriously, who is he? My keeper?'
Alina sighed dreamily. 'Aww, Piya, he was worried for you, don't you see? He cares for you.'
'Di didn't yell at me when I came at ten that time,' said Pia obstinately. 'She just said she was worried for me and to try to come early next time.'
'Oh, Piya,' sighed Alina. 'You do realise we're all terrified of your rages , right?'
'I don't fly into rages,' said Piya.
'You used to,' said Leena quietly. 'Have you forgotten? Your first year of college? You'd yell if anyone so much looked through your room. Bhai told me and your Di about it. That's when I offered you a job , remember?'
'Was I really that bad?' said Piya, shame filling her.
'No, you were worse, darling,' said Alina , laughing.'And now, finally you found someone who yelled at you. Oh , karma is such a bitch.'
Piya sighed as Alina howled with laughter.
'Leena?' she said unsurely. 'Can I ask you something?'
Alina sobered up at once. 'Go on, Piya. Is something wrong?'
'It's... Abhay,' she said hesitantly. 'He confuses me.'
Leena was silent.
'I mean,' she said in a rushed voice,' He's so infuriating sometimes and he's so sweet sometimes. Sometimes he goes out of his way to irritate me and sometimes he goes out of his way to listen to my troubles. I keep thinking of him, Leena. He makes me yell so much, but he makes me laugh too. What's wrong with me? Why can't I control my temper around him?'
Alina sighed theatrically. 'Poor Piya,' she said in a baby voice. 'You are having an exceptionally strong crush on your room mate.'
Piya choked. This of course set of a bout of coughing this time, and she finally spluttered, 'Are you mad?'
'No actually, I was thinking you would be soon,' came Alina's reply. 'You know... Madly in love.'
'Shut up!'
Alina subsided into furious giggles and Piya switched off the call in anger. To calm down her thoughts, she reached for her dinner and started to eat.
Midway through it, she dialled Alina's number.
'Hey, I'm sorry, dear,' came Alina's voice, still carrying an undertone of laughter.
'Alina,' said Piya almost in a whisper,'Do you really think he cares?'
Next morning :
'How are you feeling?' said Abhay, watching Piya get up and push away the hair from her eyes.
Piya shivered. 'Cold,' she croaked, and then tried to clear her throat. 'Really cold.'
He was by her side in a minute, feeling her forehead. 'Get back into bed, Piya,' he said seriously. 'You're feverish.'
'My forehead's always hot,' she said , pushing his hand away- she was beginning to get goosebumps.
'Fine, wait till I get a thermometer,' he said, stalking out.
Piya got out of bed. She did feel a bit wobbly in her legs, but she needed to report to her office. She had never reported sick.
'Here, let me see,' said Abhay holding out a thermometer as she came out from the bathroom after brushing.
She sat on the bed with a thermometer in her mouth, feeling like a six year old.
'Right, you need to stay at home today, Piya,' said Abhay decisively.
'You've got a 102 degrees.'
Piya knew that he wouldn't listen. She rapidly formulated a plan. 'All right,' she said meekly. 'I'll not go... Doctor.'
Abhay nodded. 'I'll bring you breakfast.'
He left the room, not at all fooled by her uncharacteristic meekness. He knew she was planning to leave as soon as he left.
But he was going to circumvent it.
He dialled the first number on his speed dial. 'Hi, Pankhuri,' he said in a low voice, 'I need a favour from you.'
When Abhay left about half an hour later, Piya hauled herself out of bed, taking a warm shower and dressing as fast as she could. She was determined to prove she wasn't weak.
The bell rang just as she was doing her hair. Thinking it was someone who needed a bill, she opened the door...
And came face to face with Pankhuri and Sneha.
'Oh hello, darling,' said Pankhuri, breezing in. 'I heard you were sick, I'm really sorry I made you get up.'
Piya's eyes widened in shock.
Pankhuri continued, 'Abhay was so very upset that you'd be lonely, sitting all alone, and so I came over, because I was so bored, and Sneha took quite the liking to you.'
Piya felt a wave of anger pass through her, then admiration.
So he had known... And he had beaten her. She should have known better than to lie to a psychologist.
When Pankhuri finally left around 7: 45 in the evening, after plying Piya with lots of sweets, hot chocolate and other foods, she sighed. Pankhuri was a rather good soul, but the day had still been wasted.
'Have a nice day?' enquired Abhay politely as he came to her room on the pretext of giving her some Paracetamol tablets. 'Pankhuri keep you company?'
'You-you sent her on purpose,' said Piya. 'Why?'
He smirked. 'Don't insult my training and my intelligence. I can tell when you were lying. Besides, your lack of argument was extremely suspicious.'
She shook her head. 'Why are you always contradicting yourself? First you shout at me, then you become sweet, then you tease me.'
He smiled slightly. 'I don't know, Piya. I haven't had much practise in being friends with a mule.'
'You-' she reached over and punched him, but he started laughing.
'Hold it,' he said. 'What happened to that girl? Did her vampire lover get to her in time?'
She stared at him , surprised. 'How do you know?'
He shrugged. 'Saw it yesterday.'
'But I was late,' she said, confused.
He shrugged. Was it her imagination, or was he really flushing just a bit?
'Oh my god.' she said as it dawned on her. 'You like it!'
'No!' said Abhay defiantly, but Piya was already shaking with laughter.
PS. Stupon is something I read somewhere else. Not my creation😆
I personally hate this chapter. I know this is awful but somehow I just could not get it done properlyI am extremely sorry if this update isn't upto the mark I don't even know why I am posting this and I am sure there are mistakes too as I typed from mobile again
Okay, enough impersonation of you know who...you guys know I didn't mean it🤣😆. Like and comment , and let me know how it was...Honestly😳
Arjun
Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2
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