I am sorry I am late. I had some personal engagement and also things are a bit tied up during Ramadan. This is an update more from Arnav's POV.
11
Arnav
stood silently in the middle of his office room. The indifference in his face
was not giving away even an iota of what was going inside him. He had mustered
to cover up his emotions since he had been very young. His life hadtaught him that emotions made you
weak; so there was no place for emotions in his life. No matter how unaffected
he was trying to appear, there was a storm of strange emotions hurling inside
him. He knew he had done the right thing; he had told her the truth. Then why
was he feeling so miserable? Why for the first time in his life he was feeling
he might have wronged her?
F**k! He had
wronged her.
He
knew she was not the kind of girl who would be involved into anything
non-committal. This was in fact what got him to say "yes" to her proposal in
the first place; he was curious to know what that weird brain of her was
cooking. Then how could he allow happening such things between them? He suddenly
started to feel as if he had taken an opportunity of her weakness. It was true
she had approached her herself but he could not deny he fantasized her too. But
did not she equally participate? There was no reason to feel so bad. She should
have thought about it too. And she did not blame him either.
Arnav
ran his hand through his hair in frustration. He could not make out why he was really
feeling this way. Was it because she was hurt? Was it because he felt he had
wronged her? Or was it because she broke up with him?
Broke
Up?
"What the f**k is wrong with you Arnav?" Arnav
groaned. He had never felt so confused in his life. He hated the fact that he
could not read his own mind right now. Why on earth he thought of break-up when
he himself just told her he liked it "no strings attached"?
Arnav
felt he could use some fresh air now. His office was feeling different with her
touch all around and he could not take it anymore. He stormed out of his room hoping
to clear up his cluttered mind. On his way out of the office, Arnav suddenly
halted in his track near the exit. His world spun as he saw Khushi lying
unconscious near a cubicle β her plush hair disheveled, her angelic face pale
& sweaty. Arnav nearly flew to her & took her in his arms kneeling
down.
"Khushi,
Khushi," Arnav pleaded, "Khushi, can you hear me? Are you alright? Khushi?"
Arnav
kept on trying to get her back to senses but there was no response. Arnav could
feel his heart twisting as she lay immobile in his arms, her rosy lips drained
of color. He fetched a glass of water & tried to wake her up as he
sprinkled water on her face but yet there was no response. "I have to get her
to the hospital" was all he could think of before picking her up in his arms
& rushing out to his car.
Arnav
had been driving for around 5 minutes when he suddenly heard a soft groan from
the passenger seat. He expectantly glanced to see a responsive Khushi but she
still seemed unconscious. A few minutes later he again heard a groan and he
braked the car. He leaned over to Khushi in hope of seeing any movement.
"Khushi,
Khushi," he asked with fear and concern, "Can you hear me? Khushi?"
Arnav's
heart fluttered as he spotted subtle movements of her eyelids. He raised his
voice,
"Khushi?
Khushi? Open your eyes. Can you hear me, dammit? Khushi? Khush .."
"Oh,
don't scream," a soft whimper cut him off, "It hurts."
Arnav
did not even realize when his hands moved to wrap her in a hug.
"Oh
Khushi," Arnav exclaimed, "You scared me. Are you alright? How are feeling
now?"
"If
you don't move away, I will feel worse," Khushi whimpered again, "Let me
breathe."
Arnav
jerked away still holding her shoulder, "Are you alright?"
Khushi
had not opened her eyes yet.
"Not
much yet," she whispered almost inaudibly.
Arnav
could understand though she was back to her senses, she was not feeling well.
The effort she was giving to talk was very evident and often she seemed like
going into a daze. Arnav started the car immediately and decided to keep her
awake by conversing.
"Don't
worry. I am getting you a doctor."
"Just
get me home."
"You
are not well Khushi. I am taking you to the hospital. Don't fuss."
"I
have meds with me."
"Meds?
For what?"
"M-m-migraine.
A bad one."
"Migraine?
You fainted because of Migraine?"
"It
is not the first time⦠don't shout. Ahh .. it hurts."
Arnav
had no idea how worse migraine can get. It was news to him that migraine could
lead to fainting. He decided to call their family doctor.
"Dr.
Mehta! I need your help. My .. friend fainted. She is saying it is due to
migraine. Is it possible?"
"Yes,
Mr. Raizada. It is not very common but it happens. A really bad case of
migraine."
"Ok.
So should I just take her home & let her have her meds?"
"Can
you ask her a few things?"
"Sure."
"Is
the headache still on?"
Arnav
turned to Khushi.
"Khushi,
is your head still hurting?"
Khushi
nodded slightly. Arnav spoke on phone again.
"Yes.
Dr."
"Ok.
Is she having other symptoms? Visions, light or sound sensitivity?"
"Sound,
yes. Let me ask her about the rest."
Arnav
turned to Khushi again.
"Khushi?
Are you seeing things? Is the light hurting you?"
Khushi
nodded again slightly.
"Yes.
Dr."
"Ok,
it must be migraine then. Plus if it is not her first time, she must be able to
read the symptoms herself. Can you please ask her the name of the meds?"
Khushi
with great effort told Arnav the name of the meds. As Dr. Mehta confirmed it
was fine, Arnav cut the call & drove towards Khushi's hotel. Parking his
car, he picked up in his arms a very limp Khushi who did not seem to have much
understanding of her surroundings. She tried to hold onto his collar but her
hands were falling off. She was giving infrequent groans & Arnav was
getting restless. He almost ran into the elevator. Room service helped him to
unlock the door to her room. Arnav laid her down in the bed and started looking
for the meds.
"Khushi
β¦ can you hear me? Where are the meds?"
"Mmm
.. suitcase .. "
Arnav
ruffled everything in the suitcase and finally found the meds. He took a water
bottle and lifted up Khushi's head slightly, supporting with his left arm.
"Khushi,
I have the meds. Take it."
Khushi
just opened her mouth slightly, waiting for him to give her the meds.
"Khushi,
can you open up your mouth a little bit more."
As
Khushi forced to open her mouth a little bit more, Arnav put the meds first and
then started pouring water into her mouth slowly. Khushi gulped down the meds
with great effort but spilled most of the water and started coughing. Arnav
lifted her up more and patted her back to soothe her. He took her upper body in
his arms & Khushi rested her head on his chest. She was trying to hold onto
him but she did not find any strength.
"Relax
Khushi," Arnav murmured, "I am here. I will hold onto you. Just try to get some
sleep."
Arnav
felt Khushi laying her full weight on him as he wrapped her tightly into his
arms. He stared at her face as she dozed off almost instantly. He sat like that
until he was sure Khushi was into deep sleep. The frequent shudders stopped and
the pain from her face was also withering. He made her lie in the bed and finally
he felt he was breathing properly after hours. As he checked his watch it was
already half an hour past midnight. He decided to stay the night with her. He
felt sort of responsible for her state; he must have triggered the headache.
Arnav was startled as he felt a twitch of pain in his heart. How could he hurt
her?
Drawing
a chair near the bed, Arnav sat there staring at her. He tried to understand
why this girl made him feel so different. He remembered how he had confessed
this to her as she gave herself to him. Arnav winced. He remembered how worried
he was when she did not appear on time. And seeing her unconscious, he felt
like his life was slipping away. Arnav
knew things were different with her. But that did not mean he could give her
any false hope. He could not even ask her out knowing her beliefs in marriage.
But he could not deny that it mattered to him that she was hurt. Arnav felt a poignant
pain in his heart β something he had not felt in a long time.
Arnav
went through Khushi's clothes and found an oversized white t-shirt. He started
to undress her slowly not once looking at her body. That face held everything
he wanted to see. As he freed her from her crumpled & sweaty clothes, he
started to massage her skin slowly with a dampened towel. He started with her
neck, to her shoulders, arms and he stopped at her sleek fingers. He
intertwined her fingers with his and brought to his lips to place a soft kiss.
He dampened the towel again and sponged the rest of her body finishing off at
her toes. He kissed her toes softly before getting her into the t-shirt. She
was sleeping peacefully, dosed by the med, unaware of the affection & care
that was being poured on her from a rare heart. Arnav finally sponged her face
& placed a soft but lingering kiss on her forehead. He had never felt his
heart so drenched ever before.
Arnav
removed his shoes, socks & belt. He opened a few of the top buttons of his
shirt, loosening up a bit and joined Khushi in bed lying beside her. Khushi was
sleeping in a fetal position, turning on her right. Arnav wrapped her waist in
his left arm as he moved near her, pressing her back with his chest. He dipped
his nose in her tousled locks and the last thing he remembered before his eyes
gave up was an intoxicating smell that he would like to breathe in forever.
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