You Complete Me

#23: jhoota pyaar

"It's been a day since Rudra saw Aarohi's face in the little mirror on the door of his room. And he keeps thinking since the morning he woke up, did i really see her face or imagine it? Why would i imagine her face at this moment?
And then he said to himself, 'Rudra, stop going out of your way. Just focus. You don't want to see her, right? So, stop imagining her.'"

"In the evening, Aarohi and Jiya were doing their routine check of the patients in the wards. After the check, as they were leaving, Jiya said to Aarohi, 'Aren't you going to see him? You haven't seen him since morning.' Aarohi replied, 'Why would I? Yesterday, I went to see him because he was my patient, but today I'm not assigned to him. So, whoever, whatever, I'm not going.'
Jiya said, 'Ah, okay, okay. I was just suggesting if you could see that he's already awake.'
Aarohi felt happy after hearing this, but she kept pretending to be rude in front of Jiya and said, 'So what? As a doctor, I'm happy, and that's all.'

Jiya said, 'Oh, you and your rudeness. But I can't say whatever he does to you, you have full rights to be angry or to hate him.' Aarohi just replied, 'Hmm.'"

"At night, before the last checkup, Rudra's parents came to his room. His sister and mother sat beside his bed, trying to talk with Rudra, who was also speaking now, albeit slightly. When the doctor arrived, he told Rudra, 'You are fine now. It's just a miracle that you are getting better so quickly.'

Rudra's mother thanked the doctor and requested, 'Doctor, please keep him here and make him fit like he was before.' The doctor responded, 'I'm going on leave, so I'll appoint another practicing student. He doesn't need an experienced doctor right now.' Rudra's mother insisted, 'No, no, doctor, please don't appoint a practicing student. Please appoint the best doctor.' The doctor reassured her, 'Don't worry, our practicing students are really good. I'll appoint the best one for your son.' His mother said, 'Okay, doctor, thank you so much,' and then the doctor left."

"The next day, Aarohi was sitting in the canteen, looking very down.
When her friend Jiya came and asked, 'What happened, Aarohi? Why are you looking so down?'

Aarohi replied, 'You won't believe what happened this morning.' Jiya asked, 'What happened?' Aarohi said, 'Dr. Singh appointed me as Rudra's doctor.' Jiya exclaimed, 'What?' Aarohi confirmed, 'Yes.' 'I was thinking that I would never see him and we would never meet each other,' Aarohi continued, 'and he would be leaving in 3-4 days from here. But now, he is admitted here for a long time, I guess. And I should be appointed as his doctor, as Dr. Singh is going on leave. About a month.' Jiya expressed concern, 'Oh no, yoy have to face him, talk to him daily, almost for hours.' Aarohi agreed, 'Yes, I don't know how I can go in front of him. I just hate him.'

Jiya reassured her, 'Don't worry, it will be fine. Just be professional in front of him.' As they were talking, the nurse came and asked, 'Dr. Aarohi, let's go, we have to check a patient.' Aarohi inquired, 'Are you appointed with me for Mr. Sinha?' The nurse confirmed, 'Yes.' Aarohi said, 'Okay sister, let's go.' Jiya encouraged her, 'Just go, everything will be fine".

      ________________________________

Rudra lay motionless on the hospital bed, his breathing shallow and rhythmic. Aarohi, accompanied by the nurse, entered the room, her steps hesitant and slow, as if approaching a long-forgotten memory. The nurse whispered to Aarohi, "Look at him, so handsome, isn't he? A cricketer, right?"

Aarohi remained silent, her gaze fixed on Rudra's face, her heart pounding in her chest. As they drew closer, the sound of their footsteps stirred Rudra from his slumber. His eyes fluttered open, and he blinked, trying to adjust to the sudden light.

The nurse nudged Aarohi gently, urging her forward. Rudra's gaze fell upon her, and for a moment, he was frozen in disbelief. Aarohi, standing before him after five long years, seemed like a figment of his imagination.