THE SURGEON'S SOLITUDE (ON HOLD)

CHAPTER-2 THE UNNOTICED PART

"I am asking you something, tell me..." Kunal snapped Mauli back to reality. She kept her hand on the back of her head, her fingers entwined in her hair as she tried to make sense of what Kunal had just said. It was 7 a.m. on the clock.
"Hurry up, we're getting late for the event!" Mauli looked confused. "Event?" she asked.

"Wow! You're the first person in the world who doesn't remember the awards they're getting" He teased. "You're getting an award for your excellence in work at the youngest age."

"Oh, yeah... How could I forget that.." She whispered it to herself as she looked at Kunal who was putting all the things at their respective places and was in hurry. He had worn this black shirt which she liked on him too much. His eyes, as always, were focused on his work.

"So, it was a dream..." She wonders, but what if it can become reality someday? Her reality? Her headlines became noticeable as she was stressed out just by thinking this mere possibility.

He noticed that and sat beside her. He took her hand in his and gently asked her, "Is everything alright?" She looked into his eyes and realized he had a genuine concern for her... until she heard the next few words of his, "Is it a stress related to work? I think you are overworking yourself..." Mauli gasped at hearing this and before she could say anything, he pinned back her hair which was coming in front of her face and continued, "I can understand that you always want to keep things in their places, always work for perfection, but give yourself a little bit of rest as well."

"No, Kunal, things are not like that. Actually..." Before saying anything, she realized what she was just about to say- a feeling that even she doesn't know about. How would she be able to explain that to him?

"Yes, tell me.." He looked at her with concern, while she was lost in her thoughts. Breaking the silence, she said, "I just... I just am...afraid of socializing... You know that there will be a lot of people, and it is stressing me out..."

Kunal chuckled at this and replied, "That's why in school, I used to tell you to be an ambivert at least! But you! You decided to remain as an introvert."

"It's not in my hands! That's just my nature" She immediately replied to the remark he made. She was disappointed- as how could he not know that it's in her nature? Even she has tried changing this aspect of herself for him. But whenever she tried doing that, all she ever got was  disappointment from people. No one looked beyond a short conversation. He doesn't even know that as she never told him...She gasped thinking about this.

"Ok, okay, I got it! Now get ready, please" He said it and started looking for his things. Mauli nodded and started searching for the dress she would wear.

After getting ready, they were now at the award ceremony.
Kunal always had an inclination towards photography, so since the ceremony had not started yet, he decided to take pictures of Mauli outside the hotel near the pool for this special day in her life.

"Mauli, smile! Why are you always in a serious mood? " Kunal asked after looking at her facial expressions in the pictures. She was looking lost somewhere- maybe her nightmare was the reason behind it- but he didn't know that.

"Okay! I am smiling now! Click the pictures" She replied to him.

"Yes! Just like that...! A really wide smile...! 1...2...3...clicked!" He wanted to take the perfect shot of her rare smile, so he was being careful that she doesn't get distracted.

He looked at the picture; her smile was perfect. She was damn cute after all! he thought to himself.

"You wouldn't look at the picture... Are you?" Kunal questioned her.

"No, I don't have much interest, but if you would insist that I look at one piece of your photography, I can do that." Mauli replied playfully. Her eyes looked into his as she moved closer to him.

"Yeah, now I would have to insist that the person whose picture I've clicked take a glance at that picture... so fair!" He rolled his eyes, as if trying to look upset.

"Oh, stop your dramas!" She patted his hand as she laughed.

"How do you know it's a drama?" Kunal asked in a serious tone.

"Because, I'm as dramatic as you!" They both started laughing until they heard the announcement that the award distribution is about to start shortly, and they rushed toward the hall. Mauli tried to hold his hand, but he was looking ahead. Her efforts went in vain, and she stopped trying. She looked in the where he was looking. Maybe, this is the only right thing... She thought to herself.