10. Paagal ho tum
"Wow, Mumbai kitna pretty hai, I love it."
Neil and Aarohi smiled at the very excited girl who was seated right in the front of the wooden boat and admiring the Arabian sea, stretched out till it meets the ocean and the evening sun shone so well in the open sky and the deep blue water. Abhimanyu and Akshara were on another boat, just adjacent to them and the Birlas' had booked the two ferry rides for themselves until they could witness the sunset, being right in the middle of the sea.
"Neil bhaiya, can you take a picture of me with the Titanic pose?" Nishta stood with her hands outstretched as Neil asked her to be careful, nevertheless clicking her picture and then few selfies, while Aarohi shut her eyes and let her hand in the cold water, fingers playing with the water.
The guide who was rowing the boat, brought the little ferry right in the middle of the sea, away from the shore and Aarohi opened her eyes to see the horizon so close yet so far as the sun prepared to set. She looked at the side, where Abhimanyu and Akshara were, hand in hand and enveloped in each other's arms and she smiled at them, turning back to the orange ball of fire, now ready to descend.
It was a long day, first they had arrived a little late because Mumbai's traffic was uncanny, then they had a tour of the Elephanta caves and the Gateway of India, and then horse riding at Marine Drives and after that, they were back again at the ferries, this time to sit peacefully and let the evening sun set with all their tiredness.
"Nishta enough," Neil instructed his cousin, who pouted, "sit in one place and watch the sun set, warna main Taiji ko complain karunga."
"You are so mean," Nishta said, huffing, "Aarohi dii, kya sarre bade bhaiya iss idiot ki tarah hote hai?" She asked from the other end, making faces at Neil who was also making faces at her in reply.
"Nahi, sarrey nahi hote," Aarohi remembered Kairav bhaiya, her brother who did and still does so much for the two sisters, lately he was too busy with his wife and their baby and Aarohi felt the jab of being lonely once again.
"Wow, toh Kairav bhaiya aapki complain karne ki dhamki nahi dete the aapke mumma pappa ko?"
On the mention of her late parents, Aarohi sighed, and saddened immediately, she gulped, missing her parents now more than ever. Neil diverted the topic to the setting sun, and Nishta started recording the scenery, and the former sat besides the mysterious girl. For the entire day, Neil kept an eye on the girl, who kept to herself most of the time, hardly clicked pictures and never spoke more than warranted. She was definitely not like him, carefree and lively, instead she was a close book, choosing what to say, carefully reacting and thinking a lot before speaking.
Unless of course, when they bicker.
"Aaj ka din, accha tha," Neil spoke to the girl, their shoulders brushed and for a split second, Aarohi felt a little shiver as she got goosebumps, even when there was no chilly wind passing at that time. "Thanks, Aarohi."
"Aarohi?" She questioned him, tilting her head, "theek toh ho na?"
"Wow, dhang se baat karu, woh bhi galat?"
She shook her head, "kitne dramatic ho tum, no wonder Akshara is happy to have you. You two are so similar."
"And you are like bhai, sarrey doctors aise hi hote hai kya? Itne depressed." Neil teased her, while she met his bright eyes. "Kuch hua hai kya?"
"Nahi, bas, deep sea se thoda darr lagta hai," She replied, shrugging, "I don't know why I fear that I may just drown or the boat might sink or something."
"Well, then why did you agree to tag along?"
"Nishta wanted to, and then, you are busy too right, I thought why let my fears get in the way of fun. Aur waise bhi, aankhein band karnse se darr nahi lagta."
Neil smiled, her thoughtfulness was appreciated, "Does the darkness not scare you when you shut your eyes?"
"Better than the reality,"
He nodded, as they sat silently for the next two minutes, witnessing the sun setting in all its glory and the crimson hue painting their faces, making it look more surreal than it was.
While the the sun set and left its pink and orange shade behind, the boats now retreating back, Neil looked at the smiling girl. "See, if you would have shut your eyes, you would have missed that amazing sunset." He said, and Aarohi turned to meet his eyes again, nodding in agreement.
"Tumhe kis cheez se darr lagta hai?" She asked, as they sailed in the now dusky evening, the shore a little far still.
"Andhere se," He chuckled, and she smiled back, "I sleep with the lights on, darkness and blood, something I can never stand."
"Blood?" She enquired, and he nodded, vigorously, almost gagging at the thought of seeing the red liquid.
"I cannot stand blood, I have a phobia for real."
"Well, be thankful that you are neither a woman, nor a doctor."
They laughed, their sound deafening the waves of the ocean and their boats finally halted at the shore, as Nishta stepped out of the boat first, Neil helping them all out. He reached out his hand towards her, and she took it, but while doing so, Neil noticed the red color vibrant on her arm.
"Khoon!" He yelled as she stepped out, his voice was loud enough to gather everyone's attention.
"Khoon?" Akshara asked, now leaving Abhimanyu's hand and holding Aarohi, "kaha lagi, dikha!" She demanded, breathing rapidly and still so concerned about her, but Aarohi shook her head, hiding the bruise behind her back.
"Ye idiot aise hi chilla raha tha, mujhe nahi lagi."
They all now looked at Neil and Aarohi glared at him, shaking her head and he gulped, "haan, main toh pagal hu, aise hi..." He justified his screaming and Akshara looked at them confused.
"Akshu bhabhi, dekho bhutta, chalo khaate hai!"
Fortunately, Nishta pulled Akshara and Abhimanyu towards the corn stall and Aarohi sighed, thankful that Akshara was not informed else she would worry and get anxious unnecessarily. Aarohi examined her arm, there was a scratch from what she assume was the nail from the boat and the blood was oozing from the wound, she wiped it with her handkerchief and was about to leave when Neil stood in front of her.
"Chamgadar, hato raste se."
"You have to wipe it with water," He said, nervous because he did not want to see the blood again, so he kept his gaze at her eyes, "you are a doctor right, infection hoga warna."
Aarohi smiled, "chill, it is not a deep cut, and doctor hu issliye pata hai. Aur waise bhi, abh jaungi toh Akshara ko doubt ho jayega, let's go."
But Aarohi was stopped by Neil, he had held her other arm, and pulled her towards him, "Neil?"
"You either come to the side, and let me wash the wound well, and then put a band-aid on it, or I tell your sister that you have gotten a very deep cut which requires you to be hospitalised immediately."
"Please don't," Aarohi whispered, taking the final step between them, "you know Akshu is prone to anxieties and panic attacks still and I do not want her to worry for me or something as menial as this."
"Ye tumhare liye ek chota sa zakam hoga, but not for me," He gulped again, holding himself and Aarohi could actually see his paranoia of blood by his expressions and his instinct to puke right now. "Tum aa rahi ho ya main..."
"Fine," She sighed, pointing towards the chemist which was against the road, "I'll get it treated, okay."
"Main bhi aaunga,"
"Par kyon?"
"I don't trust you." He said, still not looking down at her arm and his gaze all the more towards the sky, his hands fisted.
Aarohi couldn't help but smile, "you cannot even stand the sight of blood, look at you Neil. Why don't you wait and let me do the work."
Neil met her eyes, hesitant, "Still, I'll be joining you, I'll close my eyes but I am coming with you."
"Paagal ho tum."
"Tumse kam."
Making an excuse to get some water, Aarohi and Neil made their way towards the chemist. Aarohi washed the wound with fresh water and wiped it clean with her kerchief but applying the band-aid was a little trick since it started burning now.
Before she could get back to it, Neil took the band-aid from her hand and removed the sticker, their eyes now locked. Neil slowly let his fingers caress her arm, and she felt another shiver run down her spine as his fingers traced her hand until they reached the wound and she flinched and that is where Neil applied the band-aid, eyes still locked, and Aarohi gulped, the pain now nothing in comparison to the intensity of their eyes.
Neil pressed the band-aid well, not once looking at the wound owing to his phobia but neither did Aarohi break the eye-lock, because she did not want to miss this moment they were sharing.
Their eyes were still locked, awaiting when their hearts would too.
_