Nathan's POV

We were driving to the hospital. That feeling of having Ananya sit next to me in the back seat of my car brought back a lot of memories.
But now it was different. We were sitting so close but we were still miles apart.
Throughout the ride she never once looked up. I tried to speak up a couple of times but I couldn't think of anything to say.
We walked through the corridors whem I realised I was going there empty handed.
It didn't feel right.
"Ananya, you go ahead. Tell me the room number and I will be there in sometime."

She just shook her head and murmured "401 B"

"Great. I will be back." I turned and left.

*************************
Alex's POV

"Mom, you know I love Ananya. If not her I am not going to marry anyone else. I thought I made it clear to you that day."
I raised my voice. Even when I knew Grandmaa was there in the next room possibly listening to our conversation.

"Alex. Listen to me. I know you love her. But you know she doesn't feel the same way for you. How long do you think you are going to wait for her?"
Mother was still speaking softly.

"I don't care Mom. Grandmaa is being unfair. She just cannot expect me to marry someone because she thinks it would strengthen her friendship with her bestie. I just don't care. Why are we even discussing this?"
I was frustrated. Father sat there on the sofa in the corner of the room. He looked relatively calm.
I looked at him with begging eyes.

He blinked at me with an assuring look and then got up. I was hoping he would save me from this game.
"Son. If you trust me, get engaged to Katherine today."

His words sent my anger to another level.
"Dad? You too? Does anyone even bother about me?"

"Listen to me Son. You need to believe me. I am on your side."

"Oh yeah? I can see that. How is suggesting me to get engaged in a jiffy, being on my side?"
I threw a punch of sarcasm.

He lowered his voice and spoke very close to my ears.
"Go with the flow now and I will ensure the marriage never happens. Your Grandmaa is in no mood to listen today. But I will get time and I promise I will get you out of this."
I did not want to do it. How could I?  And what about Katherine. How will she feel when engagement is called off?

"Dad. No! Please. I don't wish to be part of this game. And today? Why are you in such a hurry?"
I protested some more.

"Son. Your Grandmaa is adamant. I give you my word and if you trust me even a little, do as I say."
This time I could feel the sense of helpless authority in his voice.

I gulped my anger and frustration. Giving a last look at Mom I turned to my father and shook my head in agreement. But I wanted to make the terms very clear.

"Don't expect anything else from me after this. And this marriage will never happen."

From the corner of my eyes I could see my mother giving a deep sigh of relief and pass a week smile at me.

It all happened so quickly. I had never seen Katherine before.
She was a tall blonde, a typical high class babe reeking of poise and mannerism.

She smiled as if it costed her a fortune. It was a small family gathering in our living room. Katherine wrapped her arm around mine once the rings were exchanged. She took me by surprise. But I didn't wish to create a scene. My parents understood my discomfort and soon mother came to my rescue.
"Excuse us Katherine, will you please my dear? I need Alexander for a minute."
Katherine smiled and let go off me.
"Thanks Mother."

I left the room. I wanted to check on Ananya. She hadn't call yet. Has she returned? I wasn't feeling right. She was going to enjoy my funny tale of trouble.
Engaged in 2 hrs to a girl I hadn't even met before.

She did not pick her phone. She must be busy. I thought about calling her in some time.
My Fiance was waiting for me and my Grandmaa was giving me angry stares.

*********************************
Nathan's POV

Hospitals always made my stomach churn. And this situation itself was quite difficult for me to handle. As I didn't really understood what was right and what wasn't.
Love makes you do such things!

I reached the room and waited outside for a minute trying to compose myself.
But nothing that I did could contain the tsunami of emotions I had.
Taking a deep breath I knocked on the door.
"Please come in."

I turned the knob and got in. Ananya just moved to the corner of the bed. Her eyes looked red. She was crying when I came.
May be she was still upset with all that happened at the office.

"Here. This is for Mrs.Donavan. You once mentioned she liked yellow flowers."

I could see a faint smile on her face. May be she never expected me to remember that. But I could never forget all the moments I spent with her.

She placed the flowers in the vase and offered a chair to me.
"Sir."
Her eyes avoided eye contact with me. She kept staring at the floor but it was nothing like she did when we were together. Then, she did it because she was too shy to look at me. Now, her face was drained off of all emotions.

"Ananya. I am sorry. You don't need to call me Sir. You can call me Nathan."
I looked at her with expectant eyes. But as soon as I said this she looked at me.
Her eyes were blank. Those big beautiful eyes were void of any emotion.
It was all my doing.
She didn't seem like a scheming slut anymore to me.
When looked closely she still seemed as innocent as the first day when I saw her on the operations floor.
That strand of hair was still dancing on her face caressing her cheeks where once my lips left their trace.

My continuous gaze must have made her uncomfortable and so she excused herself.
"Sir I will get you some coffee."

She started moving towards the door. I don't know what got into me. I instantly got up and held her hand pulling her towards me.
Oh god! I took both of us by surprise by doing this.
She was in my arms. Our hearts were beating so hard that it felt like they would jump out of our bodies any second.
I still held onto her wrist with one hand and wrapped my other hand around her waist. She was struggling to release herself from my hold. Her not so evident struggle amused me a little as I didn't give her much space to move.
I loved her touch. Her presence so close to me sent the same waves of currents through my body and I wondered if she felt the same too.
Our eyes finally met. Her eyes were not blank anymore.
But they had fear rooted in them. It puzzled me. Why was she afraid of me? I never did anything to physically hurt her.
I let her go immediately as her fear overflowed through her eyes with the rolling tears.
She looked shaken. I never wanted to scare her like this. I just couldn't control. I wanted to hold her close. I had longed for her for so long.
She took a step behind still looking at me. But it felt as if her feet had lost their grip on the ground. The drape on her eyes began to fall. She took another shaky step and thats when I realised she was about to fall down.
I quickly moved towards her and got hold of her before she hit the ground.
She was now resting calmly in my arms, unconscious.

I called the nurses for help and a doctor passing by asked me to get her to a room at the end of the hallway. I carried her in my arms, my heart breaking to see her pale face trying to speak to me, questioning my every move since the last evening we spent together.

I felt sorry. Deeply sorry.

************************
Alex's POV

The little party my family arranged was now getting onto my nerves.
I didn't like Katherine. Somehow I managed to compare her to Ananya in everything she did. How she sat, the way she talked or carried herself was all so fake for me.
On the other hand I kept thinking of how Ananya would be if we were to get engaged.
I was lost in her thoughts when my Grandmaa screamed in my ears.
"Lexi?? She is sitting right next to you. You don't have to dream about her. I have reserved a table for you at the Palace. Go take her for dinner tonight and then may be you can get to know each other better.
Katherine darling. You are up for it right?"

I never signed up for this. I was making a distorted expression to get out of this situation. Katherine however looked pleased with the offer.
I wanted to go back to Ananya. She must be waiting for me. But why has she not called yet? I wondered if she was with Nathan and forgot completely about me.

"Come on you two. Get going now." Grandmaa ordered us.
Suddenly my phone buzzed. Oh this is God sent. I was hoping it to be Ananya's call.

"Hello.
Yes.
What? When? Is she alright? I am coming right away. Take care of her."

I never expected to hear that. My heart was pounding in my chest.

Dad must have seen my expressions and he came to me.
"Alex. Everything alright?"

"Dad. Its Ananya. She fainted in the hospital. I guess Nathan was there and he called the doctor. They are running some tests.."

"What is he doing there?" Dad's voice was stern. He wasn't happy hearing Nathan's name.

"She didn't want me to tell you dad. But she joined back work. She thought you will be worried so she didn't tell you. Ofcourse she was right. I need to go to the hospital now. I can't be part of this drama here anymore. Dad please."

"I am coming with you. Let me talk to your Mom and my mother. We will leave after that."

I knew my parents cared about Ananya, as their own daughter. But my Father's expressions made me feel as if I was missing on something.
Since what happened to Mrs.Donavan, my parents were far too concerned about what and where Ananya was. May be more concerned than what they were ever for me.

May be Dad would answer my questions later.

We reached hospital and all I could think was how was Ananya. It was good the doctors at the hospital knew me and made sure they called me to inform about her.

I checked at the reception about Ananya and was told that she was in a room on the same floor as Mrs.Donavan.

I ran up the stairs as I had no patience to wait for the elevator. Dad however waited.
I rushed towards the room and realised Nathan would be there. I hadn't thought about how I would react seeing them together there.
I waited for a minute and calmed myself down.

As I was standing outside the room I peeped through the window the doctor was checking Ananya and she said something which changed the look on Ananya's face. Colour dropped off her face and she looked in shock towards the door.

I wanted to be there for her so I quickly went ahead and opened the door.
What I saw only added to my confusion.

Nathan seemed angry as he yelled.
"And I thought I was wrong!"
Crushing the hot coffee cup in his hand, he wriggled as hot coffee spilled all over his hand.

What just happened? Ananya looked as if she has just seen a ghost.

"Nathan?" I intervened.

He turned back towards me. His eyes red like raging fire.
"I am sure you will be happy now. Congratulations!!"
And he stormed out of the room before I could understand anything.

It was all too confusing for me and I looked at a shaken Ananya, wondering what just happened.