It had been 5 days since Avni had sprained her leg . One more day and she will be officially off the hook ; no more bandage,  no more pills & no more walking on one leg. Though she could no more feel the pain or the sprain, Neil wouldn't let her remove the bandage prior to the doctor's orders. Now she wasn't one to follow Neil's orders without any objection but with Neela and Meera on his side, there was little she could object to. In the past five days having Neil and Meera around had become a habit. To her utter surprise both of them acted in sync in the most unexpected ways and that resulted in one or the other always being around her. Same way she had become acquainted to the numerous calls from Neela and Shweta.

    Since it was a Sunday morning and there was nowhere she could go , so Neil had agreed to a movie marathon, on the condition that Avni lets him choose the movies. Though after much persuasion and blackmailing Avni had managed to slip in one of her all time favourite movies into the list too. Everything was ready ; the movies , the popcorn , the cold drinks ,snacks except the lady herself.

" Avni ,how much longer ?? We aren't actually going to the theatre ,just in case you forgot ." Neil shouted from the living room.

Just like an answer ready to be told , Avni hopped out of her room on one foot . Neil rushed towards her to help her get to the couch safely without toppling over.He supported her arm on his shoulders ,held her back in one hand as she hopped across the hall to the couch. Everytime Avni secretly  cursed her bandaged leg in her head ,she would hear 4 different voices echoing back ' no way you are getting it off before the doctor says so' unanimously.

   The white couch with pink cushions faced the flat screen TV that was mounted on the wide pillar that stood midway between the kitchen and the living space .Neil adjusted the settings on the remote while Avni made herself comfortable in her sitting position. Neil sat down on the other end of the couch as the opening credits of the movie started rolling. He noticed Avni trying to adjust her bandaged leg on the wooden teapoy infront of the couch.

" You can put them here " he said pointing to the empty portion of the couch in between them.

" I'm not that short !!" .In a way she envied his height at times ; sometimes she wished she was a tad bit taller just to look the part of Mr Hotshot lawyer's girlfriend.She had an ideal height yet his hovering height annoyed her.

"Why are you getting snappy ? I'll move to the recliner. Not a problem."

" Or I can put my feet on you and use you as a pillow for my feet. " She threw in a quick mocking smile with that .

" You are taking the fake role way too seriously !!"

" You are the one who volunteered to help me."

They gave each other the smug smile like they always did when an argument was about to begin.

" What's that sound? " Neil looked away to find the source of the sound.

" Shit !! That's my cellphone. I left it in the bedroom ."

" I'll get it ." Neil walked hastily to her room and came back with the phone. By the time Avni received the call ,it had already ended .

" Who was that ?" Neil asked casually.

" No idea . It's some unknown no. Ah whoever it is will call back if he needs. Let's watch the movie."
Neil nodded his head and unpaused the movie.He was about to fall back on the recliner when he heard the doorbell. Exchanging a ' who now ?' look with Avni he rushed towards the door and opened it.

Outside the door stood the only person he didn't expect or perhaps didn't want to see ; Aarav. He stood there like the gentleman he was , suited ,holding a bouquet of white flowers and a get well soon basket.

" Neil !!! I ..... I didn't know you lived here. Flatmates ??"  he had a slightly confused and somewhat awkward expression on his face , quite contrary to Neil's unyielding one.

" Nope. I don't live here. " The words came out Neil's mouth as if it had been forced out unwillingly.

" Oh ! I was here to see Avni." He didn't know how else to get past Neil who stood by the doorway without budging.

" Well , she can't come to the door herself....you know " He paused a bit leaving Aarav all the more confused by his attitude. Aarav didn't give off bad vibes to him but Neil somehow wanted to dislike him , without any reason whatsoever. " Come in " he was forced to say after he heard Avni's voice shouting ' who was at the door '.

Aarav walked in after Neil reluctantly paved the way.Not wanting to make it any more awkward than he already had , Neil excused himself and went back to his apartment leaving Aarav and Avni alone.

" Sir...Aarav...Sir...it's such a pleasant surprise ." Avni tried to stand up to get the flowers .

" Stay..... I'll just put them on the table  and Aarav it is. We are friends first. " he smiled warmly as he placed everything on the small table. " I tried calling you ,but you didn't answer. "

" Oh that was your number. I didn't know .Sorry . Please sit. I'm so sorry I couldn't come to work this week. I don't know how. .."

" Oh don't worry about that. Everything is taken care of . Accidents happen and ....when they do....it's compulsory clue for a break. " He flashed his trademark smile that always unsettled the butterflies in the pit of Avni's stomach ." I wanted to come earlier but was stuck in a few meetings."

"It's okay and thank you for all this. " Avni smiled back. She went on to tell him all about the accident and   how everyone had her on lockdown since then . Aarav listened to everything patiently smiling and nodding at at every little detail she gave out.
" Gosh ! I have been going on and on about myself. Sorry ."

" No no. I'm a much better listener ....that's my qualification for my job " he chuckled.

" About that.....what are you doing in publishing ?? Weren't you studying business management.....I mean that's what I had heard.... " She stopped abruptly . Anymore information and she would be labelled as a online stalker.....a innocent one although.

" Ah ! You do know a lot about me. Yeah I did. That's what I do too. I mean I just manage the business aspects of it , the stories are just the perks of the job. I also manage my family's textile mills alongside and some other small family owned businesses. "

" So you family stays here  !?? " she was trying her best to make some small talk.

" Hmm... mostly yeah. Right now they are in London with my sister and her husband."

" So you have a sister too. I didn't know."

" Yes ....younger sister. We didn't really talk much in the college....so most people didn't know we were related " he laughed mildly.

" Oh. So how come you aren't married ??" This was probably the only question she was dying to know the answer to.

" Well my parents keep insisting on that too. But that's just because they want to roam the world without having to worry about their bachelor son ." he laughed . " Honestly.... I never found the girl. There was....." he hesitated as his facial contours tensed " ...there was a girl I liked but I never had the guts to tell her. Afterwards I couldn't find another one like her. " His face returned to its previous relaxed form as he got that answer out.

" Oh ." Avni had no idea whether or not she should say anything on the topic . She found herself running short of small talk topics soon.

" Hey do you still write ???You used to in college. I remember reading your poems on the literature board. You were pretty good."

" Ummmm........no completed works right now. Though I plan to...,someday."

" That's great. When you do do that ,consider our publishing house for your book. "

" I'll see what I can do. "
Both laughed out loud at the same time. They continued to make small talks till they both ran out of topics and some awkward silences made their way into the conversation.

As the silences became longer than the talks ,Aarav knew it was time to go.
After enquiring about her recovery some more , Aarav took her leave .

  Avni picked her phone from the table to dial her mom and tell her about her day . Opening the lock on her screen she was flooded with messages from various groups of friends and colleagues. Scrolling and answering them she didnt realise when her lids felt heavy and she fell asleep with her phone still in her hands.

  It was evening by the time Avni rubbed her eyes open . Her eyes opened directly on Neil who was sitting quietly on the recliner holding a book from her collection.

" When did you come ?" She spoke lazily trying to suppress a yawn.

" When you were snoring away to dreamland !" he said without even looking up.

" I don't snore !" she dismissed sitting up. " Wow you are engrossed in a romance novel . That's very unlike you. "

" I was bored and you kind of have a whole shelf full of books from one author. So I was curious . " He was still not looking up.

" Well she is my favourite author. I wish I get to meet her someday or get her autograph maybe. Anyways I'm so hungry. "

" It's good. " Avni looked at him confused . " Oh I meant the book " he said finally putting the book down ," well written. As for you.... obviously you slept your way through lunch. So...."

" Hmmm..." she said looking here and there, searching for something.

" Didn't you like anything from the little basket you got today ?" he knew very well what the answer was going to be , yet hearing her say it was music to his ears.

" More fruits !! I don't understand why does everyone keeps bringing me fruits. I'm not sick !!!!!"

" Okay okay. So what now ?? Should I order something ??"

" Please !!" she begged .

" So what do wanna eat ??" he enquired as he scrolled through the menus on his phone.

"Something spicy." Avni's mouth watered just by the thought of the dishes.

" Spicy ?? Alright. I guess we can order that . Choose from here. "

As soon Neil handed her over the menu ,she scrolled through the menu in a flash. Starting with a simple laccha paratha ,she went on to order atleast 6-7 different items off that menu.

   Even though it took Neil a minute to absorb that the fact that the small packet of wonder infront of him could actually devour so many things ,he placed the order anyway. As soon as the order was in place Neil resumed his reading while Avni watched funny videos online to pass her time till the food arrived .

15 minutes later....

"I'm hungry. Why hasn't it arrived ?"  Avni screamed at Neil as her stomach growled with rats.

"Because you basically ordered the whole menu " he replied calmly still reading his book.

"Aaaan. .... I'm hungry." The hungry tigress was speedily turning into a crying baby .

"Ok. Ok. Let me call and check " he tried to calm her down.

"No.Lets order pizza. 30 mins.....it will be faster " Avni suggested

"Pizza ?!!!!!!!! On top of all that ??" It was his first encounter with the hungry Avni and he didn't know what to expect and what not to.

"Will you order it or not ??" she asked angrily.

"Geez. Don't be cranky." Her mood swings were more than he could handle . Without much ado ,he order a pizza as fast as he could.

Next few minutes passed in silence but not for long.

" I'm hungry " she started wailing like a child , without the tears ofcourse.

"Are you serious ??? " Neil's astonishment knew no bound.

"Aaannnn. Can't a person be hungry ? I'm hungry . I haven't eaten since morning. Hungry ." She was hungry....that part was definitely true ,but if wasn't for Neil she wouldn't have behaved the way she was right now. The only other person she could scream at for food was her one and only mother. Somehow with him, she could be herself without any impositions of being a lady.

"Good heavens !!! I can make noodles if you want. Will that do ??" Neil was starting to sound seriously concerned or probably scared .

"Please." Avni makes a pouty request making Neil almost run into the kitchen.

"I had heard of pregnant women getting mood swings . Didn't know head injury patients get it too" he chuckled as prepared his famous noodles.

"It's called hunger pangs.Now focus on not burning my noodles " she snapped.

"Yes Boss ."  Neil got back to his noodles without delay. Noodles were almost done when they heard the doorbell. Taking the pan off the heat ,Neil rushed to the door.

He opens the door to see Meera standing there with a food delivery boy behind her.
" He was telling the guard the food was ordered from here by some Neil Khanna.So I guided him here. Too much food for two people don't you think." Meera looked from the delivery boy to Neil.

Without saying much ,Neil received the food as Meera went inside .

" So ....I should go now . I guess I'll see you later . " He managed to get up a small smile before he turned to go.

" Won't you eat ??" Avni asked from behind.

" I'll take the pizza." he smiled at her before walking out of the door .

Meera who had returned after running hundred different errands since morning,jumped up on seeing the food . She went directly to the kitchen to get some plates .While getting the plates out her eyes fell on the noodles sitting in the pan.

" Noodles ??" she questioned Avni.

" Oh . Bring that in a plate. I'll eat that. Neil made that. "

Meera did as she was told. The hungry friends jumped on the food without delay. While Meera enjoyed the spicy chicken ,Avni happily ate her Maggi.

" Nice guy han? " Meera asked casually still eating from her  plate of food .

" Yeah " Avni couldn't say anything otherwise. For the past few days Neil had cared for her more than she could have asked for , sometimes more than she wanted,more than she could have imagined. He had put up with all her tantrums and mood swings like the calm person he is.

"Cares a lot " Meera continued.

" Yeah "

" For you" she concluded.

" Hmm. We are friends ....so yes" Avni answered.

" You have become really important to him in a short span of time." Meera tried to get her point through Avni's thick head.

" Huh ?! I'm sure he does the same for all his friends."

"  Are you sure ? " Meera chuckled " I have lived with him in the same building for a long time. Have never seen him behave this way with anyone else before .Not even close.He is a great guy and helpful for sure but He is different when he is with you....around you. Hell the guy smiles more in a day now than I have seen him smiling over the last few years  put together. You can see it in his eyes ,in his smile ,in his mannerism. "

" What are you getting at ?"

" I can't pinpoint it for you. You will know it."

" We are friends. I help him and he helps me."

" Fine if you say so but still you got to admit he is different around you. "

Avni knew answering it in negative or positive will not do her any good. So instead of talking she busied herself in her food and tried to change the subject as a whole.

                    *****************

A/N : Thank you for the votes on the last chapter.

I won't be asking how the chapter was anymore from here on. If you wish you can leave a comment or else don't.Because if I ask most of guys leave a word answer.

I just write cause I want to....but the motivation comes only when I read d comments. .....which I'm sorry to say very few of you leave. One word ones feels more like answers than a compliment.

I'll complete d story because I want to. So you should also comment only if you want to...no compulsion.

And please stop writing "update soon" only. Some people are not even writing one word for the story...just 'update soon' . I do that .....I update whenever I can.

Thank you.