"You should've informed me earlier, Mrs. Prajapati," Rahul said.

"Ms. Mallik," I interrupted.

"Whatever it is," Rahul shrugged, "she should've informed earlier," he added.

"Why, what happened?" Shaheera asked in a worrying tone, "Is he alright?"

"Well, Mrs..." Rahul started.

"Shaheera," she said, "Shaheera Farooq Mallik," she added and I got relieved.

"Okay, Ms. Mallik," Rahul started yet another time, "Mr. Prajapati has got badly injured we'll need to keep him under observation for maybe a couple of days," he said with utter seriousness and, explained Abhishek's medical condition, 'my Rahul has grown up' I thought, "you can take a second opinion as well," he said.

"Is there anything to be scared about?" I asked.

"Not yet," he said, "we need his MRI reports then only we can be very sure if he's out of danger or not," Rahul added.

"Thank You, doctor," Shaheera thanked him, "we'll get him hospitalized," she said pressing her lips and turning towards me she said, "Vineet, you must be knowing some hospitals, don't you?" She looked so pretty even under stress. I was gazing at her. Actually, staring. Her chocolate-brown eyes, her hair tied up in a messy way, and her cute nose all were so fascinating.

"Mr. Khurrana!" Rahul said snapping near my eyes, wait, 'why is he calling me Mr. Khurrana?' I thought and raised my brows, "can I know his history?"

"Oh, yeah," I said, "he has never met with any major accident till he was with me, you know in the college, we've been together from the first day till the last, so, I don't have any records."

"Any allergies?"

"Yeah, he's allergic to antibiotics," I said.

"Asprin too," Nivi said from the doorway.

"Okay," Rahul said, "Ms. Mallik, can I get a pen and a paper?"

"Why do you want that?" I glanced at him

"It will take some time for the ambulance to reach here," he started, "until then, he can have some medications," he said and I nodded.

"Will he be ok with those medicines?" Shaheera asked worriedly.

"No, he won't be absolutely fine," Rahul explained, "but, he'll be able to persist in the pain for a while." 

"I'll get the pen and the paper," Shaheera said and went into her study room and, gave it to Rahul, he wrote something which was barely legible, doctor's handwriting, you know, and, handed it to me.

"Where will I get these from?" I asked puzzled. Cuz, there have been instances that some of the medicines aren't available widely, so, I better ask the physician before I end up roaming the whole city and wasting fuel worth a treatment in the medicines.

"Any medical shop, Mr. Khurrana," he said voicing the obviousness through his face.

"Any means, any?" I asked dumbly.

"Arey, Shubham Medicos mein bhi mil jayegi," he told me and, I felt old.

"Okay, I'll get these medicines from there," Nivi said and went away towards the medical store.

"I'll just inform Faheem that I'll be a little late," Shaheera said and picked up the landline and dialed Faheem's hostel's number. They picked up in 4-5 seconds. I wish the electricity board would pick up the calls so early, "is this a way to talk to a parent?" Shaheera yelled softly over the phone, "how can you even say such things to a parent?" she added.

'Why is she calling herself a parent, she's a guardian,' I thought.

"Excuse me," and another loud yet soft yet harsh tone, "let me talk to the manager over there, I'll get my son out of your crapy school," she yelled and banged the phone.

"What happened?" I asked in a terrified tone.

"That stupid manager," she started and I was startled by her beautiful eyes and lips and hair strands. I felt like kissing her, "are you even hearing me?" she said dragging me out of my thoughts.

"Yes," I lied, "I heard all of it," I said.

"Do people talk this way over here?" she asked innocently.

"No," I said, "most of the Delhites are well-behaved," I added, "that person on the phone must've been having a bad day, you know, he must've had a frustrating night duty after which he'd have been asked to stay for a little while without any caffeine," I explained her keeping one of my palms of her shoulder, "it gets really tough, you know," I said and rubbed her shoulder soothing her.

"I guess, I overreacted," Shaheera said getting embarrassed.

"No," I denied with a straight face, "if I'd have been at your place, I'd have been ever harsher with my words to him," I said, "I was not talking to him, neither I heard your conversation, that's why it's pretty easy for me to say such stuff, you know," I said.

"Yeah!" She exclaimed, "coffee? or tea?" she asked moving towards the kitchen.

"Tea," I said and went into Abhishek's room to see him, "what's the matter with you?" I asked him and he opened his eyes partially, "why do you have to bother Shaheera?" I interrogated.

"I am the patient," he said, "and, you're sympathizing for her?!" he mocked.

"That's because the patient is you!" I replied and held his hand, "get well soon, bro."

"What's happening?" Nivi came into the room with a packet of medicines, "you!" she exclaimed at Abhishek, "you rascal, you took the life out of me," she started, "why do you have to do this, huh?" she asked in a heavy voice.

"I'll stay out, you both talk," I said and left the room and went into the kitchen.

"Aye, I think we should see a doctor," Shaheera said passing me the tea, "I'll give some to Nivi as well," she said.

"No, don't go there," I said, "she's furious on Abhishek," I added and we chuckled.

"Good for him," she said and sipped the tea, "how will we get him to the hospital?"

"Let me call the ambulance," I said and rushed to my home.

***