Anusha woke up with a throbbing head and sore throat that day.
It was cold outside but she was feeling extremely cold. . She wrapped the comforter around her and curled up in her bed.
She couldn't sleep as she started sneezing recurrently. It was Thursday morning and she had a job to go but in her condition she wanted to sleep in more than anything, so she called in for sick leave.
Before Rashi had a panic attack for not seeing her for breakfast, she called her. Rashi took the call in second ring.
'Oh.. Anu... What happened? You are running late... I was about to go there and what is with your voice?'. Rashi asked all in one go without stopping.

'Hey Rashi... I have a cold.. I called in for leave and I am not going there, Ninnu might catch my cold. I will make something..don't worry ok?' She replied while trying to find out the cold medicine in her drawer.

'Do you have fever? Are you really okay?' Rashi sounded her usual worried mom self. '

'I am fine.. don't worry but I really need some medicine. Do you have any?'. She asked in between her sneezing fit.
Seriously, she was starting to feel sick.. she really needs to get the medicine and could catch some sleep.

' let me check here, I will bring it to you and some food too. Now don't try to argue. Ok?'. Anusha know her friend well so she didn't bother to argue.

After hanging up the call, she got out of her bed and went to washroom for her morning routine. She was thinking about returning to the bed when someone knocked on her door. She opened the door to find Alvin on her door step with a tray in his hand.

'Seriously Rashi?' she really wanted to kick her friend.

'What are you doing here Alvin?' she tried to sound less annoyed than what actually she felt. 

'Can't you see girl, I am visiting my sick friend and I have some warm food for her..now excuse me ' he grinned and walked past into her room.

Anusha groaned and closed the door behind her. Alvin placed the food on her kitchen counter and looked around. Usually nobody visit her except Rashi and now she have an  unwanted visitor to deal with.

' Do you have OCD?' he asked her with an amusement in his tone. '

what?..no... It might look like that but I don't have OCD'.

'Ok... if not OCD, you are a neat freak for sure..' he grinned at her.

'Maybe.... you can say that..' She smiled looking around her own room.

Her room was clean  and neatly arranged. Her bed was unmade except that everything was well arranged. Her room was spacious, with beige colored paint covering the walls and the floor  covered with brown mat. A cupboard and a dressing table was placed  in the corner. She had a small couch in the centre and a TV on the wall. Her book shelf was neatly arranged in another corner. A small dining table for two was placed near the kitchen counter. Everything was neat because she really preferred it that way.
              Anusha started sneezing again and she grabbed some tissue paper to blow her nose.

'Oh some one is really sick I think..hey...why don't you sit down and have some food? Then you can take the medicine?' he said and slightly pushed her to the dining table and let her sit down. ,

'Wait, you should go.. I can manage it, I don't want you to catch a cold because of me.' she told him in between her sneezing.

'Don't worry about me, I have good immunity you know. So just eat the food quickly' he said placing the warm soup Infront of her and sat opposite to her .
She nodded and had some soup and toast. She felt better after having some food but she definitely need some medicine.

Where is my medicine? She held her hand out demanding it.

'Ha..you are all about medicine. Why don't you try some home remedies and then we will think about tablets?' he asked while taking her empty plates to the counter.

Anusha sighed, 'please Alvin, give me the medicine, I will be okay..no need for home remedies and whatsoever.'

'Not that easy girl... Now tell me,do you have steam inhaler?' he looked around for one.
'I don't have one, so please give the medicine' she made a puppy face making him smile at her.

'That won't work on me Anu... at least not now' he winked and walked past her.

'I saw one at Rashi's. I will get that one' With that he was gone. She rolled her eyes.
She is used to take tablets always, but this time she was trapped.
She washed her plates and waited for him to come back which didn't take much time.
He made sure that she took steam and gargle the warm water. She tried to protest but it was in vain.
She had no choice so she did whatever he told and finally he gave her the medicines.

She felt happy like a kid getting candy after a tedious task..how stupid. She wanted to kick herself.
She took her tablets and plopped down to the bed and he laughed.

'What now Alvin? Why are you laughing?' she asked confused.

'Nothing...it was fun to annoy you... you are kind of cute you know..' she rolled her eyes in response.

' You are super annoying... now get out.. I am going to sleep.'

He chuckled, 'Okay okay.. sleep... I am going and don't forget to drink some warm water when you wake up and I will call to check on you okay..now rest...bye' he waved his hand and left, leaving a sleepy and smiling Anusha behind.
              By evening, she was feeling more human. She slept most of the day and Alvin kept his word by calling  her every three hours.

Anusha complained about him to Rashi, when she brought her lunch making her smile.

' Alvin likes some fussing around, he told me that it was fun to annoy you plus he likes you..so stop whining ok? and because of him I got to see a glimpse of the old Anusha who used to complain about everything..so he is good for you...' Rashi patted on her arm with a smile. 

Then it occurred to her...she  actually enjoyed being with him. He annoyed her a lot but she let him annoy her...may be she was ill and she didn't want to fight him, or maybe he made her to let her guard down.

What is happening... she wondered. Rashi caught her friend's puzzled expression and pulled her into a hug.

'It is okay you know... I know you don't let anyone to affect you...but it is really okay to be relax at times and be the real you..no guards..no pretension, just my lovely friend. So relax.' Anusha nodded and let go of her friend. 

She wasn't sure what had changed but for once she didn't want to overthink about it. May be Rashi was right, she could relax a bit. Worrying and overthinking wasn't helping so she hoped everything will be fine and slept with a smile on her face.

        Anusha was having her cup of mint tea when Alvin came to meet her the next day evening.

'Hiii... Anu.. how are you? Looks like you are better now'. She was actually feeling better, she had rested well and thanks to him all his annoying efforts worked too.
'Yeah..yeah.. I am good.. thanks to you' she replied with a smile.

'Do you want some tea?'

'yeah sure' he replied as he walked towards the door that opened to the verandah.

'Wow..you have got a private space here..nice' he plopped down to the couch as she handed him his cup.

'And you have got a plant too...' he pointed towards the mint plant.

'That's just mint.. I like mint tea'. She sat down along with him in the old couch.
It was ripped in places with frayed edges but she didn't mind.  Most of her furniture came from Rashi's spare items, when she moved here and  this old couch was perfect for her secluded space.

' This is good, at least you can see the stars from here... better than staring at the wall..' he was staring at the white painted  wall Infront of them.

'Actually  that is my magic wall, I have got a projector and sometimes I can watch something here....if I don't make much voice our neighbors don't care.. really' she smiled thinking about the nights she had watched the movies here.

'Oh.. that's great, so when are you inviting me for a movie here?' he asked studying her face which was beautiful.
'What? Seriously? She looked skeptical about his sudden interest.

'Why not...it will be fun..' he replied without looking at her.

'Okay' she replied her expression still unsure.

'And why don't you plant some more plants here, your mint plant looks lonely..' just like you..he thought in his head but didn't give voice to his thoughts.
He just wanted to change the topic  before she changed her mind to have him for  a movie here.

'Uh... I really didn't think about it, may be I could plant something here. 'It is funny that it didn't occur to me before'. She said making a mental note to check with Rashi.

They sat silently for sometime lost in their own world untill they finished their tea.
She stood up to get his cup and when he looked at her he gasped 'god... your nose is bleeding...'
              'What?' she touched her nose and it was true, her nose was bleeding.

'Not again..'she told herself as she pressed her nose to avoid more blood to flow out.

'Should we go to hospital or should I call Rashi?' Alvin asked her frantically.

He was scared seeing all the blood. 'Don't freak out Alvin .. it's ok.. I can handle it'.

'What..how is that okay? He gave her a confused look.
  'It has happened before..it is nothing serious. So stop worrying and get me some ice from the fridge, can you? '

She asked him walking towards the washroom.
'Yeah..sure..' he replied and got some ice from the freezer.
Anusha washed her nose, but still blood was oozing out. She pressed her nose and tilted her chin upward .

' Alvin, there's a first aid kit inside the drawer can you please get that too?'She called out again while splashing some more water on her face.
He got her all the things and wrapped ice cubes in gauze as she directed him. Then she pressed that again on her nose and sat on the chair, keeping her head upward. After a few minutes, it stopped and Alvin gave her a glass of water and sat down opposite her nonchalantly.

'See..it stopped as I told you ' she smiled at him who give her a puzzled look.
'When did this start? Did you go to a hospital?'

'Um... it has been a while actually, I went to hospital when it happened for the first time. They told me to come if it didn't stop and I have any other symptoms like fever or something. But it always stopped so nothing to worry about it... I am okay and stop glaring'. She shifted uneasily on her chair.

It happened sometimes once or twice in a month,and it wasn't a big deal so she didn't tell anyone not even Rashi but now,  from his expression it was sure that he is not taking it lightly.

He didn't talk for a while and kept staring at her.

'How can you be so ignorant? This is not right, I am going to take an appointment for tomorrow and we are going..ok..and don't even try to refuse. We are going tomorrow and that is final. Now get some rest I will see you tomorrow.' he left without waiting for her  reply leaving Anusha in a daze. It took her a few moments to come out of the confusion. 

Why was he so angry? What did she do to upset him? She sat there bewildered until her phone buzzed with a message of confirmation of her appointment with doctor tomorrow evening. She liked it or not, she got an appointment tomorrow and her stomach churned.