Episode 2
Karthik gently lifted her chin up so that he could look at her face. She was almost a feet shorter than him. Her eyes were swollen by now, red and filled with tears.
He had never seen her breakdown so much. Crying over a small test wasn’t Naira’s thing. She was strong. She was a sherni. She was the kind who’d make fun of girls crying over stupid things and tell me that she’s grateful that she’s nothing like them. She was different. When the two of them were together they’d always be in sync. They were like Jai and Veeru, inseparable. When he got that attached to her, he didn’t know. But he didn’t like to see her sad. She deserved happiness. Everybody who had seen them together thought that she was his girlfriend. Little did they Know, that he wasn’t sure if she was a girl in the first place. And yet, he loved her. As a friend. He felt protective of her. He couldn’t tolerate it if somebody broke her heart.
‘Hey it’s just one test. Why are you bawling? I’m sure something else is bothering you. Come on, spill.’
‘Nothing is Right. I am not able to do my best in studies. I can’t focus on studies. I miss home. Kishen likes to hang out just with Gayu, I miss them.’
Kishen was Naira’s best friend in college. Naira, Kishen and Gayu were once called the three musketeers of the college untill Gayu and Kishen began hanging out without Naira. Enough that, now even when they asked her to join them, she’d refuse. Gayu always maintained her friendship but Kishen had totally taken her for granted.
Karthik had tried to help her try and forget Kishen. Karthik felt very helpless becasue he couldn’t be with Naira all the time as he was a third year engineering student and she was a first year medical student. But their colleges were close by and whenever both of them had Free Time they’d hang out together. He tried to make her feel less lonely.He tried his best to deviate her.
‘Kishen is an idiot. He’s stupid to lose a friend like you. I mean, look at you, you’re so cute.’ Karthik said. He knew that was bound to change her mood. She hated being called cute. She Felt like it went against her charm.
‘Don’t. Call.Me. That.’ She Said while hitting him as hard as she could. She wanted to do as much as damage as she possibly could, but he was too strong. But she knew why he did that. She knew he didn’t want her to think about those things. And it was working.
‘Shall we go eat some gol Gappas, cutie?’ Karthik asked.
‘Not before I dump that entire matka of Pani on your head, if you keep up with the cutie charade.’ she said while trying her best to drag him along.
He obliged and followed.
Later swinging his arm around her shoulder, They walked to their favourite Pani Puri stall. They even had a competition. And the good guy that Karthik is, he let her win.
On their way back to Naira’s hostel, Karthik looked at Naira to assess her current mood.
‘Look, Naira. People will come and go. Exams will come and go. But that doesn’t mean you stop living your Life to the fullest because of some idiots or idiotic things. You’re smart and you work hard. That’s all that matters. Marks aren’t any indicators of the fantastic doctor that you’re going to become.’
She smiled at that last line. The smiled quickly disappeared after that.
‘What?’ he asked.
‘You won’t ever leave me no?’ she asked.
Kishen had done too much damage to her. He had made her believe that she was his Best Friend, that both Gayu and her were equal to him and yet always chose Gayatri over Naira.
‘No Chance. You’re stuck with this frog for life.’ He said. her smile returned.
They realised they had just reached her hostel, only to see Kishen sitting on his bike talking to Gayu with a book in her hand. Karthik saw Naira tearing up from the corner of his eye. Immediately he held her hand, fingers intertwined and Walked towards the gate. If it weren’t for Karthik she’d have probably collapsed by now.
Gayu looked at Karthik apologetically after realising how much this situation would hurt Naira. Kishen, as always, lookes oblivious.
‘Hey Choti. Topped the test again, didn’t you?’
At that moment Naira quickly ran into the hostel.
‘You idiot!’ Gayu said as she thrust the book in Kishen’s hand and ran to catch up with Naira.
Karthik Walked away from there before he would hurt Kishen.
‘Hey Karthik bhai. I’ll drop you.’
‘ No thanks.’he Said balling up his fingers in a fist and began walking away.
Precap: The emergency room.
——–Author’s notes——
Hey guys
Hope you liked today’s post.
And thank you to each and every one who commented on my post and appreciated my efforts. I actually began replying individually to all your comments But then I realized that it will take too long. I am a third year medical student and so I find it a Little difficult to reply to everybody.i hope you guys understand.
But please do keep commenting. The kind of response that these fan fics get is truly amazing.
Have a great day:)