DISCLAIMER: This work is purely fiction and not intended to offend anyone.
Gratitude.
I feel like crying.
I am curled under the thick blacket, a wet piece of cloth sticking to my forehead as my body burns with a temperature of 102 F. The chill rainy breeze rattles the insides of me and to top it all I just had to scream at Shantanu in the basketball court, about an hour ago. It isn't me and Shantanu but Sharon and Swayam, but then it was me who had to watch the hurtful expressions on Shantanu's face. I feel miserable deep down, though I know it was all just a scene. I shiver as a breeze flows in from the window and feel tears leaking from my eyes. I tdeeply despise shouting on Shantanu, though I do it good enough. He is such a brilliant actor that his expressions tugged at my heart, just like Swayam's hurt tugged at Sharon's heart. My tears soon turn into loud sobs and I clutch my blanket tighter. I am so weak and impotent. Though everyone is very caring and understanding, it annoys me that the shooting has o be stalled because of me. And even when I try, my body fails me.
I hate being sick.
**
I pace around outside Vrushika's room, my forehead creased with worry. Once again she fainted right into my arms; once again the doctor was called. Vrushika had caught a high fever again and she was still weak, better than before, but yet weak. I feel restless and my steps grow heavier. When, I stop, as a familiar sound reaches my ears. I strain my ears towards the source of the sound and am mortified as I realise that the sounds were of loud and scary sobs. My first response is to sigh and the second to panic. I never admitted it but Vrushika's tears frighten me. The way her eyes would go all round and watery, and then unleash those big tear drops, that would be enough to shake my otherwise calm and composed stature. But, that is also the one thing I do not like about Vrushika Mehta. She would cry a lot before enacting a scene, mislead us into thinking that she would not be able to deliver it, and then will do it astonishingly. And even then, she wastes her energy in crying.
I open the door and Vrushika removes the blanket from over her head and looks at me, her eyes shining with her tears. Oh, Vrushika. She looks wretched. Her face is incredibly pale and her eyes are sunken. She looks so down that it tears me to see her like that. She stares at me for a few seconds more before turning her back to me, and pulls the blanket over her again. No my child, not this time.I sit beside her on the bed and nudge her.
"Leave me alone, Shantanu" her muffled, nose-blocked voice comes from under the blanket. I nudg her again. This time she chooses to be silent. So, Vrushika was growing smart under my influence. I sigh and begin contemplating for a method to cheer this woman. And my eyes stop on 3 golden bars. Perfect.
**
I feel Shantanu get up from the bed and I am crestfallen. I didn't expect him to listen to me. But I should have known better. The very next second, I feel Shantanu nudge me again. Internally pleased and outwardly annoyed I throw away my blanket and get up, glaring at him. Though the sight of the three bars in his hands make my annnoyance vanish in a cloud of smoke.
"Give it to me." I forward my hand in an attempt to snatch 'em but he moves them away from me. "Shantanu" I whine and sniff.
He laughs, a ruthless one and I feel blood rush up to my face. How could he do this? How could he keep them away from me. I glare at him with all my might, ignoring my fatigue but he just keeps laughing. "Shantanu, please give me those five stars." I plead at last. He stops laughing and sits beside me, his eyes soft. "Promise me you won't cry after getting them."
Why would I cry after eating chocolates? I ask the same to him. "Because you are Vrushika Mehta." He says, in an exasperated tone and laughs out loud. I hit him lightly and give him a watery chuckle as he hands over the five stars to me. I could see how difficult it was to give up those chocolates for his face had turned very grave. I grabbed them before he could change his mind and open one of them, savouring the chocolate inside. I feel some strength pass through my veins and look up to see Shantanu smiling at me, in an endearing way. I smile back, feeling very glad from the inside to have him in my life.
**
She smiles at me and at that second, a wave of peace washes over my heart. My smile widens as I see the usual sparkle in Vrushika's eyes. Her eyes are devoid of tears now and I can see her cheeks gaining colour. I let out a sigh of relief, when I feel her arms around me, her head on my chest. A spasm of worry passes my being as I feel her high temperature but at the same time I am satisfied that atleast she is back to being cheerful rather than sulky. I hug her back and a wide grin appears on my face as I catch the words she mumbles into my shirt.
"Thank you."
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