Eklavya

Chapter XXXIX

Sitting upon the cool marbled floor and leaning against the wall Anamika stared outside her window with jaded eyes. Tightly hugging the soft fabric of his shirt against her bosom, her heart yearned deeply for him.

Wishing for him to be here, sitting by her side. With her head resting on his sturdy shoulder and a distinctive sense of serenity seeping into her pores.

She craved for his large, callous hand to be entwined with her brittle one. With him softly caressing her palm and fill her deep with a firm sense of assurance.

Not finding him here with her, Anamika's heart quelled and her soft features crumbled into grief and harrowing pain. She broke out into a fit of sobs and clenched heavily on the piece of fabric that she still had with her.

No matter how hard she tried, she just could not get the picture of him being all bandaged up lying on that cursed hospital bed. The scene just kept looping in her head.

It was hard for her to see him like this. He seemed so... so vulnerable... something which contrasted heavily with his persona. The Eklavya she knew had an air of hauteur around him, adding to it the plain irreverence that he held for people who held no place in his life.

Her throat felt raw from all the crying. She held onto her sobs finally but what was she to do about those tears which seemed to keep streaming down her pale cheeks. No matter how hard she tried to tell herself, to console herself that he was fine. Nothing seemed to work.

It was a horrifying accident. Although Rudra hadn't given her the exact details but she got to know. She overheard it when her grandpa was talking to Vikrant Uncle over the phone and then rushed to the hospital to see Eklavya.

He was hit by a lorry. Fortunately, his bike had slipped along the side and not in the middle of the road or else... she didn't even dare thinking along the lines. For the first time in her short life, she had faced what real fear is.

Some people had gathered around immediately and tried to catch the lorry driver but he fled away from the scene. Thankfully, a police post was nearby and they quickly admitted him to the district hospital. And from what she gathered they'd also arrested the lorry driver a few kilometers ahead.

Although she didn't dare step into that small white room, she still wanted to sit outside it. To keep waiting for him until he come out of that cursed room. But Vikrant Uncle had her dropped home much to her chagrin, by Parth, Eklavya's classmate and teammate.

Vikrant had asked her to look after Kasturi and Kusumlata in his absence as he knew that the news of Eklavya's accident would make them heartbroken and a crying mess. She had nodded her head at it, agreeing that she'd look after them and she did.

Until her maa came from her office and told her to rest for some time as she herself would look after the saas-bahu duo. Even now her maa and grandma were with Kasturi auntie and Kusumlata grandma.

Earlier Rudra had dropped her a text. Stating that Eklavya had gained consciousness and told her to not worry so much and go to sleep. But could she catch a wink of sleep when her Eklavya was in so much pain. Her heart shuddered from even thinking in how much pain he was.

Sniffling, she wiped her wet cheeks and buried her face into the shirt that still emanated his rich and musky scent.

"Come home soon Eklavya..." she said as she again burst into tears.

~*~*~*~*~

It was late in the evening when Eklavya finally fluttered open his dark orbs. Blinking numerous times to clear his vision, Eklavya noticed two persons sitting across the room on the sofa.