Healed By Honey (The Roys, #3)

Chapter 9 - A Risky Stupidity

After talking to Prof. Nag, when Ritu left the room, Irfan was waiting right there outside the door. Ritu sighed at her miserable and inescapable situation, but said nothing. For a moment, she thought of attending a lecture, but then decided against it. She was in no such state, and moreover, the numbness in her legs seemed to have returned. It was taking a great effort from her to move her legs now. But she couldn't show it. Especially, when Irfan was practically glued to her. If he realized she was having difficulty in walking, she was sure, he'd create a scene here.

Even after all those physiotherapy sessions, her legs still felt foreign. Weakened by the coma that had held her captive for two months, she wasn't in the best of her state yet. Triggered by the potential for stumbling, she halted for a few seconds and inhaled deeply. She couldn't deny the obvious that in her current state, every step she took was a struggle. Her walking stick, a simple object of support, was also a stark reminder of her fragility.

Ritu's grip tightened on the stick as she shifted her weight. She felt a rush of anxiety, the fear of losing her balance and falling gnawing at her thoughts. Although she knew Irfan was there, but that didn't stop her from fretting.

With a deep breath, Ritu took a step. Her legs trembled. The walking stick bore some of her weight, giving her the stability she desperately needed. But it couldn't ease the rapid beating of her heart or the racing thoughts in her mind. If she fell and her batchmates saw her in her vulnerable state, she'd be damned.

She willed herself to take another step, then another. Each step was a battle, a confrontation with her own vulnerability. The sound of the stick tapping against the marbled floor echoed in her ears, a metronome of determination amid her anxiety.

Ritu's gaze remained locked on the ground; her focus intense as she walked toward the exit. Meanwhile, the sprawling college campus buzzed with youthful energy as students hurried out of the classrooms, their laughter filling the air.

At that moment, the sudden trill of her phone startled her. She hastily passed her walking stick to her left hand and pulled out her phone from her jeans' pocket. As she stared at the device, her heart started racing at the sight of Pihu's name on the screen. All the discussion she had with Shreya regarding her relationship with Pihu rushed into her mind like stormy waves. She had been avoiding Pihu's calls and messages since that day. Although after a week she stopped calling her, Ritu knew, Pihu would contact her again. It was just a matter of time. Despite all of her sister-in-law's warning, she couldn't deny she still admired Pihu. Even if their relationship wouldn't work out in the end, professionally, Pihu's acquaintance was sought for. She couldn't mess with that.

With a dilemma in her mind Ritu answered, "Hello?", her voice a mix of anticipation and curiosity.

"Hey, it's me," Pihu's familiar voice came through.

"Pihu." Ritu's voice was filled with nervousness. It had been weeks they had talked, and the last time they did so, it was a rocky circumstance.

A soft laugh echoed on the other end. "Thank God, you answered. How are you sweetheart?"

"I'm- I'm alright. What about you?"

"I'm fairly well. Missing you as always. Listen, I was thinking, would you be up for a little rendezvous?" Pihu came straight to the point.

Ritu's brow furrowed, intrigued. "Rendezvous? What do you have in mind?"

"How about meeting up today?"

Ritu cast a side glance at Irfan, whose eyes were continuously moving from side to side. His stoic expression provided no indication of whether he was listening in on her conversation or not. "No, Pihu. I cannot at the moment. Papa strictly denied venturing out alone. Even right now I'm being accompanied by Irfan. But why do you want to meet at this hour?"