An Innocent Crush ✓

36 | Jealousy Jealousy.

"When will she come out?" Dhruv has been standing on his balcony since the morning, just hoping for a glimpse of Kiara. He took a sip of his coffee; this was his third cup. He had almost given up when he suddenly saw Kiara stepping onto her balcony, drying her hair.

For a moment, Dhruv's heart seemed to stop; Kiara was so busy drying her hair that she didn't see Dhruv, who was watching her with a small smile.

After Kiara finished drying her hair, she brought the towel to the balcony railing to dry. It felt like someone was watching her. Looking ahead, she saw Dhruv standing on his balcony.

As soon as Kiara looked in his direction, Dhruv started waving his hand, "Good morning!" He said, raising his voice slightly so that Kiara could hear him properly.

Kiara took a deep breath, her mind in great turmoil. At times, her mind urged her to forgive Dhruv, while at other times, it reminded her of the pain Dhruv had caused, advising her not to forgive him at all. She looked towards Dhruv once more; he was still standing there with a smile.

Kiara glanced at him, choosing to ignore him, and went back to her room. Dhruv felt a bit saddened by it, but he wasn't among those who easily give up.

Kiara let out a shaky breath as she entered the room. Shanvi gave her a quizzical look. "What happened?" she asked, placing the breakfast on the dining table. Kiara looked at her and said, sitting on one of the dining chairs, "Dhruv sir was standing on his balcony, and he even said 'good morning!'"

"Really? Seems like he's fallen in love with you," Shanvi joked. Kiara looked at her with a stare, "Don't joke yaar, he can never be in love with me!”

"Okay, tell me, how many more times will you call him 'Dhruv sir'? Huh? He's not your tutor anymore... stop calling him that," Shanvi said, shoving a sandwich in her mouth.

Kiara let out an exasperated sigh, "I don't know, Shanvi. It's just a habit now. Calling him anything else feels weird."

Shanvi nodded at her and stood up from her seat. "Okay, bye. I'm getting late," she said while gathering her things.

"Hmm, bye…”

⚕️

"Ah! finally get a moment to rest," Kiara sighed before settling into the chair. Exhaustion weighed heavily upon her; the constant rounds and patient check-ups had taken their toll.

She closed her eyes for a brief moment, seeking respite. She was relieved that she hadn't encountered Dhruv.

"A ward boy announced that Dr. Dhruv is holding an anatomy class in the mortuary and asked everyone to attend," the nurse said as she entered the room, holding a tray of medication cups. Kiara, who had been content a moment ago, let out a frustrated growl before leaping to her feet.

"I hate him! God, just give me a chance. I'll... I'll kick him!" she exclaimed before storming out of the room.

Kiara's outburst startled the nearby nurse, who stopped mid-step. "Kick who?" she asked, a bit confused.

“Oh, um... no one, sister. I'll be late for the class. Bye!"

In the mortuary, Dhruv stood, meticulously explaining the intricacies of human anatomy to the interns. As the class progressed, he noticed Kiara entering the room, her annoyance evident from the fiery glint in her eyes.

He paused mid-sentence, a teasing twinkle lighting up his eyes as he spotted her. "Ah, right on time, Ms. Tiwari! Welcome," he greeted with a playful grin.

Ignoring his words, Kiara shot him a stern look. "Welcome my ass," she muttered under her breath before standing beside another medical student.

Dhruv continued the lesson, occasionally glancing in Kiara's direction, hoping to elicit a smile. He couldn't help but admire her dedication, even if it was directed at being annoyed with him.

As the class progressed, Dhruv pointed out a particular feature of the skeletal structure, directing his explanation specifically towards Kiara. "See, this bone structure here... it's as stubborn as someone I know," he teased, earning a chuckle from a few interns and a scoff from Kiara.

Dhruv walked towards the covered body on the table. With precise movements, he began unveiling the internal structures, explaining each part.

As the shroud was lifted, revealing the intricate internal workings, the medical student standing next to Kiara turned noticeably pale. His eyes widened, and beads of sweat formed on his forehead. Moments later, his body began to sway unsteadily before collapsing over Kiara.

Dhruv's attention instantly shifted from his lesson to the sudden commotion beside Kiara. Rushing towards them, he tried to maintain his professional composure, but the way the student was clutching onto Kiara made him a little concerned.

"Is he okay?" Dhruv asked, glancing between the collapsed student and Kiara, trying to hide the tinge of jealousy in his voice. He quickly held the boy's collar and pulled him away from Kiara.

Dhruv couldn't deny the flicker of concern for the student, but a subtle hint of jealousy also lingered in his mind. As he supported the now conscious but still shaky student, Dhruv couldn't help but cast a glance at Kiara, who was checking on the boy with a concerned look on her pretty face.

While assisting the student to a nearby chair, Dhruv found himself hovering closer to Kiara than necessary, inadvertently trying to maintain his proximity to her. "Just take a deep breath," he advised the student, but his eyes remained fixed on Kiara.

Her attention was solely on the student, yet Dhruv felt a pang of unease witnessing the concern in her eyes for someone else. He tried to mask his feelings by instructing the interns to take care of the student.

"I'll handle this. Dr. Sehgal," she whispered, giving him a faint smile that only amplified Dhruv's internal conflict.

Dhruv nodded, torn between wanting to stay close to Kiara and maintaining professionalism. He resumed the lesson, occasionally stealing glances in Kiara's direction, unable to shake off the feeling of possessiveness creeping in.

The way she was holding the boy’s hand, the way she was talking to him gently, the way she was giving him water to cool down, and the way she was close to him and not to Dhruv.

Damn it! He was jealous…