WICKETS AND WIDGETS

I Know Everything

"From the entertainment industry?" He asked, an eyebrow raised in curiosity.

"Yes," I confirmed.

"I hope she recovers swiftly," he expressed, his hands skillfully guiding the steering wheel as we took a right turn.

"Me too," I echoed, my heart filled with a fervent hope for Sana's speedy recovery.

A blanket of silence fell over us. I found myself lost in the passing scenery, my gaze fixed on the buildings and trees whizzing by, while Kabir's attention remained steadfast on the road. Our quiet journey was interrupted only when we arrived at our destination, where a sea of media personnel and paparazzi had gathered at the hospital gates.

"Why is the media here?" Kabir wondered aloud.

Feigning ignorance, I replied, "I'm not sure. Perhaps a celebrity is admitted here?" I shrugged, attempting to appear nonchalant.

His brow furrowed as he studied me, "You seem tense. Is everything okay?"

"Do I?" I responded, my hands nervously fidgeting.

"Quite a bit," he confirmed.

In a moment of unfiltered honesty, I blurted, "Is that just an excuse for you to kiss me again?"

Taken aback, he averted his gaze, a hint of blush creeping onto his cheeks. "Alright, time for you to go. I should be on my way."

"Thank you for the ride, Kabir," I expressed my gratitude as I exited the car. Bracing myself, I navigated through the throng of reporters and made my way into the hospital.

With a sense of urgency, I made my way to the reception desk. The receptionist, engrossed in a phone call, looked up as I approached. "Could you please tell me which room Sana Rai is in?" I asked.

She gave me a once-over, her gaze sharp and suspicious. "You think I'm going to fall for that?" she retorted.

"Pardon?" I responded, taken aback by her confrontational tone.

"You're probably one of those paparazzi, hoping to get a scoop on the actress who was in the accident. You think I can't spot your kind?" she accused, her voice rising with indignation.

"I believe there's been a misunderstanding," I defended myself calmly, "I'm a friend of hers. Mr. Shinde asked me to come."

"Sure," she responded, her tone dripping with skepticism as she returned to her work.

With a sigh, I dialed Sana's number. Inspector Shinde answered almost immediately. "Yes, are you here?" he asked.

"Yes, but the receptionist won't give me Sana's room number. She seems to think I'm a paparazzi," I explained, trying to keep my growing frustration in check.

"Give her the phone. I'll speak to her," he offered.

I turned to the receptionist, "Inspector Shinde would like to speak with you," I said, offering her my phone.

She muttered something under her breath before reluctantly taking the phone from me. After a brief conversation filled with 'yes sir' and 'okay', she hung up and handed the phone back to me. "Room number 27, ground floor. Straight ahead," she grumbled.

"Thank you," I replied, quickly heading in the direction she indicated. After navigating through a maze of rooms, I finally found the one I was looking for, marked by the presence of two policemen standing guard outside.

The taller of the two policemen met my gaze with a gentle look. "Aryan?" he inquired.

"Yes, Inspector Shinde?" I responded, uncertainty creeping into my voice.