*Vani Pov*
"Are you fine?" Rupa asked the moment I stepped out of the ICU after my parents.
"Yeah! Why don't you come in and meet my Aunty?" I asked her trying to smile before dragging her inside.
"Aunty! Meet my friend." I said, ignoring everyone and sat on the stool.
"I am Rupa, Aunty." She said calmly after hesitating a bit.
"The Rupa!" Aunty asked slowly smiling.
"I guess!" Rupa mumbled scratching her neck.
"You made this poor girl walk home from college, so many times, dear." Aunty said in a stern voice.
"Oh! I didn't mean it like that. It was just..." Rupa stopped herself when she saw Aunty smiling.
"You were staying with her?" Aunty asked me with a frown.
"Yes! We became great friends." I replied, smiling at her.
"My parents even started loving her more than me." Rupa added, making me shake my head.
"She knows how to make everyone love her. Do you know that we wished she was our daughter when she stayed at my house for the first time?" Aunty said holding my hand.
"I can see that." Rupa mumbled smiling and I know I don't have the ability to make everyone love me.
"You have exam tomorrow, Rupa. I will walk you to the entrance." I said, glancing at the time.
"It is ok!" she said, assuring me, but I shook my head and walked out after she bid her bye.
"God! You got married even before I could say that I am hungry." She said the moment we walked outside the hospital.
"I don't know how it happened, but it just did. What am I going to do? Am I being selfish thinking about my life now and not about her?" I asked holding her hand.
"Not at all! This is your life which you have to lead for so many years. I know it is devastating to know about her illness but it is not wrong to think about yourself too." She replied assuring me.
"You are really married." She mumbled again, staring at the thread he tied which Dad got from the temple near to the hospital.
"Yeah!" I mumbled back and felt dizziness in my head.
"You need to go inside." She advised.
"I am fine!" I said, trying to assure her.
"I will make sure she got in a proper transport." I heard a voice and turned to see Girish walking towards us.
"See? Now, go and have some food. And will you finish the course?" she asked worriedly.
"I already left her for all this time and I can't do that again. Otherwise, I can't live with myself." I replied, remembering the guilt I felt when I got to know how she suffered while I was away.
"It was not your fault." She said sternly before walking away and I slowly walked inside before sitting on the chair present outside the ICU along with my parents.
"Dad! How many days are, actually..." I couldn't finish the question even when I tried to as much as I can.
"We don't know, but not more than a little. Let's just hope she gets to leave the hospital. She never liked them." He replied sighing.
"Are you sure, Doctor?" Kamal suddenly asked, walking outside the room.
"Yes! She will feel good and just make sure that she have the medicines properly and complete rest." He replied and walked away.
YOU ARE READING
VANI...
Short StoryA girl who decided her future with the one who was chosen for her by the elders long ago and fought with the people who say even a word regarding the madness of it. The guy who doesn't want this, thinking it as madness and wants to have the future i...
