Ghayab- Avneil SS

Rome

Part Eight

Most of the group headed to the Vatican with Neil when they arrived in Rome. Avni was feeling better and ended up exploring the outskirts of the Vatican with a few other girls. They went to Annie's pizza. Avni longed to spend time in the kitchen with Neela Ma and cook some Indian food when she returned to Mumbai after Aman's graduation ceremony in London in three days.

She enjoyed the long walks on the cobblestone streets. It was intriguing in a different way from Nice or Florence yet not as dangerous as Sorrento. She sighed as she took in the sights. A few hours they stood together at the meeting place waiting for Neil and the rest of the group.

He noticed her from afar. He recalled the past few days and the time he held her outside the club in Florence. He was already having feelings for her and it both scared and elated him. He was falling in love for the first time and he had a feeling he would win her heart someday.

Many of the girls stood surrounding him. He had suggested Avni and the others take a seat nearby. Yes he had wanted to distance himself from her a bit after recent events, but why did it affect him so much now that she was sitting even further from him?

Neil took them around Rome and gave them some tidbits about the history of the places they passed by.

Once they reached a street away from the hostel, they had to stop the coach. The actual hostel was situated on a one way street.

"Watch out for weirdos and pickpockets guys! Whenever they see a tour group they get excited! Please guard your belongings! Today is our last ride with Tomas. He will drive whoever isn't going to the match tonight back here to the hostel. Make sure to say your good-byes tonight!," Neil stated.

Avni carefully stepped off the coach and grabbed her luggage and waited for the manager and Neil to start giving out room keys.

When he announced her name with Celeste and a few others she approached him to take the keycards. Their eyes locked for a moment. But she turned to find Celeste.

Neil finished with handing out the keycards and name bands. Avni had headed off to her room to get ready for the dinner. He had asked some people to come and do their evals tonight as tomorrow night was the farewell party for this leg of the trip. Avni didn't know it but he wasn't planning to not see her after tomorrow. He was planning when to see her after this trip already.

He got to his room and got another message from his mother.

She had sent him Dayawanti's invite for him to attend Aman Mehta's college graduation at Oxford in two days.

He smiled to himself. Avni Mehta aka Aanya Verma, it didn't matter what she wanted to call herself. He would see her sooner than he expected.

Dinner was fun each table had started prepping for the match by ordering their alcohol with their meals. Avni refrained from drinking. She would splurge on gelato later.

Neil was going to the match but made sure to walk all the girls not going to the coach. Avni knew he was walking them back to the coach but did not see him ahead of the others walking between them. Besides he had to rush to get to the stadium on time.

She had to climb over the curb in order to cross the street for the coach. A bunch of other people crossed with her. It was yet another busy street in Rome. They scrambled across without incident.

Tomas drove them back and then the girls and one guy who returned with them thanked him for keeping them safe for the whole journey and wished him luck on his own travels back home to his family.

They jay walked yet again across a street or two before they made it back to the hostel.

A few girls made a plan to find a Irish bar. Avni agreed to come along, hoping to grab gelato along the way.

The bar did not have enough seating. Avni was limping as she had bumped her leg on a concrete bench outside the bar. But she was able to walk back.

Taylor and the other girls had winced for her when she got hurt.

"Do you think you can walk back?," Taylor asked.

Avni nodded. Her mood lightened up when a few girls found a gelato shop still open.

They all grabbed what they desired and paid. They all headed back on the street where Celeste decided to go walk to the Trivbi fountain. The others didn't think it was safe this late, but Celeste was determined to go, so she headed off on her own.

Avni walked back with the others. They found the bar near the hostel was open,so Avni asked for ice and brought it up to her room. Her roommates were all out. She changed into pajamas and glared at the nasty bruise on her leg. She messaged Neela Ma she was ok. She did not want to worry her about the asthma attack the other day. All was well and she had used her inhaler regularly. Neil had warned her about taking her medications as directed.

She smiled to herself but winced when she shifted her leg to cover the area with a rag and ice. Since she had only one pillow, she used it to elevate her leg. She rolled her jacket up and used it as her pillow for the night.

In the morning she felt somewhat better but did not want to miss the walking tour. She got ready to get breakfast so she could take her medications.

Breakfast in these hostels was boring her, she hoped lunch would be better. She stood up to grab something as Neil entered the room.

He paused to look at her, she stopped short to see why he was staring. She snapped out of her trance and walked back to her seat.

Neil told everyone to meet him outside in a few minutes to get their rail tickets for the day. Finding Avni there first and alone, he pulled her aside.

"Kya hua Neil?," she asked puzzled.

"Tum ek ajooba ho. Kanan lagi?," he demanded as he seated her on a bench.

"It is nothing Neil, probably from.."

"Aanya , I am the trip manager, any injuries or sickness need to be reported to me!"

"Theek hai. I walked into a concrete bench last night. I know it's.."

" Which leg?"

"My left leg," she replied.

"May I?"

"If you must," she mumbled.

He quickly assessed her joints over her clothing.

"When does it hurt? When I bend down and put wait on that leg, but I can walk," she insisted.

He gave her a skeptical look.

"If it gets worse I will go to a clinic and let you know," she replied.

"Now that is like a good girl," he said as he got up.

She got up fine before he could ask her if she needed a hand up.

He gained his professional composure and stated he would be back with the tickets