It's All In The Mind √

Chapter Twenty Three

Three days later Shaahid lay on the bed looking at the cracked ceiling, at eight in the morning.

Alvira typed a long message an hour back, saying that she returned from Shimla, and how her plane was on the verge of crashing with a crack in the windscreen.
And how she was enjoying seeing people around her pray to million gods, while she welcomed death with open arms.

Shaahid wanted to hit her hard. But that would hardly matter to her. She was one strange woman, who would laugh when everyone cried. And would cry when everyone laughed.
She would send letters in this e-world,
and then would constantly remain online for ten hours together.

He slowly got up and sat on the bed.
Last night, in fact for the last three nights, he woke with Sakina till One.
Today his head hurt, his body ached. He felt like an oven.

The door was pushed open and Sophia got in.

She was carrying a thermometer.

Shaahid stared surprised.
" What's this? How did you know I'm not feeling well? "

" You were sleepwalking last night. Almost fell upon me when I was sleeping peacefully in the living room. That's when I knew you were running fevers. I pushed you back to the room like a strolly bag. Did some water compress. Now came to check if you still run fever. " , she said.

Shaahid stared at her in disbelief.

Womenfolk could never be understood. Never ever.

____

Sakina sat with a smile plastered on her lips while she practised the tune Shaahid taught her last night on the violin. It was four in the afternoon.
She was desperately waiting for him to return and listen to how good she was already playing.

Rubina got in with the cranberry juice she had asked for. She placed it on the table.
And glanced at her through the corner of her eyes.

Sakina smiled. Rubina was utterly surprised. She did not smile and started to go.

" Listen. " , Sakina stopped her. She turned.

" When Shaahid returns, if you see him, ask him to come straight to my room. Serve tea for us here after that. "

Rubina blinked eyes.
" But aapa, Shaahid is home. He hasn't gone anywhere. He's sick. "

Sakina stared dumbstruck.
" What???
And I thought he's left like everyday in the morning!!! 
My goodness!! If I knew he's home, I would have already made him realise how good I've learned the music!! "

Rubina twisted her lips.
" But he's running high fevers. He won't be in a position to listen to your music. "

" Shut up. And get lost. " , Sakina stood up, frowning.

Rubina exited, relieved that she got rid of this mad ghost friendly woman.

Sakina picked up the violin and thumped towards Shaahid's room.

____

Shaahid wrapped himself in a blanket and lay on the bed, when he heard the door screeching open.
He ducked his head out to see Sakina stand at his feet with the violin and an angry face.

" You didn't even care to inform me that you are home!! "

" Oh.. I thought they told you already. "

" Who are they? Why couldn't you yourself come to my room? " , she sat on the bed but it made such a noise that she jumped up terrified, and then sat down again.

" My head was hurting bad. "

" So what? I too was having fevers that night. Yet I called you. " , she was extremely angry.

" Yeah.... I know...
Sorry... 
Your maids are actually very caring. They have helped bring down my fever. " , Shaahid smiled.

" Which maids? Sophia, Rubina etc?
Are you not ashamed to be asking for their help? There are man servants too. Ask them!!

I will tell the cook's helping hands to come to you. Sophia and Rubina won't. " , Sakina as if commanded.

Shaahid stared at her for sometime.
" Okay. Not Sophia and Rubina, but you might yourself help bring down the fever then, by sponging my forehead.
We are friends after all.." , he grinned.

" Ohh... Give and take policy, right? 
Because you did that night, I too have to. Sorry, but don't forget, you are just a tenant. Far from a friend yet.
I'm your landlady. Don't expect moon and stars. " , Sakina made faces.

Shaahid made a sad face.
Sakina took up the violin.

" Listen, I prepared the tune you taught me. Will you listen to it? " , she glowed.

Shaahid was too sleepy to concentrate.
" Okay....though I hardly know how much I can make out of it. "

" Why?? " , she frowned big time.

" Nothing, just my head hurts. "

" Ohhh... So you are not interested.
Fine. I too am not interested playing it for you. "
Sakina thumped out of the room.

Shaahid lay like a lamb.

Sakina stood at the staircase and shouted.

" If anyone except for the man servants goes to Shaahid's room for water compressing him, they will be fired. "

She next went inside her room and slammed the door behind.

____

At ten in the night, Sakina stood impatiently in the corridor.

For the last three nights Shaahid would come to her room by now, stay there and talk to her, then they would both go to the rooftop.

But today, the idiot did not even step out of his room for once.

Why did Sakina have to go upto him again and again? Just because he claimed to be sick? Didn't she have some prestige?

Sakina wanted to hit her head somewhere.

She missed Salman like hell.
For the last eight months, he would be there for her whenever she wished him to. Earlier he used to always make her wait. Like Shaahid was doing to her now.

What did she even ask for? Just his company!!! And he couldn't give that to her, in the name of a bloody fever? 

Sakina couldn't bear anymore. She walked upto his room and pushed the door open with all her might.

There, he lay asleep with his blanket on.
Looked so innocent. But was actually a villain!!!

She thumped her legs on the ground. Moved chairs. Shook the bed.
But he snored like a gorilla and did not wake up.

Sakina ran back to her room, crying.
She picked up the phone and dialed Salman's number.
The number suddenly said non existent.

She threw away the phone on the ground.

Idiot, bastard, scoundrel.
Just because Shaahid wanted to ignore her, he was playing this fever drama. She wanted to kill him.

Wasn't she important to him anymore? Just sometime back he claimed to be her friend.

How much she missed Salman at this point of time. Whatever he was eight months back, he was changing now!!! 
He cared for her recently.
Okay, if he chose to leave for the Himalayas to rejuvenate.

But look at this bloody Shaahid Hussain!!! He couldn't even accompany her for damn three-four hours in the night!! 

Sakina suddenly knew what she could do to teach him a lesson.

She threw open the drawer, brought out a bunch of red pills, and tucked five of them down her throat.

She sat on the bed, grinning.

Shaahid Hussain, now you will understand my worth.

If you can pretend to fall sick, I too can pretend......to die.