It was true that Shehnaaz had contacted Parth less frequently since arriving to the States. Most of the time, it was him texting her to ask her check their shared Weibo, “Always On My Mind.” Shehnaaz had been so preoccupied with the GSAT-7 system incident that she barely had time to
eat or sleep, let alone spare time to share her musings online? However she couldn’t say anything when she
watched Parth’s intent eyes and gaunt face.
Parth embraced Shehnaaz, nuzzling the warm top of her head as he asked in a quiet voice, “What happened to
your face?”
Shehnaaz squirmed out of his arms and covered her face, pouting, “…I got hit.”
“What?! By who? Who had the gall to hit you? Did you call the police?” Parth asked with total seriousness, “I don’t believe that anyone can get away with something like this in the States.”
Shehnaaz hung her head in embarrassment, “…I started it.”
Parth, “…”
“Then it must’ve been because they crossed the line. Sana did it out of self-defense, right?” Parth touched her shoulder and gently comforted her. It was obvious that he was siding with her and trying to justify what she did–and that was exactly the kind of unwavering support that she needed right now.
Her mood lightened considerably and she smiled at Parth, “Parth, why did you suddenly come to the States? Are you on vacation?”
Parth turned around with her and they continued walking. Draping one arm on her shoulder, he said, “I especially came to see you, don’t you believe that?”
“…That’s too much of a shock, I don’t dare believe it.” Shehnaaz giggled, but her pace slowed and she even started
to limp a little. Although there were no apparent bruises on her legs, she actually sustained a few kicks from the fight.
After walking for over an hour, she could feel her calves almost lose all sensation. She walked each step gingerly.
Parth noticed her struggling and look at her before jogging ahead and kneeling down, “Here, let me carry you.”
“Huh?” Shehnaaz was at loss, “I, I, I’m ok.”
“It’s fine, you’re limping and shouldn’t walk anymore.” Parth chuckled, “If I had knew, I would have driven my
rental car here.”
“Where did you park?” Shehnaaz asked curiously when Parth nudged her to lay on his back.
Parth secured her calves with both arms and stood up with her on his back. “Sana, how did you get to thin?” He thought she felt much too light on his back.
“Isn’t that a good thing? Saying she got thinner is the best compliment possible for a girl.” Shehnaaz smiled proudly, “That means I’ve been watching my weight well.”
Bursting into laughter, Parth chatted idly with her while he carried her back to the apartment.
“We’re here, Parth. Thanks for taking me home.” Shehnaaz was drenched in sweat and badly wanted to shower first, “Where are you staying? Give me the phone number and address.”
Parth had wanted to pick her up for dinner, but knew she didn’t want to go out with an embarrassing injury on her face. He dejectedly took out a card from the hotel and placed it on her palm, “The Hilton, Room 356 on the third floor. My number’s the same, you can give me a call.”
Shehnaaz nodded, “I’ll invite you for dinner at my place tomorrow. I’m a wreck today and need to freshen up. I’m so sorry, Parth.”
“Don’t say sorry.” Parth stroked her head, “Thankfully I was here. You’re here alone and need to take good care of yourself, don’t have me worry.”
Her heart warmed at the words and she nodded, “I know, I know. I’ll be careful from now on, this was an accident.”
“It’s alright, I know you too well. You’re quirky, but still a young girl at the end of the day. Although you have a sharp
tongue, you’re the one at disadvantage when it comes to a physical fight.” Parth sighed as he patted her shoulder, “Go back now, I’ll watch you get inside.”
“No, you go first, I’ll watch you.” Shehnaaz insisted on seeing him off.
Parth was no match against her and squeezed her hand before heading to a black Buick parked in the parking lot in front of the building entrance. He turned to wave at her, then got into the car and left her apartment.
…
Shehnaaz went into her building and unlocked the door.
The apartment was quiet and Rohit wasn’t in the living room. She limped back to her bedroom.
The door to Rohit’s door was shut as he stood by the window and spoke on the phone quietly. “Mr. Shukla, did Little Deepak tell you? How would you like to deal with it?”
Sidharth’s voice was deep and rich, “You said Kartik already picked up Sana?”
“Yes, they already left. The US Military didn’t let Sana go and Kartik was furious. Afterwards I heard that he’s
taking the US Military to court and now they are too afraid to do anything rashly.” Rohit gave a detailed report
on the events that day.
Sidharth remained silent for a long while, his voice emotionless, “Ok, we’ll wait and see. I’ve already had someone contact the Embassy, they’ll ignore this incident.”
“Huh?!” Rohit jolted up and instinctively raised his voice, “No way?! It’s one thing for you not to get personally involved, but now you’re blocking the Embassy from helping
too?! Sana only got into this mess because she was beating up that Brala girl!”
“She’s young and impulsive, don’t tell me you’re the same?” Sidharth was speaking to Rohit through his Bluetooth headset, his fingers hammering at the keyboard to write a report to the military. “You should’ve stopped her when it happened. This is dereliction of duty, and I don’t want this kind of thing to reoccur over and over again. If it happens again, you’re coming back and I’ll send Little Deepak over.”
Rohit sighed heavily and straightened his back. He answered gruffly, “Roger! Chief, please grant Lieutenant Colonel Rohit Maan redeem himself and continue to protect Sana!”
“Mhmm, this is the second time you’re redeeming yourself. I don’t want a third time.
Sidharth had no mercy, “Watch anyone trying to get close to Sana carefully. Investigate all their backgrounds, with Kartik Sen in particular.”
“Professor Sen?” Rohit was perplexed as he wrote with his finger on the window, “Didn’t we investigate him
multiple times already? What else is suspicious?”
“Because everything matches up too perfectly and seems fishy. From his CV, he has no relations to Sana. So why did he become so nice to her in a few short months? Don’t tell me that all professor are this kind to all their students.” Sidharth completed the report and rose as he switched off
the computer.
Rohit mumbled, “Mr, Shukla, don’t you think there’s possibly another reason?”
“What other reason?” Sidharth walked as he took out a cigarette to light.
“…That Kartik has feelings for Sana? After all, Sana is getting more popular as she’s getting older. Didn’t Mr. Shukla know that quite a few people like her here…”
Sidharth’s hand holding the lighter paused as he poised to light it. After a long moment, he calmly closed the
lighter and said slowly, “That shouldn’t be the case. –Kartik is a professor, if he dares make a move on Sana, I’ll ruin him. –Continue your observations and be prepared to report at anytime.”
“Yes, sir!” Rohit saluted him over the phone out of habit.
Rohit ended the call and looked out the window. It was already past five o’clock—time for him to pick up Shehnaaz.
He called Kartik again. “Professor Sen? Thank you so much for your help today. Is Sana better now? I’ll head
over to pick her up…”
“That won’t be necessary,” Kartik said coldly. Rohit could almost feel the icy coolness radiating from him on his face. “She already left.”
“She left?” Rohit was taken aback. “When did she leave? Why didn’t you drive her home? She’s a young girl who’s just been injured—how can you be so heartless?!”
“Me, heartless? Haha, very funny,” said Kartik, and promptly hung up. He put his hands behind his head and leaned into his spacious swivel chair. He swung the chair around and rested his long legs on the window sill, ignoring
the ringing of his phone as he gazed at the scenery beyond the window.
Rohit called again, but no one answered.
He flew into a panic. The sudden change in Kartik’s attitude was mystifying, but he did not have the time to think about it now. He opened the door and rushed out of his room.
He reached the front door and did a double-take.
He stared at the small shoe cabinet beside the door.
The Under Armour cherry blossom sneakers Shehnaaz had worn to the softball game were back in the cabinet. Her panda indoor slippers, on the other hand, were missing…
Shehnaaz must have returned to the apartment.
Rohit breathed a sigh of relief. It seemed that Kartik had been telling the truth: Shehnaaz had, as he said, left his house and returned to the apartment.
Then he remembered that Kartik’s house was three miles away. It was a considerable distance—so how had Shehnaaz made her way back to the apartment, all by herself?
Rohit walked to Shehnaaz’s room and knocked lightly on the door. “Sana? Sana? Are you in there?”
Shehnaaz hugged her panda pillow. She was curled up on the sill of the bay window, securely hidden behind the curtains.
Rohit had to call her name several times before she finally replied with a sullen “Yeah.”
Rohit quickly opened the door.
He was glad she had left the door unlocked.
Rohit scanned the room as he entered, but did not see Shehnaaz.
He looked again and spotted the panda slippers lying on the floor in front of the bay window.
She was evidently hiding on the window sill.
Rohit slowly walked over. He said, his voice gentle, “Sana, what’s wrong? Don’t you want to see me?”
He stopped before the window and opened the curtains.
Shehnaaz looked up at Rohit. The swelling in her right cheek had worsened. Her large, dark eyes shone like mirrors; Rohit could see himself reflected in them.
“Why is the swelling worse now?” Rohit kneeled so that his eyes were level with Shehnaaz’s. “Didn’t Professor Sen take you to the hospital?”
The doctors had given her some medicine, but Shehnaaz had forgotten to take them with her when she left Kartik’s house. She realized her mistake and became even more depressed. She muttered sulkily, “Brother Rohit, where were you when they locked me up?”
“Oh…” Rohit was feeling guilty. His eyes darted about before he finally said, in a grave and serious tone, “I called Professor Sen and asked him to save you. I don’t know how they do things here in the United States, you know, so I thought it would be better to get Professor Sen to help.”
“Oh?” Shehnaaz rolled her eyes. “You called him? I was wondering how Professor Sen knew…”
“Yeah, and I called Mr. Shukla after that.” Rohit made sure to explain everything he had done; he did not want Shehnaaz to think he had been indifferent to her safety and well-being.
Shehnaaz’s heart skipped a beat.
She lowered her eyes and buried her swollen cheek into the panda pillow. Her voice was hushed when she asked, “… Uncle Sid knows?”
Rohit decided not to tell the truth. “Mr. Shukla is very busy, so he doesn’t know yet. Little Deepak said he’ll let Mr. Shukla know as soon as possible. But you’re all right now, aren’t you? Do you still want Mr. Shukla to know about this?”
Shehnaaz’s long eyelashes flickered as she thought about it. She eventually said in a disheartened voice, “Forget it, don’t tell him. I don’t want Uncle Sid to scold me.”
She had not been a good student. She had neglected her studies in favor of fun and games, and ended up brawling with her fellow students…
Shehnaaz could almost see Sidharth’s silent, serious face before her. She imagined the profound disappointment in his eyes…
Rohit raised an eyebrow and sat beside her. He patted her comfortingly on the shoulder and said gently, “Sana, c’mon, be honest now: when did Uncle Sid ever scold you?”
Shehnaaz: “…”
“He never scolds anyone. He just gives us the silent treatment,” continued Rohit, laughing.
Shehnaaz exploded at this. She shoved Rohit, her eyes red with unshed tears. “Did you have to rub salt into my wounds, Brother Rohit? Can’t you see I’m really, really depressed here?”
“Okay, okay, it was just a joke, I thought you might find it funny.” Rohit helped her off the window sill.
“C’mere, I have an excellent ointment for your cheek. I guarantee the swelling will be gone by tomorrow.”
“Really?” Shehnaaz looked at Rohit skeptically.
“That sounds too good to be true.”
“The new and improved Green Ointment, a traditional Indian formula modified by Sandeep. Only the best for you, my dear!” said Rohit cheekily as he led Shehnaaz to his room. He rummaged through his drawers for the ointment that had been specially formulated to treat skin and soft-tissue bruises, and carefully dabbed it on Shehnaaz’s cheek.
Shehnaaz felt the ointment sink into her skin, cool and refreshing. The heat immediately dissipated from her cheek.
The ointment was a lot more effective than any western medicine the doctors in the emergency room could have prescribed her.
Shehnaaz also knew that the ointment, being a traditional Indian medicinal formula, was easier on her skin.
Her spirits lifted. She took the ointment from Rohit and asked, “Do you have anything for sore muscles? I
walked for an hour today, I can’t feel my legs.”
“An hour?” Rohit was surprised. “Why did you walk for an hour? Professor Sen drives a Lamborghini, why did you even have to walk?”
The anger returned to Shehnaaz as soon as she thought of Kartik. She gave a sullen pout, and said, “…Professor Sen threw me out. He didn’t even get a cab for me, so I walked back here, all by myself.”
“What?!” Rohit sprang to his feet in thunderous anger. He shouted, “He made you—a seriously injured girl—
walk for more than an hour?!”
“Uh-huh!” Shehnaaz nodded again and again. “Wasn’t that really cruel of him?!”
“Yes, it definitely was!” Rohit slammed his fist against on the wall. He regretted what he had said to Sidharth.
He took back his words.
He no longer believed that Kartik was romantically interested in Shehnaaz.
No man would ever allow the woman he loved to suffer!
And Shehnaaz had been injured, besides!
“I’m calling him—I’m going to give him a piece of my mind, right this instant. What if something had happened to you? Can he take responsibility for it?” Rohit was absolutely furious. He called Kartik’s number, over and over again.
Kartik was so annoyed he blocked Rohit’s number.
Shehnaaz put her hands on Rohit’s arm. “Brother Rohit, forget it, no point calling him. Let’s talk about something else—I met someone on my way back. Can you guess who?”
“I can’t even begin to guess, there are so many people on this planet. You got me there.” Rohit took a deep breath, and grudgingly put a lid on the anger that had welled up inside him.
Shehnaaz grinned as she handed him a drink. “…It was Parth Patel, my class rep.”
*
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I hope you enjoy reading it.
Love you all.