How many times have you kept others' wishes, their health, and their well-being above yours? For some of us, the answer may be never and for some, it would be every time. The latter kind of people forget that to help others, they have to be healthy first. You should love yourself the same way you love others.
And this was the thing Aaradhya lacked. She has always been a good daughter. Maybe the best she could be. But to make others happy she always kept her happiness at last.
For the last few weeks, while she was looking after Teena she ignored her health. She had been feeling a little weak for a few days now but she thought it would go away by itself. But now whenever she got up suddenly, she felt a little dizzy each time. She also felt very inactive nowadays.
Tanu has asked her to visit a doctor but she has been declining it every time. Every time she has an excuse to divert Tanu's attention. The real reason was that Aaradhya knew that the doctor would ask for her blood sample to do some tests and she was afraid of that. She can take others' blood though, she had no problem with that. She was going to be a doctor herself but that does not mean she has to be a good patient too.
"Come! We have to go somewhere." Abhi said as he approached her immediately after the class.
"Where?" Aaradhya asked confusedly.
"You will know soon." With that, he caught her hand firmly and started moving down the stairs.
Aaradhya's eyes widened. Her heart stopped for a second. What's the big deal? He is just holding her hand, right? He is holding her hand! She did not protest. She matched his pace. Has she started to trust him that much now?
Engrossed in her thoughts, she did not notice that they had entered a doctor's cabin. When her eyes shifted from their clasped hands to her surroundings, she was standing in front of 'Doctor Naveen Pathak' as the nameplate read.
"She has been feeling a little weak for a few days. She feels dizzy whenever she gets up and she has been feeling very inactive." Abhi explained to the doctor.
Her eyes widened more. How did he know? Tanu!! She is going to kill Tanu today. And how dare he bring her here without her consent. She trusted him and what did he do? Brought her to a doctor. She was feeling like a child now. A rebel one!
"Come here." the doctor signalled her to go near him so that he could examine her.
She threw a glaring look at Abhi which he threw back with the same intensity.
But she went and sat near the doctor, he examined her and as expected he asked for her blood samples. He asked them to visit the pathology department, give the sample and come back with the reports.
They both quietly exited the room. As soon as they came out of the room, Aaradhya started moving toward the 'Exit door.'
"Where do you think you are going," Abhi asked blocking her way.
"Just get away from me, Abhi. There is no way I am going to give my blood samples. I am going back to my room." she said angrily. Abhi has never seen her angry. She has always been the calm one. Her nose was completely red as she tried to calm herself down.
"No! You are coming with me to the pathology department. Now!" he said calmly.
"You have no right to tell me what I have to do and what not. Moreover, you brought me here without even telling me we were going to visit a doctor. I felt like a child in front of him. It was so embarrassing. " she said again, her anger rising with each second.
"You felt like a child because you are one. I can't believe you are going to be a doctor. Health is our priority, Aaradhya. If you ignore yours how are you going to treat others?" he said with the same calm tone again.
"But you should have told me before bringing me here," she accused again.
"Did I blindfold you while bringing you here? I thought you figured out that's why you are not asking. You should have asked me as we entered the hospital. Why did you not ask?" he said again.
"I.. I was.... Well, I...", why did she not ask that's because she was so busy staring at their joined hands that she did not see where they were going. But she can't let him know that.
"You what?" he asked again taking a step closer to her.
"I was lost in my thoughts. I did not see where you were taking me," she explained.
"What thoughts?" he asked again taking one more step towards her.
Her cheeks become pink instantly. She took two steps backwards, turned and started moving toward the pathology department.
"I think you are right. I should give my blood samples for the tests." she tried to divert the topic.
"Good! But you did not tell me what thoughts were you lost in?" he asked again controlling his smile.
"That's none of your business," she answered irritatedly without looking at him.
"You sure your thoughts had nothing to do with me?" he asked her.
"One more word and I swear I'll go back to my room now," she said glaring at him. She was already very embarrassed.
"Ok sorry!" he said raising his hand in surrender.
Soon, Aaradhya was sitting in front of a nurse who was all ready to take her blood. Abhi gave her an assuring look but still, she was frightened but it all passed quickly and after fifteen minutes she was standing outside her hostel. First, she needs to have a good talk with Tanu. She was not sure what she was feeling now. Grateful for having such caring friends or sorrowful for having such dictator-like friends. But whatever they were, she was going to kill Tanu today, that was sure.
*************
Tanu had told Abhi about Aaradhya's health and she was sure he would convince her to visit a doctor. She had to return many books to the library which she took during the exams and she had to take a few new ones too. So she went to the library after she saw Aaradhya going somewhere, possibly to a doctor, with Abhi.
She had five thick books in her hands which she was finding difficult to manage. As she took a turn in the direction of the library she crashed with someone, resulting in the fall of her, the person she crashed with, and all of her books, one of which fell on that someone's head.
"Ouchhh!" Yuvraj said glaring at her.
"What the hell is your problem" he shouted. She flinched for a moment but regained herself immediately.
"What's my problem? What's your problem? Why am I even asking this? You are a problem yourself." she said with a voice that matched his.
"How is it my fault? You appeared from nowhere suddenly with tons of books and then threw them at me," he said.
"What do you mean by I appeared from nowhere suddenly? I am a normal human. This is how we usually walk. "
"Just don't appear in front of me like that again. Now move aside," he said in a bored tone.
"Excuse me! What am I? A film? That I'll send a teaser first, then a trailer and then boom I'll appear after making sure that the world knows that I am about to come. " she said annoyingly.
"What? What are you even saying? Oh god! It's just useless to talk with brainless people like you. Just let me go!" with that he threw an annoyed look at her and left
Brainless? Did he just call her brainless? What does that idiot think of himself? Whatever, she won't waste her energy on someone like him. She collected her books and moved towards the library.
**********
As Aaradhya entered her room she found Tanu engrossed in some deep thought.
"Why did you tell, Abhi?" she interrupted her.
"Oh, Aaradhya! Good, you are here. And leave that topic. You were not listening to me so I told him. I want to ask you something." Tanu said.
"I won't leave that topic, Tanu. But what do you want to ask me," she asked curiously.
"So someone called me brainless today. Should I let it go this time or teach that person a good lesson," she asked seriously.
"Who called you that?" Aaradhya asked controlling her laughter.
"Yuvraj," she said.
"What? Why did you meet him?" Aaradhya's laughter died. She knows that he has changed a bit but still, his name creates some kind of tension in the air.
"It was an accidental meet. So what happened was....." and with that, Tanu explained the situation. They both talked, laughed and ended up deciding to let it go this time.
Soon their conversation turned into gossip and with that, the day ended with a lot of laughter. Suddenly Aaradhya remembered she had decided to kill Tanu today. But her murder can wait for a few days maybe, after all, who's gonna give her all this spicy gossip instead of her?