After what seemed like ages, the doctor walked out of the room, he looked tensed and I kept hoping he dint have terrible news for us, I stood up as he walked towards us.
"How is she?" I asked as my voice trembled, please God, let her be okay.
"I don't know what to say, she is okay for now but I can't tell how long she's going to be okay." He said, I looked at him sadly, I knew what he meant, everywhere we went for Anju's treatment, the doctors had only one thing to say, they weren't sure how long she was going to live.
"Can I see her?" I asked, he nodded as I rushed inside while I left Kabir outside with Nina, Kabir had already started asking the doctor all the questions he had.
I walked inside the room and looked at her wondering what this little girl had done to deserve this, why did she have to suffer this way? I just couldn't take it.
"Don't worry I'm not dead yet." She giggled as she looked at me.
"Will you stop making fun about it?" I rolled my eyes as I walked towards her and pulled her into a hug, I held her in my arms tightly, if it was in my hand, I wouldn't ever let go.
"Relax bro, I am fine, don't be so worried." She smiled as she broke the hug and looked at me, I wondered how she managed to be strong enough to smile in such a situation when here I was breaking apart.
"Why are you so unbothered about it?" I asked her, she literally seemed normal.
"Forget that, where is Kabir, is he here?" She asked.
"Anju, I am talking about your health and all you are worried about is Kabir, can you be a bit serious in life for once?" this girl was driving me mad.
"What do you want me to do bro? Sit in one room sadly and cry over the fact that I won't get to live my life like everyone else out there? Do you want me to keep worrying that I am going to die so I'd forget living this few days that I have?
I thought you were elder, you are more mature than me, you should be happy that your sister isn't sitting in a room crying over the fact that she might die any day, but instead she's living her life so incase the day comes, she won't have any regrets whatsoever." She looked at me angrily.
"I am just scared of losing you." I said.
"And while being scared you'll not spend enough time with me and then you're going to regret it. For heaven sake bro, stop being worried." She was getting angry too, the thing with both of us, we were really short tempered, we'd get angry so easily.
But today I dint want to argue with her, she had just recovered, and she was right at one point, I should have been happy that she wasn't crying about this but she was strong enough to accept it and live her life with it.
But as her brother I was still worried that one day I was going to wake up and she was no more going to be there, and that kind of broke my heart.
"Now will you please tell me if Kabir is around?" She asked.
"I'm here Anju." Kabir answered as he walked in, she smiled so excitedly as he approached her and then she threw her arms around him and hugged him happily.
"I thought you were going to run away seeing me like this." Anju pouted.
"Are you stupid? Who will run away from such a perfect girlfriend?" Kabir smiled as he broke the hug, I looked at the both of them in surprise.
"Girlfriend? Since when did you both start dating? And how come I have no idea about it?" I looked at the both of them in surprise. Anju started blushing immediately as Kabir looked at me nervously, this kid was really scared of me, it was funny.
"Today." He replied.
"It happened in school, I arrived and he asked me to be his girlfriend, I couldn't say no, he's so cute." Anju pouted.
"You guys barely know each other." I looked at the both of them in surprise.
"I've known her for years now, we've been in the same class, I just never had the guts to talk to her." Kabir explained.
"Anju, are you sure about this?" I asked, I just dint want my sister to get hurt, she was going through a lit of things already but then I felt like I could trust Kabir, seeing him here today just gave me that feeling, that he dint have any wrong intentions.
He clearly knew everything about Anju and yet he was here, if he had any other intentions he would have run away.
"I am bro, I've known him since long, I agree we started talking recently but I've been seeing him for years, I know I can trust him." She said.
"If your break her heart, I'm going to break your bones." I said to Kabir, who looked more scared that he already was, well I was just trying to make sure my sister wasn't going to get hurt, I dint mean to scare him.
"Stop scaring him bro." Anju looked at me seriously.
"Fine, I'll go talk to the doctor, take care of my sister." I said to Kabir, he nodded as I headed out, Nina was waiting for me out there.
"Is she okay?" She asked.
"Yeah, I have to go talk to the doctor though, will you come?" I asked, right now I really needed someone with me, I felt like I couldn't do this on my own.
"Of course I will." She smiled as she followed me.
*****
After Anju was discharged, I brought her home, Nina left direct from the hospital but Kabir came along, he stayed with her for a while and then left too.
I headed to the kitchen to cook dinner for her, the doctor had given me a list of foods she should eat and also told me that she needed to rest for at least a week before she resumed her normal routine.
Dad was out of town as usual and well he never gave a damn about his daughter so I dint even find it important to call him and inform him. I heard the doorbell so I rushed to open the door wondering who it could be, there were chances that Kabir might have come back, he seemed really worried about her.
Although when I opened the door I was left surprised, because it wasn't Kabir, it was Khushi, and all I could ask myself was, why was she here? How did she even know where I lived?
"Can I come in?" She asked, I nodded still looking at her in confusion, she walked in and looked around our little house, I knew it was nothing compared to the mansion she lived in but it was home anyway.
"I had left something on the gas, let me finish up with it then we can talk?" I asked.
"Okay, where's Anju's room?" She asked, I looked at her in surprise but dint ask any question, I just pointed towards the room then rushed to the kitchen, once I was done cooking, I headed to Anju's room where Khushi had gone.
I found the both of them seated on the bed talking about something, the both of them were laughing and Anju seemed really happy.
As I walked in, Anju looked at me and then winked, I just shrugged, I knew why she was winking but anyway it was surprising that Khushi was here.
"I am sorry for coming at this time but I found out late and I just wanted to make sure she was okay." Khushi looked at me.
"You can come anytime, I'm sure bro doesn't mind, neither do I." Anju giggled.
"Dinner is ready, you should eat and then take your medicines and sleep, Khushi would you like to join?" I looked at her.
"Before you say no, bro cooks really yummy food." Anju smiled at her, Khushi smiled back as she nodded, she then stood up and helped Anju, she held her hand and helped her walk, I rushed to set the table, it was quite surprising for me yet that Khushi actually came here.
The three of us sat down as I served all of us food, as for me I couldn't even concentrate on the food, I was just staring at Khushi who was busy talking to Anju about Kabir, apparently Anju had already told her about Kabir and now the both of them were having their girly talks. Khushi finished her food first so she stood up and headed to the kitchen with her plate.
"I don't know how she doesn't notice it, I mean look at you, you were staring at her like she's your entire world." Anju giggled as she teased me.
"Shut up, take your medicine and get to bed." I rolled my eyes at her, I gave her the medicines and then helped her back to her room as Khushi offered to clean up the table, once I put Anju back to bed, I headed to the hall, Khushi had just finished cleaning up.
"Thank you for coming, Anju seemed really happy to have you here." I said to Khushi.
"I am just disappointed that you dint tell me about it. I thought we had started becoming friends." She said, I looked at her in surprise, wasn't she the one ignoring me the entire day?
"I thought you wouldn't want to be friends with a nerd, besides you ignored me the entire day." I said.
"I am sorry, I just have some stupid mood swings at times, I really wanted to be here for you when you were going through something difficult as this, I was just kind of worried." She said.
"Why were you worried?" I asked.
"It's like me asking you why you care about me, duh." She rolled her eyes, only if had enough guts to tell her that I cared about her because I liked her, because I have been crazy for her since forever, she was just too blind to see it, but well I remained silent.
"So we're friends?" I asked.
"On one condition, if I'm allowed to visit Anju every day, she's such a great girl." She smiled.
"Of course." I replied. I looked down at the floor as thoughts about her popped up in my mind, I dint really know how much time I had with her, it just scared me, she was the only important person I had in life, what was I going to do without her?
"Arnav." Khushi called out my name, I looked at her with my moist eyes, I dint want to be so weak but I loved my sister so much, she was the only strength and weakness I had.
She moved closer to me and wrapped her arms around me pulling me into a tight hug, I was left flabbergasted by it.
"Everything is going to be okay, don't worry." She whispered as she kept on holding on to me and maybe it was after so long that I felt a little peace, knowing someone was here to make me feel better too.
She dint break the hug immediately, she just kept on holding onto me silently and I wished I could stay in her arms forever, everything just felt better this way.