Do We Change?

● Being Clueless

The sky was overcast and still drizzling as Aarohi Goenka finished off her day's work . The Saturdays were especially tiring in this hospital with every patient choosing Saturday to be the only day in the week to meet the doctors. And now back to back appointments and a surgery later ,Dr. Aarohi Goenka was busy packing her bag in the cabin . But one look at the sky outside the window made her mood even more sour.

Tedious.

That would be the one word definition of today . Aarohi never felt this yired ever- physically and emotionally. The patients and their families were on one hand and the sudden meet with Neil Birla after two years didn't help but bring back those emotions creeping back to her heart.

What was he doing here ? An appointment, perhaps , what else would a person visit a hospital for. But then again his house was a mini hospital itself. And even if the doctors in the family felt less , the family owned the best hospital in Udaipur. Appointment, wouldn't be the case . Then ?

Why do you care about that ? A tiny voice of reason sounded inside her . She doesn't care what Neil does these day , does she ? Cementing that in her mind , she prepared to leave . But one look at the Grey sky outside the window, didn't help but sour her mood even more.

Aarohi Goenka hated monsoons. To be further precise , Aarohi hated driving in the monsoons. She took some time to mentally curse herself for not allowing Kairav Bhaiya to heir her a driver.
Therefore muttering abuse to herself under her breath , Aarohi stepped out of the hospital building to come face to face with the strangest sight she had ever witnessed.

Drenched to his bones , his t shirt wet and sticking to his body , stood near the main entrance, none other than Neil Birla.

Conscience told her to go away . Go away , to her car and back home . But her legs have decided against her and he found herself walking towards the man .
" What are you doing here?" Aarohi was angry. Angry at herself for not being able to control her feelings , angry at herself for even feeling for him. Moreover angry at Neil , for all the possible reason , she could be angry at him.

" Aarohi please I want to talk to you"

" Talk with me?" Seriously!" Aarohi scoffed," You wanted to talk with me . So you decided to reappear after two years and start acting all Romeo. Just because you wanted to talk to me . But guess what I don't want to talk to you"

" Aarohi please give me a chance. I will explain. After that you walk away , or do whatever you want . But please , give me a chance" Neil was pleading.

Had it been anybody else , Aarohi would have gone by now. But this was Neil Birla. And Neil Birla had always been an exception.
She cast him a look and went across the road to a tea stall and sat there. Neil knew it was cue to follow. His only chance . So without hesitation he went and sat across Aarohi.

" Aarohi I am sorry " Neil said , his voice pleading and fearful . When Aarohi didn't say anything, Neil went on to explain further,
" Aarohi I love you . Please don't do this to us "

" Love me ?" Aarohi had lost it then. All the emotions that she held back for two years , overflowing in a rush , " You say you love me yet you left me at the altar. You love me yet you left me and ran away. You love me yet you didn't believe I have changed. This is what you call Love? No ...I don't..call this love. This isn't love "
By the time Aarohi finished Neil was staring at her strangely . She suddenly realized she was crying. Hot wet tears ran constantly down her cheeks. Aarohi mentally thanked God that the tea stall was empty and they didn't have much spectators.

" I didn't run away...I came...came back . I thought we will marry then ...but as I came back ...I saw ...you ...you ..jumped ..jumped ..you did that stupid thing "

Stupid .
It was the first time someone referred that incident as stupid. Her family pitied her , send her to counselor but no one said what she did was wrong . And now after two years , it was Neil who pointed our how wrong she was . What he said was true, isn't it ? That was stupid. A deadly blunder , which would have cost her everything.

But wait ? Did he say , he came back ? This was new. She didn't know about it .

" You came back ...?"

" Yes I did. I never ran away , really . But then I came back ...I was ..late.... Then I saw ...saw you dying. Why did you do that Aarohi? Why? "

But Aarohi had no answer . By this time , two cups of tea were placed before them. Aarohi caressed one cup with her hands as she gazed at him .

Eyes red with tears , head hung down , hair still wet. In those eyes , Aarohi saw the sincerity. What Neil was saying was true. Moreover Neil Birla never lied. And that was one of the many things that made her love him.

" Why did you ran away in the first place ?" Aarohi voiced out her question.

Neil looked up ," I didn't run away . I just went out to think. There was you and there was my brother and I had to choose one . As I was coming back, the traffic was so much ..I Ran to the hotel. I had the choice...."

He chose her , over his so loved brother. That was needless to say . He was coming back...and she . ..

A comforting silence grew upon them . The rain was ceasing slowly . It was time to leave. Yet both sat there with their empty cups of tea.

" Am I ...do you ...forgive me ?"

Aarohi looked at Neil . The honesty and innocence in his face melted her heart.
" There's... there's nothing to forgive. You weren't wrong "

Neither of them were. It was fate that was cruel on them .
Aarohi stood up , preparing to leave.

" Aarohi " Neil called suddenly. Aarohi turned around.
" is it true ? You ..are...getting ..m.married ?"

Suddenly Aarohi remembered Vikram and the proposal . She remembered her family, so happy . But then she didn't actually accept it yet , did she?

" I don't know " that was the most honest answer she could give.
She didn't know what to do . Here she got to know about Neil's innocence but couldn't run to him straightaway.

Fate was taking g her boat to an unknown destiny. And there she was sailing, just being clueless.

From the author: Neil and Aarohi 's talk . Comment about it .