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25. jacket

25. jacket

"Do you still love him?"

Aarohi Goenka was used to being aloof. She was shunned by her family constantly, she was overpowered by her sister's kindness and her brother's achievements. She was tired of coping the deaths of her parents like her siblings did, one pretending to be happy while masking anxiety and panic attacks, the other shutting himself in his room and painting for days straight. Everyone deal with trauma in their own funny way and Aarohi's way was to act as pretentious as possible, keep her guard on, make sure to repel everyone so that none of them could even surround her. 

Yes, she had made mistakes, grave ones and she was not proud of them. She hated being a trigger for her sister, she hated being a disappointment to her brother but she really tried getting out of the spiral she had put herself in. Every time she saw Abhimanyu and Akshara happy and in love, she was reminded on how he CHOSE her sister over her, on their wedding day. Every time she saw her family without her, she was reminded how she was not missed at all. All in all, she had successfully managed to destruct all the emotions.

Until one idiot found a shortcut, a backway to the walls she had built to her heart.

Neil Chamgadar Birla

Aarohi did not love him, she did not even like him, especially the way he kept pestering her. She did not like the boy, but her escapism in hurting others really did take the front seat when she decided to use him by faking a relationship with him. She wanted that fame, the money, the name, the standard of living and the respect, alas she did not think the entire thing through. Because Neil did not want any of that, he only wanted her, and she could not even give him that. 

She broke his heart for something that was so trivial in front of him. 

And she learnt her lesson, she did, when she saw him happy with his new life, his family, the fiance, everything looked perfect to her. Simply because she was not a part of it and rightfully so, she deserved it. She broke a person for fame, and she got nothing but a lifetime of lonliness for it. 

But love?

Did she love him?

She was not sure. Not because Neil was not worth melting for, rather because she did not know if she was capable of loving anyone. They say to love others one must love themselves first and Aarohi was for sure that she did not like this Aarohi. Nor would her parents. No one. 

Aarohi looked at Aryan, they were seated in the cabin, and awaitng Neil's conciousness post-op and even though they were past awkward encounters, the question was too direct for her to answer. "I don't know."

"What kind of an answer is that, Dr. Goenka?"

"Well what kind of a questions is that, Surgeon Rathore?"

"Excuse me," Aryan sat back, hands across the table as he eyed the girl sitting in front of him, "is that mockery I sense in your tone? Are you mocking your team  head, Dr. Goenka?"

"Well, I see that your senses are working so well, happy to know."

Aryan huffed sitting back, they were rummagin through Neil's file together, working out on different medicines and therapies for him to work on later, "you know, I have been in this hospital before." Aarohi was engrossed in the file, she just asked a nonchalant when as Aryan looked at the girl. She was a mess, doctor's white coat on her formal attire, hair very messy tied in a bun which would according to Aryan, let loose anytime now, and sleep deprived visible in the bags under those eyes. "It was the fifth of June I guess," He thought about it, "I was called for a surgery."

Aarohi stopped instantly on listening to the date, she looked at him, "fifth of June?" She enquired, tilting her head, "year?"

"I guess post COVID, I think 202X." He concluded and watched Aarohi's expression keenly, she seemed amused. "What is it?"

She shook her head, that was the first day of her internship in Birla Hospital. She remembered it very vividly, because she had dashed into Neil at the very start and was in a bad mood the entire day. 

"It was my first day as an intern." She simply stated, sighing, "small world I guess." They nodded and got back to working, discussing the case in detail as Aarohi gave her little inputs to Aryan's post-op plan. 

After an hour of con-call with the senior team, and another hour of checking on Neil and wiring him new salines, they sat back in the guest cabin. Aarohi lay her back on the couch, and felt better knowing that Neil was responding well to the meds and just needed a couple more hours to wake up, whilst Aryan had shut his eyes, and fallen asleep rather instantly. Aarohi got up, she needed some coffee if she had to survive the night, but she did not have the heart to wake the surgeon.

Walking towards him, she shut his laptop, and watched the tall surgeon sleep in his chair, like a stick. He held his mobile in his right hand, his precious jacket was laying on the table, his hair all messed up and if Aarohi had seen Aryan this way in the start, she would have never had a grudge against him. 

Who could when he looked so cute when he slept, almost like he was 25 again. 

She then remembered about the kidney transplant and pain seeped in when death was in question, and tried shaking the feeling off. She was positive that the donor they were to meet the next day would match and all would be well again. She sighed again, and looked at the asleep man, praying that one day he'd sleep without frowning. She very carefully removed the mobile from his hand and placed it on the table, and just when she thought she could tuck the surgeon to sleep with the jacket, Aryan gave Aarohi the jumpscare of her life.

He immediately held her wrist and pulled her towards her, of course she lost her balance and was leaning on him as he got up, surprised and shocked. His heart was beating aloud, he wondered if she could hear it and hoped she did not as her hair fell on their faces, covering them. She had stopped struggling when Aryan brushed his fingers against her cheeks, as he carefully tucked her hair. His touch was cold, icy like his personality and maybe that is why she felt even more nervous. 

Aryan however did not stop there, his hand held her side of head, holding her as she let herself off-guard. This felt nice, somehow, this felt homey. 

It reminded her of the time he slept besides her during that one stormy night, and it reminded him of the drunk episode where for the first time, Aryan Singh Rathore was hooked on a girl.

"Were you trying to steal my jacket?" He asked, softly, his warm breath hitting her nose.

"No," She admitted his obsession with his suits was something else, "why would I?" They continued their conversation while staying frozen, she on him as he held her. "I was going to put it on you."

"I don't believe you."

"Whatever, why am I even justifying!" With that she got off him, only to slip and fall on him again, this time her elbow hit his stomach as he groaned in pain. 

"Good, murder me while you can," He taunted her as Aarohi stood up, watching the man throw a tantrum, "and then call it an accident."

"That was exactly how I was going to cover it, how did you know." She straightened her clothes, tying her hair back, "why are you so..."

"So?" He stood up, steadying his expensive suit and placing the jacket on his right arm.

"SO ARYAN SINGH RATHORE." Frustrated by the 35 year old, she gathered her cell phone and got rid off the lab coat, she really needed fresh air. 

"Where are you going?" He asked, walking towards her.

"To kill myself."

"Don't," He said, almost winning Aarohi's attention when she turned, "there is a lot of work pending." 

That made her grit her teeth as they stepped out of the cabin, and once they were out, Aarohi found herself being wrapped in the warm jacket that smelled so much like the one and only, Aryan Singh Rathore.

"Don't flatter yourself," He said, walking past her, "it is cold and I don't want you sick, there is a lot of work to do." He walked towards the canteen as Aarohi shook her head, nevertheless smiling.

_

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