Agent 024

I MIGHT JUST SUE YOU

"It's for the best.", I nodded.

"Yes.", he nodded.

I drew back as I removed my hands from his. He leaned back and sat back on his chair.

"So, who punched who?", Doctor Kumar said, entering the room with his usual cheerfulness.

"I'm the patient.", I said, turning towards Dr Kumar.

"Oh my God, Tisha.", she said, walking towards me.

"It's worse than it looks.", I said, comforting her. God forbid if she put me on a medical leave a day before the exams.

"Someone hates you a lot.", she said, examining the damage to my nose.

"On the contrary.", I said, looking at Abhay as I suppressed a sad smile.

He looked up at me and nodded.

"Some Asfrin will heel it it no time.", she said, picking up a spray bottle from the tray she had brought along.

"And what should I put as the cause of the injury?", she asked looking at both of us suspiciously as she started connecting the dots.

"I was boxing in the ring and got punched in the face, the usual story.", I shrugged.

"And by who?", she asked, staring at Abhay.

"That's not required.", I said.

I was not going to let Abhay get on the Doctor's bad side because of a small injury. 

"Oh, I'll decide that.", Doctor Kumar said, looking at me.

Doctor Kumar shared a friendly relation with both of us. And she had known Abhay since he was a kid. That and Abhay being her student intern, she felt a sense of responsibility for his actions. Maybe I should take up psychology next year.

"You're right-", Abhay said as he stood up.

"No, she isn't.", I said, interrupting him. Why did everyone in this Academy just love to play guilty.

"Look, we were boxing in the ring and it was an innocent punch. I should have been able to defend it. He didn't hit me to hurt me.", I said. Every word of what I had just said was true. The punch could have been easily defended had I not been too distracted with my anger.

"Yeah, you were boxing with someone who grew up doing it. What were you thinking Abhay?", she asked him.

"You know, I would never hurt her, Riya.", Abhay said, looking at the doctor.

"You're right.", Doctor Kumar said as she took a deep breath.

"Can't you two just solve your issues without going at each other in the ring?", Riya said as she sat next to me.

We laughed.

"Well there are no issues anymore.", Abhay said.

"Yeah, we're both in the clear about what we want.", I nodded.

I could see the smile beginning to form on Riya's face. It would break my heart to see that smile drop.

"Congratulations-", she began.

"We've both decided that we don't want to - that we shouldn't", I said, correcting myself, "be with each other."

"What?", Riya said, "Why?"

"We both want different things.", Abhay shrugged, "And now we must be on our way. First year exams begin tomorrow."

"Yeah.", I said, getting up and smiled at the Doctor before I walked out of the infirmary wing.

"I'm sorry for that. Agent Kumar shouldn't have blamed you.", I said, as we got inside the wing.

"Yeah, she's my mentor, been for a while now. I get where she comes from.", he said, pressing the ground floor button.

"I'll see you around then.", I said, as we exited the medical wing.

"I'll drop you at the hostel?", he asked as a question but I could sense the request in his voice.

"And then I'll want to drop you back.", I shrugged, "We can go at it all night."

"How about I drop you this time and you can walk me over the next?", he said, offering his hand.

"There's not going to be a next time, Abhay.", I said, taking a step back. These were promises one made to his partner. And Abhay and I - I don't even know what we were.

"I'll make sure there is.", he said as he took my palm and said, "Shall we?"

I nodded.

I removed my hand from his as we started walking. This could be platonic for him but it couldn't be for me. And just after I had agreed to be friends, this was venturing into very dangerous territory.

"And it isn't awkward at all.", Abhay chuckled.

"Uh huh.", I said as I shook my head.

"How's the preparation going?", he asked.

"Great. Law is one subject I am going to ace.", I said, crossing my arms.

"I agree, you're going to be a force to reckon with if you do take up law."

"Oh I might just sue then.", I smirked.

"I won't do that if I were me. This innocent face", he said, pointing at himself, "Judges aren't going to believe a word of accusation against me."

"It's good that law needs proof then and I think I'll have a lot of it.", I chuckled as I entered the girls hostel and waved at him.

He put his hands in his pockets and smiled. 

"Bye.", I said and turned back.

I didn't imagine the first time I confessed to my crush and got rejected would be like this. But no matter how hard it was, I'm glad we were in the clear and back to normal. More than losing Abhay as a crush, I had come to realize that I missed him more as a friend. And I didn't want lose that friendship.

"Hey.", Priya said.

"Hey.", I said, as I closed the door behind me.

The pile of books on her table was considerably smaller and she no longer looked on the verge of hyperventilating.

"What happened to your nose?", she said, making me sit on the bed.

"I got knocked down.", I said.

"Looks pretty bad. Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I had the best people looking after it.", I smiled.

"Anyone I need to go beat up?"

"Na, just me. I'm as reckless at it gets remember. If I come home knocked out, it means I'm the one who went looking for the fight in the first place.", I said, removing my shoes.