There are many moments in life where you have to listen either between the head or the heart. Sometimes you know what is the right or plausible thing to do, but your heart burns to do something else.

This was a conflict Divya faced while fiddling with the comic book Vijay lent her. It has been a couple of days since the incident and she has been dying to know what happened to him. She knew he was with his family and there was nothing to worry about but there was this itch that kept her restless. Her mind wandered everytime she looked at her phone. Should she call him? No, that won't be appropriate. Maybe messaging would be fine. But she didn't know if he was fit for replying or not.

Her discomfort didn't go unnoticed by Neha. She kept quiet but now when they were hanging out together in the short girl's dorm, Neha couldn't take her aloof behavior.

"Get ready. '' She said abruptly standing up.

"Huh?" Divya raised her eyebrows at the sudden declaration.

“Get ready! Gosh! Is your hearing alright? I have to pick up the books I gave to get photocopied today. And by the looks of it, you are in need of fresh air, so come on! Don’t waste time. We will be stopping by the hospital too.” Neha declared and left the room without giving a shocked Divya a chance to say something.

Divya got ready in a very simple attire. A top and cardigan with a long skirt that reached the middle of her calves and her slippers. She brushed her hair roughly and wrapped them in a low ponytail(a tiny one). She took out a large purse and arranged Vijay’s books with a couple ones of her own and other necessary items. She met Neha outside the hostel who donned a simple green kurti and jeans. The former was very embarrassed by the fact that Neha understood the reason behind her behaviour. She didn’t know that she would meet someone like her in Delhi but she did. They took an auto to the hospital and their ride was quiet. Both didn’t say anything and never glanced at the oth, but there was an air of mutual understanding surrounding them which kept things from being uncomfortable.

When they reached the hospital, Divya instantly got out but his steps faltered. She looked back at Neha who didn't follow her and just sat at the vehicle smiling at her friend.

“Go ahead. Don’t bother yourself with me. I do have to pick my books up.” She smirked and asked the auto driver to take her to the marketplace.

Divya stood there watching the auto becoming smaller and smaller until it vanished from her view. She draws in a breath and slowly walks to the reception to ask where Vijay stayed. He got shifted to another room.

She took an elevator and saw a recognisable face coming out of the lift, busy on his phone. He was the guy who was with Vijay when they surprised her outside her hostel.She didn’t say anything to him and quietly pressed the button of the elevator that took her to the desired floor. When the doors slid open, her eyes wandered around to glance at some occasional people minding their own business.

‘What if his parents are here? That would be so awkward!’ Divya suppressed the urge to turn back and bit her lips. When she read the room number, she stilled. Wrapping her hands around the handle, she took a deep breath and barged in to greet any of Vijay’s acquaintances only to find a surprised looking Vijay with a pen’s cap between his teeth and a large sheet spread above his lap. His left hand was in a cast with some bandages on his face and right hand. He wore a hospital shirt with messy hair and darker eye circles.

Divya stood there dumbfounded, looking at her messy friend who mirrored her look.

“What are you doing?” She said without changing her expression. She didn't even register that she asked him that.

Vijay broke the eye making Divya look away too. “I could ask you the same question. How did you know I was here? "

"I have my ways. But answer me first what were you doing right now?

"Just finishing a pending project.”

This made Divya look up. Now with a mixture of concern and anger.

“Like this?! Can’t you ask the teacher to give you some time? You need to recover!”

“I know. But the deadline was already postponed twice and my teacher said that he won’t be doing that again.” With this he tried to scribble something on the sheet but it kept moving. There were some random things kept at the corners to keep the sheet from shifting too much. But it was still very difficult to work on whatever he was doing.

Divya marched ahead and gently placed her bag at the end of his bed. Then snatched the pen from his hand.

“What are you doing?!” She ignored his agitated tone and cringed at the squiggly lines he made.

“Where are your parents?”

“Out for some air. Paritosh was here a moment ago. He said he had an urgent call so he left.”

“Can’t any of your friends do this job?”

“No. My friends are a bunch of assh- I mean, they won’t do it. Paritosh brought this stuff to me and for that I am thankful. They have their own stuff to care about. But I can do that. Give it back.” He motions her to give back his pen but she puts her arms above her hips. This action made him look up at her face only to find her glaring at him. She was trying to intimidate him! But instead of scaring him, she filled his heart with amusement. It made him smirk silently and lock his gaze with her.

Seeing him do that angered Divya even more. She wanted to wipe that smirk off his face. So instead of intimidating him with anything, she smirked and took the sheet from his covered lap. This action surprised Vijay. What is she going to do now?

“I can clearly see how wonderful you are doing! This is a masterpiece! I think it will be worth millions! What was it supposed to be?”

Vijay frowned and took back the sheet and looked at it himself. He knew it was very bad. But he can’t do it with one hand. He needed his other one to hold the scale and steady the sheet and cardboard which was underneath it. “A machine.” he mumbled.

This made Divya smile triumphantly. “You must have had something to write too?”

He didn’t say anything and just looked at a bundle of books with a file and file papers.

Divya hummed and looked around. She noticed a stool at one corner of the room and dragged it towards his bed. He followed her movement silently, thinking what he would do.

“Shift.”

“What?” Vijay was surprised.

“You heard me. Shift.” Divya’s tone was commanding.

“But why?”

She sighed and sat on the stool. Then she looked at the bed and saw a large metal scale and a pencil lying around. She took them with the sheet and looked at him. “You, complete the written work, I’ll make the diagram. Just tell me what is to be made?”

Vijay’s composure now broke and he looked at her, wide eyed. “You are helping me? Really?! I thought you were the ‘do-your-work-yourself’ party?”

Divya chuckled and signalled him to move, which he did. “ I am, but you need help right now. Now shut up and tell me what to draw.”

Vijay turned and struggled to take out a book from the thick pile but Divya helped him. She set out a small makeover pad for him to write on with the books he needed.. Divya froze when he thanked her for this.

‘That was new’ she smiled to herself. Who knew Vijay could show courtesy.

When they started working on the project, a comfortable silence enveloped them. The suppressed murmurs from the hallways and the occasional noise of paper, pencil and pen could be heard, but they were fully concentrated.

Vijay’s attention wandered when Divya unconsciously started humming a song. He looked at her, now a small smile tugging his lips. She was so concentrated! Her bangs moved with every movement of her head. Her eyebrows were scrunched as she tried to make out the lines from the diagram and draw them correctly. He silently watched her immersed in properly making out every detail she wanted. There was a spot she kept erasing which made a glimpse of annoyance flash in her face. She then sat up straight and traced his book for a proper shape, then traced the same thing in the sheet while biting her lips in concentration.How cute!

Then, both of their meditations broke when Divya’s phone rang. She silently picked it up and apologetically excused herself to answer it. As for Vijay, he regained his consciousness and scolded himself for staring. He was embarrassed too but this was in denial. He shook his head and started writing again. But soon his hand froze when he heard Divya’s faint voice from the corner of the room.

“In the Hospital mum. Yes! To see Vijay.” She repeated raising her voice a little. Then the tone returned to the usual murmures and soon ended the call.

“Sorry! My mom. I have to check in with her at least twice a day. She gets really worried.” She chuckled and went back to her work, now fully immersed in it. But now Vijay couldn’t concentrate.

“Hey?”

“Hm?” She hummed without stopping her strokes.

“You told your mom about me?” There was an uncertainty in his voice. He awaited her answer which she delayed delivering.

Divya made a few lines then straightened up, drawing in a satisfied breath. She looked up at Vijay with a smile that made him overwhelmed. These many smiles directed at him! But anyone who talked with Divya experienced this. She made people feel special. All with that beautiful smile of hers.

“Yes! Um, are you uncomfortable with that? I'm sorry. I won't do so. " She chuckled apologetically.

"No. It's nothing like that. " He looked away.

Divya's lips now curled in a gentle smile and her eyes turned soft, well even softer than before. "I'm just really  close to my mother. I share nearly everything with her. "

"Oh." He wouldn't know. He always had this air awkwardness around his parents that made him nervous. It was fascinating for him that someone could be so close to their parents.

"Here, it is finished. You just have to label them with your writing. " She gently picked up the paper and placed it into his lap. Then put the book beside him. Divya admited her hard work when vijay pointed at the upper side of the diagram.

"You missed few wires here. Look. "

Soon, she finished the drawing and smiled proudly at him. He returned a small one that even in its subtle nature exuded gratitude.

He then went back to labeling the figure but he had difficulty doing so. The paper was moving a lot. She shifted from her stool and held the paper from the sides while sitting on the bed. Vijay was dumbfounded with her sudden boldness but didn't say anything. He knew she didn't mean anything from that when she said,

"Here, the corner one is Wire A. " While looking at the book.

They worked in silence when the door opened behind them. In came Vijay's mother who was more than surprised to find a girl sitting at his son's bed! She watched astonishingly at the seen where the two of them worked together.

Being a conservative woman she was, she didn't like the scene at first. But when she looked at the way Divya guided him to write properly and gently chided when he put some pressure on his arm.

"Vijay" She called out. She was amused to see the girl jump at her voice and her son look at her as if she caught them doing something they shouldn't. She chuckled inwardly and closed the door behind her.

Divya, now fully aware of her closeness with Vijay and the fact that his mother saw them together like this filled her with anxiety and shyness. She stood up and faced his mother who came to them with a hint of smile on her face.

"Auntie! Namaste (Greetings). " She folded her hands in greeting.

Vijay's mother's smile widened at this and she softly patted Divya's head to give her blessings. Both women were nearly the same height with the older woman slightly taller. She studied Divya's face and recognised her in an instant.

" Wait, you are the same girl who brought Vijay here right? "

"Ah… yes.. I was. " She bowed her head stuttering a little.

" I never thanked you properly. I don't know what would've happened to him if you didn't bring him here. " But before Divya could say something, Vijay interrupted them.

" Wait. She was the one who admitted me here?! " He was genuinely surprised. If she really brought him here why didn't she said so when he inquired?

Divya couldn't look at him. She knew he was probably glaring at her. Or at least accusing her of not telling him. So she did the one thing she found the best to do.

" Now that you are here auntie, I should go. I came here with my friend and she messaged me that she is coming to pick me up soon. " And with that she emptied her bag of the books and placed on his bedside table.

"Here is something to pass your time with. " She whispered hurriedly and before he could say something to her, she shot herself at the door.

"Wait a minute honey. " Leela,  Vijay's mother called out.

"Yes auntie. " She turned around awkwardly to meet the older woman's face. There were signs of old age and wariness but she still looked someone who was in her early 40's.

" I didn't get your name? "

"Umm… I told you last time. It's Divya. "

"Full name? "

Divya was a little taken aback but she finished answering the question. "Divya Singh. I'll be off now. Bye. " And then she ran out of the room finally managed to take in the breath she was holding. She missed a smile of satisfaction that crossed Leela's face but she could still here the muffled sounds of the mother and son.

"What was that? " Vijay sounded annoyed and… Afraid?

"What? " His mother was more relaxed in her tone.

" You asking her full name. " He elaborated.

" Well, it is not wrong for a mother to think about his son's marriage. Was she your girlfriend? "

"No!! " Vijay was bewildered and overwhelmed. Was this really his mother?!

While outside, Divya squeaked so loud that it drew the attention of some bystanders there. She apologised fervently and ran to the elevator with the word 'marriage' now plastered on her mind.

***

I won't promise regular updates but will still try to update it ASAP. You will only have Mondays to look out for though.

Thank you for reading. Please leave your feedbacks! Critical comments are really appreciated!!

Have a great day!!