Busy..Busy...
Wrote in super hurry.Something many of you will not expect will happen in this chapter(or you may have expected)
Write your comments to let me know what you all thought of it!

Recap: Saira went towards woods to search for Nikhil.She gets lost there and ends up injuring her leg severely and dehydration takes a toll on her.
Nikhil finds her and she ends up in operation and surgery.
(I am no doc so any of the things inaccurate is not my fault :) )

Beep.
Beep.

I fluttered my eyes open slowly.
My head was pounding with pain.My throat felt dry.

I saw Nikhil sleeping soundly near me.

Before I could stop myself,I let my fingers brush through his hair.I always imagined it to be soft and clearly it was.My this little action made him open his eyes.

I blushed deeply before I tried to speak,"Wa..wa...ter."

Nikhil frowned before he nodded and passed me a glass of water.I drank it hurriedly and felt my throat relieved.

Nikhil asked,"Saira,are you okay?"

I blinked blankly and I spoke,"I don't know."

His face scrunched up in confusion when Doctor entered.

He gave me a gentle smile and asked,"Mrs Malhotra,How do you feel?"

I joked,"Like a patient."

He laughed at my answer while Nikhil gave me a dry look on my humor.

I shrugged and answered whatever questions the doctor asked me.

The doctor nodded and spoke,"I hope Mrs Malhotra,you are aware of your condition."

I nodded and spoke,"I think the plaster says it enough."

The doctor gave me a sympathetic look and said,"Its more than that,Mrs Malhotra.You cannot dance for few months.If you even attempt to try so,you may permanently damage your nerves and tissue."

My face was filled with shock.

What about my Dance competition?

I felt my lips quiver at the thought.I had been preparing for the competition for 10 years.Yep,its that tough.

I was ready this year and had given auditions earlier this year and I had been selected for International Audition.

My chances were ruined and I asked,as a sob escaped me,"Please..Isn't there some way?My dance comp..."

The Doctor shook his head,"No.I will not allow you.I cannot let you risk a lifetime damage."

He gave me a sad smile and exited the room.

I couldn't hold anymore and I wanted to burst out.

Out of what?Maybe sadness?Frustration?Failure?

Nikhil looked at me with a sad expression.

Nikhil tried to speak.But I wanted sometime alone.

I said,"I need to be alone."

Nikhil protested and spoke,"But you have just...."

I spoke in a raised voice,"I said,Leave!NOW!"

He flinched at my tone before stiffly nodding and he went outside.

I cried.

Mentally cursing myself,I kept crying and berated myself.I had dreamt of my opportunity for so long.

I was so near,now yet so far.

I felt a failure.I felt frustrated that neither my professional front was good neither my personal life was heading anyway.

I hid myself under the blanket and shed those sad bitter tears,hoping to relieve every such emotion might wash away.Sadly it wasn't helping.

It felt getting worse and I was crying more louder.

For some,this may seem silly.Crying for a competition?Bah!

But for me?It was one of my topmost goal!My greatest priority until I got married.

Somewhere I blamed Nikhil for the whole thing!

Maybe he is not at fault.

But for this time,it felt better to put blame on someone.

And maybe,I felt a bit guilty of blaming me,but I felt better.

Yes!Maybe if he would have waited for me,had all this thing then happened?

I sighed and slept.

I decided to ignore him.Anyways,the crush thing was getting out of my hand.

Who would in someone's right mind chase a guy in forest?

Me.

Sighing again,I slept.

******************************************************************************

I woke up and instantly I felt a warm hand caressing my head.

I opened my eyes to see my mom.

She had tears and as soon as she saw me,she hugged me.

"Saira!Baby,I am so sorry!Please forgive your mumma!"She cried as she tightly engulfed me.

I hugged her.

I spoke,"Mom,I missed you!I was afraid that we are too afar to be us again!"

I missed the old Kapoor family.

Instantly I heard my dad say,"We can never be too far,Saira.Families aren't meant to be broken.Only,time tests us and makes us more stronger than before."

Before I knew,I was hugging both my parents.
All though the plaster was not helping it.
Damn it!
They laughed at my effort and said,"When you were learning to walk,you fluttered your arms around you so that you could walk.It took you three days to understand that you are not butterfly."
I blushed at the mention of embarrassing incident.
And Aarav decided to enter at the very moment,"Look,I uploaded the video on Snapchat.Oh my god! 1 view in 1 second!"
I hid my face.
Just then Shyla spoke,"That's me,you idiot!"
I tried to laugh but ended up coughing awkwardly. I hated medicines.

******************************************************************************************************

"Hey!"
I looked up and saw Nikhil with a young lady.
I frowned.I didn't know this girl.
Nikhil introduced her,"Meet her,She is Mrs Stellar.Your physiotherapist."
I smiled at her and waved my hand,"Hi."
She giggled and said,"Hiii."
I mentally flinched at her overexcited tone.
She started speaking,"So guys,after few days,I will start the session.Initially few sessions with easy exercises but then the sessions will increase according to your health and condition of your leg with follow up sessions.Am I clear?"
We nodded.
She smiled and said,"Okayyy.So meet you later guys!Byeeee!"
And she banged the door close.
I just blinked.
What had just happened?
I managed to only speak,"Isn't she a ray of sunshine of afternoon?"
Nikhil's mouth was still hung open ,when he snapped out and said,"However,she is.She is best at her work."
I only nodded and closed my eyes.

I remembered the previous night list I had made.

Tip 1: Avoid eye contact with crush.You might swoon again.
Tip 2: Don't talk unless he has to talk.I mean you guys are husband and wife so..
Tip 3: Act professionally.
Tip 4: too sleepy.Bah!Sleep eat and repeat steps.
Or
Find another crush.

I mentally cringed at my list and thought of various things when Nikhil spoke,"I am sorry."
I looked at him.
Damn you list!
His warm eyes stared at me.I was melting.
No Saira!You are not ice cream to melt at his so sweet gaze!
I wanted to look away but it felt magnetic enough to look at it.
I am pretty sure he has installed magnets in his eyes and iron in my eyes.
What the heck am I even thinking?
I spoke,"What is even your mistake?"
He looked down,his face covered with guilt,"You asked me to wait. I didn't."
I wanted to laugh at the irony.I had thought the same thing before.
I shook my head and spoke,"It was inevitable and stupid of me to search you in woods."
He took out a phone covered in muddy sludge and I made a disgusting noise.
He smirked,"I thought you might want your phone back."
I shook my head and spoke,"You thought pretty much wrong,Mr Malhotra."
He laughed and said,"I like hearing Mr Malhotra.Makes me sound like..I don't know."
We laughed.
He sobered up and said,"I was wondering one thing."
I looked at him.
I am supposed to be a grown up woman not a teenager!Stop having crush!
His hands played with the hem of his shirt,he was nervous.
He asked me,"Why did you search for me in woods?"
I asked him instead,"Would you have done it if you were in my place?"
He scoffed and said,"I already did that."
I rolled my eyes and he said,"In a heartbeat."
I spoke,"That's what my answer is."
He nodded and he got a message.
He stood up and started going out when I said,"Nikhil?"
He stopped and looked back at me,"Yes?"
I took a deep breath.
That's it.I have had enough of this internal thinking.
I spoke,"I like you."
He smiled and said,"I too like you.Thats what friends are supposed to do."
I shook my head,"Nikhil?"
His smile fell.
My face fell too.
He spoke,"I am sorry."
I smiled even though tears threatened to fall,"Don't be."
And he left me.
Like always.
With a feeling of awfulness and crushed feelings.