Riya slowly opened her eyes everything was fuzzy, someone was talking nearby but she couldn't make out who or what they were saying then suddenly someone much closer to her shouted ' "She's awake!" Riya realised that she was in a hospital and the people hovering over her were the doctors. Everything that happened in the last two days reeled in Riya's head and a new found panic took over, "A-Arjun sir..."
"Riya, I am doctor Malhothra..."
"Arjun sir, Rathod sir...are they okay? Shree, Chotu?"
"Riya, please calm down. They are all fine. Your whole team is outside waiting for you to wake up. I'll send them in and you can meet them soon..."
"They are all fine?"
"Well...just minor injuries. No, no please don't worry...nothing major, I assure you" the doctor added when he realised that Riya started to panic again.
The doc did a few routine checkups and after making sure everything was in order he let the others in for a few minutes. As everyone from her team entered the room, she noticed that Rathod and Shree were hurt. Rathod seemed to have injured his hand and a few scratches here and there but Shree seemed to have hurt the worst he came in limping, supported by Chotu.
"Shree! Are you okay?" Riya asked immediately concerned for him.
"I am fine!"
"Sir are you..." Riya started to ask Rathod, only to find herself interrupted.
"Don't worry about us Riya, we are fine. How are you feeling?"
Riya slightly raised her arms to find them covered with the white bandage, her ribs hurt and her whole body was aching. A chill passed through her when she thought of the torture done to her, she quickly looked away from her arms.
"I - I am f -fine sir" Riya said unconvincingly.
Rathod looked at her for a few seconds and nodded his head. All this time Arjun ' the person Riya wanted to see the most ' was standing silently at the back of the room watching her. Riya's anxious eyes met Arjun's but his eyes did not give anything away. Rathod noticed this and decided to give them some space.
"Shree you should go rest. Chotu take him to his room" Rathod ordered to his men. He then turned to Arjun and in low voice so only he can hear him said, "Her aunt and uncle are waiting outside, whatever it is make it quick" giving Riya a quick glance and a nod, Rathod left.
Arjun slowly walked towards Riya and stopped short a few steps away from her bed. His troubled face looked at her hands, and then looked away from her.
"Sir, tha...thank you", when Arjun looked at her confused she added "for coming f-for me, for being th ' there for me..." Riya stopped feeling a little silly saying all that. Arjun stared at her, some unknown feeling flashing in his eyes, "we...are all part of the team right? That's what we do...we look out for each other...right?"
Riya stared at him, was that all she was to him? A team mate? Tears formed in her eyes and before she could control herself the tear drops rolled off her eyelashes and fell down her cheeks. She immediately looked away from Arjun but not before he noticed the tears.
"Riya? Riya are you crying?"
Riya only shook her head in response.
"Riya look at me...Riya, I said look at me..." when she did not pay heed to his order, Arjun gently cupped the side of her face and turned her face towards him.
"Did you really mean that?" Riya asked
"What?" Arjun asked, not liking the direction this conversation was going.
"Did you do all that just because I am your 'team mate'? The way you assured me, the way you held me...you don't feel anything for...?"
"Riya!!" Arjun interrupted her. He did not want to hear her finish that sentence. True there were some new feelings, feelings that should not be there - developing towards her. But Arjun did not want to pay heed to those feeling, his love would always be his wife ' only his wife. Without giving her another glance he left her room and the hospital...for the next week and half Riya was in the hospital she did not see him again once.
If you have any suggestions or would like to read anything in particular let me know in your comments...I'll try and incorporate it into my story!! 😊
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