When Aditya and Aarav came back to the camp. Aditya decided he should visit the dispensary. He had done some basic first aid that he knew of on his wound on his forehead and the burn on his hand.
----
That was officially the busiest day in the medical camp today.
No one got a break. They all were busy suturing patient after patient. Prescribing painkillers to an extent that three days' stock got over in one day. There were people in need of blood transfusions. Patients with third-degree burns. Stabilizing them and referring them to higher hospitals through buses and military trucks. They did everything that they could to save people.
"After this day, I'll never call hospital shifts hectic." Jahnvi, she whispered to herself.
But it was not just physical exhaustion that Jahnvi was going through. Her hands were trembling. She felt her brain would burst from overthinking.
She did not see him after that blast. When she asked Rawat about him, he told her he did not know and was not ready to give any other information.
She carried guilt in her heart.
Guilt of fighting with him that day without understanding his situation. 'This was not how I wanted to know everything. This was too violent.'
Guilt of ignoring him the day he came with medical supplies. He came for initiating a conversation, 'Why did I not listen to him then?'
She was sure at this point he hated her.
And that hurt her in some way she could not explain.
'Only if I can go back in time.'
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It was evening; emergency lights were glowing. Their medical tent was calmer now. The team decided to have their first meal of the day. Jahnvi and Niharika said that they'll wait until others come back. Cannot abandon the medical camp.
For a moment of peace, they both sat in the pharmacy. Patients knew this, and they could call them if they needed anything.
They were taking a breather.
----
When Aditya entered the medical camp, he looked around for a doctor. A health volunteer informed him that they were in the dispensary. He was about to call them when Aditya stopped him and said he would go there.
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Niharika saw him approaching the pharmacy through the counter. Jahnvi had rested against the counter and so could not.
Niharika knew what she was doing when she asked Jahnvi to excuse her for a minute and left from the pharmacy back door.
---
As Adiya entered the pharmacy, he cleared his throat.
Jahnvi turned. And saw him. He could feel that sudden relaxation in her posture when she saw him.
'Was that because of his return?'
This thought.
It made him duck his head. He could not make eye contact with her.
"I came here for my injuries."
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Jahnvi could not express how his mere presence here decreased her stress level by a hundredfold.
Then she looked at his forehead. That injury was from a stone that came in her way, and he got hit instead.
She saw how the blood trailed down his face from there and had dried and clotted on his face and shirt.
His shirt. The khaki shirt he wore was covered with his blood, others' blood, his sweat, and so much dust.
She saw his hand. His hand. It was covered in some bandages.
"Sit."
This time she ordered, and he complied.
She took some cotton swabs, dipped them in spirit, and started wiping his forehead. When the dirt and blood cleared, she could see the clear new scar formed near his hairline on his forehead.
Guilt. Her thoughts were drowning her in guilt.
That scar was hers.
She villainized this man without knowing the truth.
Her tears were about to flow, but she controlled them. She controlled herself.
Her vision blurred from the tears she could not show him.
Her vision blurred so that she could not see how he was taking in every expression of her face.
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She touched that scar with her fingers.
She wanted to hug him.
And her fingers froze.
She was sure he hated her.
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She cannot hug him.
She cannot cry in front of him.
All she can do is heal his wound.
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Aditya saw the worry on her face. He saw how she felt when she saw his scar.
He felt her touch over it.
He felt the restraint that came after that.
He saw how she controlled her tears.
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When she saw the bandage on his hand.
She asked, "Who did this?"
"I know basic first aid."
She held his wrist in her hand. As she was peeling the bandage, she could see the red, swollen, tender, angry burn getting uncovered.
"Is this that... that petrol bomb?" Jahnvi asked with hesitation.
He just nodded. No words.
"It should have been iced immediately." She said gently.
She knew why it was not iced immediately.
He just smiled softly. No reply.
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As she touched his hand, he did not flinch.
She looked up to make sure whether he was alright and saw creases over his forehead.
Pain.
"I know it pains, but it cannot heal otherwise."
He understood.
"Indeed. Nothing can be healed without pain."
She could not help herself but glance at his face.
Their eyes met.
And nobody bothered to look away.
In her eyes he could see the pain. He could see the tears she was holding back.
She looked in his eyes; it felt like he had exposed himself. He does not want to hide anymore.
It was a moment of freedom they both had allowed themselves to be in, where they were nothing but two humans understanding each other.
They were sitting together. Aditya's hand in Jahnvi's. And their eyes were busy communicating what they could not say.
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Then Jahnvi blinked. As if blinked back to reality. They both looked everywhere except at each other.
Suddenly they felt too exposed.
Jahnvi diverted her attention back to his burn.
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When he got up, he was about to leave.
Jahnvi held his wrist.
Aditya turned back. He had not expected this.
She wanted to say so many things.
- I was worried when I could not see you.
- I'm sorry for villainizing you.
- Thank you for saving me.
But all she said was
"You look tired.... Take a rest."
And then she dropped his hand.
Aditya felt the hesitation in her words.
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"You too." That was all he could say at that moment, and he left the place.
ns216.73.217.39da2
and then Add to home screen.