Unexpectedly

The Visit

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.