Do Love Lasts?

chapter 9

"Always make time for what, or who, you love."

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Author's POV

Ananya waited outside around the hospital, exactly as mentioned by Sameeha. However, the only other person who was waiting there was Gautham. She was dead tired of having to stand for the last hours in the lab. She knows she can't wait for Sameeha forever- who doesn't seem to pick up the phone, so she approached his car to ask about Sameeha.

Through the window of the passenger seat, she's able to see him. Gautham, unknown to this, has been talking to himself, or more like giving a small pep talk in the car. Thanks to the heavily tinted window, his little practising is not much visible to Ananya.

She tapped on the window, grabbing his attention, and he almost immediately got out of his car. She was still a little hesitant to ask, but did it anyway. "Um, have you seen Sameeha? She was supposed to pick me up."

Gautham circled around the car and stood near her. "About that. She asked me to pick you up and send you home."

2 hours ago,

For most people, it was another mundane Monday. For Gautham, it was another day feeling dejected and wondering how to move on from his current feeling. It has been 3 days since that so-called 'disastrous' thing— described by him, happened. It took him an entire day; to reel down from the high of meeting her and finally realize that the whole encounter went bad.

A double knock on his office door disturbed his focus. A short woman peeked into the room. "Gautham, I need a favor. You have no plans after six, right?"

"Why should I help you?" Seeing Sameeha only made him annoyed. His annoyance was childlike; Gautham refused to look at her and kept his gaze on the blank computer screen.

She stood in the doorway, smiling. "Because I helped you with Ananya the other day."

His jaw tightened hearing her cheeky reply. "That went terrible."

"I know, Anu told me about it."

Gautham's face grimaced at the thought of even Ananya thinking it was a disaster. 'It was all a terrible encounter indeed,' he thought.

Sameeha continued, ignoring his gloomy face, "Look, I just need you to pick up someone around 6pm later."

"What? Who? I don't want to be involved in your drug smuggling cases." He narrowed his eyes at her suspiciously.

"Why would— just go and do it. You will thank me later."

He sensed her intention with the last sentence and her sly look. "Wait! No, I'm not doing it! If it's Ananya— "

"It is Ananya. Go and pick her up. Drop her at home. Try not to make it 'terrible' this time." Sameeha gave instructions, like one would to a child. After all, his present behaviour was immature like a child. She even held up an okay sign with her hand.

"What makes you think it will go well this time?"

Sameeha sighed, looking at the man who don't radiate a tad bit of joy after getting happy news. It appears to her that the incident took place a few days ago may have crumpled his confidence. "Gautham, I can only hand you the ingredients. It's all in your hands to make a delicious dish out of the them."

The humour failed to get into his mind. His large shoulder sagged even lower. "I can't. We don't seem to have anything in common," he said while fiddling with the small rubber band ball toy on his desk.