Kyon ✓ (Abhira)

17. First Friend

17. First Friend

His mother always told him since the incident that changed his life, that things are meant to happen the way they are woven by fate and moreover by The Almighty. There is nothing one can do to fight a battle with something that is just gonna happen, she assured him that there is nothing he could have done to change that incident. Some things just happen, with or without our intervention and to hold ourselves accountable and remain in constant anger and self pity was useful to no one.

But, Abhimanyu did not believe that. He knew he was at fault, if not a hundred percent, then for sure for a substantial portion. He couldn't stop blaming himself because he was to be blamed and he knew someone had to be held accountable for the same. If we all just raised our hands in complete surrender to fate then nothing would change. He did believe in destiny, he knew meeting people, having friends, falling in love, heartbreaks and everything that follows were all a part of life. 

So what was the point in meeting Akshara?

All his life he never intended to have friends or relations other than his family, he never attended parties or socialized, he never got attached to his patients because he never wanted to go through any type of heartache ever again. The last time was so painful, so evident in his senses that if he shut his eyes, he could visualize it again. There was nothing he could to undo it or stop his mind from replaying the memories time and again. 

Therapy and counselling was suggested to him by his family to get over the terrible heartache, but Abhi did not choose it. He felt he would lose the essence of that person if he did get help and he did not want to forgive himself as yet. He still wanted those memories, even though the ending might be bitter, everything about it was and is still so beautiful. They helped him be who he was right now, a surgeon who saves lives.

But Abhi knew, all he wanted to do was save only one person's life. 

Alas, life had humored him and he would always chuckle after a successful operation, he saved yet another life but couldn't save himself. This was his life now, saving others, giving them a new reason, a fresh new life, but to come back to his same sad routine of drowning in guilt and self pity. He chose this life, he wanted this life for him, because he was still punishing himself. 

Everything was happening according to his plan until he accidentally met one of the saddest souls he had ever met. 

Akshara Goenka

That girl was suffering, Abhi could feel that, he could read her tired eyes, those dark bags underneath them were witnesses to her insomniac nights, her thin figure was evident to her non eating habits, her smile could give him hints on how much she needed genuine laughter, her pale loose figure needed a hug, her soft hands were made to play some music but all she did was hold herself.

It was evident that she wasn't just anxious, she was depressed, she was in dire need of some self esteem and some help but he could sense how her family was already worried about her and she did not want to add onto their worries. She didn't eat a single morsel at her sister's birthday, he had noticed how she stated she wasn't hungry but if she wasn't, why would Dr. Arohi forcefully feed her? She was a musician, played so beautifully, but got a panic attack as soon as she finished the piece.