Metanoia | ✔

*Chapter 16*

Jiya is sitting on a short pillar on the rooftop. She is silently crying hugging her knees, as if no one was ever there for her.

Suddenly, she hears someone calling him from back.

"Jiya?"

Jiya wipes her cheeks full of tears & turns around. It was Dr. Paras. Every time Jiya is broken, somehow he appears in front of her.

"Dr. Paras? Yes, do you need something?" Jiya asks with a heavy voice.

"P. No I'm okay. I came here to talk to you just... are you alright?"

It felt a lot to say "no I'm not!", but she couldn't. With a little nod, she said "Yeah I'm fine."

"P. I know you're not. Mostly people say they're okay, but actually they're not just able to bear the pain! *sits beside her* I'm here, you can share with me."

Jiya bursts into tears right then & starts talking about whatever she has in her mind.

Paras secretly observes every action of her & lets her do or say whatever she wants. He doesn't interrupt at all, rather keeps quiet the whole time.

After almost 1 hour & 30 minutes, Jiya stops talking.

"J. I'm sorry dr. Paras, I probably took a lot of time of yours. Thank you so much for hearing me out, I seriously needed it."

"P. That's alright. Well, Jiya I wanted to say one thing."

"J. Yeah sure."

"P. Could you come to my chamber once a week at least?"

"J. Why doctor?"

"P. I- I want to take you in a kind of therapy, where you'll be able to share everything, literally everything of your life without any hesitation & I'll be there as a listener. Trust me, you really need it too! Otherwise.."

"J. Otherwise? The most that can happen is, death. Isn't it more peaceful than living like this? I'll even stop going to college, eventually will bring my death as near as possible."

"P. Of course not! Why are you being so hopeless!? Listen, take me as just a friend of yours. And do share everything with me, that's my job to treat you as a patient! Except it, you're going to college everyday, that's it."

Paras gets up.

"P. I'll be waiting for you tomorrow."

Jiya doesn't reply anything back & turns the other side nodding her head. Paras leaves getting his answer.

The next day..

"Knock knock!"

"Come in please." Dr. Paras replies being busy in something important.

A lady in pink arrives near his desk but he takes a little time to notice her. So she prefers calling him once.

"Dr. Paras?"

He looks up startling & finds out, it's Jiya.

"Owh, so you're here.. didn't expect you to come so easily. Well, please have a seat." Paras says with a smile.

"Now what should I do?" Jiya asks him with a soft voice & expressionless face.

"Hm.. how are you doing?" Paras asks her back.

"Do you think I'm okay Dr.?"

"P. That's what I want to know, why ain't you okay?"

Jiya is silently looking down & playing with her fingers, constantly thinking what her reply to this question should be.

"P. You are allowed to take your time, just think. And speak whatever you feel like, no one is here to judge you."

"J. I know doctor, I'm mentally not well. And the situation is something like, I can't even change. I know, I have to spend the rest of my life like this, no matter whoever tries to change it. The abuse that I've gone through, I have been going through since years, can never be expressed in words. Even I don't want to, cause I'm now habituated."

"P. Hmm.."

"J. I have been either ignoring or accepting everything coming in the way of my life, I never complained. Because I know, I was destined to live like this. My father, being a father always neglected me like an animal. My mother, being a mother could never give me a bit splash of love. What else should I expect from the world & its people?"

Paras notices her eyes turning full with tears & the sudden hiccups. He forwards a glass of water & Jiya drinks it entirely. She again speaks,

"I should've hated my family, or left them at a very young age. But, no. I couldn't. I still love them much. And that courage never came within me to leave my home & face the world alone."

Meanwhile a drop of tear falls from her left eye. Paras keeps observing it thoroughly.

Jiya tells Paras about her childhood, puberty and every stage & time whenever she got abused. After 2 hours, their session ends.

"I understand Jiya, hope you'll feel light sharing all these. Seems like you had kept a stone on your heart from a long time but could never throw it out, isn't it?" Smiling at her, says Paras.

" *sighs* Most probably. I'm already feeling light doctor." Jiya slightly smiles.

"Listen, I'll prescribe you some medicines to keep your stress level down, do buy them before returning home. Alright?" Paras says while writing the prescription.

"J. Fine."

"P. Here it is. That's all today, you described your feelings well, girl. Have a nice day."

Before getting up, Jiya keeps a bundle of notes in front of Paras & he confusingly looks at them.

"P. Wha-"

"I had asked in the reception how much you take for per hour, here's the amount. Thank you for your time." Jiya says with a straight face.

"Ooh, you've grown up, huh?" He chuckles. "I thought you would buy some chocolates for me again, that was a beautiful experience honestly."

"I used to buy chocolates as I couldn't bring that much money with me, doctor. But, things have changed. Treatments from you have taught me how to steal as well." Jiya says with a straight face.

She leaves the cabin & Paras keeps smiling while recalling her activities. "She is weird, but perfect."

Jiya walks by the side of the road & feels the wind around her. She is able to breathe today, after such a long time! She never imagined to feel this light someday. Her heart & mind, everything is suddenly feeling too pure & clean.

____________________________________

Hey guys! Sorry for late update again. Let me tell you, I'm quite sure you guys have lost interest in this book. Don't worry, it doesn't have anything great to come. But yeah, a new character is going to enter & that's a surprise.

So, no precap today:)
And this book is to end soon, please do vote if you're reading it:)

Thank you ♡