Seventeen

Chapter 8

(Farhan's)

We rang Ishan's apartment's doorbell. It was still really early in the morning. Ishan's mom opened the door for us. Jiggy and I walked in. Aunty looked really tense too.

"How is she?" Aunty asked.

I shook my head. I could not bear to tell her.

"Is it that serious?" Aunty asked gasping.

"She lost too much blood," Jiggy said. "And there were too many injuries. The hit to the head was really massive."

"I should go visits," Aunty said.

"She is in ICU. Visitors are not allowed inside. Also, she is unconscious." I said. She did not wake up after that.

"Clothes for Ishan?" Jiggy reminded aunty.

We had come here to get a set of clothes for Ishan.

"Here," Aunty took a paper cover from the couch and gave it to us.

Jiggy sighed as he accepted the cover. "He is sitting there covered in her blood, refusing to move an inch from the front of ICU."

"Send him home if you can?"

"I don't think he will come," I said. "That's why we wanted to get clothes for him. To at least change his clothes. He can't sit there covered in blood like that."

His mom looked worried.

"Don't worry, Aunty." I said, "We will get him to clean up, and eat something and all."

"Hm..." Aunty said. "Even then...Adithi... Oh, I can't believe something happened to that cute thing."

Yeah.... Actually, none of us can believe that this happened to our Adithi. It's actually shocking, that how can something so extensive like this happen in just a matter of a few hours. Even yesterday morning Adithi was running around the corridor of the apartment excited to go to the villa. Just 24 hours back, she was just the usual, happy and healthy Adithi.

According to the doctors, the chances of Adithi's recovery were a bit slim. Her vitals were really critical. Even if she manages to stay alive, there were chances of her drifting into a comatose state and not waking up ever. Even the thought of that gives shiver to all of us.

Ishan's apartment was on the same floor as my apartment, the 4th floor. Ours was 405, Ishan's was on the opposite side of corridor 401. When we stepped outside my mother was outside the door, talking to a neighbour. I gave her a nod to say I was going back to the hospital.

The girl from 406 came out to take the newspaper... She adjusted her dupatta more securely to her head, covering her hair, as she bent down to pick up the paper. I watched her as I walked...

"Farhan," Mom called. Jiggy and I looked back, "When you get to the hospital call me okay. Also, tell me when we can visit and all."

"Okay," I said.

We turned back.

"Someone is in the hospital?" The girl from 406 asked. Sounding soft and concerned as always.

"Yes," I said. "You know the girl Adithi, from Apartment 602, one of the two girls who are always with us... She had a major accident. She is in hospital now."

"Allah!" She said, "So unfortunate."

"Yeah," I said. "Please pray for her."

"Of course." She said.