Anatomy of Love (Complete)

Chapter 5

Khushi wipes her face and stands by the fence of the school building where they are staying. They are on their second day at a small village miles away from the hustles of the city. They would leave for the second location the next day. After a tiring day, standing there feeling the cold breeze on her face felt good. The sun has set quite sometime back but it has left its hue in the western sky. Acres of green fields, tall trees and the twinkling lights from the huts make the scenery before her idyllic. She closes her eyes trying to enjoy the calmness after a tiring day when she hears, "Beautiful, isn't it?"

She turns to her side and finds Rishab standing beside him, his hands in his pockets. She simply stares at him, not saying anything at all. He turns to face her and with that usual smile, he says, "What? Is there something on my face? Or are you drooling over me? I know I am handsome."
"You are so full of yourself. I would prefer to die than drool over you."
"Ouch! You are too harsh. You hurt me baby girl."
"Don't you ever call me.. you.."
She turned to leave.
"Hey! Stop!" He calls her from behind but she leaves.

Khushi avoids Rishab for the next few days. One evening she enters the tent and finds him sitting there. She mutters sorry and turns to leave.
"For how long are you going to avoid me?"
"I am not."
Rishab gets up and says, "Really? Then you should not mind having.. say a drink with me right now."
"I have no interest in.. drinking. And what drink are you talking about? We aren't in a club."
He smiles, "Thanks for telling me that. I really believed I was in Club 29."
She gives him an angry look.
He looks at her with amusement. "I can get beers. But you aren't interested, so we can have.. H2O. Basic water in a bottle at normal temperature."

"You aren't avoiding me or are you?" He asks, smiling sheepishly.
She sits down on the foldable chair. He goes and takes the folding bed. He pulls out two bottles of water and hands her one. She opens it and takes a sip.
"Are you cool now?"
She doesn't reply.
"Okay.. Still fuming. I won't call you anything but just Dr.Khushi. Happy?"
"You love making fun of everyone. You behave badly and you love that. Why?"
"You get irritated very soon. You get sensitive with little things. Why?"

Both stay silent for sometime and then she asks, "Do you hate me for some reasons?"
"I think I have already answered this question. Next please."
"Why am I here? Why did you pick me for the camp?"
"Is Mr.Chopra's daughter finding sleeping in tents tough? Missing your comfortable bed?"
She immediately spats, "You have no right to talk to me like this. I said earlier, I have my own identity, Dr.Khushi Chopra. Why do you bring my father up everytime?"
Rishab smiles, "Relax, Dr.Khushi. I was just joking."

She stands up,"Yes, you were. Everything is a joke for you. You are just a spoilt son of a rich parents. You have been pampered so much that you have turned into a snob."
Rishab smirks but stays quiet.
"You think that I joined KK Hospital because my father is the Vice Chairman of the group. You think he got me enrolled there and I didn't deserve the seat. Isn't that? But you are forgetting something, Dr.Rishab Khurana. You are forgetting that your father is Dr.Raghuvir Khurana. You are the son of the Chairman of KK Groups. And you are working at KK Memorial Medical College and Hospital. Don't you think, I should say the same thing."

She is simmering with rage now. "You know what the truth is your father actually got you the job. I think with that attitude of yours, you couldn't get a job anywhere else. That's why you think the same about others. Isn't it?"
"Honestly, I am done with what you think. You can believe whatever you want. I don't care anymore."
She turns to leave, stops and says, "Thanks for the drinks. Good night Dr.Rishab."

That night she joins others outside the tents. Two senior residents Dr.Ajinkya and Dr.Subhra, 1st year Residents Dr.Peter, Dr.Prasanna, Dr.Rubina and Dr.Nisha and nurses Priya and Tina were the ones chosen for the health camp. They all sit together chatting while they wait for their dinner to arrive.
Nisha asks Khushi, "You look upset. Are you alright?"
"Nothing.. had an interaction with Dr.Khadoos. I hate him."
"Oh!" Nisha then says, "But why? I mean Dr.Rishab is so different here. He is.. friendly.. talking nicely with us.. smiling a lot. What happened with you?"
Khushi gazes at her and then shakes her head, "Nothing."