Part 2
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Dr. Arishka Kapoor had a comparitively bad start at Malhotra Hospital, as by lunch time, she was exhausted. Not physically, but mentally, because apparently Dr. Ved took her as a lemon, because he was purposely squeezing her very soul out.
What the hell did he mean by her not being worth the trouble ?! She was a good doctor, responsible and talented, she would be able to prove herself if she was given the right opportunity, but Ved straightaway rejected her and her talent, not even giving her a chance to go through his trial tests to prove her worth.
She went to the common room, finally, to have some lunch, when the chitter chatter of the other interns and resident doctors hit her. Arishka was so used to the silence, that even the hollers of her family and her sister used to drown in her ears, as she used to zone out like always. Maybe she didn’t always like silence, but she was so used to it, that it was like a new normal to her.
She sighed and was walking towards the food counter, when she heard a familiar voice.
“Yes ! And then I-“
“Pooja ?” said Arishka, looking at the person sitting on a table.
“Pooja Randhawa ?”
“Oh my god !!!! AARU ?!” shrieked Pooja.
Arishka’s eyes widened as Pooja realised how loud she actually was, especially with her friend’s nickname.
Dr. Ved Malhotra was walking into the common room to talk to one of his senior residents, when he saw a familiar female, her eyes widened and cautious, as he heard someone yell her nickname.
Aaru ?
That was Dr. Arishka’s nickname. Sounded so......homely......cute ?
Ved felt weird, like he was just surprised that the doctor he disliked had such a nickname. Meaningless, logic less, yes, but he just couldn’t explain what and why felt. His eyebrows slightly raised.
Dr. Ved was amused.
At the nickname. At the female doctor. And at how her expression was when her friend exposed her.
“Pooja...” whispered Arishka.
“Sorry..” said Pooja, as she side hugged her.
“You work here ?”
“Yess !! I got an internship after graduation.”
“Oh yes, you left.”
Pooja nodded as she smiled.
“But you’re here ? You were in Sukhpreet Hospital, no ? Why’d you-“ started Pooja.
Arishka’s smile failed, as she remembered why she actually left the hospital, her family, her Punjab, the place she loved, she grew up, the place she had all of her parents’ memories in.
“Um, I don’t know, I guess, I wanted to expand my opportunities..” said Arishka, faking a smile.
Before the girls could continue their conversation, there was a loud voice, disrupting them, and also the whole room.
“CHANDA ?!”
Arishka turned around to see a familiar face, smiling wide at her.
“Oye chanda chamke cham cham, how are you ?!” said the guy, wrapping his left arm around her shoulder.
Arishka deadpanned him and removed his arm, “Not funny Rishi. I told you never to call me that..”
“But chanda-“
YOU ARE READING
Ocean • Samandar
Short Story• "You were a vast ocean, and I was ready to drown in your without a thought. And that, that scared me.." • Cardio Surgeon Vedanth 'Ved' Malhotra was cold, heartless and liked to go by strict rules. Life without sanity, was a thing of hatred for...
