Best Gift of God

Resistance

Maya POV

I tried to open my eyes as soon as I got my consciousness back. I observed my surroundings. I was in the living room, lying on the couch. I roamed my eyes around to search for Neeya. Where the hell did this girl always go whenever I wanted to see her? Did she leave? Should I call her? I tried to get up but fell back as a sudden dizziness hit me. I tried to call Neeya. But I couldn't find my voice. After a long minute, when I was finally able to speak, I tried to call her name again.

"U... Um... Neeya..." A small whimper left my lips. She won't be able to hear even if she is around. But I doubt she is. She must have left. Who wouldn't? No one wants to stay with a pathetic human being like me. I shouldn't raise my hopes too high. At the end, I will be the one to get hurt.

My lips dried up, and my throat closed once again. So after lots of effort, I got up and went to the kitchen with stumbling feet. I started to fill the glass, but my hand was so shaky that most of the water spilled on the floor. I drank the water that I poured into the glass, but when I was about to put the glass on the counter, it fell and scattered into pieces.

I stared at the broken pieces; they reminded me of my broken life. When I was about to reach the pieces, out of nowhere, her voice reached my ears. I went to turn around but stumbled back. Neeya grabbed me before I fell.

"You're okay, Maya? Why did you get up by yourself? You could have called me," she said, firing me with questions. Seriously, she was asking me why I didn't call her. Where was she when I whimpered her name!

"Why should I? Who are you?" I retorted back. I saw her expression change from worry to sadness. She didn't respond, though. She silently led me back to the living room. "Why didn't you leave?" I asked her when she sat me down on the sofa.

"How can you expect me to leave you in this condition where you hardly manage to take a step?" she asked this time.

"I am fine. Don't bother. You can leave if you want," I said in a harsh voice. I don't know what's wrong with me. In one way, I want her company; I want her to pat my head; I want her to tell jokes; and I want her to make me smile. On the other hand, I am trying to push her away.

"I have told you I am not leaving," she argued. I started to laugh at her words.

"Even my own mother left me. How can you expect me to believe that you won't?" I snickered, the pain of past abandonment still fresh in my heart.

"Because I am not your mother," she retorted firmly. Her response caught me off guard, and I stared at her for a moment before standing up and walking towards the stairs. "Where are you going?" She asked me, following me behind.

"To my room," I replied, my voice cold and distant.

"Let me help," she said, trying to hold my arms, but I shook her hand off.

"No need. Just leave," I repeated, pushing her away.

Her frustration boiled over, and she raised her voice. "Do you love hospitals so much that you want to get admitted after falling down the stairs? You do know about your physical conditions, right?"

Her words angered me even more, and I lashed out, unable to control my emotions. "Yes, I know. I know my physical condition very well. I can't forget, even if I want to. I don't need you to remind me again!" I snarled, feeling the weight of my pain and vulnerability overwhelm me in that moment.

"Maya... Maya, I didn't mean it that way," she tried to apologize, but what's done is done.

"Just leave," I stated, climbing up the stairs by myself. Neeya didn't leave. Even though she didn't help me climb up, she followed me behind, making sure that I wouldn't fall and get hurt.

I entered my room and went straight to the cupboard. I brought out the answer sheets from the college, sat on my bed, and started examining the papers.

"You can't be serious. You were unconscious for 8 hours, and now when you finally woke up, instead of taking a rest, you started working?" Neeya nagged me, which I hated the most.

"Neeya, please. Don't give me advice on what I should do or not do. Stop interfering in my life and just leave!" I screamed at her. She didn't talk back. She stood there with a blank expression. But I can feel how much pain and hurt I have caused her unintentionally. Still, she didn't leave. She sat on the couch, facing my direction, as I continued to work.

"Do you have dual personalities? You were so nice to me yesterday, and now you are being so rude and harsh," she mumbled, looking at me.

"What if I have? If you have any problem with that, just leave," I retorted, pointing towards the door. But she didn't move from her seat. She is damn stubborn when she is determined to do something. I ignored her and started working again.

By the time I finished examining all the papers, it was already 10.30. I looked up at Neeya. She has fallen asleep, waiting for me. I got up from the bed and put a blanket on her. I placed a kiss on her forehead before going downstairs to make dinner for both of us.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

I was making dinner, and suddenly I felt a presence behind me. I turned around and found Neeya standing there with a red nose and puffy eyes, and she was about to burst into tears. We both stared into each other's eyes. She broke eye contact first as she ran toward me and threw herself in my arms. She started blowing her eyes out.

"You scare the shit out of me! Do you know how worried I was? Don't ever scare me like that!" Her voice muffled into my chest, but it was clear enough for me. I gently ran my hands over her back.

"Neeya, I am alright. Don't cry, please. Look at me." I pushed back and cupped her face, forcing her to look at me. "Neeya, I am fine. See," instead of stopping her crying, it increased. I sighed. What a kid! "Neeya, if you don't want to starve yourself, stop crying and let me cook." This time, she stopped crying and wiped her face.

"You don't need to cook. You sit here and take a rest and leave everything to me," she told me, sitting me down on the chair beside the kitchen counter. So she was treating me like the rest?

"Neeya, please! Please don't treat me like a sick person. It makes me feel pathetic. Please. I want to live my life like everyone else. I want to do what everyone else can do," I fretted. "I thought at least you would understand if no one would. At least you wouldn't make me feel sick. Please, Neeya, let me... let me do what I want to," I gasped. "Please, let me...do whatever I want," I cried out. Neeya cradled my head into her chest as I broke down in tears.

She kept holding me until I relaxed and stopped crying. She cupped my face and asked me softly, "You want to cook?" I nodded. "Alright, go for it then. But before that, you need to promise me that you will let me help," she said, pushing the strands of hair behind my ears.

"I will, promise."

Neeya POV

A week has passed since Maya and I had an argument. Maya is quite a handful. As I get to know her, I kind of feel like she is an older version of myself. Now, I feel sorry for my dad, thinking about how much I cause him trouble.

Last week was blissful for me. Maya was a great sister. Even though I haven't uttered the word 'elder sister', yet she is taking care of me like her little sister. She makes food for me. She cradles me at night, brushes her hand over my head. And she scolds me from time to time.

I love to wake up in her arms every morning. But today's morning is different. I haven't seen her since I woke up. I searched for her everywhere in the house, screaming her name. But I couldn't find her. I thought maybe she was in college. So, I got ready and went to college. But I couldn't find her either. She isn't in her office or in the lab.

I was getting worried every minute. So, I called Doctor Uncle. He picked up the phone after only the third ring.

"Uncle, do you know where Maya is? I couldn't find her anywhere," I blurted out in one breath.

"What day is today?" he mumbled to himself before muttering curses. "Neeya, I know where she can be."