Falling For You

11. Concern and Chaos

Reyansh -  Oh Fuck! We are stuck here now...!

Aradhna - Most of the people must have left from office right ? How will we get out from here ?!!!

Reyansh - The 9pm news team will still be here. Also, Let me try contacting the surveillance team.

Aradhna looks on worried as Reyansh tries to dial them. But the network is weak...

Reyansh - I guess the remaining people must be busy with the 9pm news too. Let's wait for a bit , Aradhna. I have left a message to Vikram and Sunaina already. Once the network is better , the message will reach them and they will help us out from here.

They both sit on the floor...

Aradhna - I will leave a message to my family too. Once the network is better , it will reach them as well.

Reyansh nods as Aradhna types on her phone quickly.

Aradhna - Aren't you going to message your parents too ? They might get worried...

Reyansh doesn't say anything. Aradhna feels a bit awkward about asking a personal question. After two minutes of awkward silence,

Reyansh - What is your family like ?

Aradhna gets excited and a bright smile spreads across her face when she is asked to talk about her family.

Aradhna - So it's just me, mom, dad and my baby sister. My parents are dentists and Jagruti is in her senior school. In the colony where we stay, all the doctor families are very close knit and meet regularly . So we are a big family.

Reyansh - Why did you choose journalism ?

Aradhna - I have grown up seeing my family sit together and watching the evening news without fail, every single day. It just sparked the interest in me as I grew, to know more about what goes on behind the news we see and explore more. It was a tough decision for me considering my parents are doctors and want me to join the same field. But I was adamant too.

Reyansh - Ohh...Good to hear this and glad you found a job in the field of your choice 😏
So, they have issues with you working till late ?

Aradhna - Not really...if it's late , they just want me to be safe and keep them updated. So they can be there for me when I need them.

All the answers Aradhna was giving to Reyansh's questions just pained him more and more. It made him uneasy because he didn't understand or experience a family life of this kind.
Seeing the happiness and shine on Aradhna's face when talking about her family , he understood how much she loves her family...
On the other hand , Reyansh's uneasiness doesn't go unnoticed by Aradhna...

Aradhna (thinking) - Don't know what is bothering him...did I say anything wrong that annoyed him suddenly... ?

Aradhna is lost in thoughts about Reyansh when Reyansh breaks her bubble.

Reyansh - Ummm... Are you enjoying your work ?

Aradhna - uhh...Yes yes, I am ! I am learning a lot and loving it!

As time passes , Aradhna slowly starts feeling weak. It's almost 8:30pm.
Aradhna has a low BP problem and she didn't eat anything after lunch. If she doesn't eat at regular intervals , her BP drops and she faints.