Little Love

Chapter 13: Rotten Luck

Dear Lovelies,

Just a short update. I hope you enjoy this one.

Love

W

"JEET"

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"JEET"

Jeet could only hear the cries of his best friend Pihu. He looked around, choking on his own tears. It was pitch dark. His eyes roamed around the darkness, looking for Pihu, looking for a speck of light.

"JEET"

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"JEEEEEEEET"

A sharp pain poked his chest as he kept looking around frantically. He wanted to tell her that he was here. He wanted to wipe away the pain in her voice, but he was unable to find her. He wanted to shout back her name. His tears and the pain in his chest were getting unbearable by the second.

"JEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEET"

Pihu's shrill voice forced him to jerk forward. His eyes flew open. His breath was heavy and laboured. At first, he thought he was in heaven, but a second later, he realized he was lying on a hospital bed. A barrage of tubes were attached to his body. Monitors were beeping around him. His eyes fell on Pihu's face. She was sitting right beside him. Her face was swollen and red. Not any shade of red, but tomato red. She had been crying for a long time.

"Pihu...see Jeet has opened his eyes." Dipu Masi cooed from behind. "Now stop crying, my baby." She gently wiped the tears from her swollen face, but the tears won't stop.

"J...Jeet" Pihu sobbed violently. She took his hand between hers and sobbed like a baby.

"Pihu...please shonai. Let us go back to your bed. You will fall sick." Dipu Masi pleaded. Jeet had a sudden urge to pull Pihu in his arms. He wanted to kiss her tears away and assure her he was fine. This thought itself steered a fear in his heart. He saw Dipu Masi pulling Pihu away from him. He realized that Pihu was sitting in a wheelchair. He wanted to know what happened. He attempted to get up from his bed, but a sudden sharp pain caused him to yelp in pain. By now, Pihu was wheeled out of the hospital room. Jeet lay there all alone. He closed his eyes to understand the new feeling that swirled in his heart.

After a while, he felt a soft touch on his forehead. He opened his eyes. Dipu Masi was standing beside his bed. She was caressing his head gently. Her face had a sad smile. At that moment, he realized even her eyes were red as well.

"Jeet shona..." her lips trembled. "...how are you feeling?" She asked.

"I am fine." His voice was hoarse and broken. A tear rolled down her eyes. She kept staring at him and caressed his head. So this is how it feels to have a mother? Jeet's eyes won't leave Dipu's face. The moment was interrupted by Shubh.

"Masi, Aroop Mesho is looking for you," Shubh informed her. She nodded and wiped her tears with the pallu of her sari. She kissed Jeet's forehead and walked out of the room. Shubh gently lifted his head and made him drink some water.

Jeet felt like he was drinking some elixir.

"Tima?" Jeet asked. His voice was still hoarse.

"She was drugged," Shubh informed flatly. He sat on a small stool near Jeet's bed. "...and seconds away from being trafficked." Shubh's face was as rigid as a stone. "She is still unconscious, but doctors said she will come around."

"Pihu?" Jeet asked again.

"She had a fever and cried her eyes out. We had to get her admitted." He sighed. "In fact, Sudip Mesho is the only Banerjee who is not in a hospital bed right now."

"Kailash?" Jeet inquired. He noticed Shubh's back stiffen.

"He is in ICU." that was all he could manage. Jeet waited for a moment before realising that was all he would get.

"Shu-" He wanted to know more but was interrupted by Shubh. His face was enraged and had a hint of disappointment.

"How could you both do this?" Shubh finally gave in to his frustration. "Me and Palash were just one call away." He yelled, showing his index finger. "You could have called us." He sat down on the stool, shaking his head. "If something happens to Kailash, I will die of guilt." He buried his face in his hands. He was unaware of the storm of guilt he had ignited in Jeet's mind.

At that moment, he knew he had to leave this place. He had to get away from all these people. He did not want to cause them any harm with his rotten luck. He did not want to lose his most precious - Pihu. He was not good enough for her and deserved better. This newborn feeling would ruin everything. He would never be able to look into the eyes of Dipu and Aroop if anything happened to Kailash. He was the only one who could stop him, and he didn't. He lied and shoved Kailash at the brink of danger.

He had to leave with his rotten luck.