A Second Chance ( Gum Hai Kisi Ke Pyaar Mai )

5

As I lay on the infirmary bed after changing into dry clothes, the nurse inserted a drip into my hand on the doctor's advice. With my body finally at rest, my mind began to race with a thousand different thoughts and theories.

I looked around, taking in the familiar surroundings of our college's infirmary. But I had graduated in 2015. My eyes fell on the calendar hanging on the wall. The year 2012 was written in bold letters. This can't be real, I thought. But everything felt so vivid, so tangible. I had even pinched myself earlier, thinking it might be a dream or a figment of my imagination. But the pinch had hurt, and the pain was real.

"How is this possible?" I whispered to myself, my voice barely audible.

Nehmat, who had been sitting quietly beside me, glanced over. "Did you say something, Savi?"

I shook my head, unsure how to explain the turmoil in my mind. "It's nothing, Nehmat. Just... thinking out loud."

She nodded sympathetically. "It’s been a strange day, hasn't it?"

"Hmm," I agreed.

Strange didn't even begin to cover it. This only led me to the wild theory of time travel, something I had only ever read about in DC comics during my childhood. But still, it all felt so bizarre. How could I have traveled back in time? Or was this an alternate universe similar to our reality, like in the comic books? How could this have happened? Was it some kind of cosmic glitch, or had I somehow triggered this bizarre journey?

I looked at Nehmat, her young face full of concern. She looked exactly as she had during our college days, a stark reminder that something truly extraordinary was happening.

I tried to remember what I was doing before suddenly finding myself back in 2012. I had been trying to save my uncle from falling into the sea. He seemed intent on suicide in his drunken state. It was a full moon night, and the waves were relentless.

I don't know if this is a dream or reality. Have I really traveled back in time or to another universe? Or am I dead? But for now, I decided to live in this moment because Ishaanji is here.

If I accepted that I had traveled back in time, as all the surroundings indicated, then I had to piece together the timeline. Around this period, I remembered falling into the pool in my past life. After Ishaanji's death, I discovered from his diary that this was the first time we met. He had saved me by giving me CPR, and from that moment, he couldn't get me out of his mind. His interest in me grew until he eventually fell in love.

Wait a minute—does that mean today, when he saved me, this incident repeated itself before I regained full consciousness? Because I can't remember the CPR happening this time either, just like in my previous life.

I looked at Nehmat, who was sitting beside me. "Nehmat, do you remember what happened when I fell into the pool?"

She looked puzzled. "Not much, Savi. You slipped, and then there was a lot of commotion. That senior—he pulled you out. You were unconscious for a bit."

Suddenly, an overwhelming urge to find him washed over me. I had to see Ishaanji. Without thinking, I sat up, calling his name, "Ishaanji!"

Nehmat, who was sitting beside me, grabbed my arm to stop me. "What are you doing? Don’t move! You’ll hurt yourself with the needle of the drip," she scolded, her eyes wide with concern.

"And how do you know that third-year senior? Even your brother, who's his classmate, doesn’t know him. I wanted to ask you earlier, but you weren’t feeling well, so I left it. Now here you are, calling his name again."

I paused, taking in Nehmat's worried expression. How could I explain this to her without sounding completely insane? I looked down at the drip in my hand, feeling the cold fluid seeping into my veins, grounding me in this strange reality.

"And how do YOU know him?" my cousin asked Nehmat from behind as he entered the room, carrying some medicines.

"He was introduced to us freshers along with all the seniors. And he’s also Ekam's elder brother," Nehmat answered.

"Who is Ekam?" my cousin inquired, raising an eyebrow.

"It's Rajat's nickname. Umm, I mean, both of you wouldn’t know. He used to study with me in primary school," Nehmat explained, glancing at both of our confused faces. She sighed and continued in an annoyed tone, "Why do I suddenly feel like I’m in an interrogation chamber?"

She turned to my brother and asked, "Aren’t you curious to know how Savi knows this senior?"

Their curious gazes suddenly shifted towards me, and I answered in a rush, "I saw him at the freshers' party when all the newcomers were being introduced to the seniors."

My brother squinted his eyes, clearly not fully believing my blabbering. "And what about you warning me not to harm him?"

"Umm... Aaa..." I stammered, trying to think fast for an excuse. "Oh, yeah!" I kind of screamed when an idea came to mind. "To save me, he gave me CPR, and you might think he was taking advantage of me and hurt him. That’s what I was talking about, yes, that's what happened there."

"But he didn't give you CPR..."

"You said you wouldn't let me hurt him AGAIN..."

Both Nehmat and Dada said simultaneously.

I felt trapped and didn’t know what to do next, so I acted like I was feeling dizzy. "I... I think I need to lie down," I mumbled, swaying slightly.

My brother's expression softened with concern. "Alright, let's get you to bed," he said, helping me lie down without asking anything further.

As I settled back onto the infirmary bed, I could feel their worried eyes on me, but at least for now, they weren’t pressing me for answers. I closed my eyes, trying to piece together my thoughts.

This strange encounter, my sudden connection with Ishaanji, and the possibility of time travel were all swirling in my mind, making it hard to focus.

..................

A/N

Hi everyone,

As promised, here’s the new chapter!

Thank you so much for reading my story. If you enjoyed this chapter, please click the vote button and share your thoughts in the comments.

A special thank you to everyone who voted and commented on the previous chapter. Your support and engagement mean a lot to me and keep me motivated.