cross road

Chapter-8

The atmosphere at the hospital was lively as everyone prepared for the festival. Pallavi felt a mix of excitement and fatigue; she had spent the day caring for patients, and now she was eager to participate in the festivities. After treating the last patient, she quickly changed into a traditional outfit she had bought locally, knowing she needed to adapt to the village culture.

At the temple, she joined the crowd for the Pooja, feeling the weight of lingering negativity from some villagers but choosing to ignore it. As the day wore on, her initial enthusiasm began to wane, and all she wanted was to return home and rest. However, the promise of food kept her at the festival.

Throughout the day, Pallavi noticed Raghav multiple times, but he seemed determined to avoid her. His coldness frustrated her, but she resolved not to let it ruin her day. Sitting on a bench, she lost herself in a mobile game when she was approached by a handsome young man.

"Hi, I'm Mitul, and this is my sister, Devi. She wants to pursue medicine, so I thought I'd introduce her to you for some guidance," he said, a warm smile on his face.

Pallavi felt a surge of joy at the friendly interaction. "Of course! I'd be happy to help," she replied, welcoming them to sit beside her. They chatted, and Devi soon fell asleep on Pallavi's shoulder. Mitul and Pallavi continued their conversation, and she found herself enjoying his company.

Meanwhile, Raghav was watching from a distance, feeling a mix of anger and confusion. He tried to approach Mitul several times but held back, feeling a strange protectiveness over Pallavi. He was caught off guard by how easily she seemed to connect with others, especially  Mitul.

As he sat on a familiar bench, he reminisced about his childhood with Sneha and mitul, wishing for the carefree days when they'd all enjoy the festival together. Seeing Pallavi laugh and smile with Mitul ignited a pang of jealousy in him that he couldn't quite understand.

Sneha joined Raghav on the bench, but their conversation quickly shifted to the scene unfolding across the temple. Mitul and Pallavi looked engrossed in each other's words, and Raghav couldn't help but feel a tightening in his chest.

Later, Mitul offered to fetch food for Pallavi, but she hesitated, explaining that the villagers wouldn't allow her inside any homes. Undeterred, he insisted on getting it for her. Just then, Raghav, knowing Pallavi would be hungry, also decided to get food. He looked over to see her alone at the bench and headed in her direction.

However, Mitul arrived first, handing Pallavi a plate of food just as Raghav was about to reach her. A rush of frustration surged within Raghav as he turned to leave, barely acknowledging Sneha beside him.

Sneha, meanwhile, thought the food was meant for her and approached Mitul. But he, lost in his own thoughts, passed her by, delivering the food to Pallavi without a second glance. This realization struck her hard—she had taken mitul for granted.

After a fulfilling day, Pallavi felt light-hearted as she left the festival with leftovers in hand. Just then, she spotted Raghav loitering near his home. Something about his demeanor looked stressed, and despite her annoyance, she decided to check on him.

"Hey!" she said, patting him gently on the shoulder from behind.

Startled, Raghav jumped, and in the ensuing chaos, both lost their balance and tumbled to the ground in a heap of limbs.

"What was that for?" he exclaimed, trying to mask his surprise with irritation.

Pallavi , brushing off her dress as she sat up. "Just wanted to see how you were doing. Didn't mean to scare you!"

Raghav looked at her, still recovering from the shock. "You could've just called my name, you know."