Maruvarthai🤍

XXIV

The bright fluorescent lights of the lab flickered above Anushka as she shuffled through the meticulous rows of evidence collected from the recent cases. The rhythmic sound of her lab coat swishing echoed softly against the sterile marble floor, drowning out the chaotic sounds emanating outside. The murmur of voices transcended the glass walls, but she was too engrossed in her work... until her phone buzzed incessantly on the counter, pulling her focus.

She reached for her phone, her heart skipping a beat when she saw the news alert: "Riot Erupts Outside Court – Multiple Injuries Reported." The initial wave of confusion washed over her, but it quickly turned into a cold dread as she scanned the details, her fingers trembling against the screen. Prabhas. His name echoed through her mind like a siren. The image of his playful grin, the twinkle in his eye, and that teasing laugh faded momentarily, replaced by a surge of fear that clawed at her insides.

In that moment, the light-hearted banter and flirtation, which had defined their relationship for the past few months, felt like a fragile facade crumbling around her. She couldn't fully grasp it; they hadn't set any rules or labels. It was meant to be casual—fun, even—but why then did it feel as if a weight had settled in her chest?

Anxiety quickly spiraled within her, making her feel as if she couldn't breathe. "He's just reckless," she murmured to herself, trying to rationalize her fears. "Always charging headfirst into trouble like a bull." Yet, that very trait was what had drawn her to him—his carefree spirit, the way he approached life with infectious enthusiasm. But now, it felt like a curse.

Anushka didn't know how long she stood there, lost in turmoil. In the past few weeks, she'd found herself looking forward to their playful exchanges, the innocent teasing turned into something she didn't want to name yet, something more potent. Maybe it had started with a shared laugh over coffee or the way he'd always managed to find her in a crowded room. Maybe it was the way he'd respond to her sass with a charming smirk that made her heart race. Whatever it was, she felt it now, that attachment clawing at her resolve.

"Just go see him," she told herself, shaking her head as if that would scatter her anxious thoughts. It was silly, wasn't it? To feel this much for someone she'd intended to keep at arm's length. But the more she tried to reason it away, the more the ache intensified. It was different because it was Prabhas.

With a hasty determination, she took a deep breath, gripping the edges of the lab counter as she steadied her racing heart. "You're a doctor Anu. You can handle this. Just focus on him," she chided herself, pushing the unease away. There was no time to overthink. She couldn't allow the chaos outside to dictate her feelings.

Anushka grabbed her bag, flung on her coat with resolute vigor, and stormed out of the lab. The noise grew louder as she navigated through the building, fueled by a mix of adrenaline and worry. She had to get to him, to see for herself that he was alright, to assuage this growing fear of losing something that had barely started to blossom. Whatever 'this' was between them, she realized she wasn't ready to let it go just yet.

And all she could think of, as she made her way toward the chaos outside, was how she couldn't let anything happen to him—not without exploring what emerged beyond their flirty exchanges. Unbeknownst to her, she had stepped into something more meaningful, something worth fighting for.

—-

Anushka hurried through the hospital corridors, her mind racing with fear and concern.

As she entered the casualty room, her eyes met the sight of Prabhas lying on a hospital bed, his arm bound in a bandage and a scruff of hair sticking out from a scrape on his forehead. He was joking with some junior policemen while Rana stood nearby, arms crossed and an amused expression on his face.