In the heart of chaos

Chapter 40

Aarohi sat at her desk, tapping her pen absently against a stack of files. The morning had been rough—between a surgery schedule that seemed endless and the confrontation with Abhimanyu still fresh in her mind, she was in desperate need of a break. Her phone buzzed, snapping her out of her thoughts. It was a text from Rishi.

Rishi: Lunch? You look like you're in need of some decent food and my delightful company. Don't say no.

Aarohi rolled her eyes but couldn't help the small smile that crept onto her face. Rishi had a way of lightening the mood, even when she didn't want to admit it. She replied with a quick "fine" and got up, grabbing her bag.

They met at a quaint café not too far from the hospital, a place they had frequented a couple of times before. Rishi was already sitting at a corner table, waving her over with his usual mischievous grin.

"You're five minutes late," he teased, standing up as she approached.

"Yeah, well, some of us have actual responsibilities," Aarohi shot back with a playful smirk, sitting down across from him.

"Right, because I'm just lounging around doing nothing," Rishi countered, his sarcasm apparent. He flagged down a waiter and quickly ordered for both of them, not even bothering to ask Aarohi what she wanted—he already knew.

As they settled in, the conversation flowed easily between them, filled with the usual banter and sarcastic jabs that had become their signature dynamic. But this time, something felt different. There was a softness to Rishi's tone, a subtle warmth that made Aarohi wonder if things between them were slowly shifting from their playful rivalry to something deeper.

"What's with the serious face?" Rishi asked, pulling her out of her thoughts.

Aarohi blinked, realizing she had zoned out for a moment. "Nothing," she said quickly, though her mind was still spinning. "Just thinking about work."

Rishi raised an eyebrow, clearly unconvinced but deciding not to push it. "Alright, workaholic. Let's not talk about the hospital for once. What's new outside of the four sterile walls of Sarvodya?"

Before Aarohi could answer, she noticed something—or rather, someone—out of the corner of her eye. Her heart sank as she realized who it was.

Across the street, Trisha and Shalini stood half-hidden behind a tree, clearly trying (and failing) to be discreet. They were both giggling and whispering to each other, their eyes darting back and forth between Aarohi and Rishi.

Aarohi let out a frustrated sigh, muttering under her breath, "Oh, for heaven's sake..."

"What?" Rishi asked, noticing her sudden change in demeanor.

Aarohi shot him an exasperated look and subtly gestured toward the two women, who were still laughing and glancing in their direction.

Rishi turned, spotted them immediately, and burst out laughing. "Are they... are they spying on us?"

"Apparently," Aarohi groaned, sinking back into her chair. "I'm going to kill them later."

Rishi was still chuckling, clearly amused by the situation. "I don't know, Aarohi, looks like we've become the talk of the town."

Aarohi rolled her eyes but couldn't help the smile tugging at her lips. "They're impossible," she muttered, though the fondness in her voice was unmistakable.

Rishi leaned back in his chair, still grinning. "They're just looking out for you. Can't blame them for being curious about your love life."

Aarohi's eyes widened, and she nearly choked on her drink. "Excuse me? Love life?"

Rishi raised his hands in mock surrender, though the teasing glint in his eyes didn't waver. "I'm just saying, Aarohi. You're quite the mystery to most people. Who wouldn't be curious about what's going on with you?"

Aarohi gave him a deadpan stare, but she could feel her face growing warmer. "First of all, there is no love life. Second of all, if you don't stop talking, I'm going to make sure your next shift is unbearable."

Rishi leaned forward, smirking. "You already do that on a regular basis."

"Good," she shot back, though the smile on her face gave her away.

Meanwhile, outside, Trisha and Shalini could barely contain their excitement. "Do you think they're on a date?" Shalini whispered, trying to get a better look without being too obvious.

"Definitely a date," Trisha replied with a grin. "Look at them! They're totally into each other."

Shalini giggled. "they look sooo cute together!"

"I mean, Aarohi deserves someone like Rishi," Trisha continued. "He's smart, funny, and keeps her on her toes. Plus, did you see the way she looks at him?"

Shalini nodded enthusiastically. "They have this fiery chemistry. It's so obvious."

Back inside the café, Aarohi and Rishi were finishing up their meal, completely unaware of the detailed analysis going on just a few meters away.

As they stood up to leave, Rishi glanced toward the window, noticing the two spies still watching them. With a sly smile, he leaned closer to Aarohi and whispered, "Should we give them something to really talk about?"

Aarohi raised an eyebrow, confused. "What do you mean?"

Without missing a beat, Rishi put his arm around her shoulders in an overly dramatic gesture, giving Trisha and Shalini a clear view. Aarohi's eyes widened in shock, and she elbowed him in the ribs.

"What are you doing?" she hissed, though she couldn't help but laugh.

"Just having a little fun," Rishi replied, winking. "Let's see how they react."

Sure enough, from across the street, Trisha and Shalini's eyes widened as they saw Rishi's arm around Aarohi. They exchanged looks of pure glee before practically running off, no doubt to spread the gossip.

Aarohi shook her head, trying to hold back her laughter. "You're impossible."

"I try," Rishi replied, his grin not fading.

As they left the café, Aarohi felt something shift between them. The teasing and banter were still there, but there was an undeniable closeness that hadn't been there before. And as much as she hated to admit it, she didn't entirely mind.

Back at home, Trisha and Shalini burst through the door, practically bouncing with excitement. "You won't believe what we just saw!" Trisha announced as they rushed to find Manish, Vansh, and Kairav.

Manish looked up from his book, curious. "What is it now?"

Shalini and Trisha exchanged a knowing look before blurting out, "Aarohi and Rishi were on a date! And they looked so cozy!"

Kairav and Vansh's protective instincts kicked in immediately. "What?" Kairav exclaimed. "When did this happen?"

Trisha and Shalini recounted the entire event, exaggerating every detail, while Kairav and Vansh listened with growing suspicion.

"Well, well, well," Vansh said, crossing his arms. "Looks like we need to have a little talk with Rishi."

Manish chuckled at the chaos unfolding around him. "Leave them be. Let's just see how things play out."

But Kairav and Vansh were already planning their next move. Aarohi might be able to handle herself, but they weren't about to let Rishi off the hook so easily.