Shuttles And Stars

Sia

It’s been two days since I regained consciousness in the hospital, and now I’m back home, with a list of restrictions longer than my patience. No running, no strenuous activities—basically no doing anything that makes me feel alive. The doctor emphasized rest and healthy meals, and I can already feel the weight of boredom settling in. Still, I’m relieved to be out of the hospital and back at the quarters.

Convincing my mom to leave for Pune was harder than expected. She hovered, constantly worrying, but I managed to reassure her. “Mom, please, Meera and Netra are here. I’ll be fine. You can’t put your life on hold for me,” I had said, trying to sound more confident than I felt. Meera, as always, reassured her with a warm smile, while Netra chimed in with her usual loyalty, “I owe Sia, don’t worry. I’ll take care of her.” Eventually, my mom left, reluctantly, but I could see the worry etched in her face.

The next morning, I woke up to the sound of water running from the shower, Meera was already up and getting ready. I lay on the couch with a lukewarm cup of coffee, still groggy, when the doorbell rang. “I’ll get it!” I called to Meera, who was mid-shower.

Wearing an oversized purple T-shirt and black boxers, with my messy bun barely holding together, I shuffled to the door, expecting to see the nurse for my daily check-up. Instead, standing there were Neeraj and Abhimanyu.

My first reaction was pure shock. Here I was, looking like I’d just rolled out of bed, with a very obvious bandage on my neck, and there stood Neeraj, in a casual white hoodie and jeans. He looked at me, and I could see the concern flash across his face as his eyes landed on the bandage. My immediate instinct was to undo my messy bun, letting my hair fall around my neck to hide the wound. But it was too late—he’d already seen it.

“Uh… come in,” I mumbled, stepping aside. I was acutely aware of how unprepared I was, both physically and emotionally, for this unexpected visit.

They walked in, and the silence felt thick. I busied myself making coffee, hoping the task would distract me from the sudden tension. Just when I was about to offer them their cups, Meera walked out of the bathroom, drying her hair with a towel, completely unaware of our guests.

“Sia, the nurse isn’t coming today, so I’ll have to change your dressing later,” she said, oblivious.

I shot her a sharp look, silently screaming at her for spilling everything in front of Neeraj. His face had changed the moment he heard about the dressing, his eyes narrowing as if he was piecing things together.

Abhimanyu, sensing the tension, stepped in quickly. “So, Meera, what about our shopping plan? I was supposed to pick you up today, right?”

Meera looked caught off guard. “Oh… yeah, I totally forgot. But I don’t think I can go. I need to stay with Sia. Netra and Vikram are both on duty, and I promised I’d be here for her.”

Before I could protest, Neeraj spoke up. “I can stay with Sia. No need for you to cancel your plans. I was just going to hang around at the apartment anyway. Might as well be of some use here.”

I didn’t like that idea at all. The thought of being alone with Neeraj after everything that had happened between us was too much. But I could see the way Meera looked at Abhimanyu, and I didn’t want to ruin their plans. So, I dragged her to the corner and whispered, “Tell him to stay in his limits, okay?”

She grinned mischievously but nodded, whispering back, “Got it.” Then, with a quick hug, she left with Abhimanyu, leaving me and Neeraj alone.

The living room suddenly felt too small. Neeraj and I chatted a bit, trying to keep the conversation light. After a while, he offered to make me another cup of coffee. I declined at first, saying I was picky about my coffee, but he insisted. When he finally handed me the cup, I took a sip—and was surprised.