𝐑𝐨𝐨𝐡

11. unexpected emotions.

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Aaravi
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The sterile hospital room buzzed with quiet, and despite the dull throb in my ankle, my focus drifted elsewhere.

Karan sat across from me, his eyes full of concern that I wasn't used to seeing from someone who wasn't involved in the chaotic mess that was my career.

There was something comforting in the way he stayed, like he genuinely cared.

"You need to take it easy," Karan said softly, but with a firmness that made me glance up. "No one's expecting you to dance on a sprained ankle."

I let out a soft laugh. "Not taking it easy is part of the job description, Karan."

He gave me a smile that was both playful and serious. "Well, maybe for once, take it easy on yourself. You don't have to prove anything to anyone."

His words made me pause. For a moment, I wanted to believe that was true. His eyes lingered on mine just a beat longer than necessary, and suddenly, I felt warmth rise to my cheeks.

The door creaked open, and Sheena entered, heels tapping against the floor. Her face was a mixture of concern and relief when she saw me sitting upright. "Aaravi," she sighed, rushing over to my side. "Are you okay?"

I nodded, waving a hand dismissively. "It's just a sprain. I'll be fine."

Sheena knelt beside me, eyeing my wrapped ankle with a mixture of worry and frustration. "You scared me. You need to be more careful, Aaravi. If you push too hard, you'll end up hurting yourself even more."

Her tone wasn't sharp, just filled with the kind of concern that made you want to listen, even when you were being stubborn.

Sheena had always been that way-tough when she needed to be, but her heart was always in the right place. We had been through too much for me not to see that.

She glanced briefly at Karan, a soft smile tugging at her lips before she turned back to me. "You should really consider pushing back the tour dates," she said gently. "I'll deal with any backlash that comes from the media. You need time to heal."

I sighed, knowing this conversation was inevitable. "I'm not rescheduling, Sheena. I've worked too hard for this. Everything's set. I'm not backing down now."

Sheena gave me a look, half frustration and half understanding. "I get that, Aaravi. I know how much this means to you. But you have to think long term. If you make this worse, it could delay everything even more."

Her gaze flickered again, just for a second, towards Karan. And it was subtle - so subtle that no one else might've noticed - but I saw the way her face softened when she looked at him.

Sheena wasn't the kind of person to wear her emotions on her sleeve, but there was something unspoken there. She cared deeply, for me, for her work, but there was something new in the air.

I smiled faintly, watching the quiet exchange, though neither of them said anything to acknowledge it. I wasn't sure what to make of it yet, but it made me realize something about Sheena.

For all her tough exterior, she needed love too. And maybe Karan, with his calm presence and warm eyes, was exactly the kind of person who could break through her walls.

"Sheena," I said, pulling her focus back to me, "I'm fine. I'll take it easy, but the tour's not being rescheduled."

She raised an eyebrow but didn't push further. "Alright. But don't make me regret not pushing harder. You can't keep going at full speed if you're not 100%."