OUR OBSESSIONS - FATE of LOVE

Chapter 8

ESHA

The whirlwind of the fashion world had become my new normal, its vibrant chaos now a rhythm I danced to daily. The clamor of deadlines, the urgency of designs, the glittering promises of runway shows-it all swirled together, an ever-moving tide that, at times, felt suffocating and exhilarating in equal measure. But in the midst of that storm, I had found my place, a quiet corner where I could breathe, where I could just be.

The first Saturday after I started my job, I had made plans-an imperfect mix of people, but one that felt right.

I spent my morning with Lilly and Aarti, and my afternoon with Jay and Pooja. It was a combination as unpredictable as it was delightful, like a sundae topped with several distinct, yet complementary flavours.

Aarti's fiery energy, Lilly's gentle humour, Jay's carefree charisma, and Pooja's chatterbox voice-it all somehow worked.

But I couldn't deny the way Pooja's eyes often darted toward Jay, the way her gaze softened whenever he laughed, or how the warmth of her feelings for him hung just beneath the surface, silent and unspoken.

Jay, on the other hand, was oblivious to the weight of it all. His infectious laughter was the glue that held our little group together, a light-hearted presence that never seemed to take anything too seriously. He was the perfect counterpart to our trio, an anchor in a sea of unpredictability.

As for me, I was the observer-the one who sat back, content to watch the dynamics of my friends unfold like a delicate dance, listening more than speaking, savouring the energy of their interactions.

We had planned to watch a movie today, Saturday - the second week since I started working, but yesterday night, I'd sent them a message, regretfully explaining that I wouldn't be able to join due to "girl problems."

It had become my go-to excuse, the one I was always forced to pull out when the sharp, relentless pain made it impossible to carry on with my usual plans.

Today morning, the cramps hit me like an unexpected storm. They tore through me, leaving me breathless and doubled over, the pain fierce and unrelenting.

I instinctively reached for my heat bag, pressing it against my belly in a futile attempt to find some relief. It was the same ritual every month-desperation, waiting for the pain to subside, hoping for some semblance of comfort.

I fumbled with my ginger tea, trying to steady myself, when the doorbell rang. My first thought was that it might be Jay-he had a habit of popping by unannounced, usually with a grin and some half-baked excuse to hang out.

Or maybe it was my neighbour, she is a cheerful woman, the one with an endless supply of small talk and unsolicited advice. Thankfully, the other neighbour was rarely home, their door always shut tight like a secret kept too long.

As I took two steps toward the door, a sudden flash of light sliced through the dimness of the morning, sharp and bright, like a camera flash that burned the back of my eyes.

The intensity of it startled me, and in a reflexive movement, I don't know when I dropped my tea. The porcelain cup hit the floor, shattering with a sickening crack, its contents spilling across the tiles. But before I could even process the chaos, everything around me fell into darkness. It wasn't the usual kind of blackout that left you groping for light switches or stumbling over your feet.

This darkness was thick and suffocating, a quiet void that seemed to swallow me whole. I couldn't feel the cold floor beneath me, couldn't hear the usual hum of the world around me. There was only silence-absolute and total silence-save for the sounds of my ragged breath.

And then, as if pulled from the depths of that silence, I heard a voice. "What the hell is that supposed to mean?" The voice was sharp, unmistakable-Dhruv's. I analyzed, my mind scrambling, my thoughts as fragmented scent as the room around me.

*Am I dreaming? * I wondered. *Why am I hearing Dhruv's voice? What's happening? *

My thoughts stumbled over themselves, trying to make sense of the disorienting shift in reality.The answer came quickly, though not from Dhruv himself. A soft, anxious voice followed; the words laced with uncertainty.

"I'm sorry, sir, but we can't determine the cause of her fever. She seems stable, but we're still working on it." The woman's voice was calm but undercut with a thread of fear. I could almost feel her hesitation, the weight of disappointment that hung between her and Dhruv.

"Okay, cool, man, I'm here!" A third voice cut through the haze- realisation- Joshi. His tone was casual, but there was an underlying urgency that was impossible to ignore.

*What's going on? I have a fever! * I wondered again.

*Am I in a hospital?*

"Now tell me, what are the symptoms?" Joshi's voice grew serious, and professional, as though he were giving a medical evaluation.

The female doctor responded, her voice soft but measured. "Yes, doctor. She's running a very high fever, chills, and-"

"And what?" Dhruv interrupted, his voice now laced with a sharp edge of frustration, an edge that only deepened my confusion.

"And she's on her period," the doctor whispered. Her voice was barely audible, the words almost lost in the air.

My heart skipped, a rush of heat flooding my chest at the mention of it.

"Holy shit," Dhruv muttered, the concern in his voice cutting through the tension like a knife. I could almost imagine the deep frown on his face, the way his brows furrowed in worry.

"Okay, man, cool down," Joshi's voice soothed, trying to bring the situation back to calm. I have now understood why everyone used to call Joshi 'God of calmness'.

"It's not a regular fever; it's just because of her period. It's a period flu." His tone was grounded, calm, almost clinical, and for some reason, it was strangely comforting.

To hear him explain it with such certainty made the world feel a little more stable, even if just for a moment.

But as I lay there in the thick fog of confusion and pain, a wave of warmth surged through me-complicated and confusing, pulling at something deep inside. *Dhruv is worried about me,* the realization settled heavily in my chest.

There was something about hearing his voice laced with such care that stirred something deep within me. The feeling was both comforting and perplexing, the weight of it settling into the pit of my stomach. Why did it matter so much? Why was his concern so... *important* to me?

The numbness wrapped around me again, suffocating, as if I were drowning in a sea of stillness. I tried to fight it, tried to push through the heavy fog that clouded my mind, but my body refused to respond. My eyelids felt heavy as if they were weighted down by something unseen, and no matter how hard I tried to open them, they remained shut. My limbs were leaden, my body too tired to fight against the paralysis that had taken hold.

As I lay there in the thick silence, the only thing I could hold onto was the warmth of Dhruv's voice lifeline in the darkness.

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