Her (#justwriteit) (Lesbian stories)(#lgbt)✔

Aftertaste

"So? How was your date with that hot guy?" Sahna asks in excitement, over the phone.

"Well, to start with, it was amazing as eff. But just to clarify, I didn't go out with the hot guy but with Ms. Khanna." I say terrified and tentatively.

I hear a loud laugh on the other end of the phone and then Sahna continues " Yeah right bud! You couldn't get more of her in the classes, right?"

"Umm. You can put it that way. Yeah!" I say.

Again she chuckles. "Enough of your sick jokes dude! Now, tell me what happened for real." Sahna says and waits for an answer.

"I really did go to meet Ms. Khanna. That is the truth. For real." I say with guilt wrenching my gut.

"Whaaaat???? " Sahna exclaims, more than required as I always feel.

"Yes. Well, I told her what I used to feel about her. And Sahna, I have not been completely honest with you."

"Are you okay? Or were you hit by a bus on the way home?"

"Yeah. I am sound and clear. I wanted to tell you that I am a lesbian. I hope you do not end our friendship hearing to this. But I am what I am. I do not want to be ashamed of what I am. I want to feel good about myself. And I am going to make a video of myself saying this and upload it in YouTube so that everyone knows."

"Are you crazy dude?"

"No. Why?" I ask.

"Nothing. I will get back to you later."

I hear a ping on the other end and the call gets disconnected.
I feel weird. This conversation totally has contradicted the one I had with Ms Khanna back at the restaurant.

"Where have you been?" I see my mom at the door staring at me with a weird expression on her face. I quickly recall the conversation and with a slight fear and doubt that they might have overheard the phone call, I say -
"Just at Ms Khanna's place. Was clearing some doubts I had in the subject." I say with sweat coming out on my forehead.

"Okay. When did you become so studious? Intrigues me." My mom says with a smile and leaves.

I sigh with a pang of relief and I go to the bathroom to have my leisure bath of the evening.

The hot water in my tub refreshes my body and mind. And I lie there in my perfumed bath reading my favourite book when my cellphone rings again.

"....take her. It is urgent. Hello..??" I hear a voice saying on the other end.
"Hello? What is the matter?" I say to the voice speaking on the other end using Ms. Khanna's mobile.

"Ji. Whoever you are, your so known person has met with an accident here at Karol Bagh. We are taking her to the nearby hospital. Blood loss is too much. Can you come as soon as possible? I see here the last call made was to you..."

I disconnect the call in between and jump out of the tub to reach my clothes. I pull up my jeans and I run downstairs towards the door, not even informing my mom.

There is no time. I think about her family, whether she has any male accomplice. No. I have never heard of her husband. And her parents are no more. I think of her daughters. But this is not the right time maybe to inform them. I must ensure that Ms Khanna is safe first.

I hurry with my mom's scooter on those Delhi roads. I take the shortest way to Karol Bagh's Central hospital. I reach the place in 15 minutes.

"Ms Khanna. Is she registered here?" I ask the receptionist half panting and half shivering because of the cold weather.

"Yes. Third floor upstairs." She says noticing the panic in my face.

I rush towards the elevator and dab at the button. And losing my patience, I go for the stairs. I take two stairs at a time and reach the third floor with my chest heavily in drawing and out drawing. I see a lot of unknown faces gathered there in front of the Casualty ward.

"You must be Julia." The familiar voice I heard over the phone asks me when I reach the threshold.

"Yes. Yes. Ms Khanna. What happened to her? How?..."

"We don't know exactly as to what happened there. But we found her in the car unconscious. She hit a tree. Maybe she was drunk..." He cuts me off in between and says politely.

"Oh. No no no no. She was not." I say. "Is it serious? Can I see her?"

"I don't think so. They are examining her." The man says looking at the door to the ward. "But they might need the consent of an acquaintance if a surgery is needed. You must call an elder person in your family. I don't think you can take care of that lady alone. Is she your sister?"

"No. Umm.. She is my teacher." I say awkwardly.

"Oh." The man replies as if he just heard a swear word. He turns to the people behind him and says in Hindi - " Ab ham chal sakte hain."

I watch them leave. The man hands me Ms Khanna's cellphone and leaves giving me a smile.
I think of calling someone from her family. And I look at her contact list and keep scrolling when I hear a voice.

"Julia? Is it you really?"

I lift my head to look at the source of that beautiful voice which I have heard so many times. For which I have yearned more than anything. I see her standing right in front of me in a white uniform with her hair tied in a bun, leaving a curl to fall on her cheek. The same old face but with more beauty added through the years. Beautiful, as always she had been in the school years. Nancy.
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