The grey canvas

📌Chapter 17- Tables turned

Ayan:

Two more days passed with bhai stuck to his bed.

His fever was one of a kind. It came once and was gone the next moment. It didn't make him unconcious anymore but made him sick definitely. His eyes got dark circles and his face was flushed, tired. The temperature kept roaming between 100 and 103° and left him cimpletely jagged in these two days.

I consulted Dr. Gupta over skype, who was treating bhai back in Delhi. He said that nothing was serious. It was just the after effects and would recede soon. There was no need to admit him to the hospital again or prescribing him some serious medications. He suggested a simple drug instead and asked to monitor him till betterment which, fortunately, didn't take much time.

And once he was fine he went back to his previous I_can_manage_everything_on_my_own form!!

-"Shit! It was a three day's tip and two days got wasted just like that!" He panicked at first. I remained quite. This hiked his irriation further and he screeched- "Why are you so quite Ayan? Why aren't you bothered??"

"Umm... what can I say?" Really, what can I say? I know you'll eat me alive when you get to know the truth!!

-"What 'what can you say'?" He rolled his eyes. "Anyway, leave it..and give me the flight tickets."

I nodded and handled him the tickets, meant for flying back to Delhi. He began inspecting them while I silently waited for his next outburst.

He didn't make me wait for long.

-"WHAT THE HELL IS THIS AYAN?" He shouted his lungs out.

"What is what bhai?" I faked innocense and looked at him with puppy eyes.

"What is what? Really? ..You don't know what you did?? You booked the tickets for a four day's later date and you don't know anything! You think am dumb? That I don't get your tactics?? ..you fool, you tried to fool me! When I told you its just for three days, you deliberately made it a seven day's holiday!! You tried playing smart with me haan?" He growled in anger.

"Isn't that good?" I flickered my eyes, inspite of knowing that I was no Nitaradi to have captivated him with my charms.

-"Good? My foot!!"

"I can explain." I still tried.

-"Shoot."

"Yeah, I was saying that you were sick for two days. You couldn't get up from your bed, let alone doing the 'important work' for which we are here today. Now you tell me if we had our flight today, wouldn't you have cancelled it?... just think rationally bhai, I have saved your money and you are blasting me for no reason!!"

-"You mean to say you already knew that I was going to fall sick?" He gave an extra sweet smile.

Damn. Caught.
"No its not like that. I was just...." I gulped some air.

-"Just trying to enjoy your holidays?" He completed the sentence on my behalf. I gulped again, harder this time.

"No bhai..."

-"I am simply amazed to see that YOU, an would-be doctor is so reluctant about his studies and career that he took a seven day's leave just like that.. without any occasion or..."

"Bhai listen toh....." I tried speaking but was cut short again.

-"JUST SHUT UP AYAN!........ I am fed up with you and your excuses. So Stop Explaining!!"

"But you need to listen to me." I spoke hurriedly least he would stop me again, which he was actually going to do but I didn't let him in this time. "See, when I am here in Kolkata I'll visit this city. And you will be my tourist guide. So just stop fussing and take me for the christmas celebrations!"