Begin Again | On Hold

08 | basorexia

08

B A S O R E X I A » an overwhelming desire to kiss

VIRAT

A month had passed, and there was significant improvement in my condition. I could slightly move my lower body. After that, the flexibility exercises were frequented to thrice a day by Anushka after consultation with her department.

A week ago, when I had gone for a regular check in Life Beat, the panel of doctors had advised me to undergo shock treatment. To say I was scared would be a massive understatement, because it felt like I was going to die.

Back home, whenever there was any electrical problems or black outs, it was always my elder brother, Vikas – who would do all those chores. I had always been scared of current and thunderstorms.

Anushka had told me it would do no harm because I was barely able to feel anything in my lower feet, so I was going to be numb to those shocks. But I wasn't sure about it at all.

"What if my feet starts feeling again, Anushka?" I enquired, ruffling my hands through my hair, as we trudged across the hospital corridor.

"That's exactly what we seek Virat," she retorted, rolling her eyes as she moved my wheelchair forward to the room where I was going to be treated. "Look, you can move your lower body now which is a great recovery. So if you can finally move your lower feet as well, you might start walking with some anchoring."

The story of lower body recovery was an interesting one though. Once when I was near the pool, waiting for Anushka, my wheelchair accidentally skidded on the wet base, resulting in me tossing into the pool. Thankfully, she was able to come right on time to help me anchor along the bar of the boundary of the pool so that I didn't drown. We had to spend around three hours inside the pool because she could barely walk me outside the pool. Additionally, I had asked her not to – because it felt good that way; Anushka, I and the water. After getting free from his university, Vinay rushed back home, and helped me get out of the pool.

Ever since that incident, we started doing pool exercises for my thighs; the returns being greater because of greater specific gravity even though it was exhausting.

The remarkable improvements in my status had brought in a change of heart in me, I had decided to finally show up in Delhi for my mom after realizing how unfair I had been to her all this time. Again, it was Anushka who made me realize this.

And that made me realize I was falling in love with Anushka. Slowly but surely.

"Thanks for being there, always," I smiled at her. She smiled back at me, and I wondered if the whole world has seen her through my eyes. Because if they did, how couldn't they help but fall in love with her? I saw Dr. Shekhar coming in our direction, and with one final saunter towards Anushka, he wrapped his arms around hers.

I felt helpless when I felt a tinge of jealousy. Not because of his action, but because of the way these two were comfortable around each other. "Anushka, you want to assist Dr. Sinha during the pulse checking?"

"I don't think so... but I really want to be inside the room with him while they are treating." she told him with a cute pout, making Dr. Shekhar chuckle.

"Okay, I'll ask Pratik to assist him, and you be there to give him the moral support. Virat looks shit scared." Shekhar peeked a glance at me before his gaze fell back on Anushka.

She flickered her eyes in my direction, "Tell me about it," she took a step forward so that the wheelchair now separated them. "I'll be there to hold your hands through it, okay?"