Coming Home!!

Chapter 46

Ayaan moaned under the sheets. His temperature was rising. He shivered and pulled up the blankets. Inaaya entered the room with more blankets and tucked him after she stripped off his wet clothes.

Sky roared outside. She closed the windows and started rubbing his hands. After some minutes, when the chills increased, she called the doctor. Doctor instructed her to keep his body cool by putting damp towel and prescribed some medicines. When he left, she did as instructed. She ran to get wet towel with water dripping from her clothes. She ran to tend Ayaan even though she slipped because of water.

After hours of putting wet towel and rubbing his hands anxiously, the temperature dropped down. She collapsed on the nearby couch shivering. Her clothes had dried up but were clinging to her body.

His eyes were heavy as he opened them and noticed himself lying in Inaaya's room with Vanilla sleeping beside him. It was morning but still it was raining outside which made sky dark. He lifted his arm to stroke Vanilla but felt a pain. His eyes saw Inaaya sleeping on the couch, tired and shivering. He had felt her hands and heard her murmuring, "Please don't die. I didn't meant to say that. I shouldn't have said that. Please don't die. I am an idiot"

He wanted to get up and cover her with a blanket but his body was too exhausted. Vanilla climbed down the bed and jumped in her lap which woke her. She tiredly smiled at her saying, "Good morning baby"

Looking over at bed, she found him staring at her. She rubbed her eyes as she walked to him asking, "How are you feeling?"

As he tried to sit up, she helped him. He replied, "Not so good"

He noticed he wore a different shirt. He asked, "Did you change my clothes?"

She smiled, "Don't worry. I didn't see anything. It was dark. I'll get you something to eat"

She walked out of the room with Vanilla following her. Ayaan started observing the room which had once belonged to Zara but now had the essence of Inaaya. He could smell her scent off the pillow. He had seen her from his window in this room but a strange happiness filled his heart being here. She returned after some minutes with a bowl of soup. As she made him eat it, he smiled. She asked, "Why are you smiling?"

"It just feels good" he replied. She asked, "It feels good to be sick?"

He shrugged, "If it means that you take care of me, then it is the best thing that has happened to me"

She laughed, "I can't believe it. You are still flirting"

"Everyone has their own talents" he smirked. She shook her head in disbelief, "Get some rest"

The following afternoon, Ayaan climbed downstairs to find Inaaya sitting on the back porch watching rain. He commented as he sat next to her, "It never rains this much"

She was surprised, "What are you doing here? You should be in the bed"

"I am fine" he replied. He started watching his backyard, "I moved in that house a year after you left. I hated this house so much and the neighborhood. I used to play in the backyard when I saw Zara playing here alone. We became friends but I didn't know that all the things she said about you were lies"

She scoffed, "You knew a different Zara. The one I know was the best sister. She was my idol. She is not bad. It is just that...we both have our own misunderstandings. We both thought that our parents preferred the other when in reality, they were torn between us. You know...siblings have that kind of competition but.... when it became a dirty one, I don't know. So, yes I want to please her and do everything for her because I just want my sister back. No matter what she does, I'll love her because she used to take care of me when I was sick. She was my first best friend."

He took her hand and started making small circles at the back of her hand with his thumb, "I am sorry I acted like a kid yesterday. I just..."

She wanted to hold on to that warm hand but she pulled her hand back, "I am sorry that I said that if you die, I shouldn't have said that"

She jumped back on her feet asking, "What do you want for lunch?"

He stood up, "I'll help you"

They entered the kitchen with Vanilla circling around them. Inaaya laughed as she went on her knees and hugged the dog saying, "Why are you so cute?"

She started taking out stuff from the shelves as Ayaan played with Vanilla. He walked over to her and started helping her as she gave instructions. When he was chopping the vegetables, he asked, "Where can I find a new shirt?"

She saw the stain on the shirt and replied, "Actually, I went over to your house and got a pair of your clothes. It is in my room. You change whenever you want. And please put this in laundry too with your other clothes, as it is dad's"

He asked, "You used the spare keys that my mom has given to your mom?"

"No, I took one from your pockets. Sorry" she answered as she turned back and started stirring. He walked out of the kitchen saying, "I'll be back"

Inaaya was amazed when she noticed that Ayaan knew more about the house than her. He explained that he had snuck in the house a couple of times with Zara. A familiar pain stung in her heart when she imagined Ayaan with Zara. Snubbing it away, she tried to stay calm.