Once Upon a University Campus

Blessings

Annika woke up to absolute stillness, not even the air around her seemed to move. Was she even breathing she could not feel it if she were. She had no idea where she was, what the time was, nor could she feel her limbs or her body. She opened her eyes with difficulty and found everything hazy, all she could perceive was a large swath lit up by a bright light perhaps from a big window to her right. The place looked completely unfamiliar. Her throat was parched. She wanted to ask for water, but her voice had all but disappeared. After repeated attempts, she was able to whisper for water, loud enough for a blurry figure to rush to her.

A familiar voice boomed, " Nurse, Doctor". It was him. He was with her. "Annika.. " His voice trailed. She wondered where she was, as a nurse sat her up and helped her with water. It was then that Annika remembered what had landed her there. A doctor who had walked in hurriedly, examined her and left after giving them a happy prognosis. The nurse followed the doctor and Shivaay came close to her.

"Annika ... " He choked and then she felt his warm tears run down her hand. She wanted to ask him to stop crying, wipe his tears but she felt drained. With difficulty she lifted her hand and reached out to his hand. She patted his wrist weakly as if to say she was fine and there was no need to cry.

"You have no idea what I went through Annika.. you f***ing don't have a clue.. " he said surprising her with his profanity.

He continued after a pause. "When I said I want to be loyal to you like your father was to your mother, I did not mean you to leave me like your mother left your father. I meant you to be with me. Do you understand ? I need to tell you all this and more. I need to. All through this hard time, the only thought that came to me was, what if I never get a chance to tell you all this" He choked on his own tears and uncharacteristically wiped his tears with his sleeves. She noticed he was still in the same Bandhgala, but the yellow pocket square was gone. His was unusually unkempt.

"I never knew what you meant to me till I went to Mumbai. I realised everything felt empty without you, Mumbai, home, my family, my friends, my city, my world was empty and meant nothing without you. You make me happy Annika.. do you know that ? You make me happy." A smile elusively made its way on his puffy face. As if the very thought of her made him happy. He continued, "Saahil is right, you are indeed Ms Sunshine, the surprising sunshine of my life too. I don't even know what this is, I don't give a damn... what matters is that, you make me happy and I want you to be happy. It is also true that I badly want to be a part of your happiness. Does it make any sense to you ?" He sounded restless to the point of being incoherent but she understood him. Just that she was too overwhelmed to speak.

His breaths were shorter yet he went on.

"Do you think I have gone crazy, that I am speaking like a mad man ? No Annika.. You.. you were in my arms the other day " He held up his hands the way he carried her. "You were bleeding and I was helpless, I could not do a damn thing to stop you from bleeding....I was trying to talk to you and you stopped talking .. you were like a ragdoll in my arms. That moment saw a part of me died." He gulped and resumed. "That moment all my doubts died. Now, now there is nothing else that matter, there is no better place or day than now and here to tell you that I have never felt this way for any woman ever in my life ...the way I feel for you. I don't know what you think of me, all I know is if ever there can be a place for a woman in my life it is YOU. Whether you feel the same about me or not I don't know, but it is you and only you. Take me or refuse me, my loyalty is only for you. " He broke down..

The butterflies in her stomach brought her back to sense, she wanted to hold him but she was too weak to move. He sobbed standing by her bedside, she watched him helplessly. He must have presumed the worst given her silence and turned to walk away from her, that she felt a sudden surge of energy, one strong enough to hold him by his pinky. He turned around and wiped his tears..