Scented Roads

(16) The ride back home

Ala

"I met all kinds of people in college. You can't even imagine Ayaan! So there was this really disgusting guy who I was friends with" Ala said making a face "He was like those aunties from an Indian tv series. He loved making people fight. Agh! And he thought he was so cool because his face was nice. But his personality stinked!"

Ayaan laughs. Ala has a funny story telling habit,whenever she is narrating the past she does so with intense expressions and emotions... it gives another feel entirely to the story.

"You're laughing now but if you would've met him, you would die because of his playboy habits, anger issues and ill-mannered nature!"

Agh, Ala thinks to herself, that rat is definitely the most disgusting man she has ever met. But things of the past remain in the past.

"You're so judgemental", Ayaan says.

Ala realizes that she is in fact judgemental. It's very hard to talk good about a person who has been so bad to us at one point of life. And Ala was never like this before college, it's only after she met some weird people that she lost a few personality traits.

Ala thought of how she doesn't want to continue being a judgemental person. She remembers how the prophet Muhammed believed that one should either speak good or nothing. She immediately regrets having spoken bad about a person of her past.

An irrelevant person.

*still thinks he's disgusting though,but the world doesn't have to hear it*

Ayaan reduces the speed and looks at Ala for a second, then he focuses his eyes back at the road.

"Maybe I said it in the wrong way... that was a joke, sorry."

Ala smiles at him but says nothing. When you realize you've a bad personality trait you automatically feel guilty. Even if the other person did not intend to make you feel that way.

Ala looks to her right and stares out of the window. Looking back at the conversation she had with Ayaan, she sees how easily he made her talk about several parts of her past life.

It amazes her how a person she only met thrice is able to engage with her in conversations like this one.

"You know, my college life was very different"

Ayaan decides to break the silence. Just like he did when there was an awkward silence in the beginning of their ride.

"My friends and I, we were never in college except on days of assignments and tests" He smiles as he remembers "My parents are from the medical background, although my mum never worked. I've grown up listening to patient stories from my father, and these terms were all so easy for me."

"So you were that intelligent college student who never attended college but scored well?"

Ayaan laughs heartily. "I almost failed in all my subjects." He says "It's just that I'm proud of not having to study much to pass. Plus, I didn't have to study hard like others because that hospital we were in, it's my fathers."

Ala's eyes widen. That is one of the few famous hospitals in the country. People would often suggest people to visit that hospital when other good hospitals report didn't satisfy the patient's family.

"That's impressive." She says.

"It is. So I just had to pass in both my MBBS and my MD. I did work hard, but never as much as I should've.  I think that's fine though, I'm going to go for a phd soon and continue in the field as a professor instead of a doctor."

"Plus, in an year or two I'll join as a director in the hospital. I don't really know why that's taking so much time but if nothing then in management I shall go"

Ala looks at Ayaan with curiosity "You don't like being a doctor?"

"No" he says simply "This work, it's not for everyone. More than half the doctors in my hospital don't like their professions, it's not just me you know."

"I always thought it to be cool, being a doctor" Ala says

"We don't cure people Ala, we only give them instant results." Ayaan says, "It's not a rewarding job because there are several patients that take medicine that will harm them in the long run, but we have no choice but to put them on that medicine. Because that's what has been taught to us. Healthcare is a money making industry, we help some people and so are still in business."

Ala listens to Ayaan attentively. She agrees mostly with his opinion. People today think of themselves and their profit over the expense of others lives even. It's the sad reality.

Ala notices, that with time the conversation they have only improves. Ala loves having meaningful and long conversations with people. And Ayaan seems to be the right person to talk to.

Maybe its because a few of their opinions match.

Ala and Ayaan continue talking about various things on the ride to Alas place. And when they arrive, both of them stay in the car for an extra few minutes before Ala decides to bid farewell.

"I should go", she says turning towards Ayaan.

He nods agreeingly.

"It was nice, the ride and everything. Thank you." Ala says, a little awkward. She then removes her seatbelt and exits the car.

Ayaan too follows right behind her.

"I have to visit you office next week." Ayaan says quickly as Ala is walking away from him and the car. She's at a small distance away from him.

She turns and looks at Ayaan with confusion, fidgeting with her sling bag.

"I mean if you're free after work we can catch up and... get lunch... same time as today."

Ala turns beetroot red. Did Ayaan just ask her to spend more time with him?

She thinks for zero seconds, she blankly nods and rushes back home. Only now realizing that maybe she has gotten herself into something not very halal.

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