Nobody's Diary

Part 5- Hello New York

A lot has happened at this point of the story Arohi's parents and mine are pretty close. We even had dinner together a few times. Also, my parents now know about the New York trip (courtesy of Arohi). Now they find a way to bring in this topic in every small thing. I can't order a pizza now without hearing 101 reasons to go to New York. And somehow, the whole 101 are pizza-related. This brought me to a point of frustration wherein I considered running away from the house.

With two weeks left for the last payment day, Arohi was lucky not to get any white hair with all the stress she took on in her efforts to get me to come to New York. She was willing to do my one month worth's homework to convince me. You know the person is desperate when they are willing to do one whole month's homework of someone other than themselves. At this point, I was tempted to say yes. Not because of the homework gig. After seeing all the effort she put in just to get me to agree made me feel bad. I felt guilty of making her do so much, despite her present condition. As much as I loved the fact that someone is doing so much for me, I hated that it was her. She was way too delicate and way too precious to do something for me. Besides, it was supposed to be me doing something for her. I'm the one who likes her, not the other way around. 

These thoughts conquered my whole mind while I went to the ice cream parlor. Arohi and I were having a group study session today so I decided I'd pick up her fav milkshake and some ice cream on my way. I reached her home at noon. Arohi opened the door and took me to her room. Now, this isn't my first time in her room, but it never stops getting weird for a guy to go inside a girl's room. While I took out my laptop, she sipped on the milkshake that I brought her. Just then her mother called me down to help her out. I went downstairs to see what was the help she needed.

Her mother made snacks for us and she needed me to carry them upstairs. But right before I held the plate in my hand, we heard a huge "DUD" sound from Arohis room. We rushed up to see Arohi lying on the floor, with the milkshake spilled next to her. Her mom shrieked and called an ambulance immediately.

We spent the next half hour waiting for the news from the doctor. Finally, when the doctor came out, he called her parents aside, probably so that I wouldn't have to hear it. It made me all the more curious. Now I'm no expert in lip-reading, but I did manage to decipher one sentence, the only one that mattered. "She would be lucky to make it through two years". I did my best not to break down. My only best friend in all these years, I couldn't just accept this fact. After their talk, Arohi's father came to me. I tried to look as normal as I could. 

"Hey bud, how are you doing?" Her parents were such amazing actors. "Fine", I said, "considering everything that happened how. What about Arohi?"

"Fine... for now", he had and lowered his head. "Look, kid, I'm not gonna hide anything from you. Full disclosure, she won't be alive for too long. The doctor said the max she can survive is 2 years. Her disease is too severe to cured now. Right now was the proof of this. Now with the right medication, we can delay what happened now for as long as possible. But they will happen. Today she was lucky her sugar levels were normal because of your milkshake. But what about other days? So the doctors advised that there should be someone to supervise her; to make sure she takes her medication right, and take care of her in case this happens again."

"So... you aren't sending her to New York?", I asked, hoping somehow miraculously his decision to send her wouldn't change.

"No, I am sending her". I looked at him confused. Confused that something that I wished finally happened. "She might not live long enough to get another opportunity like this. And even if she does, I'm afraid she wouldn't be in the right health to take it. Which is why I need to ask you a favor". I looked at him even more confused. Is this how Cherry feels when I ask him who is a good boy? I was speechless. I had a million things to say but then my moth was just like [mouth.exe has stopped working].

"How-... Why-... Wha..." I was unable to comprehend one whole sentence.

"She trusts you, and we trust you. That makes you pretty qualified for this. Well, it makes u the only qualified person that way. Promise me, you will take care of her there." He had this certain look in his eye that made it impossible for me to tell no."

"Sure. Anything. I want her to be happy too. Probably not as much as you, but I still wish from all my heart for her to be happy."

"Which is why we are so fond of you", he said. Just then, the nurse came to us. "The patient will take a minimum of five hours to gain consciousness. I suggest you eat something before then."

I thought I'd go home and return tomorrow morning. So I booked an uber home and explained to my parents everything that happened. I'm not sure how much attention my dad paid to the rest of the story, but he sounded interested when I told them that I was going to New York.

After dinner, I went upstairs to spend time with Cherry. After an hour or so of playing fetch and glanced at the computer. Then I looked at Cherry. "Should I call her?" He barked. "That's a yes"

I hopped out of bed and onto the chair in front of the computer. I opened skype to call her. It was ringing... ringing... ringing... and she didn't pick the call. I got up thinking she was busy in a checkup. but just as I was about to get up, Arohi called back.I accepted the call almost immediately. 

"Woah, at least let it ring", she said. "Sorry, I was just worried about you", I said trying not to smile too hard. "Aww! That's so sweet of you". She NEVER talks like that. "Are you drunk?" I asked. "Not by choice". "How even-" "Side effects of some pills. The hospital has got me intoxicated". Behind her was a mirror, in which I saw the reflection of her friends singing into a hairdryer. "So your friends were given the same tablets?" "Oh no they were already drunk."

Aradhya ,who heard the question, tried to squeeze herself into the screen and asked me, "hOw dId yOu kNoW wE wErE dRuNk? Be HoNeSt, ArE YoU A MaGiCiAn?"

Arohi pushed her aside and said "I promise to call you tomorrow good night". before she cut the call, I managed to hear Amulya tell "Arohi loves-"

I smiled and decided I should probably write my diary n get to sleep.