A Yellow Rose

Chapter 19.

Ayushi's POV-

"Shit." I mumbled, pulling my hair. I grabbed the nearest pillow and screamed into it.

"Ayushi, open the door!" Aisha shouted from outside my room.

"Go away." I mumbled into the pillow, crying.

"Ayushi, please open the door." She begged. I cried, pulling my hair again.

"Ayushi, please." Dad spoke.

"Please, go away." I cried, even more.

"Ayu-"

"Mom, please!" I screamed.

Hugging my knees against my chest, the only thing I could think about was Zeehan. I should've told him that I wasn't going to live longer. I should've told him that I was hardly going to live for a month. I should've told him I was going to die.

I didn't mean to lead him on, infact that wasn't on my mind, ever. I thought he flirted just to tease me. But boy, was I wrong.

I grabbed my phone from the side table, and instantly knew whom to call.

Zeehan's POV-

"Dad...."

I was at a loss of words.

"What-what d-do you mean by l-last stage?" I stuttered.

"She's hardly got a month more." Dad whispered, looking at me.

Numb. That was what I felt at that very moment.

"Hardly got a month more?"

Dad looked down and ran his fingers through his hair.

"The main reason I flew down to Mumbai was for Ayushi." Dad started.

"I've been treating Ayushi for about two years now. It's sad that a girl like her has to go too soon. She's an angel, you know. She's someone who makes everyone happy no matter how upset they are. She's got that magic in her." Dad smiled; sadly.

"Two years?" I looked at him, totally confused on what he was saying.

"Yeah, she was being treated here in Mumbai, but her health was deteriorating. Dr. Agarwal suggested my name to them. She was 16 when I started treating her." Dad said.

She lied. She wasn't in a boarding school. She was being treated.

"When I realised there's no way to save her life, I suggested her to move back to Mumbai to spend the last few days with her family. I flew down too, to check upon her."

"Is there any chance for her to live?" I asked dad.

He sighed, before slowly shaking his head. Mom pulled me into her chest when tears spilled from my eyes. I felt like a little baby, crying in his mom's chest, because his favourite toy was taken away from him.

The only difference being, in this case, Ayushi was being taken away from me.

"Zeehan." Mom mumbled, rubbing my back.

"Why mom?" I cried more, hugging her.

I looked up to see tears in her eyes too.

"Please do something." I begged her, before looking at dad. I rushed to where he was sitting, and kneeled down infront of him.

"Dad, please do something. Please save her." I begged him.

"Zee, trust me, if I could, I would do anything to save Ayushi's life. I treat her like my own daughter, she's that close to me. But, I'm helpless, I can't do anything." Dad sighed.

I stood and ran my fingers through my hair. I've never felt so helpless in life before.

Silently, I walked out to my garden.

Sitting on the grass, the only thing I could think about was, it's funny how life plays games. One moment you're so happy, but the other moment things turn upside down, and no matter how hard you try, it will never go back to how it was.

I took a cigarette and lit it up, before bringing it to my lips.

Everything was making sense now.

Her breathing problem and cholesterol wasn't because of heredity. It was because of the disease.

I wiped my tears before taking another puff.

Suddenly, I felt a soft touch on my arm.

Choco.

He jumped on me causing my cigarette to slip from my fingers and fall on the ground.

It's funny how both the Chocos have one thing in common.

Restrict Zeehan from smoking.