AUTHORS POV :-

IN HOSPITAL,

After the doctor left, Sofia pulled out her phone from her bag to inform Akansha so she wouldn't worry. But as soon as the screen lit up, her heart dropped—there were 25 missed calls from Akansha.

Sofia froze in panic. She had promised Akansha that she would wrap up her work in 5 to 10 minutes and head straight to her place for lunch. But two full hours had passed, and Sofia hadn't shown up, nor had she answered any of her continuous calls.

Knowing how anxious Akansha gets, Sofia quickly dialed her number back, her fingers trembling slightly as she held the phone to her ear, waiting for her to pick up…

On the very first ring, the call was picked up.

"Sofia?! Tu kahan hai?!" Akshu’s frantic, panicky voice exploded through the speaker before Sofia could even open her mouth.

("Sofia?! Where are you?!”)

"Do ghante se call kar rahi hu main! Tu thik toh hai na? Kahan phans gayi tu? Tujhe pata hai main kitni pareshan ho gayi thi?! Kuch bol kyu nahi rahi? Is everything okay?!"

("I’ve been calling you for two hours! Are you okay? Where did you get stuck? Do you have any idea how worried I was?! Why aren't you saying anything? Is everything okay?!”)

The flurry of worried questions hit Sofia all at once. Hearing her best friend's genuine terror shattered the last bit of composure Sofia was holding onto. Tears welling up in her eyes again, her lips trembled as she tried to force words out of her constricted throat.

"A—Akshu..." Sofia’s voice came out weak, cracked, and shuddering with deep grief.

"Sofia? Tu ro kyu rahi hai? What happened?!" Akshu asked, her frantic tone instantly shifting into deep concern.

("Sofia? Why are you crying? What happened?!”)

"Akshu... Chotu..." Sofia sobbed silently, wiping a stray tear with her trembling, blood-stained hand.

"Uska accident ho gaya, Akshu... I was on the phone with you, and right after I hung up, I heard a terrible crash. Jab main mud ke dekhi... he was lying in the middle of the road, covered in blood..."

("He met with an accident, Akshu... I was on the phone with you, and right after I hung up, I heard a terrible crash. When I turned around to look... he was lying in the middle of the road, covered in blood...")

"Kya?!" Akshu gasped on the other end, completely stunned. ("What?!”)

With a shaky, trembling voice, Sofia recounted the terrifying scene—the sudden screech of tires, seeing Chotu unconscious on the tarmac, the panicked biker who admitted he couldn't brake in time, the terrifying ambulance ride, and the agonizing two hours she spent outside OT 2 helpless and praying.

By the time Sofia finished, Akshu was already grabbing her car keys.

"Listen to me, Sof, shanti rakh. Main abhi aa rahi hu," Akshu said firmly, trying to keep her own voice steady for her friend.

(Sof, calm down. I’m coming right now,”)

"Mujhe turant hospital ka address bhej. Main aadhe ghante me tere paas pahunch rahi hu. Tu akele mat rehna, dhyan rakh apna!"

("Send me the hospital address immediately. I’ll reach you in half an hour. Don't be alone, take care of yourself!”)

"Indore City Hospital... Emergency Ward, second floor outside OT 2," Sofia whispered softly.

"I’ll be there in 30 minutes. Don't worry, Sof. I’m here.”

The call disconnected.

Sofia leaned her head back against the wall, holding her phone tightly to her chest, waiting for her support system to arrive while Chotu was being shifted to the recovery ward.

ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE CITY,

As soon as the call disconnected, Akansha quickly grabbed her car keys from her room and ran downstairs, in a desperate hurry to reach Sofia.

Seeing her frantic state, her mother, who was sitting on the sofa, stood up with a frown and asked her, "What happened beta? Why do you look so worried, and where are you going in such a rush?

Akansha who was already halfway through the main door, quickly said, "Mom, the place Sof went to, a kid met with an accident there and she is extremely panicked! That's why I'm going to her. Don't worry and don't wait up for me... I'll stay with Sof today.”

Without waiting for a reply, she dashed towards her car, set the hospital’s address on GPS and sped off into the traffic.

She knew better than anyone how deeply Sofia had suffered from the tragic accident 7 years ago and after this incident she is reliving that trauma again, I need to reach her right now, Akshu thought, pressing down on the accelerator. I can't let her fight those ghosts alone.

These haunting thoughts kept racing through her mind throughout the drive.

AT THE HOSPITAL,

Exactly 30 mins later, Akanksha pulled into the hospital parking lot. She killed the engine, jumped out of the car and sprinted through the hospital gates.

Bypassing the crowded elevators, she took the stairs two at a time straight up to the second floor, heading directly for OT 2.

By then, Chotu had already been shifted to the nearby recovery ward.

The moment Akansha rounded the corner near the Operation Theatre, her eyes caught Sofia—sitting fragile and pale on that cold metal bench.

Without a second thought, Akansha ran up to her and pulled Sofia into a tight, tight embrace.

As soon as Akansha wrapped her arms around her, Sofia’s last thread of restraint snapped. She collapsed into the embrace, burying her face in Akshu’s shoulder as violent sobs wracked her entire body.

"Akshu... Chotu... so much happened to him..." Sofia choked out between her broken tears, her voice barely a whisper. "I was so helpless, Akshu... he was bleeding so much..."

"Shh... quiet, Sof. Calm down," Akshu murmured softly, rubbing her back in soothing, rhythmic circles. "Look, I’m here now, right? You’re not alone anymore. Calm down, please.”

Akshu gently pulled back, wiped Sofia’s tear-stained cheeks, and retrieved a water bottle from her bag. Opening the cap, she handed it to Sofia. "Drink some water first. Take a deep breath.”

Sofia took a few shaky sips, trying to compose herself. Once her breathing evened out a bit, Akshu asked softly, "Chotu kaisa hai ab? Doctor ne kya kaha?"

("How is Chotu now? What did the doctor say?”)

"The surgery was successful..." Sofia replied, her eyes still glistening with tears. "The doctor said he is out of danger for now, but he's unconscious. We can only meet him once he regains consciousness.”

Hearing that the boy was out of danger, Akshu let out a sigh of relief. She held Sofia’s hands firmly, reassuring her until the intense panic in Sofia’s eyes began to settle. Seeing how pale and exhausted her best friend looked, Akshu stood up and gently pulled Sofia by her hand.

"Come on, let's go to the cafeteria first. You need some food and a warm cup of coffee," Akshu said affectionately, leaving no room for argument.

Down in the hospital cafeteria, Akshu made sure Sofia ate a light snack and had a warm cup of coffee. The warmth of the drink slowly eased the cold numbness inside Sofia.

While holding the coffee cup, a sudden realization struck Sofia—the biker!

She quickly put down her cup and pulled out the piece of paper where the young biker had scribbled his contact details earlier. Without delay, she dialed his number.

The call connected on the second ring. "Hello?"

"Hello, main Sofia bol rahi hu... jo hospital aayi thi aapke ke sath,"

Sofia said, her voice steady now. "Doctor ne kaha hai ki surgery successful ho gayi hai aur woh danger se bahar hai."

("Hello, this is Sofia speaking... the one who came to the hospital with you,”) ("The doctor said the surgery was successful and he is out of danger.”)

"Thank God!" the biker breathed out in immense relief over the phone. "Ma'am, main bohot guilty feel kar raha tha. Main bas raste me hi hu, agle 10-15 minute me hospital pahunch raha hu."

("Ma'am, I was feeling so guilty. I'm on my way and will reach the hospital in the next 10 to 15 minutes.")

"Aap aaram se aaiye," Sofia replied before disconnecting the call. ("Take your time,”)

Having finished their coffee, both Sofia and Akshu headed back upstairs to the second floor. As they reached the ward, a nurse stepped out and informed them that Chotu had finally regained consciousness.

Akshu’s face lit up, but Sofia suddenly froze outside the door. A deep, heavy anxiety gripped her heart. The guilt of Mumbai and the fear of facing Chotu overwhelmed her. She backed away slightly, her hands trembling again.

"I... I can't go inside, Akshu... I'm really scared,” Sofia whispered, her eyes wide with hesitation.

Akshu placed a reassuring hand on Sofia’s shoulder, looking straight into her eyes. "Listen to me, Sof. That boy needs you the most right now. Don't be scared, I'm right here with you. Come on.”

Giving Sofia a gentle nudge of courage, Akshu guided her inside the room.

Inside, the duty nurse was completing her routine checkup near the bed. On the hospital bed, fragile and pale with bandages wrapped around his head, lay Chotu.

The moment the door opened, Chotu shifted his head weakly toward the entrance. As his hazy eyes locked onto Sofia, a faint, tearful smile broke across his face.

"Di... Didi..." he croaked out in a faint, trembling voice.

Hearing that tender, desperate call from the small boy she had fought to save, Sofia’s heart melted completely. The wall of composure she had built up shattered in an instant, and tears once again spilled uncontrollably down her face…

Sofia’s heart ached at his weak call. Wiping her eyes hurriedly, she stepped closer to the bed and sat on the stool beside him. Her hand, trembling with affection, gently caressed Chotu’s forehead, being careful to avoid the tight bandages wrapped around his head.

"Tu bohot shaitan hai, Chotu..." Sofia murmured, a soft smile fighting through her tear-stained face as she lightly scolded him. ("You are so naughty, Chotu…”)

"Itne heavy traffic me road par kya kar raha tha tu? Tujhe pata hai kitni chot aayi hai? Kitna ghabra gayi thi main!" ("What were you doing on the road in such heavy traffic? Do you have any idea how badly you're hurt? I was so terrified!”)

Chotu looked up at her, his eyes shining with innocence and guilt. He shook his head weakly, his voice small and raspy.

"Didi... main road par masti nahi kar raha tha," Chotu whispered softly, taking a ragged breath. "Main toh side me hi khada tha..."

("Didi... I wasn't fooling around on the road,”) ("I was just standing on the side…”)

Sofia paused, her hand coming to a slight halt on his hair. "Then what happened?”

"Wo... wo kuch badmash gundey aaye the, Didi," Chotu revealed, his eyes widening slightly with the faint horror of the memory. "Unhone meri padhai ke paise chheen liye. Main unke peeche bhaaga aur unse apne paise wapis maang raha tha... par unme se ek ne mujhe bohot zor se dhakka de diya. Main sambhal nahi paaya aur seedha chalti gaadi ke saamne ja gira..."

("There... there were some rowdy goons, Didi,") ("They snatched my tuition fee money. I ran after them asking for my money back... but one of them pushed me really hard. I lost my balance and fell directly in front of an oncoming vehicle…”)

Sofia gasped, a chill running down her spine. The heavy guilt that had been crushing her chest instantly transformed into absolute shock and anger. It wasn't an accidental stumble or careless play—it was a vicious, intentional push by criminals!

Akshu, who was standing right behind Sofia, gasped in disbelief, her hands covering her mouth.

Sofia’s eyes flared with a mix of shock and concern. She squeezed Chotu’s hand gently and asked softly, "How do you know those goons, Chotu? Where do they live? Can you tell me what they look like?”

Chotu swallowed hard, his voice low and hesitant. "Didi... they are boys from our neighborhood. They always forcibly take money from the poor people working there. They had asked me for money before too... but this time I refused because it was my school money. You had given it to me... But they snatched it from me. When I ran after them to demand it back, they pushed me hard..."

"Are they also just young boys? Like... around 17 or 18 years old?” Sofia asked, her eyebrow furrowing.

Chotu weakly nodded his head in agreement.

Sofia sighed deeply, a thoughtful look settling over her face. "We won't file a police case against them... But we will meet them personally and explain to them how wrong what they did was."

"I will also help you reason with them,” a calm voice suddenly interrupted from the doorway.

Sofia and Akansha both snapped their heads toward the entrance. Standing near the door was the young biker, holding a polythene bag of medicines. He stepped inside with a soft, respectful smile.

"I have cleared all the hospital fees at the desk," the biker said, stepping closer to the bed and handing the medicine packet to Akansha. "And I also bought the medicines the doctor prescribed.”

Chotu looked at the unfamiliar guy in confusion, his big eyes blinking rapidly.

Noticing his bewildered reaction, Sofia smiled gently at Chotu. "Chotu, he is the one whose bike you collided with. He was the one who put you in the ambulance on time, and brought me to the hospital. If it weren't for him, who knows what would have happened."

Hearing this, the biker walked up to the side of the bed, a guilty look passing over his face as he looked at Chotu's bandaged head. "Please forgive me, kiddo... I couldn't apply the brakes suddenly because you unexpectedly fell right in front of the vehicle. I am really sorry."

Chotu gave him a faint, forgiving smile, shaking his head slightly to signal it was okay.

"You two can talk for a while, we'll be outside," Sofia said warmly to the biker.

Sofia and Akansha stepped out into the quiet hallway to give them some space.

Inside the room, the biker sat on the stool beside the bed, talking to Chotu in a light, cheerful tone to lift his spirits. Within ten minutes, the heavy effect of the painkillers took over, and Chotu’s eyes grew heavy, drifting off into a peaceful sleep.

Seeing Chotu fall asleep, the biker quietly stood up, adjusted the blanket over him, and walked out of the room to join Sofia and Akansha in the corridor.

By the time the biker stepped out of the ward, it was already 8:00 PM. The long, exhausting day had taken its toll, and both Sofia and Akansha looked visibly drained.

Looking at their tired faces, the biker guy said thoughtfully, "Chotu is asleep now, and he'll remain asleep all night because of the medicines. Both of you look really exhausted, you should go home... I'll stay here for the night. You can come back in the morning.”

Sofia shook her head instantly, her eyes lingering on the ward door. "Nahi, main Chotu ko akele chhod kar nahi ja sakti..." ("No, I can't leave Chotu alone…”)

"Listen to me, Sof," Akansha interrupted gently, placing a firm hand on her shoulder. "He is right. You've been under so much stress since afternoon. You'll end up falling sick. We will come back first thing in the morning, I promise.”

Sofia hesitation ke sath maanti hai. Turning to the guy, she realized they hadn't formally introduced themselves amidst all the chaos.

"My name is Sofia, and this is Akansha hai," Sofia said softly. "What's your name?"

"I'm Karan," he replied with a friendly, reassuring smile. "Go home without any worry, I'll take care of Chotu.”

"Thank you, Karan," Sofia said sincerely, before adding firmly, "By the way, until Chotu recovers and gets discharged from the hospital, we won't go to meet those boys. We'll think about what to do next only after he comes back."

Karan agreed with a nod. "Absolutely, Chotu's recovery is the top priority first."

Saying goodbye to Karan, both Sofia and Akansha left the hospital and headed home.

Hello my dear readers 😄 ....

I'm back with another chapter, hope you like it.....

I will try to update as soon as possible but hope you like it till this....

So what do you think will happen now ? Do you have guesses 🧐....

Now guess all you want until next chapter 😁...

Till then Byie 😊....

Cielmort 🖤......

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