CRASH

CHAPTER TEN

"She had heart broken once. Fall back bro, let her do her thing."

C H A P T E R T E N

ADHIRA WANTED NOTHING MORE than him to go away. She was fed up feeling like the outsider in his world, for- once she wanted to belong, she wanted to fit in. She wanted to be loved for being her awkward self, she wanted to be loved for her own culture, her own rituals. She didn't want to be hated for being an outsider, not anymore.

So, when Adhira saw Rudra. She lost it completely. The flowers that had been planted last spring were now in their full bloom. She felt her breaths shorten. Dr. Kapoor had Rudra pinned against the wall, his fists jamming into his collar.

Rudra's eyes met hers momentarily, breathlessly- his eyes held her captive and Adhira's mind was already spinning down memory lane.

The early summer rain drenched Rudra. He had raced from the parking lot to Adhira's dorm. Droplets of rain clung to his fiercely dark hair, he looked deadly, afraid, in-love- everything at once. He seemed to have captured the confused soul of the rain.

"Adhira..."

Adhira was still in her sweats, her hair in a loose bun. She loved Rudra but she swore to God she was this close to killing him. The clock was striking three in the morning, this wasn't the time she wanted to be distributed.

The instant she closed the dorm's door behind her and entered the hall, Rudra encased her in his arms. He buried his head into her shoulders. "I love you!"

It was the first time he had that. Adhira felt every muscle in her body stiffen- finally, after a year of pretending- he had admitted it. She honestly wanted to slap, punch him but she didn't do either. Instead, she hugged him, smiling into his chest. "You're supposed to be New York right now. What happened?"

He pulled away, staring in her eyes- dizzyingly. "I missed you."

She stroked his jaw. "You were only gone for two days."

He shook his head. "But it felt like a lifetime."

She smiled. He smiled back, suddenly strangely relieved to have her in his arms.

Adhira didn't like the way Rudra's eyes were tearing up. Adhira didn't like the way anger was boiling between him and Dr. Kapoor. She didn't like any of it. She didn't know what to felt at this point. There was haze in-front of her eyes. Soon enough she felt the curtains fall and the world fade.

∞ ∞ ∞

THE HOSIPITAL AUTHORTIES WERE not happy with their behavior. As soon Adhira was shifted to the operation theatre, Rudra and Dr. Kapoor were taken into the custody of the police for their misconduct. Adhira's case was handed over to Dr. Chen and his team.

They stood in the office of the hospital's management chair. Mark Sheets was foreboding man. His stocky frame towered over the doctors as he paced back and forth in the compact room. Dr. Kapoor stood stiffly beside Rudra. Despite it being Rudra's mistake, he kept his mouth sealed.

"It won't happen again, Sir" Kapoor spoke for tenth time. Rudra was strangely silent- the only thing going on his mind was whether Adhira was alright. He didn't give two cents about the hospital authorities. They were always pissed off at him and Kapoor was always covering up his reckless behavior.

Rudra wanted to save lives. He was willing to gamble a little in the process. His seniors- not so much- they rather place it safe to avoid the lawsuits.

"Dr. Kapoor, you have been one of our most well-mannered doctors. Ever since, Dr. Shah has joined you, you've been in causing trouble."

Kapoor knew where this conversation was headed. He was glad that Rudra wasn't in the state to respond, else he would have made the situation worse. "I assure you, Dr. Shah isn't the least bit responsible."

Mark leaned forward, a disapproving click in his tone. "I'm afraid we've give Dr. Shah too many chances but this time he has pushed the envelope too far."

Kapoor whitened visibly. "Sir..."

"Don't worry, Dr. Kapoor. We won't file a suspension of his license or even expel him from our hospital. We'll be a bit kinder on your favorite intern."

In any other situation, Kapoor would have scoffed at the favorite part.

"What do you plan to do?"

"Just a little disciplinary action." Mark turned his back towards Kapoor before opening the blinds. The deep blue coat he wore shone in the sunlight. "We will be suspending Dr. Shah from his duties for a period of three weeks."

"Is that all?" Kapoor asked tentatively.

"I'm afraid not." Mark nearly smiled at Rudra as Rudra stared blankly back. "If Dr. Shah cannot display good behavior when he is back, we will permanently expel him from our hospital."

Dr. Kapoor didn't know what to say.

"You're dismissed, Dr. Shah." Mark eyed Rudra wearily.

"Good day to you, sir." Rudra walked away in a nonchalant, not the slightest bit concerned.

In his wake, he left behind a very concerned Kapoor. Kapoor stared hard at the serious man in-front of him.

"What else is there, Mark?"

He leaned forward on the table. The air stirred. "Ms. Adhira's car crash wasn't an accident."