A Girl With The Plan Vol.3

contd from A Girl with The Plan Vol.2

After the wedding, a few days of enjoyment the work mode was on. Everyone was busy with their life of work and home. Arun quite got interested in giving a hand in cooking with Sunaina’s dad. And Sunaina whereas would come to Arun’s house to give his mom a company while doing house chores during Saturday’s and Sunday’s. After some time, both of them told each other’s parents that they were dating and all of them were cool about it. Realising now everything was going good she now was concentrated to make her independent life better. To which Arun fully supported and gave his brainy tactics from the “Shark Tank” to handle the business or working in the office. And she never got the reference at all. After a while she was assigned to be in a team and work for the project. This brought a lot of office politics and the main person who was handling the project and also leading all the teams she was the head project manager Dr. Neeta Adjania. She did her PhD in Computer Programming and Applications. She also did her Specialisations for many projects and working on different technology thesis. Hearing all this made Sunaina want to become like. She wanted to learn more from her. Her glowing personality made Sunaina to get inspired and she decided to work on her personality more. She would find ways of staying in connect with Neeta, so that she could hear some of her walk-to talks. Dr. Neeta was so considerate about her projects that she would always talk about it and gave some excellent solutions to some problems. It was a hectic schedule with the new project. Sunaina was so concentrated with her working schedule that almost forgot to give herself some time. Then on Saturday when Sunaina was working late to complete some technical stuffs, Neeta saw her dedication towards her project and came and sat near her. Sunaina looked at her was surprised. Neeta started “Hey, such a young girl like you and staying late working is no good for your life. Take a break and go and spend some time with yourself”. Sunaina smiled and replied “Well looking at you and looking at your style of working, it amazes me that how perfect you can be. It just motivates me to be dedicated to the work more and more and bring some output on that. I mean you are such an inspiration for me, I adore you”. Neeta gave a look and said “That was a lot to take but thank you. But see Sunaina the true success to my working or what you say my working style is to believe that we are working for the company and only the company will reap the benefits of it so when the company stops you stop. Keep up with this habit and you will know the meaning of teamwork. I didn’t give only you the work but the team. So, when the team is present only then you will work”. Sunaina slowly realised that she was stressing too much on herself. And she nodded to Neeta with a smile and packed her bag. Neeta quickly went to her cabin and got her bag and both of them walked out of the office. As they were talking and coming down and walking out of the building Sunaina saw Arun’s car and wondered why he was waiting for so long, so late at night. Neeta went to the parking lot to get her car, both of them patted goodbye and Sunaina started walking towards the car and saw inside the car. As she saw in the car Arun was sleeping sitting on the driver’s seat. She nodded her head and knocked the window. She did it thrice and he woke up with a jolt and looked towards the window and slide it down. Sunaina “Hello Mr. Arun can I come in?”. Arun took some time to settle and said “Yes yes of course I mean what the fuck am I speaking.” Sunaina sat in the car, pulled her water bottle from the backpack and gave it to him. He took and drank some water. He got into sense soon and started the vehicle. As they were driving Arun looked at her, she was tired massaging her neck and stretching her elbow and shoulders. Also placing her hands on her stomach, he knew she was hungry. Soon, they reached Sunaina’s house. Sunaina got out of his car and walked towards the door. The guard came near Arun’s car had a small conversation. Arun asked “How’s uncle?”. The guard replied “He is fine but so much lonely he has lived he doesn’t seem to talk to anybody. Every night he comes from work tired and seats on his couch and drinks his favourite brandy. He has a very lonely life though but can’t help everybody has to live with the body that God gave, right”. Parallelly, even Sunaina was thinking the same while going to her room tired and seeing her dad seated on his couch and drinking his brandy. She went inside the room and thought of taking a shower before sleeping. So, she directly went inside the bathroom and removed her dress and kept the bathrobe near and went to shower. While having the shower she thought too many stuffs. She thought about dad that he has this routine life of going to office in the morning and coming back to house tired and just sleeping that’s it the life he has. She thought that she was also turning into something she didn’t wanted to. And this is making her too tired. She thought about her office where other employees enjoy and work and she is the only one who is doing all the work and maybe that’s the reason that other people in her group are not taking things seriously about the project. Unconsciously, she was just working hard forgetting herself at a whole. She turned off the shower and was drying her hair with the towel. And she sees the mirror which was fogged. With her hand she cleans it and sees her herself. She realised that she was not looking after herself at all. Like by the time since her young age she got too busy with her life that she forgot herself and thought about it she didn’t knew what she wanted. She raised her hands and started massaging her neck. She was just her hands on her neck and felt relieved. She slowly came down towards her chest and moaning a little reached her breasts. She placed her hands on one of her breasts and moaned a little loud. She felt happy and relieved out of stress. And then she remembered those times during her college days where she used to masturbate often and felt healthy every morning. That was her private space and also the correct age to masturbate and she didn’t feel weird about it. But now she is 27 and masturbating was just out of her league. But since she was feeling her body now, she felt good about it. She came out of the bathroom wearing her bathrobe she quickly untied her bathrobe and slept on the bed naked and moaned while she was fondling her breast. The moaning was getting intense and then she reached her vagina. Her eyes had a glow and she closed her eyes and smiled and moaned. After 20 minutes in the middle of the night her room’s door opens and she was happy and tired and she felt hunger was increasing she quickly went inside the kitchen and had a look on the couch it was empty. She quickly went inside her room carrying a water bottle, Nutella and some breads. She sat on her bed and had a cringed face because she realised, she did something which was not appropriate for her age and she swore to herself she wouldn’t do that. Sex at her age should be a thing but eventually due to her very busy or rather would say messy schedule she couldn’t find any other way to feel herself.

The next morning, she woke up very dizzy and since Sunday her eyes didn’t wake up yet. She forced herself to wake up. She rubbed her eyes and tried forgetting the other night. She got out of her bed. Went to her bathroom and looked at herself in the mirror. She nodded her head in disgust and quickly, tied her messy hair, brushed her teeth, washed her face and then came out of the bathroom. Stood still and told herself it’s ok to listen to her body sometimes. She took a deep breath and released it. She then came out of her room and saw her dad serving breakfast. He was frying omelette and looked behind and saw Sunaina who was looking messy. She then sat at the dining table. “Good Morning Dada”, she said. Her dad flipped the final time and served the hot omelette on her plate and said “Good Morning my sunshine” and kissed her forehead. He also then sat on the chair and both of them started eating their breakfast. While having breakfast dad started a conversation “So, Beta how’s the work going on in your office you seem very tired and worn out already”. “Ya I must say starting working and it’s been two years just two years it has already been soo tiring I wonder how are you working for soo many years”. She asked. “Well you see beta, the difference between your generation and our generation is just one thing that is level of thinking. When we were studying, we were just thinking about just a few things, like homework, friends, complaints, come home go to play, come back, do your homework and then watch some TV with our parents that’s it. As the years went by when we came to college when we were just semi-adults we used to sing, dance and act like actors or models, watch English movies, hit on some girls, laugh and enjoy. Then came the working era and we were totally into it where the only thing that mattered was, the hard work that we are doing it here will give us money so that we look after our family and also give them the luxury. We didn’t have that kind of exposure what your generation has. We knew about masturbation and sex when we were young and working. But now generation even 5th std boy know how to masturbate. The spread of information has been passed on in a very broad manner. So, chances of overthinking just increase because you know everything but don’t have time to think one, enjoy the moment as one, care for one, and etc. So, Sunaina if by any chance you feel stressed about your work remember this one thing that enjoys the moment, enjoy what you are doing, come happy from whatever thing you do, don’t regret it”. Sunaina just listened to those wise words coming out of her dad and couldn’t stop smiling about it. She realised, last night what she did was for her own good, for her own body then why does she have to feel ashamed of it. After breakfast, she cleaned the dishes and went to her room to work on her project. And by the time she was working even after lunch and by evening she was done with it. Evening, Arun came to meet her. He rang the doorbell. Sunaina’s dad opened the door and saw Arun. He welcomed him and he mentioned that Sunaina was in her room working I will tell her that you have come. Arun jittered and asked “Ah uncle, how are you? I heard you are working very hard and sleeping tired every day. Just wanted to ask about you out of concern”. “That’s sweet young man, I am all fine. Yeah, I have work and that makes me tired obvious. But we are men, we always have to be working from our side right”. “True that...!”, acknowledged Arun. Sunaina came out of her room and saw Arun and said Hi. Both of them sat on the couch and started talking. Arun mentioned that he has seen this great sushi place near the area and invited her. She jittered a little because she hasn’t tried sushi. Her dad overheard the conversation and encouraged her to try this and also told her that you should try different cuisine, it helps you to understand different cultures. Then Sunaina sighed “ok”. After some time, she comes out of the room dressed up and both bid bye to Sunaina’s dad and comes out of the house. When coming out Sunaina was searching Arun’s car and she didn’t find it. Then Arun said that “I didn’t bring my car I thought it is a nice breezy evening let’s go walking. It just a few minutes. If you are not ok I can get my vehicle”. Sunaina sighed and thought yes walking was a good idea. And she had a constant urge to speak about her masturbation to him. She didn’t have any reason why she was thinking to tell this weird thing to him but something told her he would be someone who wouldn’t judge her on any basis. So, they were walking and she was continually thinking something and lost in some weird thought about yesterday night. She was in dilemma whether to talk to her about this or no. Soon they reached the restaurant. Arun went to the reception desk and asked about the tables available for two. The receptionist showed him the table. Both of them went to the assigned table. “Ah finally we are having sushi and I don’t have any hopes how it will be.” Said Arun. He looked at Sunaina and he identified she was into some thinking. He then stopped his radical jokes after some time and found Sunaina’s silence annoying he then intervened with her and said that what was going on in her mind. She jittered for a minute and said coming closer to Arun “Arun...! would it be weird if I tell you I did something horrible last night?” Arun became conscious and asked in the same town as Sunaina spoke to him which was extremely low “Wait what happened Sunaina?” She gulped down and said, “I masturbated yesterday night. I feel so embarrassed since yesterday night. Whenever I try to forget about that thing it feels more embarrassing but deep down, I feel that it felt good”. Arun looked at her face and said a long hmm and rested his back and gave an impression of deep thinking and laughed. This brought a big question mark on Sunaina’s face. Arun looked at her said “Aww, idiot how masturbating is embarrassing? You are just feeling yourself right. There are times when due to the stress of work you forget yourself and you also forget to care about your body. Your body and soul and mind all are connected, you will have to look after it all at the same time. And it’s not something to be ashamed of”. Sunaina replied, “I agree at that moment my body had that urge but I am 27 years old does that make anything judgemental about me?” Arun was going to reply then the waitress came with the dishes and started serving them on their plate. While serving Arun looked at the dishes and was fascinated by how they appeared. Sunaina saw this and thought that I told him such weird news that I myself is so embarrassed about and look at him he drooling already on the sushi, idiot. After the waitress finishes placing the dishes on the plate. Arun took the knife and was going to eat where he looked at Sunaina where she was giving him sudden look. Then he looked at the plate and remembered he was going to tell something. Then he acted as if he will start talking “See Sunaina people will only judge if you give a damn about it and think that was something bad. People think what you portray. And masturbation is something which you have to feel great about your body. The body needs to have sexual desires but due to that lifestyle, we ignore it or feel we don’t need it. But as they say, “Body knows what it needs” and you cannot stop that. So, by masturbating you eventually fulfilled your body’s wish. Sunaina free up your body a little, do things that please you. Like think it in a way that yesterday you just felt nice after masturbation and you finally felt your body on every aspect of its sensitivity”. Sunaina looked at him said “Wah what a speech Arun now basically I am glad that I am dating than my thing yesterday. Now I feel I was just overthinking about myself. I should just loosen up a little and chill. Also is there any taste in this sushi?”. Listening to this Arun dramatically eats the sushi and pulls the collar with pride. Sunaina laughs at him and both of them have a good dinner.

While walking back home Sunaina thought of what her dad said this morning that we should learn to enjoy and be happy with whatever we do and never complain or overthink and stress ourselves. And comparing the thoughts she gave looked at Arun and realised she could never get a husband like him. She then clinches his hand and holds it close. Arun feels her heartbeat and realised she was close. Arun lovingly taps on Sunaina’s cheeks. Sunaina with her other hand pocks his waist. He makes a weird sound. Both of them laugh and go home happily. Sunaina seemed very happy and light. She was now able to think all the good stuff about her work which inward gave a very good spark on her face. As she was going to her room, she saw her dad and said hi with a smile. Her dad looked at her and was amused at the sudden glow on her face and the smile. “I assume the dinner was very good, Sunaina.” said her dad. She smiles and replied, “Yes indeed it was the most amazing night, not the dinner, it was tasteless. Bye Dada I am going to sleep”. Dad looked at her and smiled and felt she has now found out her true responsible and real happiness. Sunaina closed the door and fell on her bed. She smiled and remembered Arun’s words and the moment he jittered when she clenched his hand and tightened near her chest. She blushed and looked up and thought that she was looking at her from up in opposite direction. He smiled, she smiled. She said “Hey” and Arun said “Shhh”. He then came closer and kissed her forehead first then her eyes and then was coming for the lips, she moaned a little and then realised she was dreaming and no one was there in the room. She felt restless and by mistake, she places her hand near her vagina and then her eyes glowed but this time it was not out of disgust but she really good about the feeling, she continued moaning.

There is a group of mothers and housewives who have come for psychology training. Most of them were mothers and housewives and very few men who were husbands. The psychologist was asking questions to each of them that how was there yesterday’s evening. One by one everyone spoke about their evening. Then came a lady who started “Yesterday my daughter comes to me and tells me very disturbing news which I wasn’t used to at all. Like she was disturbed for many days. Like coming late from college and directly going to her room and for a long time she was not coming out. She was not eating well and this made me very curious that what was actually going on. Then yesterday evening, she comes from her college crying and directly went inside the room and partially closed the room. I went behind her but for a second, I thought, was I ready for this to listen to her. My motherly instinct came up and I saw her sitting on her bed crying and she saw me standing near the door and she called out “Maa”. This broke me and I barged in sat beside her and asked her what was hurting her. She then started talking “Maa I used to date this boy secretly in my college in the same class in my first year. We dated for a year and I made sure nobody knows it not even you. I loved him a lot and I thought maybe if it’s settled then only, I will tell you. But then after a year, he had some doubt on me that I was seeing some other guy and then he hacked my phone without my permission and saw all my data. Then he started rumours that I was a bitch and had sex with other boys in the class. Some of the boys started harassing me placing their hands on my chest and back I felt soo embarrassed maa. Now even my friends are believing it and they started getting far away from me. I don’t know what should I do”. I was clueless I didn’t know how to react to it and I was confused should I talk about her that why she didn’t tell me the stuff earlier or should I go in my logic that why she should be doing all this stuff and it’s her fault. I don’t know, it’s such a big dilemma”. Everyone was listening to her and the psychologist listened to her very carefully and said, “See, your silence her gave a very wrong statement you should have taken a step to tell her something that should have given her time to think and analyse while you get another solution for their problem”. As the psychologist was continuing the mother gets a call and she shouts and cries and runs away from the room. Everyone was stunned and looked at her running and crying. As the mother was running it started raining heavily and as she reached her house which was nearby. She saw that the crowd had gathered near her house and she could see legs on the floor and it was similar to her daughters. Her heart was pounding hard. As she came near the blood was flowing with the rainwater near her legs and then she saw her daughter lying down her head was covered with blood and her eyes weren’t close. Mother fell down with grief and started crying carrying her girl’s head and placing it on her lap. People were speaking that the girl jumped from the building and it felt it was suicide. 

Everything was going good with Sunaina this winter. She had celebrated her 28th birthday where all her friends had come to her place. Everyone was working good in their desired interests. Things were also going professionally. She had now started working with an open mind and didn’t mind taking breaks when she felt she needed one. She spent quality time with her father and Arun. She made sure to call her friends who were staying far. Fathima announced the great news that she was getting married, arranged though. Everyone was happy about it but Sunaina was concerned that she thought Fathima would get married when she would be settled with her job and 28 was too early. Then Fathima replied that “Sometimes we need to have the objective of life to get settled with. And I am glad Farhan allowed me to live my freedom after marriage. I think this arrangement will soon get into love marriage like real soon”. This had put a great smile on Sunaina’s face and then all of the friends came early to her place by winding up all their office work quick. They helped with the preparations for the wedding, which was really grand. When everyone where busy working Fathima felt sad announcing something else that was she would be moving to Dubai forever and wouldn’t be able to see her friends more often. She told this and everyone became sad but they were happy after all because she would be working in Dubai and finally getting settled there. Dhinesh reminded everyone of the time where Fathima would always tell that she wanted to go to Dubai and always spoke about the ways to go there one of which was to marry a guy who hails there. And today finally she got one. Everyone had a hearty laugh. Then taking the situation, Kanishkar also admitted that he has introduced his girlfriend to his parents after 3 years of staying together. Everyone where curious and then Kanishkar said “Yes, my parents said yes. I will be marrying my girlfriend”. Everyone hugged him and the boys gave Kanishkar a pat on his shoulder. They had a good time. Soon Fathima was married and it went pretty well. And then next morning, she was leaving for Dubai with Farhan. At the same time, everyone was leaving for their own towns. Arun and Sunaina sat outside the boarding gate and waited for the boarding time. Sunaina cuddled Arun and laid her head on his shoulder. Arun rubbed her shoulder lovingly. Then he started “Sunaina time is going so fast right. Like finally Fathima got married. Next Kanishkar will. All are busy working. There is now a lifestyle for us. Like it’s so difficult to have a life now that when it became yours you just spend time worrying it shouldn’t end like this. Happiness starts to get measured, we long for smiles, time speeding away just makes us thirstier for something called happiness. Earlier we longed for this life and now we can’t stop cringing about it. Ahh, I didn’t know this life change will be soo much”. Sunaina looked at him and sighed little then she immersed in a long thought. She was thinking that she has been knowing Arun for a long time and then also dating him for a quite long time. What if Sunaina and Arun get married, how would life be. She immersed into her own imaginations; she saw herself smiling while Fathima was correcting her saree. And she looked forward, blushing at the same time. Sunaina was confused and then she turned back to see to whom she was blushing. Then she sees Arun getting all excited and walking towards the mandap. To make a cool looking wedding all her best friends were wearing sunglasses. And it was a happy wedding. Then suddenly everything was dull. Sunaina was confused looking at herself crying and shouting. Suddenly she couldn’t hear anyone and everything was deaf. The going-to-be-married Sunaina got up crying and came out of the mandap. The real Sunaina couldn’t understand that why she suddenly become deaf. After some time no one was there for the wedding. Sunaina could only see herself crying and shouting something. And then she sees the real Sunaina. She comes to her. Sunaina looks herself but the only difference she was crying and her wedding look was all spoilt, smudged her mascara due to crying. Then there was a hard beam of light and the scene faded. Sunaina opened her eyes and she was sitting inside the plan sleeping on Arun’s shoulder. She felt anxious and she held Arun’s hand close. Arun was also sleeping and he felt some moment and he moved his head towards Sunaina and placed it on her head. Both continued to have their sleep.

 The flight reached on time and there was a certain kind of commotion that was going on in the Airport. Most of the people could be seen standing near the TV and watching the news. Sunaina and Arun were very tired so they just saw the crowd and walked out the arrival. They reached their respective houses. When Sunaina has entered the house, she saw that her dad was also watching the news. The news stated about a new virus outbreak in China. It was named COVID-19 aka Coronavirus. Many people were getting affected by it. Slowly somehow the whole world was getting affected by it. India though had low cases but it was estimated that it would reach a certain spread. Arun’s parents were also watching the same. She went inside her room and got dressed to go to work. She said bye to her and walked near the house’s gate. In the neighbour house, Sunaina that some girl lives her who is a doctor. She could hear noises coming out of the house. Maybe some fight between a girl and her family. Just then Arun’s car comes. She gets inside the car. As the car moved, from the side the bus passed and behind that the girl was running from her house and then trying to chase the bus she fell. Arun stopped the vehicle and looked at Sunaina. Sunaina then came out of the car and quickly went to help that girl. Sunaina pulled her up by her shoulders. Arun parked the car nearby and then came out of the car and went to see that girl. Sunaina made that girl sitting on the footpath and she also sat by her side. Arun brought a water bottle gave it to the girl. The girl thanked Sunaina and Arun for helping her. She told she actually missed her bus. She was already late for work in a hospital. Sunaina saw that she was already frustrating so much she looked at Arun. Then Arun said, “Ah you can come with us we will drop you at the hospital”. The girl was happy but she seemed concerned and told: “I think it’s a bad idea you will become late for work and that will be on me”. Then Sunaina intervened “It’s not a problem at all we can manage but the hospital is much important so we will drop you there first ok don’t worry come”. She smiled and slowly got up and the three of them walked towards the car. They sat in the car and they were on their way to the hospital. While on way, Sunaina started a discussion with the girl sitting behind “Hey what’s your name?” girl came forward eager to talk and said, “my name is Avi. And I have always seen in the neighbourhood but I was so busy with my studies and many shifts as a nurse in the hospital I am going now”. Sunaina said, “Ah that’s nice, yeah even we are too busy with our work schedules and he doesn’t get time for ourselves at all. So, how much time you have been working in this hospital?”. She said “6 months”. And both exchanged phone numbers and they began talking. They reached their first destination, Avi gets out of the car and thanked both Sunaina and Arun and then go ahead for their office. Avi walked fast and went inside the hospital and just then her boyfriend comes and gives the expression that she was late. She cutely said “Sorry” and he nodded. She quickly goes to the changing room and puts on the coat and mask. While putting on the mask one of her friend Amy made a quick conversation “Hey Avi how are the things going on with you and Ashwin?” Avi looked at her and blushed and sighed “Ah you know we are taking things slow and to tell though a trainee he is too good at his job as the psychologist he is difficult to determine but extremely romantic”. Her friends gave her a pat and said “Aww so cute, I have never seen a weird couple like you where you both are going to become the doctors and yet the girl hasn’t spoken to her parents about him.” Avi looked at her feeling sad and she began thinking. She replied “See, Amy being in this relationship with my parents totally getting over my ass is already so difficult. I mean just because I am a girl, they are not interested at all in the plans that I have after my studies. They want me to marry some older piece of shit from my village to restore the family name which it seems got destroyed when I was born. Then when I studied 10th and got good marks no one gave a shit about me soo basically my parents did the same thing. Since then, they just give me studying fees that are it. You know I might be the first daughter who wants to leave their own family and I seriously hope that’s for a good cause”. Amy sighed and their senior gave an announcement to assemble in a particular room for the required instructions to be given.

Arun and Sunaina reached their office and go to their desks and start working. The busy day begins and ends on a tiring evening. Everyone starts packing their bag and walk out of the office talking about their work and laughing bitching about any employee. Some were making plans over the weekend to go partying. Some chose topics of recent epidemic in china that is a coronavirus. Sunaina was waiting for Arun who was in the parking lot taking his car. Then after a while, the car came and both were on their way home. Arun dodged all the traffic so that he could reach home fast. He dropped Sunaina and he moved on. Sunaina was too tired and she yawned and saw that Avi was sitting on the footpath outside her house. She then looked at her house, where she could hear the shouting of her dad and mom fighting about her working and coming so late at night. She sighed and walked towards Avi who was sitting down on the footpath. Sunaina sat next to her and said “Hi”. Avi looked up and then side. She found Sunaina sitting near her, she wiped her tears and smiled and said “Hi”. Sunaina looked at her and wondered after all this she is sitting outside her own house and still tries to smile. She felt concerned for her and said “What happened Avi? Just go inside your house na why are you sitting outside it’s not safe”. Avi looked at her so dearly smiled and said “At least you are concerned for me rather like my parents I don’t deserve your concern nor anyone’s”. Sunaina felt sad and said “Yes I remember there is lots of noise coming from your house the sound like argument every time when you come out of the house in the morning for work and at night when you return. What with that?” Avi looked behind at her house and smiled, replying to Sunaina’s question she said “ Yes that’s coming from my dad and mom for me because they don’t like that I work and they already believed that I am a curse to this family because I studied now working and don’t want to get married to some elder asshole out there in my village.” Sunaina after listening to it said “Aww old school old village mentality drama. Well, tomorrow is the weekend come to stay at my house and tell me the whole story after we eat dinner.” Avi was excited but also doubted “Is it good at this hour to come to your house what will your dad say?” Sunaina got up and said, “Well, after all, he is not your dad you will have a good time, come.” Avi looked at her happily and got up. Then they together they went to Sunaina’s house. Dad had already reached home and had come out of the room after a bath. He heard the doorbell and came to open the door. After opening the door, he saw Sunaina and Avi standing. Sunaina said, “Hello Dada see I got a new friend for a stay over”. Her dad smiled and asked “Oh nice Sunaina won’t you introduce your friend?” Sunaina then looked at Avi and said, “She is Avi and lives opposite to our house and rarely has time to socialize”. Dad continued “Haha well yeah rarely we have seen her nearby right? Hmm ok freshen up and I will be ready with a nice dinner.” Both of them came inside and went to Sunaina’s room to freshen up. As Sunaina was removing her clothes she began a conversation while Avi sat on her bed and looked at her room, “Avi since I am your friend now why every time there is sound near the house like I do feel every day you are been scolded”. Avi then sighed and replied “Ahh I am sorry you have to hear that but honestly it’s my dad who is always ranting about me going to work and my mom eventually supports it. Then is really annoying you know like I don’t get food and I don’t get to meet any of my family members. Like seriously I tell you if I just throw all of my work, my studies and go to them and say I am ready to be married to any guy like, they will be happy to see me holding a 45-year-old penis and conceive myself”. Sunaina was astonished by this rant. Avi looked at her face and guessed it creeped her out anyway. Both had a great laugh. After some time, both of them came out of the room and were going to eat dinner. Dad quickly placed the dishes on the dining table and asked everyone to eat and tell how that was made. Avi took some on her plate and tasted it and said it was yummy and also added she hadn’t tasted home-cooked food at all. Dad looked at her and placed his hand on her head and asked her to eat to her fullest. All of them had a great time while eating dinner. After eating, both Avi and Sunaina were cleaning the dishes gossiping about something, while Sunaina’s dad was seated on the couch and reading some articles on his phone. After cleaning the dishes Sunaina and Avi came along and Sunaina kissed her dad on the forehead and said “She has some work and asked him to sleep after some time”. Avi smiled and said “Good night uncle, and thanks for the dinner it was delicious”. Dad smiled and said, “Thank you Thank you Avi and both of you don’t stay up all night sleep ok”. After that, both of them went inside their room and Sunaina fell on her bed sighing tiredly. Avi then closed the door and then tied her hair. She sat next to Sunaina and was in deep thought. Avi looked at Sunaina and thought something. Sunaina raised her head and saw Avi was in deep thought and said “Hey Avi what’s troubling you?”. Avi looked at her said “Ah nothing I think I should inform my parents you know that I am having a stay over at your place. But the thing that is easting me inside is that they never cared about me the whole childhood and now also they won’t give a fuck that I am late and don’t ever come home”. Sunaina raised herself and looked at her and said “Shoo don’t speak such things, my only legit family here is my dad and friends like you. So as a family member, you are not allowed to speak about death so easily. And anyways you will be going home by morning so then tell them. Avi nodded her head and asked her “Sunaina were you always like this or what? Like so free-spirited and so ambitious like you seem to be very ambitious about your life like your eyes seem to show you have a clear attitude”. Sunaina looked at her and reflected on her past and wondered that whatever she is now is because of her dad and then she replied “Hmm thanks to my dad for that, I wasn’t the one what you see me now as”. Then she narrated her story from the beginning and Avi reflected upon the fact the life changes you to be good and you need to be just patient that the change will occur. Both of them chatted and laughed and had a nice time. Avi loved the fact she was finally laughing. The next morning Avi woke up before Sunaina and tied her hair. She wrote a note and kept it side by the drawer. She slowly came out of the room and slowly closed the door so that she doesn’t get up. She came out of the house to go for her house. She walked and stopped for some time thinking about what she would say to her parents. She took a deep breath and thought about how life changed Sunaina by holding the good things she had. She breathes out and smiled. She went near the door and took the keys from her purse. Slowly unlocked the door and then slowly went inside and closed the door. Then taking heavy steps she went up to her room and closed her room door. The closing of the door made some blunt sound. Her mom who was down realised someone had come. Avi was getting ready for a bath and kept all her clothes on the bed, then her mom enters the room opening the door roughly and gives a hard slap to Avi. Avi is astonished and couldn’t react at all. By the time she was coming back to the senses her mom began scolding her “Avi where were you last night? Tell me, you ungrateful witch”. Avi replied with a low voice “Opposite to our voice, Sunaina’s house”. Hearing this reply her mom got angrier and more slapped her continuously till she got tired. Down the floor, her dad heard the sound but he was not willing to go up and see his daughter or at least talk and clear things out. It seemed that he was enjoying this and didn’t care to interrupt. He slowly finished his breakfast and put the tables in the basin. Slapping Avi her mom got exhausted and crying and shouting Avi’s face was miserable. Her mom was panting for breath than from behind her father came and asked her what happened here to which mom replied “This piece of shit has got her wings it seems. She already decided her life right. She betrayed us totally by not doing what should have been done and now she is showing the world that she is an independent woman now”. While she ended it with a frown. Her dad laughed hard while Avi was sobbing and she lifted her head to see her dad laugh. Then as she did that and her dad came closer and grabbed her by the head and said “You see, when you decided that you wanted to live life the way that very moment we consider you our greatest mistake and should have executed you while you were born itself. We stay in one house for the one primary reason that we are punishing you for your ‘Good deeds’ understand. So, you either breath our way or not breath at all”. He then assaults her, while holding her from the shoulder he slowly rubs one finger on side of her breast. He would come closer to her face and breath heavy. Though she felt uncomfortable she couldn’t raise her voice as they were her parents and the fact, he was harassing her in front of her mother as if she didn’t care about her own daughter. This made her sadder and vulnerable. Both of them left her room leaving Avi alone. Avi stood for a while looked at her dress and realised, she had to go to the hospital. She made up her hair. Her salwar had got loose from the shoulder and was hanging from the side where her dad had held her. Her face was had tear marks and her eyes were smudged with the mascara from last night. She went inside the bathroom with a pale face. Undressed her while looking at her miserable state, she threw her dress and undergarments and stared at the window and saw how miserable she got and remembered the times she was laughing just a few hours ago. She tried smiling for a while and slowly she began to sob. She then quickly got under the shower and gushed open it. She cried her heart out. This went for a long time. After some time, she came out of the bathroom, got dressed and packed the important files and utilities, got set to go to work. While coming out she saw from her balcony that Sunaina was standing outside her house waiting for Arun to pick her up to go to her office. She came back and sat on her bed. She thought that now meeting her after what happened today was a bad idea. She also thought if she comes closer to me then she might judge me by my background and how my parents treat me and what kind of extortion I go through. I think I should focus on my work and studies that’s it. But they she couldn’t forget that one night she spent with Sunaina, she smiled and laughed had a good time. Admiring her personality Avi always thought she can never be Sunaina. She then sighed and moaned angrily and came out of her room. She locked the door and then came downstairs and without speaking to anyone coming out of the house. She then went to the bus stand and sat there. She felt hungry because she only ate last night. She opened her bag and there was an opened biscuit packet. There were two biscuits. She started to eat that. After some time, the bus came and she had finished eating the biscuits. She quickly stood and wiped her mouth with her wrist. She got into the bus and saw the window seat; one was empty and she quickly went there and sat. Waited for the conductor to come. After the bus got moving the conductor came and asked her how she was. The conductor knew her for a long time because she only boarded this bus since her school and college time. He asked her why she didn’t board this bus yesterday, she smiled and said that she had got up late so this bus actually passed. He saw something was wrong with her because her face looked dull but he didn’t ask because he knew her situation at her house. So, gave her the ticket with the change and sat behind. He then remembered those time when she was going to school alone and he made sure that she sits with him so that he could take care of her. Remembering this he smiled looking at her. While she leans over the window and starts thinking. There was traffic everywhere and she fell asleep leaning on the window. After passing through the heavy traffic the bus reached Avi’s destination. She got down and walked towards the hospital. As she was entering the hospital everyone was looking at the TV. On TV people were seeing the news saying that coronavirus affects one Indian person and it is expected that the spread has begun everyone is advised to take the necessary precautions. The symptoms are yet to be clarified before it reaches the public. Avi didn’t pay heed to the tv as she was dull, she directly went to the changing room. She didn’t meet anyone not even Ashwin or Amy. Ashwin tried speaking to her but she didn’t budge to speak to him. He didn’t force her. She began to work with the head doctor. The head doctor asked her to examine a patient which was complaining about a cold and cough. She said “Ok”. Before entering the cabin, she stood for a while. Just then Ashwin was passing by the corridor and saw Avi. She was trembling and her hands were shaking. Her eyes were getting wide it seemed she was panicking. He quickly went near her. Avi was stressed and she was remembering all the traumatised events that occurred to her in the morning. She took a step behind. A drop of tear just came from her eyes. Just then Ashwin places his hand on her shoulder. She raises her head and looks at him. He holds her by both the shoulders and turns her to his side. She raises her head and looks at him. She was sobbing and looked at him with watery eyes. Ashwin looked at her and wiped her tears and asked her “Hey what happened?” very compassionately. The way he asked her she broke down and hugged him and sobbed. He didn’t ask and she didn’t say anything but he held her close and didn’t leave her for a while. After some time, she stopped crying and raised herself from his chest. He then looked at her and wiped her tear spots with his hand and placed his palm on her cheeks. She felt relaxed. She sighed and closed her eyes for a second. He then told her “Hey it’s ok I understand whatever it is this job is that one thing that will make you feel more human and compassionate towards someone, so just forget the day outside and be happy ok”. She nodded. He then smiled and kissed her forehead and went to his cabin ahead. She looked at him while he walked away. She took a deep breath and released it. She opened the cabin’s door and said to the patient “Ah am sorry for the delay I was having a little breakdown. The head doctor is busy with surgery so I will take care of you”. She sat on the chair and took a notepad and a pen. “Hmm what’s your name?”, Avi asked. “Neeta” her voice seemed very disturbing because her throat was congested. Avi realised it while she spoke. The Avi began to examine her. After the examination she told “All the examination report I will submit it to the head doctor and she will further give his word ok.” Neeta nodded and complained that the chest pain feels like broken glasses inside her. Avi patted on her back and said everything will be fine it’s just congestion of the mucus that is developing inside. The day was over, Avi was packing her bag and just then Amy came and said “You dog, two dogs romancing in the middle of the corridor aww yeah how romantic”. Avi blushed and said, “Shut up, I already had a bad morning but the rest of the day was good haha”. Both of them gossiped for a while and then came out of the hospital. Avi bid goodbye to Amy and she walked towards the bus stand. As she was walking Ashwin comes with his car and stops it near her. Avi looks at the car and then the window slides down. Ashwin leans sideways and asks to hop in. She smiles and gets inside the car. Ashwin while driving asks her “Ahh hmm Avi I know it isn’t my business but, morning it was your parents again? Avi sighed and said “Oh yeah, yesterday I had a sleepover with a newly found friend in my neighbourhood and we had a great time, the whole time we laughed, we danced, spoke to each other about problems and I really had a good time. You know after yesterday I actually came to know that I too can smile. I felt soo good and then I have this worst morning, amazing afternoon (while cuddling Ashwin she said this) I hope the night just goes unnoticed Ashu”. Ashwin told her not to worry and patted her cheeks while she rested her head on Ashwin while he drove. On the radio, the news of corona was playing and then it said that they had discovered the first domestic case and she was identified to be a woman. Earlier today she was advised to be at home and take primary precautions of cold and cough but the symptoms were yet not known to the world by that time and when the head doctors who had received the confirmed first symptoms they have ordered for the precautions to be taken from tomorrow towards the patients who are showing the same symptoms.

Ashwin dropped her near the bus stand of her area, Avi got down from the car and said good night to him. The car left and she stood there for a while and looked at Sunaina’s house. She turned towards her house and went inside. She slowly turned the doorknob so that no one notices that she is home. She took heavy steps and came inside the house and closed the door very slowly without any noise. She slowly walked towards the stairs and climbed to her room. She unlocked the room door with her keys and went inside the room and closed it. When she closed it there was a slight sound and her dad and mom alerted and knew that Avi was back. They both sighed and continued eating their dinner. She fell on her bed and looked at the worn-out wall. And then she touched her stomach and felt she was hungry. She got up and checked her pulse and there was nothing. Then she sighed and got up from bed. She then saw a biscuit packed kept near the window. She then went near the window and looked outside. She saw Sunaina had just come home from her office and looked thoughtful. She then turned herself to Avi’s house and quickly Avi ducked herself so that she wouldn’t see her. Sunaina sighed and then asked Arun “Hey what happened to Avi yaar? Like yesterday we had fun the whole night and then she vanishes unannounced this morning”. Arun had no idea and so he just made up an answer and said: “Ah well maybe she got some work, maybe some urgent work you know she is a doctor I mean going to be a doctor works at a hospital and obviously corona is up busy maybe”. Sunaina looked at him and said “Really? That the best made-up answer you have all got huh?” Arun showed his expressionless face. Sunaina said, “Get lost idiot, Love you”. Arun then smiled and drove to his home. Sunaina looked the last time at Avi’s house and wondered she should go to her house but then she thought let’s think about it tomorrow.

As the days passed by, Sunaina got very much busy with her work because her company and not just her but several companies in Mumbai were anticipating a lockdown due to the spread of Coronavirus which was taking some deadly moves. Many people were kept isolated and doctors were treating as well as researching the cause and treatment for this virus. Soon after some days, the worldwide lockdown was announced, it was a global pandemic. Slowly all the countries were shutting down the travelling from foreign countries, interstate travelling was banned and all the civilians were strictly told to stay at home and quarantine themselves. Sunaina staying at home always watched Avi’s house through her balcony about how she was keeping up with this situation. Avi was in the medical facility so she had to risk her life and go to the hospital. Avi saw some dreadful sights, this virus didn’t discriminate against anyone it affected everyone, the rich the poor and all of them. Ashwin rarely had any time to meet Avi because she was avoiding him. Her issues inside her house increased during this pandemic because her dad and mom were scared that she would bring the virus home. So, she was too stressed to even think about her, but looking at soo many people the only thing that was running inside her mind as she had to save lives and that’s the only duty she was assigned to do. After thorough duty for days to months to a year, then one day she could see some symptoms in her body and she immediately called for a testing appointment and by the time her result came out her condition got worse very rapidly. She was positive and due to a very weak immune system, she was lacking oxygen in her blood that caused her severe breathlessness. The ambulance came to her house after a day and Sunaina stood and saw her been taken on a stretcher from her balcony. She was just seeing her blank with no emotions because she didn’t know what to express. Avi was lying on the stretched gasping for oxygen and she wanted to see Sunaina before she went to the hospital. She tried to have a glimpse from the ambulance door gap and then she finally saw her with a very heavy heart. Extremely sad about the situation even Sunaina couldn’t do anything but stand still on her balcony doing nothing. It was a painful sight for both friends.

After some days,

Sunaina was sitting on her couch drinking coffee and her dad was pouring his cup of coffee in the kitchen then suddenly the bell rang. Sunaina looked at the door and then it started raining showers. Both of them felt something ill and her dad opened the door, their Ashwin was standing holding a dress with a written note on it. Dad looked at Sunaina and she came near and saw the dress and remembered that it was the dress that Avi wore when they first met. Ashwin couldn’t hold his tears. He sobbed for a while and Sunaina was still in shock. Ashwin stopped for a while and said “She collapsed after she battled the covid for a week. I couldn’t meet her nor could I save her. She was in soo much pain and yet she didn’t forget her duties at the hospital. She was in isolation in her hospital since her house wasn’t that resourceful. So, she was caged in a separate room where she was fitted with ventilators. Couldn’t bear to see her like this, it was very difficult for me to even accept she was going through all of this. Listen, Sunaina this letter is the only thing that is left of her that I would like to hear from you. It contains you I know but it just gives me her presence, in front of me, I could see her, I want to see her.” He sobbed hard as he finished talking. Sunaina’s hand shivered when she heard him and couldn’t control her anxiety, her dad looked at both of them and made them sit on the sofa. Sunaina picked up the letter from the table and as she unfolded the letter her hands were shivering. Sunaina’s dad held her hand and she looked up at her dad. Gathering some courage, she unfolded the letter.

Dear Sunaina,

I know I have been ignoring you for a while and I feel really bad for what I have been doing to you but trust me it wasn’t the thing that I always wanted to do. I really wanted to make this friendship the best and the most amazing one. Ah well! As I am lying here counting my days and looking at other patients crying over the death of their loved ones, nurses and doctors running here and there trying to save their patients and me feeling so disgusted that being a responsible person in this process is lying to her on the death bed with nothing a pen and paper and attached myself with an oxygen cylinder which is supplying me oxygen. The situation here is very bad and when all of these bad things are happening to me, I could only imagine what the world outside this cage-like room is going through. The love of my life is running everywhere to save my life with the knowledge he has, importing medicines and what not but my body has given up by the suffering that I was going through even before this, before you came into my life like a ray of hope and all those cheesy lines, we say for something called soulmates.

The letter was incomplete but it could eventually display that at what level of pain she was going through. Sunaina looked at Ashwin and said “Tell me Ashwin please tell me what happened at the last please I just want to know her last moments so that it is embedded inside as a memory about my dearest friend. Ashwin slowly raised his head and looked at Sunaina for a while, an act of sheer eagerness and concern of a friend and he felt he didn’t have any right to not being able to tell her about the last moments. Breathing in he began,

“When Avi was brought, it wasn’t serious at all but since it was contagious it was required to keep her isolated. First, she was kept without other patients where she also looked after them since she was positive and also was near to them so she kept herself busy doing her duty with no unwanted contact. She asked for a piece of paper and a pen and that’s when she thought of writing you this letter. I used to meet her sometimes and then one night it got really serious when she was not able to breathe. We took her to the ICU and then it was identified that her lungs deteriorated and her immune system was in serious condition. She wasn’t healthy enough she was failing to produce the immune that she needed for the body to recover from this virus. We shifted her to a closed glass compartment under my surveillance. She was almost dead as her lungs were collapsing day by day and she was getting weaker. I couldn’t bear to see her like this and I was just praying for some miracle to happen, I didn’t want to lose her. One day, she called me from inside the compartment and I came near to her and she said there is a dress of Sunaina in her bag kept with Amy please return to her. I was like ok I will do that. Then she looked at me for a while and struggled to place her hand on the glass, I did the same and for a while, we just looked at each other. Her face turned pale and ventilators made the beep sound. She passed away looking at me for the last time. Amy was standing behind me and I looked at her as if all of this was real. I couldn’t believe it and asked myself that can’t do anything. I broke down and heard a mother crying over her son’s death. I looked at her for a while and told myself that we are doctors and Avi was one that showed us what our duty is. She was a fighter and she will be remembered as one. “ 

There was silence in the room for a while, Sunaina couldn’t control her sobbing. Ashwin stood up and picked up Avi’s bag and handed it over to Sunaina and went to the hospital for his shift. Sunaina exactly knew what had to be done with Avi’s bag. She took her mask from the drawer and went to Avi’s house and rang the bell. Avi’s mom opened the door and she was speechless. Sunaina opened the door wider and more handed over the bag to her and said “There are some biscuits Avi had eaten last some might be left you can keep it.” Her parents sobbed holding the bag. Ashwin went to the hospital and everyone was looking at the news which said “Government has failed to provide the support to its citizen, the medical facility has collapsed and everything feels disoriented but one thing is common and still at present that is HUMANITY!”