"In the depths of our past, lies a tale untold, where their hearts once dared to unfold,
amidst the shadows of regret,
they stand,
wondering if love's lost dream could still find its hand."
__________â__________â_________â_______
Aarohi hardly slept that night, thinking, "Why is this happening in my life? Why is Rudra here at this camp with me? Why are all these
problems being created in my life?"
As the sun began to rise, she woke up and looked around, seeing that Jiya was still sleeping. She got out of bed and looked out the window, taking in the beautiful view of the sunrise. She decided to take a walk around.
She walked out of the cottage and started down the road. After walking for about 10 minutes, she reached a point where many people had gathered. It was the end of the road, marked by a railing with a sign warning not to go beyond that point.
After a while, Aarohi noticed that Rudra was also there with some of his friends. She thought, since they were athletes, they must have come for a morning walk or jog. Trying to avoid being seen, she moved to the opposite side and stood by the railing, looking at the sunrise.
Then she heard a voice she could recognize among a million others. It was Rudra. He said, "Do you really think I couldn't recognize you "mai tumhe hazaaron ki bheed mai bhi ek pal mai pahchaan skta hu "
She turned around and saw him standing there, smiling. She didn't reply and turned back towards the sunrise. Rudra came and stood beside her. "Isn't it beautiful?" he asked.
"Huh," Aarohi replied.
"So, you're here for the camp?" Rudra asked.
"What do you think?" Aarohi responded.
"I think yes," Rudra said. "So, how are you doing?"
Fine," Aarohi answered.
Rudra was expecting her to ask the same question back, but she didn't. So he added, "I am doing fine too, just for your info."
Aarohi ignored him and tried to walk away. Rudra held her hand and said, "Where are you going?"
"Leave my hand," Aarohi demanded.
Rudra said, "Can you see the sunrise? It's the start of a new day. Lets also mark it as a beginning of us."
Aarohi didn't understand what he meant. She just pulled her hand away and walked off.
After she left, one of Rudra's friends, Vicky, who was also a cricketer like Rudra, called out, "Who was she?"
Rudra replied, "Just someone from my past."
Another friend, Aman, who had noticed Aarohi the previous night at dinner, said, "Isn't she the one from last night when the plate fell off the table?"
Vicky added, "Oh yes, now I recognize her. She's the one whose plate fell."
Aman commented, "Isn't she beautiful?"
Rudra looked at him and said, "Just keep your eyes away from her, okay?"
Aman laughed, "Okay bro, why are you taking it so personally? Let's go."
And with that, they left.
â¨ï¸
Aarohi came back to her room just as Jiya was waking up. Aarohi looked visibly irritated. Jiya asked, "What happened? Where have you been?"
"I just went for a walk, and I met Rudra there. I don't know what he was talking about. He just irritates me a lot. I really don't know what he wants from me. I mean, how could he talk to me?" Aarohi replied, clearly frustrated.
Jiya said, "Oh, now I see what's the problem. Maybe he just wants to be with you again, or maybe he just wants to end the tension between you two and just be friends."
Aarohi snapped, "I'm not interested in either case, okay?" She stood up, grabbed her clothes, and headed to take a shower.
Jiya smiled knowingly as Aarohi walked away. She could sense that Rudra was definitely up to something.
After taking a shower, Aarohi suggested Jiya take one too. Aarohi then went to the balcony, sat on a chair, and started scrolling through her phone. Unbeknownst to her, Rudra's room was right next to hers, and their balconies were just a foot apart.
Rudra also took a shower and came out to the balcony to put his towel in the sunlight. Seeing Aarohi absorbed in her phone, he smiled and said, "Hello again."
Aarohi looked up, surprised to see Rudra so close by. She thought, *Why is this happening?* She stood up and asked, "What are you doing here?"
Rudra replied, "I just came to my room's balcony. Is there any problem with that?"
Aarohi sighed in frustration, "Oh God, this is the last thing I needed."
Rudra chuckled, "I heard that. Did you just complain about me to God?"
Aarohi smirked, "I don't think even God can do anything about you."
She was about to leave when Vicky came over and said, "Hi, I'm Vicky. What's your name?"
Not wanting to be rude, Aarohi replied, "I'm Aarohi. I'm part of the medical team."
Vicky smiled, "Oh, nice to meet you. This is Rudra. Maybe you already know him. I'm his friend."
Aarohi said curtly, "Huh? I know him very well." She then went back inside her room.
Rudra looked at Vicky and asked, "tu kbse itna friendlyho gya logo ke saath?"
Vicky shrugged, "Not often, but she looks interesting."
He then went inside, leaving Rudra alone on the balcony.
Rudra gazed at Aarohi's balcony and murmured, "Thank you, God, for this."
â¨ï¸
Aarohi waited impatiently for Jiya to finish her shower so they could head to breakfast. After about 10 minutes, Jiya finally emerged, and they both got ready and went to the dining hall.
Upon entering, they saw the dining hall was nearly full, with hardly any seats available. Aarohi accused Jiya of taking too long in the shower, making them late and leaving them with no seats.
Jiya responded, "I didn't know there would be so many people up so early."
"They're mostly sports persons, Jiya. They all wake up early, unlike you."
Jiya glanced at Ravi, who gave a sorry gesture, indicating he couldn't save seats for them due to the crowd. As they stood there, they heard a voice saying, "There's a seat available here. You can sit here."
Both Aarohi and Jiya turned to see Vicky, Rudra's friend, offering them seats. Jiya, feeling hungry, said, "Let's go. I am starving. Don't let your issues with Rudra interfere with my breakfast." She grabbed Aarohi's hand and led her to the table where Rudra and his friends were sitting.
There were two seats availableâone beside Vicky and the other beside Rudra. Aarohi took the seat next to Vicky, leaving Jiya to sit beside Rudra. Vicky greeted Aarohi and Jiya with a hello, which Jiya returned.
As they started eating, Rudra asked Jiya, "You're Aarohi's friend, right?"
Jiya nodded, and Rudra continued, "Did she tell you about me?"
Jiya replied, "Yes, very well."
Rudra smirked and said, "Oh, she told you everything?"
Jiya responded, "Yeah."
"So, what do you want?" Rudra asked, hesitantly.
"Nothing. I'm just here for the camp, nothing else," Jiya replied.
"That's good," Rudra said. "What's your name?"
"I'm Jiya," she said.
"Nice to meet you, Jiya. I'm Rudra, but you already know that," he said, smiling. Jiya smiled back and continued eating.
Rudra noticed Aarohi was eating slowly and seemed uncomfortable. He had deliberately orchestrated the seating arrangement, bringing all his friends and other mates early to spread out across the dining hall, ensuring there would be a spot at his table for Aarohi and Jiya. Despite his efforts, Aarohi was clearly irritated, especially with Vicky trying to make conversation with her.
Vicky asked Aarohi, "So, how do you like the camp so far?"
Aarohi replied curtly, "It's fine."
Sensing her discomfort, Vicky tried to lighten the mood, "You know, Rudra told me you're quite the doctor. It's great to have you here."
Aarohi forced a smile, "Thanks."
Meanwhile, Rudra, observing the tension, decided to break the ice, "Hey Aarohi, remember when we used to have breakfast together ?"
Aarohi looked at him, her eyes betraying a mix of nostalgia and frustration, "That was a long time ago, Rudra."
Jiya, trying to ease the situation, chimed in, "Well, here's to making new memories, right?"
Rudra nodded, "Absolutely. New memories."
Despite the awkwardness, the breakfast continued, and Aarohi managed to get through it, though her thoughts were a whirlwind of confusion and frustration. She couldn't understand why Rudra was making such an effort to be close to her after everything that had happened.
After breakfast, everyone from Aarohi's hospital received a message to get ready in 10 minutes because their bus had arrived. They quickly finished their meal and went outside, where they saw a large, air-conditioned bus with a banner for the annual camp. They stood there, waiting for instructions.
As they waited, they noticed other camp members approaching, all gathered with their friends. Jiya remarked, "Looks like we have to travel with them to the stadium."
Aarohi replied, "I guess so."
Soon, a man who seemed to be one of the organizers, Mr. Jain, greeted them. "Hello everyone, welcome to the camp! I apologize for not welcoming you personally yesterday; I was tied up with some preparations. Today, we are heading to the stadium, and I assure you, this camp is going to be very interesting. I'll give you a brief description of what to expect."
Mr. Jain continued, "This camp will include various activities, training sessions, and medical check-ups for the athletes. Our aim is to ensure everyone has a productive and enjoyable experience. Once we reach the stadium, we'll have an orientation session where you'll receive detailed schedules and assignments. Please make sure to ask any questions you might have during the orientation."
As he finished his briefing, he gestured for everyone to board the bus. Aarohi, Jiya, and Ravi found seats together. Aarohi couldn't help but feel a mix of anticipation and anxiety about the day ahead, especially with Rudra being so close.
As the bus started moving, Jiya tried to lighten the mood. "This camp could be fun, Aarohi. Who knows, maybe itâs exactly what we need."
Aarohi nodded, trying to stay positive. "Yeah, maybe."
Ravi added, "Let's just focus on doing our job and enjoying the experience."
The bus ride to the stadium was filled with chatter and excitement. As they approached their destination, Aarohi glanced at Rudra, who was seated a few rows ahead, talking and laughing with his friends. She wondered if she could really put the past behind her and focus on the present.
Once they arrived at the stadium, Mr. Jain led them to a large conference room for the orientation. The room was buzzing with energy as everyone settled in. Mr. Jain began outlining the schedule, highlighting the various activities and responsibilities of each team.
Aarohi listened attentively, trying to absorb all the information. Despite her attempts to concentrate, her thoughts kept drifting back to Rudra and the unresolved tension between them. She knew she had to stay focused and professional, but the emotional turmoil was hard to ignore.
As the orientation concluded, Mr. Jain announced, "Let's make this camp a memorable and successful one. If you have any questions or need any assistance, don't hesitate to reach out to the organizing team. Now, let's get started with our first activity of the day!"
The group dispersed, ready to dive into their roles. Aarohi took a deep breath, determined to make the most of the camp, regardless of the challenges ahead.
After a while, the first task for the medical team was to conduct full body check-ups for all the sportspersons. Aarohi and her colleagues were stationed in different rooms, set up for these examinations. Aarohi and Ravi were assigned to one room, while Jiya was in another. As the athletes came in one by one for their check-ups, Aarohi silently prayed not to see Rudra enter her room; she really didn't want to face him right now.
After checking four or five people, Ravi announced, "Here comes the next one." Aarohi looked towards the door and there he was, Rudra, standing with a smirk. Seeing her disappointed face, Rudra thought to himself, *Why the sad face, my Aaruh? You have no idea how much effort I put in to get assigned to your check-up.*
Ravi gestured Rudra to come in. He instructed Rudra to stand on the weighing machine and asked Aarohi to note down the weight, height, and body measurements. "Now, please take off your shirt," Ravi said.
"Why? What's the need for that?" Rudra asked, feigning confusion.
Ravi explained, "We need to measure your blood pressure, and I need to tie the cuff around your biceps. Your shirt can't be rolled up enough. Also, I need to check your heart rate, and it would be best if you remove your shirt." Despite Rudra's reluctance, Ravi insisted, adding, "Don't worry about Dr. Aarohi; it's normal for us to see people shirtless."
Aarohi forced a smile towards Ravi as he glanced at her.
Rudra slowly unbuttoned his shirt, clearly enjoying the moment. Aarohi turned her back as Rudra removed his shirt, trying to maintain her composure.
Ravi started the check-up, wrapping the blood pressure cuff around Rudra's arm. "Aarohi, can you take the notes?" he asked. Aarohi turned back, keeping her gaze strictly professional, jotting down the measurements and readings that Ravi called out.
Rudra, noticing Aarohiâs efforts to stay focused, couldn't resist making a comment. "It's been a while since we've been this close, hasn't it?" he said, a hint of teasing in his voice.
Aarohi shot him a sharp look but remained silent, continuing to take notes.
As they were sharing the task, Ravi asked Rudra, "Are you married?"
Rudra replied, "Huh? What do you mean?"
Aarohi looked at both of them, curious. Ravi pointed out, "You have a girl's name tattooed over your heart."
Rudra said, "No, I'm not married."
"Oh, then it must be a girlfriend," Ravi suggested.
Rudra nodded, "Yeah, she is."
Aarohi felt a pang of sadness and curiosity. She really wanted to know whose name he had tattooed on his heart. Ravi then said, "I'm not getting his heartbeat, Aarohi."
Aarohi responded, "Do it properly, you'll get it."
Ravi tried again but still couldn't find the heartbeat. "I'm not getting it, Aarohi. Please do it for me. I'm already tired."
Aarohi reluctantly approached Rudra, who seemed hesitant. She stood in front of him, her heart racing. Ravi handed her the stethoscope.
As she was about to place it on Rudra's chest, she noticed the tattoo. Thousands of emotions surged through her as she read the name. It was her nickname, the one Rudra used to call her more than five years ago. The tattoo read "Aaruh" with a heart, placed right over his heart.
Rudra had gotten this tattoo as a surprise for her on that last day, but due to their misunderstanding, he never had the chance to show it to her. Both Aarohi and Rudra were frozen, staring at each other. Aarohi looked at the tattoo while Rudra looked at her face.
Ravi interrupted, "Dr. Aarohi, did you get the heartbeat?"
Aarohi snapped back to reality and placed the stethoscope on Rudra's chest. She could feel his heart racing, just as it always did whenever she was close. But she didn't comment on it. "I got it, it's fine," she said, then backed away.
Rudra could see the tears forming in Aarohi's eyes. She put the stethoscope on the table and said, "I'm tired. Can I take a break?"
Ravi replied, "Yeah, of course."
Aarohi quickly left the room, overwhelmed by the emotions that the tattoo and the encounter had stirred up.
**********
Hello guys, so that was the chapter. I hope you liked it.
>dont forget to vote and comment, if u want the neaxt chapter soon ð
>What do you think about the surprise that Rudra wanted to give Aarohi but was unable to show?
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