Need

Alex

My eyes scanned the whole classroom for any trace of her but she was nowhere. I couldn't forget her laughter from the last three days. The sound of those ringing bells was playing in my heart and mind continuously. I don't know what is happening to me?

'Alex, you have decided that you won't fall for any girl after that incident then why are you doing the same mistake again' my innerself chided me.

'I don't know why I am missing Gawri but she is hell lot different than her' I started arguing with myself when someone asked me for notes. I realized that I didn't have any notes and I need them badly if I want to clear the exams.

"Hey dude, do you have last month's notes of all subjects" Maddy stopped in his tracks before turning on his heels towards me. He looked his left then right and then pointed his finger towards himself and mouthed "me?" I nodded in yes.

He gave a hearty laugh "what makes you think like that, man. Do I look like geeks?"

"For your kind information, you can't get all last month's notes from anyone except your desk partner." He approached my desk and took a seat beside me.

"You see, everybody was busy partying with their friends last month. After all, they have returned after summer's vacation and that's why everybody's attendance is discontinuous" He chuckled a little.

"But you know she is not coming, then how can I complete the coursework. Someone told me that our minor exams are lined up in next month" I asked innocently.

"Are you interested in exams or in her, dude?" he wiggled his eyebrows and gave an amused smile.

"If you are interested in exams then I must say that you are quite boring. But we all know what has caught your interest man" He smirked.

"You have a caliber to tame that shrew" he added after a pause.

"What do you want to say" I gave him a confused look.

"Even the walls have ears dude" another guy intervened in our conversation. Maddy and that guy did a high five.

"Hi, I am Rohan. We came to know that she was laughing and it was because of you." He looked at me and smiled secretly towards Maddy.

'Is her laughing breaking news in this school?'

"We have never seen that girl laughing. She has never been friendly to any guy and if she was laughing then it means she probably likes you. If you try a little, you can make her your girl. What say?" He suggested and Maddy nodded in agreement. I didn't like the way they were encouraging me.

"Yes, dude! You can do this" Maddy patted my arm.

I felt that there was something wrong with them. Last time Maddy was warning me and today he believed that I could make her my girl. Something was definitely fishy.

'Why they wanted me to pursue Gawri, why they were encouraging me.' I excused myself because their presence was suffocating me.

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"Gawri" She finally heard me and stopped to look in my direction. She narrowed her gaze at me to see in the bright light.

"Gawri, are you okay?" I approached her and asked with concern. I saw her outside the school gate walking under the scorching sun.

"I was calling from 5 minutes but you were not stopping" I was about to say further when my gaze landed on a small kid in her arms.

"Is he your brother?" she nodded in yes. I touched his forehead and get shocked.

"He is burning like fire, God damn it! Why are you taking him out in sun?" Her almond color eyes blazed with anger.

"I am going to hospital Miller and SINCE I don't have a car like you, I have to carry my brother out in this weather, in this condition. Do you have any problem with that?" She snapped in anger and frustration.

"I am so sorry, I will drop you to the hospital" I immediately apologized politely and offered her lift to the hospital.

"No thanks Miller, thanks for the concern" She snapped again.

"Don't make it an ego issue Gawri, you are coming with me and that's it" I didn't like her snapping nature.

The kid urgently needed medical attention and she was showing stubbornness. I pulled her brother from her arms gently and rushed towards my car.

She shouted behind me to stop but then followed after few seconds and settled herself on back seat with her ailing brother and placed his small head in her lap.

"Which hospital?" I asked softly

"MEDICAL" What kind of hospital name it was? I didn't react and signaled my driver to move on.

We reached the government hospital within 20 minutes and I opened the back gate for her. She got down and gave me a confused and surprised expression.

She picked her brother gently and then her bag.

"Thanks, Miller" She rushed towards the entrance. I didn't want to leave her alone in this condition. She might need help and how she would manage alone that's why I decided to follow her.

She rushed to the emergency department where many people were lined up for their turn. She touched her brother's forehead to check his fever and become worried.

"Excuse me Bhaiya, emergency hai, aap please bata denge doctor kahan baithe hai (excuse me brother, there is an emergency, can you please tell me where is doctor?)" She spotted a ward boy and approached him. She requested, almost pleaded to him.

"Dekho madam, ek doctor lunch par gaye hai, ek patient ko dekh rahe hai, line me lag jao, ek ghante me apka number aa jayega (see madam, one doctor is gone for lunch and one is looking after the patients, join the queue and your turn will come in an hour)" he replied nonchalantly and left.

I glanced at the queue which had hundreds of ailing people and relatives. If she would join the queue then it would take 2-3 hours or more than that to see the doctor.

She briefly looked at her little brother who was lying unconscious. She pulled him tightly to her bosom and tears slid down her eyes. I felt like someone squeezed my heart.

"Gawri" She wiped her tears quickly before turning around. Everybody was looking in our direction but I didn't give a damn. Gawri and her brother were more important.

"Yes Miller" She asked in a dry tone.

"Gawri, there is long queue how you will see the doctor" She stared at me with those sad eyes.

"Yes, I know. Now I will go to some private clinic" She sighed with disappointment which I couldn't understand.

"Let's go then" I took her brother from her and rushed towards my car. We searched for a private clinic and found one after 15-20 minutes.

After checking her brother thoroughly, the doctor called us in his cabin. He told us that his brother had Dengue's symptoms but he needed to confirm that. He told that he wanted to keep the patient under observation for next 48 hours.

"What will be the cost doctor?" She asked with a worried expression. So, she was worried over money.

"10000 rupees" She lost her balance and grabbed the chair to support her.

'Can lack of money move a person so much?' I never realized that because I always had money when I need it.

"Please deposit the money at the reception so we can shift the patient to the ward" She looked at the doctor with hope. She opened her mouth to say something but stopped like she was fighting with herself.

"Okay doctor, you go ahead. Do you accept card?" I couldn't see her in that condition so I offered help.

"Gawri, let's go and see Vibu" I supported her by holding her arm.

I touched Vibu's forehead. His temperature has reduced but he was still looking so fragile.

"You stay here, I am coming in a minute" I left the room to give her some privacy with Vibu but couldn't resist myself from looking back. She gently caressed Vibu's hair and held his little hand in hers like a mother.