Ruhi:
It's been two days since we were back in Amritsar and Ekansh's behaviour was still the same. Ignorant and nonchalant. He took the bed and I took the couch. I kept myself occupied with medicine or surgery books. He kept himself out of his room. And he comes during the night.
Meanwhile, my thoughts wandered to new things welcoming into my life.
The new college, new people and new environment with new professors. I am sure their teaching will be excellent and we will have enough patients to practice but I have no idea how much of the syllabus they have taught and how much I missed.
I don't have any friends from my old university, so, I don't have any heartbreak unlike other fellas, who are still mourning with crying emojis in the WhatsApp group. I decided to leave the group once I started my new university.
As the college is starting from the day after tomorrow, we will be leaving for Delhi tomorrow on Papaji's private plane. I packed my things. Till now I stayed in a dorm provided by my old University. But now I will leave with Ekansh in his bungalow. And I have to get my things from my old dorm room too.
I packed my clothes and a few things in two trolley bags. While Ekansh was packing his bags, I offered my help but he refused straight on my face with just a shake of his head. When he said he didn't want to speak with me, he meant those words, cause I hadn't heard a single word for two days.
He stayed sore with me and his behaviour was only hurting me. Yet, he continued his behaviour. Maybe this is his plan to end things. But how will I stay with him under the same roof and for how long?
The next day arrived and our bags were pulled out of his room to place in the car's trunk. I took everyone's blessings before leaving the mansion.
"Gurpreet will come with you," Maa informed. "If you need anything you will ask her, okay!" I nodded my head. Her eyes were wet as I parted from her. Maa was more like a friend to me rather than a mother-in-law. I am so lucky to have her.
Later, we three, Ekansh, Gurpreet and I drove to the empty field for a private plane. Ekansh was the first to step inside followed by me. I sat on one side and he was on another side of the plane.
Waqt badal gaya aur rishte bhi. Kuch nahi badla toh, wo hai tanhayi. Wo kal bhi thi aur aj bhi. Aur Lagta hai sirf wo hi ab humari zindagi ki aur humari sathi rehgi.
Time has changed, and so have relationships. The only thing that hasn't changed is my seclusion. It was present yesterday, and today, and I guess it'll stay for the rest of my life.
Gurpreet sat with the air hostess in the first-row seats. Now and then my gaze drifted towards him but his eyes were constantly struck to the sky.
"Huff!" I sighed and closed my eyes.
I opened my eyes when the air hostess served us some complimentary food and drinks.
After the flight landed, a car arrived to pick us up. I sat down on the back seat in silence.
We reached the bungalow, which was in the centre of the city. It was a one-storey house.
And after three days eventually, I get to hear his voice, "We will stay in different rooms. Your room is on the left side and mine on the right," He acknowledged once we were alone in the living room.
"Did I do anything?"
"Nothing. But yeah, when we decided to end things, there shouldn't be any emotional attachment between us. You will live your life and I will live mine. I will not ask you anything about your personal life and you will do the same."
His rules did nothing but annoy me.
"However, I never questioned you, Ekansh. And I am sorry to call you a man whore." I said, glaring at him and strolling to the first floor. He is freaking annoying me.
My room was simple: a double-sized bed in the centre, a small couch in one corner, and enough space for a study desk and chair. Additionally, the room had a huge balcony for relaxing. I liked it; it was better than a dorm room.
As Ekansh stated, our lives were going in two different paths in the same house. Another couple of days passed in Delhi with us being strangers. There was neither breakfast nor dinner; everything he did was outside, along with lunch. He updated our cook, Manish's uncle, regarding it.
Meanwhile, I got comfortable with my new batch mates. Not with everyone but with the four, with whom I will be doing the clinical postings, for this semester. We are 6 in number. 3 boys and 3 girls along with me but one of the females is so studious that she hardly speaks anything with any of us and only keeps busy in her books.
Saniya is the other girl who is too cute and sweet, she pulls me into their conversations so that I don't feel left out. The other three boys are Avinash, Rayan, and Manoj. Rayan is a flirt among the three.
Whenever we sit and speak Rayan stares at me as if he is ready to eat me. Though it makes me uncomfortable, I only smile at his behaviour and do nothing. But Saniya objects to him and scolds him to stay within limits.
Our day starts with clinical posting in hospital. For now, we are posted in general medicine, which started a month ago. That means I have to cover the syllabus for one month, which is too hectic for my busy schedule.
Saniya was giving me instructions and explaining the system the college follows, "We all have mentors, who will give tutorials for us. We can approach them anytime. Maybe they will allow you one today." This is my third day in my new University, The last two days we didn't have any clinical postings as there was a medical inspection.
"You look so fresh, Ruhi," Rayan complimented almost sticking his face on mine.
"Rayan," Saniya pushed him away by pulling his apron.
"What, she is so beautiful that I can't keep my eyes away from her."
Eventually, I thought about telling him about my wedding, "For your disappointment," I pulled my mangalsutra out and showed him. "I am married."
"What?" His eyes popped out.
"Wait!" Saniya observed my mangalsutra. "It's real. But girl you are too young. I mean only 22. Other than that you have a career ahead, how can you get married so early..."
"Hey, the Medicine department docs are coming," Manoj acknowledged us. We all stood in a straight line beside each other.
"Well, you didn't say to me, how do you find this university?" Before I reply to Saniya, my eyes fell on Ekansh.
Oh, shit! He is a first-year neurologist resident. This means until I am done with my GM postings, I will have frequent interaction with him.
Waheguru ji, yeh kis muskhil mei dal diya apne. Asman se nikle aur kajur mei atke.
Saniya poked my belly. She raised her brow. I shook my head. "I will share it later," I whispered.
My new head professor's eye fell upon me, "So, we have a new student, here" he expressed staring at me. Well, Ekansh was busy going through the patient's case sheet and hadn't lifted his head to glance at him. I eyed him before, glancing back at the fifty-year-old professor in scrubs in front of me. "Introduce yourself, doctor." My head professor demanded.
"I am Ruhi Kaur, sir. From Ludhiana, Punjab." That was when Ekansh's eyes fell upon me, which I found the moment I eyed at him. He looked shocked more than surprised. We started at each other for a second before I drifted my gaze back to other senior doctors, who stood around the patient's bed. They were 8 in number. My head professor introduced them to me. And not to forget my husband Ekansh Razdan hadn't stopped staring at me. His eyes narrowed at me. Would he care, if I hadn't used his family name instead of mine? I guess, he wouldn't. And to care, he should accept me as his wife, in the first case.
"What's going on, why Dr. Ekansh is staring at Ruhi constantly?" Rayan whispered behind me. It was enough for our fellow batchmates to hear out. And instantly a comment came out from one of them.
"Like you, he might have also developed a crush on her," Avinash commented, teasing him. Neither of them knows that Ekansh is married to me. And this is the biggest secret of my life, which I have to keep buried in my heart.
One after the other we attended the cases of the ward and after that two of us were allocated one case.
Before leaving Head professor called me. Along with him Ekansh and other two lady docs stood beside him.
"Dr. Ruhi, all of your colleagues have a mentor," he informed and then his gaze went to Ekansh. "Dr. Ekansh..." my heart skipped a beat. "Until the actual doc comes back, I am allowing you as her mentor. As she already missed a month's syllabus of GM, after her classes take her private classes whenever you have time."
"Ok. Professor," Ekansh agreed with a nod. Then he looked at me. "Today at 4 in my cabin." The way he spoke and the way he was staring at me, I interpreted that it's gonna be more than just a class.
"Ok Ek... Sir" I corrected immediately and walked away from him. I should keep in my head that he is just not my husband but my senior professor too. He stared at me for a moment and then walked away.
Maybe he is not happy to find me here.
Till we finished with the patient's case history and examination, it was time for lunch.
Manish uncle packed my lunch, so I had that while my colleagues ordered food from the cafeteria.
While we were having lunch Ekansh stepped into the cafeteria with a female beside him. Instead of walking beside him, she was falling over him, which made me uncomfortable.
Shayad sirf kuch dino ke liye hi sahi hum unki Ardhangini toh hai na.
"You alright over there," Avinash inquired. I nodded my head. "Well, your food smells delicious."
"You can have it then," he accepted without any argument. "You can have mine." He offered his burger to me.
"I am full, thank you."
"What, you hardly had a few bites of your roti," Saniya spoke.
"Maybe she is on a diet," Rayan piped in.
My eyes were constantly glued at them. He appeared happy with her. Is she Anthra?
But why, it's painful like hell to see them together?
"Ruhi, tell more about your husband," Saniya asked, out of the blue.
I lowered my gaze to the empty spot on the table. "He has a girlfriend."
"Excellent!" Rayan chirped, "I can have a chance with you then!"
"Shut up, dumb, she is hurt," Saniya interrupted.
"What. I agree he has a girlfriend but Ruhi is too young to waste her life behind a cheating husband."
"He is not cheating me. He already informed me, before our wedding. But we have to get married 'cause I was bonded to him since birth."
"Then I must say that he is an asshole." Manoj put his pov in front. "Even knowing that you will be his wife, he saw another woman." My eyes fell on Ekansh and Anthra. They were having lunch by chatting and giggling. I cannot replace her place in his life. So, I have to stop thinking about him or hurt myself.
My eyes teared up but I pressed my palm sole against my eyes. "Excuse me, I will go to the lecture hall."
While walking past them, I thought he would at least feel my presence. but no, he was only interested in her.
When I reached the lecture hall, there were hardly a couple of people, who were getting ready for the class.
I saw Rayan walking towards me. He settled on a chair one diagonal to me. "Hey!" He started. I wiped my tears.
"Sorry for my strange behaviour."
"It's expected." He said, silently. "Do you love him?"
"I dunno."
"I can see in your eyes, you have feelings for him. By the way, what will he do?"
"He is a doctor."
"I hope not in this hospital."
I nodded, lying. Not at any cost, I will tell them Ekansh is my husband.
After a few minutes, the whole class was filled with students. My new friends sat on either side of me and even behind me. Since I had a breakdown in front of them, they all fell into silence.
And then the female doctor, whom I saw with Ekansh in the cafeteria stepped inside.
"Dr. Anthra," Saniya voiced from beside. Which means my assumptions were true. "She is a gynaecologist."
She started her class without wasting a minute. But till we reached to end, I concluded that I would surely fail my final year. I can't stay in this university where my husband and his girlfriend roam freely in front of my eyes.
It was hurting shitless. Why did I even end up in this mess?
I am so upset with Dadu. How can he fix my wedding before I even reach 18?
"Who is your mentor, by the way?" Saniya probed as she led my way to the GM department of the hospital.
"Dr. Ekansh!"
"Haa! That handsome freak. You know I like him."
Instead of feeling jealous or angry, I thought it hilarious and giggled. "Really!"
"Oh girl that man!" She exclaimed with a wandering brain. "He is Punjabi too. And last year in the annual event he wore that traditional Punjabi suit. And guess what happened, every female was drooling over him, along with me. But that moron has a girlfriend, the same one who took our gynaecology class today. I still don't get, what he saw in her. I mean there are beautiful and amazing girls like me and you in the universe. He should have loved someone better than her." I was smiling constantly when she rambled without a break. "By the way, didn't you see how he was gawking at you this morning?"
I shrugged my shoulders, and fibbed, "No, I didn't."
She tapped my shoulder halting in front of the GM department, "Be careful girl, you are too innocent and beautiful too. Don't let others take your advantage." I giggled again. We walked further inside. She stopped in front of a cabin, "My mentor is a female doctor, and yours is in the last cabin. Let's meet morning, bye." She surprised me by pulling me in a side hug. Then she stepped inside after a knock on the cabin's door.
I took a deep breath and strolled through the hallway. The head professor said that Ekansh would be my temporary mentor, so I had to abide him only for a few days until my main mentor resumes the hospital.
I knocked on the door. My heart raced like a sports car.
"Come!" Came his cold voice from behind the door.
I stepped inside and met the intimidating brown eyes of my husband, Dr. Ekansh Razdan.