It was a duck-shaped cake with the words "Happy Birthday Ducky" written on it.
As everyone was wondering what was happening, an extremely handsome young guy arrived clapping and singing a birthday song.
"Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday dear Ducky, happy birthday to you." He stopped in front of the cake and said "Surprise."
Silence... Everyone was now even more confused than before, except the director and Dr. Shah. They both knew what exactly was happening.
All those who had been on the camp this week all had the same questions "What is happening? Who's this handsome man? Isn't this a welcome party for the new doctor? When did it turn into a birthday party? And who is this ducky?"
Even those who were present in the hospital this last week and knew Rudra were confused with this sudden turn of events. "Wasn't this his welcome party? Why is he singing a birthday song?" And all the girls were getting jealous of the person for whom Dr. Handsome had personally sung the birthday song that too with such endearment."
Just then a squeal was heard. Everyone came out of their reverie and looked towards the source of this loud squeal.
"Rudyyyy" Anaya let out a boisterous squeal and sprinted towards Rudra. Rudra opened his arms to hug her but instead of a hug a sharp punch landed on his stomach."
"Owwwww.... Anaya!!! We haven't seen each other for almost two years now and the first thing you do is to punch me?" Rudra complained.
"You idiot! Why didn't you tell me you were coming? It's for not telling me and not contacting me these last two years." She landed another punch, this time on his arms. Then another. She landed a series of punches on him totally forgetting about her surrounding.
Everyone present there were shocked to see Anaya behaving like this. People began murmuring.
"Is this doctor Anaya?"
"No way!! Did she get replaced by someone who look like her in the camp?"
"You replaced our Dr. Anaya in the camp?? There's no way that she is our Dr. Anaya."
"I don't know either. She was her usual self in the camp."
Voices like this could be heard throughout the room.
On the other hand, Dheer, Rehan and Elisa were also having similar thoughts.
"Wait this??" Elisa's mouth twitched.
"Why do I feel so familiar with this scene... Isn't this how you usually treat our Dheer?" Rehan mumbled not taking his eyes off the scene in front of him.
"Elisa, just stay away from my wife. She's getting violent just like you" Dheer commented as if feeling all the physical pain all over again. He quickly understood that they were friends and good friends at that.
But then something happened that rendered Dheer completely speechless. His eyes suddenly darkened, and he almost pranced towards Anaya to take her away from there.
Just as they Anaya was landing her punches on Rudra, he blocked her attacks and pulled in for a big bear hug. Anaya still punched his chest for a few seconds before hugging him back burying her face in his chest completely.
This was what Anaya was most afraid of. She had punched Rudra instead of hugging him because she knew that once she felt his warmth and care, everything would let loose. All those emotions, all the pain that she had controlled and hidden behind that smile of hers for the past one year, everything unveiled. The dam that she had built on her tear glands over the past year instantly broke and started wetting his chest.
She hugged him even tighter and began to cry quietly. Finally her warmth, her support was here. She could no longer hide her emotions. Neither from him nor herself.
Feeling the warm wetness on his chest, Rudra knew what was happening. He excused himself and Anaya from everyone saying that he needed some alone time with his friend as he was meeting her after two whole years.
"We will be back in ten minutes. please enjoy the food here in the meantime. Sorry for this small hiccup" saying this, he hastily pulled Anaya to the lawn outside.
Dheer almost followed them but Rehan stopped him at the last minute. Don't go Dheer. He seems to be a really good friend of Anaya so they wouldn't like it if you disturb them at the moment.
The veins were popping out of Dheer's forehead, clearly indicating that he was beyond furious. The scene still played on his mind where Anaya tightly hugged this Rudra and buried her head on his chest. He took a few deep breaths to calm himself down so as not to attract unwanted attention and excused himself to the washroom where Rehan followed him to calm him further.