UNIVERSITY ARC
I'm in deep trouble. Yet, in this dire situation, there is a small silver lining: only Keshava and I are here. Ramu and Satish went to get the food we ordered. This hotel's popularity lies in its self-service model, which makes things a bit more manageable.
Returning to the immediate crisis, I can't afford to speak up right now. Any slip of the tongue could land me in even deeper trouble. I'm defenseless.
But then Keshava stepped in.
|"Do you know who you're talking about? He's my friend."|
|"Oh, so you're defending him now. Keshava, you're a good guy, but don't get involved in this argument. He's a liar. I saw it with my own eyes."|
How did she know about this? Wait, she must have been present at the scene. How did we miss that? It's a frustrating oversight.
It's nearly impossible to grasp how this girl has such detailed information. It's just my luck to be caught in this situation.
Meanwhile, Keshava stood firm in his defense of me.
|"Just step aside, Keshava. He's a fraud. He probably orchestrated something to cover up his deceit."|
I stayed silent, absorbing the exchange.
|"My uncle has an account with the prestigious Nexus Silicon Bank. How can you possibly compare yourself to him? I take great pride in saying that."|
Enough of this nonsense. I see no reason to heed her words any longer.
I was about to speak up when Keshava intervened again.
|"Enough of this nonsense! Your name is Manasa, correct? Regardless, he's my friend. Stop interfering. You have no right to judge him."|
|"What? How can you say that, Keshava? He's clearly a fraud. Can't you see that?"|
|"Enough, Manasa. You're a friend of Keerthi's, which is why I've tolerated this farce for so long. Now, I've lost my patience. Do not speak about Manoj again."|
I felt compelled to jump into the fray. What else could I do? Sit passively and endure their accusations?
|"Manasa, stop. Watch your words. Do not speak about me. You will face severe consequences if you do. Understood?"|
|"How dare you? Look at Keshava, defending him despite everything. Didn't you feel any shame in doing so?"|
Keerthi, visibly distressed, interjected with tears streaming down her face.
|"Please, Manasa. Please, Manoj. Stop this nonsense. I'm so sorry for inviting you all. I'm truly sorry, Manoj and Keshava."|
Her tears and flushed face made me realize a crucial detail. Keshava and Keerthi had reunited after a long separation, and I had inadvertently interrupted their meeting.
|"I'm sorry, Keerthi. Keshava, I'm leaving. Please forgive the disruption."|
Keshava tried to stop me, but I left quickly. As I was lost in thought, my phone rang. It was Raksha. I answered immediately.
|"Brother, where are you?"|
|"I'm not in the mood for pleasantries. Get to the point."|
|"Yes, brother. It's about Geetha. She—"|
My frustration from the earlier argument boiled over.
|"Stop, Raksha. I've told you before, don't call me about her problems."|
|"Please, just listen! She attempted suicide."|
|"What! When, Raksha? How could she do this? Is this really the same Geetha I know? I never thought she'd do something like this."|
|"She's in the hospital now. I received the information just now and called you immediately."|
I promised I was on my way and ended the call. Keshava was searching frantically for me. When he saw me, he halted me.
|"Manoj! Geetha has attempted suicide. Are you coming with us or not?"|
|"What about your dinner, Keshava?"|
|"Oh, it's irrelevant now. She and her friends want to leave, citing that their mood was spoiled."|
Ramu, looking serious, added.
|"I don't know why they left, but now isn't the time for discussions. Geetha's situation is critical. We need to hurry and offer our support."|
Why was Ramu speaking with such urgency? Is this really Ramu?
|"Why the sudden concern for her? Didn't we suffer a lot because of her during college? Have you forgotten that?"|
|"Manoj, is this really you? When did you start speaking like this? Sure, she made fun of us, but she's still our classmate and is in a very serious condition. Shouldn't we be there for her now?"|
Ramu, these are my friends. They always show compassion, even towards those who once wronged us.
|"Sorry, Ramu. I didn't mean to sound insensitive. I'm just trying to understand your perspective. Alright, let's go."|
After nearly thirty minutes, we arrived at the hospital. We met Geetha's parents and expressed our concern. We tried to get information about what happened, but her parents were reticent. I understood why.
My friends were also unaware of why Geetha had been under house arrest or restricted from going out. Only Raksha and I were privy to that information.
Raksha arrived at the hospital while we were speaking.
A few hours later, the doctors emerged. We anxiously awaited their update and questioned them about her condition.
The doctor's serious demeanor did little to ease our anxiety.
|"She ingested nearly twenty tablets at once. Unfortunately, the side effects are severe because the tablets are meant for kidney problems."|
Her father was stunned.
|"Yes, doctor. Those are my tablets. They're very potent and costly."|
|"Exactly, sir. That's the issue. These are highly potent medications that should only be administered by a professional. Your daughter took up to twenty tablets. The worst part is that one of her kidneys is severely damaged, and there is also internal bleeding. We need to perform surgery immediately. Normally, this wouldn't be so dire, but the overdose of these powerful tablets has made it critical."|
Her parents fell silent, their fear palpable. We maintained a somber silence, each of us grappling with the gravity of the situation.