The Next Morning

Sunlight slipped through the curtains.

Yogesh woke first.

For a few seconds, he didn't understand where he was.Then he felt something beneath his head.

He slowly lifted his eyes.

Akanksha.

She was asleep beside him, her back resting against the headboard, her head tilted slightly to one side.His head was still resting on her lap.

He immediately sat up.

Akanksha stirred.

"Hm..."

Her eyes opened halfway.

"Good morning," she murmured sleepily.

Yogesh looked at her.

"You didn't sleep?"

"I did."

"When?"

She blinked.

"Pata nahi."

Yogesh looked at the bowl beside the bed.The water had gone cold.The cloth was lying beside it.He understood.

"You kept changing that all night?"

Akanksha looked away.

"Tumhe fever tha."

"You should've slept."

"So should you."

"I mean it, Akanksha."

"And I mean it too."

She tried to stand.Yogesh reached for her arm instinctively.

"Wait."

She looked at him.

"I'm okay," he said quietly.

Akanksha placed her hand on his forehead again.This time, there was no immediate worry in her expression.

"Fever kam hai."

Yogesh nodded.

"Yeah."

For a moment, neither spoke.Then he quietly said,

"Thank you."

Akanksha looked at him.

"For?"

He glanced toward the bowl.

"For staying."

Her expression softened.

"Don't thank me for that."

Yogesh looked down.

"I don't know what I'd do if you weren't there."

Akanksha's expression became serious.

"Yogesh..."

He looked up.

"Yogesh... you can't stay like this forever."

Akanksha's voice was soft, but there was concern behind every word.

"I know things are difficult. I know jo kuch hua hai usse move on karna easy nahi hai... but you have to try to overcome it."

She paused, looking at him carefully.

"Tumhe sab kuch ek saath theek nahi karna. Bas... ek-ek step lena hai. And if you feel like you can't do it alone, then take help."

Her voice softened even more.

"Help lena weakness nahi hota, Yogesh. Sometimes it simply means you want to get better."

"I'm trying," he whispered.

"I know."

"And.."

Before Akanksha could continue, there was a knock on the door.

Knock. Knock.

Both of them looked toward the door.

"Come in," Akanksha said.

The door opened, and Gullu stepped inside.

"Akanksha...?"

He stopped when he noticed Yogesh sitting on the bed.His expression immediately changed.

"Are you alright?" he asked, looking at him. "Thik hai na tu?"

Yogesh looked down.For a few seconds, he didn't answer.Then he gave a small nod.

"Haan."

Gullu watched him for a moment, clearly not completely convinced.

Akanksha quietly added,

"Abhi fever nahi hai."

Gullu looked at her.

"Really?"

"Haan. Raat ko tha, but ab kaafi kam ho gaya hai."

She glanced at Yogesh before continuing,

"Abhi theek hai."

Gullu nodded slowly.

"Good..."

His eyes returned to Yogesh.

"Bas apna dhyan rakh, bhai."

Yogesh gave another small nod.

"Hmm."

"Hum sab tere sath he...and sab thik ho jayega" gullu said

"Doctor ke paas jaana hai... yaad hai na?"

Gullu looked at Yogesh.Yogesh's expression immediately changed.

The small calmness he'd found disappeared for a moment.

He looked down.

"Yeah."

Good."

Gullu gave him a small look before saying,

"Chal, fresh hoke aa ja. Akku, tu bhi jaake fresh ho ja. Phir breakfast karte hain... sab bahar hain."

"Hmm," Akanksha nodded.

Gullu turned toward the door.

"Main bahar hoon."

He left, quietly closing the door behind him.

Akanksha looked back at Yogesh.

"Tum jao. Main bhi aati hoon."

Akanksha noticed yogesh mood and asked

"Dar lag raha hai?"

Yogesh gave a small nod.

"Thoda."she smiled gently.

"Doctor hai, police nahi. Kuch nahi hoga."

Despite himself, Yogesh let out a tiny laugh.

"Very funny."

"I'm serious."

She stepped closee

"Bas jaake baat kar lena. Jo feel ho raha hai woh bol dena."

Yogesh didn't answer.

Akanksha sat beside him.

"You don't have to know exactly what to say."

He looked at her.

"Just tell them what you told me."

"That I can't sleep?"

"Haan."

"That I keep thinking about everything?"

"Haan."

"That I feel guilty?"

"Haan."

He swallowed.

"And that I don't know how to stop?"

Akanksha nodded.

"Exactly."

Yogesh remained silent.After a moment, he said,

"What if they ask me something and I don't know the answer?"

"Then say you don't know."

"What if I start crying?"

Akanksha gave him a small smile.

"Then cry."

He looked at her, almost surprised.

"You don't have to act strong in front of a doctor."

That sentence stayed with him.

For so long, he had thought being strong meant hiding everything.

Maybe it didn't.

Maybe being strong could also mean admitting that he wasn't okay. The. Akanksha left room to get freshen upin subhangis room.

After some time, Akanksha stepped out of Subhangi's room first.

She had changed into the clothes Niharika had bought for her that morning. Her hair was still slightly damp, and despite having slept only for a short while, she tried to look as normal as possible.

She walked into the living room.

"Good morning."

"Good morning," Subhangi replied.

Niharika looked up and smiled.

"Better?"

Akanksha nodded.

"Much better."

"Come, breakfast is ready," Gullu called from the dining area.

Akanksha smiled and walked toward them.

A few minutes later, the bedroom door opened again.

Yogesh came out.

The conversation immediately became quieter.

Not completely silent.

Just quieter.

Everyone looked at him.

Yogesh stood there for a moment, his eyes moving from one face to another.

Sorab got up immediately.

"Bhai..."

He walked over and pulled Yogesh into a hug.

"Kaisa hai?"

Yogesh's body went slightly stiff before he slowly relaxed.Sorab pulled away and looked at him.

"Tu ne toh hamari jaan hi nikaal di thi. Ab kaisi hai tabiyat?"

Yogesh looked down.

For a few seconds, he didn't answer.

Then-

"I'm okay."

His voice was quiet.Sorab studied his face.He understood.Yogesh didn't want to talk about that

So Sorab simply patted his shoulder.

"Good."

Nothing more.

Niharika smiled at him.

"Good morning."

"Morning."

Rohit raised his hand.

"Morning, hero."

Yogesh gave him a faint look.

"Hero?"

Rohit stopped himself when he saw Akanksha's expression.

Then he quickly added,

"Okay, okay. No jokes."

A tiny smile appeared on Yogesh's face.It disappeared almost immediately.But everyone noticed.

Gullu clapped his hands once.

"Bas! Ab sab dining table pe chalo Mujhe bhook lag rahi hai."

Niharika looked at him.

"Tumhe toh har waqt bhook lagti hai."

"Tumhe problem kya hai?"

"Tumhari appetite se."

"Jealous ho?"

"Of what?"

"My metabolism."

Niharika stared at him.

"Tumhare metabolism se zyada fast toh tumhari stupidity hai."

Rohit burst out laughing.

"Perfect."

Gullu looked offended.

"Why is everyone against me?"

Akanksha laughed softly.

"Because you make it very easy."

"Akku!"

"Chalo, chalo. Breakfast."

Everyone finally moved toward the dining table.Yogesh quietly took the chair beside Akanksha.She noticed that he wasn't touching the food.His eyes were simply fixed on the plate.

She leaned slightly toward him.

"Eat something."

"I'm not hungry."

"I know."

He looked at her.

"Then?"

"Then bhi thoda sa."

"I really don't feel like eating."

Akanksha lowered her voice so only he could hear.

"Medicine lene ke liye bhi kuch khana padega."

Yogesh sighed.

"Akanksha..."

"Please."

He looked at her for a moment.There was no pressure in her eyes.

Just concern.

"Bas thoda," she said.

Yogesh finally picked up his spoon.

"Happy?"

"Very."

He took a small bite.

Akanksha didn't stare at him after that.She deliberately turned toward the others and joined their conversation.

"Gullu... what exactly happened to your breakfast?"

Gullu immediately started defending himself.

"I didn't do anything!"

Niharika pointed toward his plate.

"You literally took half of mine."

"Because yours looked better."

"That's not an excuse."

"It is a very good excuse."

"It is not!"

Yogesh listened quietly.Another tiny smile appeared on his face.

Akanksha noticed it from the corner of her eye.She didn't say anything.She simply continued eating.After a few minutes, she glanced at his plate.

"Bas itna?"

Yogesh looked down.

"I ate."

"Do bites ko breakfast nahi kehte."

"I'm not hungry."

"Okay."

She paused.

"Ek aur bite."

Yogesh looked at her.

"Seriously?"

"Seriously."

He shook his head slightly but took another bite.

Rohit noticed.He looked at Akanksha and smiled.She immediately gave him a warning look.

Don't say anything.

Rohit understood and turned back to his food.The conversation continued.

Gullu and Niharika were now arguing over who had finished the last piece of toast.

"I didn't eat it."

"You did."

"Proof?"

"Gullu, there are crumbs on your shirt."

Everyone looked at him.

Gullu looked down.

"Oh."

The table erupted into laughter.Even Yogesh laughed softly this time.It lasted only a few seconds.But it was real.

Subhangi looked at him and smiled.

Sorab quietly smiled too.

Nobody pointed it out.

Nobody said, See, you're finally smiling.

They simply let it happen.

A little later, Yogesh stopped eating again.

Akanksha noticed.

She pushed the glass of water toward him.

"Pehle paani."

He took it.

"Good."

Then she looked at his plate.

"Thoda aur kha lo."

"I can't."

"Okay, full nahi. Just a little."

He hesitated.

Then nodded.

Akanksha smiled.

"That's better."

Yogesh looked at her.

"Tum na..."

"What?"

"Nothing."

He shook his head.For the first time that morning, there was a little softness in his expression.The others continued talking around them.

Random things.

Silly arguments.

Plans for the day.

Nothing important.

Nothing about last night.

Nothing about his guilt.

Nothing about the doctor.

They were doing it deliberately.

Because sometimes, when someone was struggling, they didn't need everyone to keep asking if they were okay.

Sometimes they simply needed to be reminded that life was still happening around them.

That they still had a place at the table.

That they could sit quietly and just be themselves.

And Yogesh didn't say much that morning.

But every now and then-

he smiled.

He nodded.

He listened.

And he ate a little more than Akanksha thought he would.For now, that was enough.

A little later, they got ready to leave.

Their friends stayed back.

Akanksha waited near the door while Yogesh stood in front of the mirror.

He looked tired.

Not just because of the fever.

There was still something heavy in his eyes.Akanksha noticed him staring at his own reflection.

"Ready?"

He

didn't move.

"Akanksha..."

"Hm?"

"Can we... come back if I don't feel comfortable?"

"Of course."

"And you won't leave?"

She looked at him for a moment.

"I'll be right outside if you want me there."

Yogesh nodded.

He took one slow breath.

Then another.

And finally opened the door.They walked out together.Nothing was magically fixed.

His guilt was still there.

The memories were still there.And he was still scared.But this time, instead of running from what he was feeling, Yogesh was finally willing to face it.

And for today-

that was enough.

To be continue.....