A Drive Together...

BETWEEN THEM
Part 36

It took longer than she thought it would....

They messed up with the tubes....

She now had 2 incisions in her right hand and there was still some loss of blood.....

She dabbed with the cotton wool as she came out....


He was waiting near the desks....

Looking at her as she approached....

She tried to smile... But decided she couldn't...

He smiled instead....


"So who do we have here? A martyr?"

She blushed...."No... It is something we all have to do.... It also cleanses our system you know..."

"Your hand looks ravaged...."

I feel the same with you around... she thought...

"Nothing serious... Just a wrong incision"


They walked in silence...

"You are a regular?"

"Hmm... I try to be...."

"I can't stand the smell..."

"Of blood?"

"Of blood....."

"Oh.... Some are allergic to the smell... I guess...."

"Really?"

"No, er... I just guessed..."

He laughed aloud at that...


"You were waiting for someone right?"

"Yes... for you..."

She hoped that at times like this her legs would not give that warning shake....

"No... I mean... You said you were driving someone here..."

"My sister in law's sister.... She left... got worked up with me..."

"Oh..."

"Let me drop you home... "

"No... thanks... I came by bus... can get back by..."

"No, Shriya... You can't travel back this way... You look weaker..."

"Who? Me!"

"Yes... You!"


She was smiling... Then recollected herself.... It was nice having him call her by name.... She never had the guts to try it with him... safer to use "you" while addressing, abrupt though...

"No... I can't do this...."

"You should.... I will at least have the satisfaction of having helped a martyr right?"

"Stop it... And well...."

"Settled then..."

They reached his car... The same copper-gold Honda City that she had seen the other day...

He opened the back door.... She stared at him and slowly refused....

"No... Hope you know this... When a friend or someone our equal drives.... We shouldn't sit at the back.... It isn't manners...."

He smiled broader than she had hoped for....

"The first girl I have come across who knows car etiquette..."

Girl?.... "Woman" would fit the bill.....

And yet she smiled.....


He opened the front door and she seated herself... He got in and revved up the car....

As he smoothly accelerated out of the parking lot, she wished that, etiquette withstanding, she had got in in the back....

Sitting next to him was something totally unnerving...

She hoped that the seat belt would hold her tighter than it did.... In case she shivered more than humanly possible....