The next morning, when the nurse was giving Himani her medicines and checking on her, Himani decided to ask her. She lowered her volume and whispered to the nurse.

“Hey? Have you seen the person on the other side?”

“Uhh yes. I actually tend to him too.”

The nurse replied a little confused. She got even more confused seeing Himani’s wide grin.

“Is he hot? How old is he?”

The nurse giggled in understanding and leaned in to whisper.

“He’s young and definitely hot. Very hot! But not my type! He’s from India. I like men from my nationality.”

The nurse sighed and Himani smiled mischievously.

“Can you get me a picture of him? Secretly?”

She whispered, making the nurse giggle in mischief. She nodded and Himani gave her phone to her after unlocking it.

“You could have asked me Himani. Mai khud tumhe apni picture de deta. Why bother her?”

(I would have given you my picture myself.)

She heard Arjun’s amused voice from the other side and gasped, hiding herself in the blanket. 

“I’m not here! It’s Amelia talking.”

She mumbled, making Arjun laugh and Amelia ran out the room in embarrassment. 

Himani cleared her throat and came out of the blanket. 

“Can you pretend you never heard any of it?”

She asked in a businessman tone. Arjun bit his lip in amusement and smiled.

“I can… but I will not.”

Himani’s face turned red and she stuttered.

“Are you…are you trying to flirt with me?”

Arjun was thoroughly enjoying himself.

“I’m not trying. I am flirting. Thanks for noticing.”

Her eyes widened and she turned even more red.

“I… you…what if I am super ugly?

She asked and he shrugged and then realised that she couldn’t see him, so he spoke.

“Who cares? I mean outer beauty kitne hi din achhi lag jaayegi? It’s the inner beauty that matters at the end, right?”

(For how many days will outer beauty appease?)

“Not to everyone.”

She whispered and he got quiet. She wasn’t fair. She was a dusky girl. Not dark skinned but definitely not white. And sometimes, her skin colour became her biggest insecurity when she saw other beautiful girls and even men prefer girls with fair skin.

Talking to each other became their favourite pastime. In just three days, the two were so habitual of the other that they felt a void when either of them was sleeping.

“Sir? Do you mind if I take this curtain for some time? This has to be replaced.”

The nurse who was looking after them said and he nodded too eagerly.

Finally! Finally, he would get to see the face of the woman he had been talking to day and night from the past three days.

But to his disappointment, she wasn't in bed when the curtain went away. He sighed realising that she might be in the washroom and waited with bated breath.

Himani was unaware of the lack of barrier between them and when she limped out of the washroom, she didn't notice at first. The nurse helped her and asked her how she felt.

“I think I got used to the little pain that is left after the medication. It shoots up sometimes but other than that, I guess I am fine.”

Himani said with a smile. The nurse smiled back and nodded. She helped Himani sit on the bed with her back towards Arjun, still not having noticed his face.

Arjun was in awe. She was so beautiful. He was mesmerized. Even in the hospital gown, she looked beautiful.

“Ohh…umm…do you need me to put the curtain right now. It might take some time for the new one to come in.”

“Curtain?”

Himani frowned and turned around finally to see him. And time stopped. The nurse tried calling her a few times but in vain. She shook her head with a silly smile, having been shipping the two since day one.

She helped Himani sit back properly and left the room, leaving the two in privacy.

“Hi.”

She heard his deep, husky whisper. Arjun chided himself for sounding so breathless. But he couldn't help it. She was so breathtaking.

“Hi.”

She whispered back and he continued looking at her with awe filled eyes. She blushed and tucked her hair behind her ear, lowering her head in shyness.

She wasn't normally a shy person, but something in his gaze made her feel giddy.

“You…uhh…you're staring.”

She remarked and he sighed dreamily.

“I am trying. Trust me! I've been trying to look away since the moment you entered the room. But you're just so…so beautiful, I can't.”

She looked as a hint of insecurity returned and bit her lip.

“I don't exactly match the beauty standards.”

He frowned and asked.

“Why do you think so?”

“Look at me Arjun! I'm not fair skinned, my skin is not very flawless. The very first parameters of beauty.”

She said as if it were very obvious. He clicked his tongue and shook his head in disagreement.

“Those flaws make you human. No one is perfect, Himani.”

She was still not convinced. The insecurities were rooted deep into her. Years of facing the criticism and being told to do things to lighten her colour made her against her skin colour.

“You know Goddess Parvati?”

He asked and she looked at him with a questioning frown.

“Obviously!”

“People often portray her as fair skinned. But she was actually born as a dark-skinned girl. Yet, she came to be known for her purity and beauty. An eternal beauty. Just like you are.”

The way he spoke those words, so earnestly, so sincerely, meaning every word of it, she couldn't look away from him.

A smile finally formed on her face and this time, she looked away trying to hide the blush that had started to form because of his words.

“Waise maine itne dino mai ye nhi puchha ki ye lagi kaise?”

(I didn’t ask how did you get hurt?)

He asked in between their conversation the same evening. The curtain was replaced but was still at a corner, letting them see each other properly.

“I was at the road crossing. A car was speeding towards me. It stopped right in front of me but because of shock I stumbled and because I was wearing heels, I fell and fractured my leg.”

She explained and he nodded in understanding.