"Differentiate this against log(x) and the answer falls right into place," the teacher noted, still looking at the complex equations on the board. "Got it, students?"
"Still... this problem isn't half as complex as ALS, is it?" Vini whispered. He kept his head down, his pen scratching rhythmically as he jotted the equation into his notebook, waiting for Yash's reaction.
"Hmm," Yash breathed out. He stared down at his empty notebook and took a deep sigh, shaking his head as if trying to clear his mind.
The final bell rang, and a wave of students poured out of the room. Yash sat still in the sudden silence, his friends staying by his side as the halls grew noisy outside.
Dheeru placed a steady hand on Yash's shoulder. "Everything's going to be okay," he said softly. "Have faith; things have a way of working out for the best." He then pulled up a chair and sat down beside him.
Ram thumped his chest with conviction. "I—" he started, then looked over at Dheeru and Vini before correcting himself. "I mean, all of us... we're with you until the end, Yash. Forever and ever. Don't let anything get to you."
"Forever and ever." Yash said "hmm…" with a smirk.
The group walked out to the playground and found their usual spot. Yash didn't hesitate—he sprawled out on a bench, staring up at the sky while his friends gathered around.
"So, has anyone looked up ALS yet?" Ram asked, sitting at the foot of the bench where Yash was lying. "I mean, really researched it—how dangerous it is, what causes it, and if there's any cure? Or even just a way to extend her life expectancy?"
"I looked it up... it's incredibly rare for someone her age. The reason she can't move is that the motor neurons are dying. Think of them like the electrical wires connecting a light switch to a bulb; the brain is flicking the switch, but because the 'wires' to her legs are broken, the signal never gets there." Dheeru said, looking at Yash.
"So, what you're saying is... one by one, her body is just going to shut down. Her hands, her voice, even her ability to breathe—and she'll be trapped inside, completely aware, but unable to do a single thing about it." Yash wiped his eyes, but they filled right back up as he looked at Dheeru.
"But it's not like there's nothing, Yash. I read that there are new drugs—things like Riluzole or those antioxidant treatments—that can slow it down. They can't fix it yet, but they can buy her more years, maybe even long enough for a real cure to be found." Vini looked at Yash, nodding firmly as if trying to force him to believe it.
"You're talking about ten thousand dollars a month, Vini. Minimum. And that's before you even factor in the import taxes and the shipping. I know her family—they've got savings, but they aren't millionaires. They could afford maybe five rounds of that, and then what? They'll be bankrupt and she'll still be sick." Yash's stare didn't waver, his eyes cold.
Dheeru started an argument about a ridiculous six in last week's match, and Vini brought up the time Yash had accidentally walked into a glass door. Slowly, the tension in Yash's shoulders began to crack.
"You need to make a call, Yash. End this," Ram said, his eyes locked onto his friend's. "You can't keep feeding her scraps of hope just to keep her around for your own comfort."
"My life and my novels follow the same code," Yash said. He rose from the bench, meeting Ram's gaze with absolute clarity. "If I love someone, I'm all in. It doesn't matter if our time together is short or long. She's mine. This isn't a crush or a passing phase—it's who I am."
"Then it's settled," Dheeru, Ram, and Vini spoke as one, their voices merging into a single. "We're with you, Yash. All the way."
The conversation trailed off into the evening air as they retrieved their bicycles. With a series of clicks and the soft crunch of gravel under tires, they began to pedal Ram said, "Yash wait for a moment."
"Yash, I need a favour—a big one," Ram said, his voice tight with a hint of anxiety. "I have my asthma check-up today and it's critical I don't miss it, but my parents are out. Can you please take me? I really can't do this one alone."
"I... I can't, Ram. I'm sorry," Yash muttered, his gaze fixed firmly on his handlebars. He wouldn't look up. "I have to see her today. It's been three days since we've been together, and I just... I have to go."
"Yash, look at the time. You still have two hours before you meet her," Ram said, his eyes searching his friend's face for any sign of empathy. "Dheeru and Vini are gone. I'm stuck. Please, don't do this—just help me out."
"I said I'm sorry, alright? I can't do it." Yash didn't wait for a rebuttal. He started pedalling toward the exit, his eyes fixed on the road ahead as if trying to outrun the disappointment in Ram's silence.
"Fine. I'll just head home then," Ram said, the words escaping him in a long, heavy sigh. He looked at his friend one last time—not with anger, but with a quiet, stinging realization. "Have a safe ride, Yash."
Yash pedalled hard, the wind whistling past him as he left Ram behind. He didn't stop until he reached Stuti's gate.
"Hello Uncle, hello Aunty! How is she? How's Stuti doing?" The words tumbled out of him as he crossed the threshold, but he stopped short. Stuti's father was already at the door, coat in hand, leading his wife.
"It's good to see you, son," Uncle said, giving Yash's shoulder a pat. "You've arrived at the perfect time. Stuti's alone right now—why don't you go up and keep her company? We have some urgent business to attend to, but we'll be back as soon as we can."
Yash stepped deeper into the house as the sound of the parents' car faded away. He found Stuti in the garden, framed by the afternoon light, sitting quietly in her wheelchair.
Yash caught sight of her and stopped dead in his tracks. The cold air had turned her cheeks a soft crimson, and she looked beautiful under the pale winter sun. He stood there for a beat, just taking her in, before Stuti noticed him standing there and a smile broke across her face.
"Yash! You're finally here," she called out, her voice full of warmth. She gripped the armrests of her chair, trying to pull herself up in a burst of pure excitement.
Yash hurried forward, watching as she fought for a moment to stand before her strength flickered.
He softly urged her back into the seat, his touch steady and grounding. "Don't," he whispered, his eyes meeting hers. "There's no need for that. I'm right here, and I'm not going anywhere."
He sat down right there beside her wheelchair, leaning in to share her view. They watched the garden together—the sway of the flowers and the white fluff of dandelions floating by—content to just exist in each other's space for a while.
"I brought you something," Yash said, holding out a pink butterfly hair clip for her to see. He watched her eyes light up before adding, "Can I? I'd like to put it in myself." A shy smile touched her lips as she nodded, tilting her head slightly to make it easier for him.
As he leaned in to fasten the clip, their faces were only inches apart. Stuti reached up, her palm coming to rest gently against his cheek. "Your face is so small," she whispered, her fingers tracing his jawline. "Half of it fits right here in the palm of my hand."
Surprised by the sudden warmth of her touch, Yash stumbled back and collapsed onto the lawn, sending Stuti into a fit of giggles.
Yash hit the grass and stayed there motionless. It was as if his soul had momentarily drifted away just from looking at her. He blinked, finally finding his voice. "From now on," he whispered, still caught in the spell of her smile, "that isn't allowed."
The next half hour disappeared into a blur of shared laughter and quiet stories. But as the sky began to deepen into the bruised purples of twilight, Yash knew he couldn't stay.
He finally stood and said, "I have to go."
"It's a plan, then" Yash called out, his voice trailing behind him as he pedalled away. "I'll be here at six sharp tomorrow morning, and we'll head for your village together."
AT THE MORNING
"Why on earth did you wake me up at five?" Ram mumbled, rubbing the sleep from his eyes as he squinted at Yash.
Dheeru and Vini were balanced precariously on a single bike behind him. "And what lie did you have to tell your mom to get out of the house this early anyway?"
"The usual," Yash laughed, standing up on his pedals to gain speed. "I told her we were cramming at Ram's house."
His friends joined in the laughter, their bicycles whirring in unison as they sped away, the cool morning air biting at their faces.
They took off at a breakneck pace, the morning air rushing so fast into Ram's mouth that he could barely breathe.
"Hey! Slow down!" he shouted, clinging to the seat as Yash pedalled harder. "You've got plenty of time to pick her up, Yash! Don't kill us both before we even get there."
Yash didn't even look back, his eyes fixed on the road ahead. "Hey, Dheeru! Vini!" he yelled over his shoulder, a wide grin on his face. "Pick up the pace, you losers! Are you riding a bike or a tricycle?"
Out of nowhere, a kid darted into the road. Yash slammed on his brakes, the bike fishtailing as he yanked the handlebars to the left in a desperate swerve.
Behind him, Dheeru and Vini panicked; they miscalculated the turn and veered sharply to the right. In that heartbeat of confusion, a truck roared into the frame, hitting them with a deafening, sickening force that turned the morning air into a nightmare.
"Blood… blood…", Yash said, panting and seeing towards them.