CHAPTER 9

We finally got to meet the doctor after what seemed like an eternity of waiting. I told the doctor everything about my injuries, but I left out the masked man's role in the accident. He motioned for me to lie down on the patient's bed. Right after I took my place on the bed, the doctor came over to examine my leg. I jerked away and turned aside as soon as he touched the swollen portion of my calf because I didn't want to see what he was doing. I winced in pain as he administered the ointment, in the process my hand began to search for a hold to soothe my discomfort. I grabbed the masked man's hand till my nail was imprinted on his skin without realizing it. He swiftly put his palm on my hand and squeezed it lightly to reassure me that everything would be fine. A sob exited my mouth when a little massage was given by the doctor on my swelled fat, but I tightened my grip in the process. As soon as the doctor had bandaged my leg, I sat down carefully and immediately lifted his hand after realizing I wounded him involuntarily.

"I'll give you some pain relievers, and don't forget to get plenty of rest. Most importantly, while walking, don't force it too much," When he patted my back, he added. I nodded as I brushed away my tears. After much deliberation, I attempted to place my feet on the ground, but it caused me to shudder and return to my seat. Meanwhile, the masked man stood at the corner, observing my every move and waiting for me to approach him for assistance. I'm aware of this simply by gazing into his eyes, yet I still don't want to seek his assistance.

Honestly, how could I seek his help when I constantly gave him a harsh response anytime he attempted to assist me?

I merely gave up an annoying deep breath and stayed on the bed quietly. He strides up to me out of nowhere, crouches down, and says, "Come, let me carry you to the car." This little sentence quickened my heartbeat and shocked me utterly. "How...No Way...I mean, I don't want you to carry me," I gasped, my wide eyes revealing my bewildered state. He walked out of the room, shrugging his shoulders.

Oh my gosh, did I irritate him?

Will he abandon me in this unfamiliar clinic?

He genuinely wants to assist me, but I have once again let him down. Ugh!

The doctor placed his hand on my shoulder and spoke to me "I assume you're upset with your lover. In my opinion, you should not let him go. He appears to be really concerned about you "He gives a warm smile. What?!. He believes the masked man to be my boyfriend. What is it that makes him think that way? Oh no, there's been a major misunderstanding. " No, Actu-," I began but was interrupted by the sound of someone entering the room.

Wait! What the heck!!

Seriously, this guy returns with a wheelchair. "I'm not going to sit on it," I exclaimed, horrified. "When I offered to carry you because you couldn't walk, you refused, and now you don't want to sit in this wheelchair," he grumbled.

I'm afraid I've been testing his tolerance. I don't want him to feel irritating again, so let's get this over with.

"I refuse to be treated as a patient. Please. I don't want to sit in that wheelchair because it will make me feel weak, and I truly apologise if I have offended you "With a puppy expression, I begged. "So, what do you want to do now?" he asked, his eyes softening as a result of my response. "Since I can't stand up straight, just take my hand and I'll stroll," I suggested. Before extending his hand to me, he sighed and muttered, "You are so stubborn." I grinned at his remark before place my hand on his and quickly tighten my grip on his hand. I slowly bring my feet down to the ground. As we walked out of the room, the doctor smirked at us. That is when it hit my brain that I didn't clear up his misconception, holy crap. At the same time, the masked man throws him a puzzled look, which makes me giggle, but I manage to hold it back.

Since I can't walk quickly, he takes moderate steps to match my pace. My subconscious continues telling me that if my parents were with me, they would not take me to the Clinic, but would instead tell me to "Put an ice pack and Vicks. It will be alright. Also, this isn't the first time you've been hurt in a fight". To be honest, I'm used to this reaction, which is one of the reasons I won't notify them if I am injured. My eyes welled up with tears as I thought about this, and a single tear streamed down my cheek. I understand why they say things like that; they want to make me stronger and more independent, but they forget that it makes me feel like they don't care about me. It hurt me that I didn't feel affection from them.

"Is it hurting?" he questioned, nudging me. I wondered how he knew what I was thinking for a brief moment, but then I understood he was inquiring about my leg. "Yeah, but it's better than before," I remarked as I wiped away my tears. He smiled and nodded. We hopped into the car as soon as we arrived, and the driver began driving towards the stadium. I knew that if I stayed silent, I would break down, so to seem normal, I asked him a question "Hey, do you recall not telling me about the Naigoan? Which I had previously posed to you? ". The driver turned his face towards the masked man after I inquired, and they exchanged glances. I had the impression that there was something strange going on.

Through the rear-view mirror, he looked at me and remarked "The location is actually fairly close to the stadium. What would you do if you happened to run across him?". The thrill caused my eyes to widen as I realised the location was not far from the stadium. "Really? Then I'll go there with a friend the next day. And, about what I gonna do if I meet him is I'll probably give him a tight embrace and tell him I love him "I giggled. He chuckled and replied "Are you planning to do so? That is, after all, what most people do when they see their favourite star, and it will be nothing new for Shivaay because he is a well-known actor, and most of his fans have undoubtedly done it before ." I answered, with a frown on my brows, "Yes, you are correct; nevertheless, I was kidding. I'm not going to follow through on what I just said." My answer causes him to narrow his eyes in wonder.

"I mean, I'm not going to hug him or tell him how much I love him. Because it might be awkward for him or, more likely, for me. Plus, I feel like a random individual hugging and expressing those words is might not a particularly prudent gesture because if someone did something like that to me then it makes me feel super awkward. So, when I see him, I may stammer or remain speechless. I'll probably simply say how much I like him because I don't want to mess things up for myself "I cocked my head and smile. He simply peered into my eyes, as if trying to figure out why I'm thinking in a way that contradicts his own.

When the driver abruptly stopped the car, we broke our strong eye contact. I quickly took a glance at my surroundings and that's when I realised I had arrived at my destination. I thanked him as I stepped out of the car gently. Before entering the building, I turned to face him and knocked on his window shield. I tentatively answered, "Well, I forgot to say something," as he rolled down the window with his brows arched in an inquiring manner. He encouraged me to continue by nodding his head. "Um... I apologise for my rude behaviour wherever and whenever you try to help me. Also, I didn't get to know your name, which isn't fair given that you already know mine." I confessed while smiling at him, hoping he'd forgive me.

"Come on, now. You don't have to apologise for anything since I understand and accept your actions. By the way, My Name-," before he could say his name, I interrupted him and said, "Never mind. Even if you tell me your name, you'll always be remembered as the masked man, and that fits you fine "I giggled, and that made him chuckle as well. I instantly said "Goodbye," assuming it would be my final interaction with him. However, we did not realise that the fate of our lives had other plans for us. Without looking back, I headed to my team and sat with them before they suspect that I had been gone for more than 30 minutes.