The thing we didn't expect

The outside noise disappeared as the sliding doors closed.

Amma and my older brother, Ayaan, had come with me. The doctor had ordered an X-ray for my arm. Amma was in line to get a receipt for the X-ray while Ayaan and I sat in the waiting area.

‘Does it hurt?’ he asked.

‘What do you think? Of course it hurts.’

He caressed my arm and stood up from the chair. ‘It’s going to get better, I promise.’

‘Thank you.’

Ayaan was nine years older than me, which made him way more mature than me. He always cared about me and looked after me. I loved him more than anyone in my family because when no one believed in me, he did.

Amma came back with the receipt and looked at me sympathetically. ‘Is the pain a bit reduced, darling?’

‘Yeah, just a little bit.’

Amma sat next to me. ‘The X-ray waiting room is only for the patient, so you’ll have to go alone. Would you be able to manage yourself?’

‘What?’

I hated being alone in public places. It felt awkward being in a room full of strangers. But at this moment, I guess I had to do it anyway.

‘Fine. I’ll go alone.’

‘Okay, honey.’

‘Amma, there’s a café over there. Shall we go?’ Ayaan asked.

Amma looked at the café next to the entrance. ‘Yeah, that sounds good.’

‘You both better get me something from there.’

‘We will, Lei Lei. Now go and finish the X-ray.’

I took the receipt from Amma and stood up from my chair.

At that moment, the sliding doors opened, and a boy in a black tracksuit entered the hospital. He was wearing a black cap and tracksuit, and from the way he was dressed, no one could see who he was. There were a few people outside the sliding doors, holding microphones and asking questions. Security stopped the reporters from coming inside.

That boy must be someone famous, or else people wouldn’t be outside.

He went inside without stopping anywhere and headed straight into the staff-only room.

Maybe he’s a popular doctor.

‘I wonder who he is?’ Amma said.

‘Probably someone famous,’ Ayaan said.

‘Maybe a famous doctor,’ I said, laughing.

All three of us laughed, and a few people around us laughed as well.

‘Leila, you better go now,’ Amma said.

I checked the time on my phone: 10:56.

‘Yeah, I’ll be back soon. Bye.’

‘Leila, phones aren’t allowed in X-ray rooms,’ Ayaan said.

‘What?’

‘Give it to me. I’ll keep it safe.’

I handed my phone to Amma and went to the X-ray room. As I walked, my whole body felt like it was free-falling because of the painkillers. I was frustrated with myself for not being able to do things on my own as I used to every day.

After walking for a while, I found myself in front of the X-ray waiting room. I lifted my hand to open the door, but I couldn’t because I had raised my injured left hand. I released a deep breath and opened the door with my right hand.

Why did I have to be left-handed? was the only thought in my head.

The X-ray waiting room was small, with three joined chairs. I let out another deep breath of relief when I realised no one was there.

The waiting room was more like a hallway. At the end of it, there was a board that read: Please wait till you are called inside.

I sat in the chair on the left. The smell of antiseptic filled the hallway as I waited for my turn.

I tried to slowly move my hand, but every movement made me wince in pain.

I never thought a simple afternoon at the pool would end with me waiting in an X-ray room. Three days ago, I thought I’d only bruised my arm. Turns out, it was worse.

The worst thing about this injury was that I couldn’t write because it was my left hand. I had a deadline for my English assignment in two weeks. I couldn’t even use my laptop because typing with one hand was excruciating.

I wonder what the X-ray would show.

The door to the waiting hallway opened, and the same boy in black tracksuit pants entered, his black jacket in his hand. He was wearing a white T-shirt and still had the black cap on, which made it hard to recognise him.

He sat in the chair on the right, and I caught the faint scent of green tea and something bright, almost like lemon. It wasn’t overpowering. Just clean and calm. I couldn’t explain it, but it made me want to breathe in a little deeper.

I straightened myself, and that’s when the receipt for the X-ray slipped from my hand and fell to the ground.

Oh no.

I was silently panicking because I couldn’t bend down to get it. I tried stretching my hand towards it.

The boy next to me quickly lowered himself to the ground and picked it up for me.

‘Here,’ he said with a polite smile.

‘Thank you.’

I didn’t look at him because then it would make everything even more awkward.

Both of us settled into our chairs again.

When is this damn doctor going to call me inside? The awkwardness in this room is killing me.

From the corner of my eye, I saw him take off his cap and run a hand through his hair, fixing the strands that had been flattened. I looked down at his feet. He was wearing black trainers with tiny metal studs underneath. He was tapping his left leg aggressively against the floor while his right leg was stretched out.

I took another glance at him. He was stretched across the whole chair, his right arm covering his eyes. His arms were lean, with defined forearms. They weren’t overly muscular, but there was an unmistakable strength in them, the kind that came from doing something repeatedly for years. But from the way he was sitting, he looked like he was in pain.

After five minutes, he was still in the same position. He hadn’t moved, which raised my concern.

What if he’s sleeping?

Or...

Is he dead?

No, because his feet were still tapping the floor.

Even though his feet were tapping, what if he was actually in pain?

I’m not the type of girl who talks to strangers, but unfortunately, I had to today.

I took a deep breath and asked him, ‘Umm, are you okay?’

He removed the arm from his face but didn’t move his body an inch. A few strands of hair fell onto his forehead, and his eyes looked exhausted. He turned his head towards me and stared at me for four seconds, but it felt like forever.

‘Yeah, I’m fine.’

He replied with the same polite smile from before.

‘Okay.’

He turned away from me, facing the wall where several X-ray images and explanatory diagrams were displayed.

My palms were slick with sweat. I traced the infinity symbol on my ring with my thumb before spinning it around my finger, trying to keep my nerves from showing.

‘What happened to your arm?’ he asked me.

His question made me stop fidgeting with my ring.

I looked towards him, and his eyes were already on me.

His eyes were dark brown, and they were very clear, almost like glass. For a moment, I saw myself reflected in them.

I swallowed. ‘I was swimming three days ago and stretched my arm.’

He nodded. ‘You’re a swimmer.’

‘No, I’m studying to be a writer.’

He still didn’t turn away from me.

‘A writer.’

He repeated the word almost as if he were committing it to memory. The silence settled again, and it felt wrong.

‘How about you?’ I asked, tracing the infinity symbol on my ring.

His eyebrows lifted in surprise, with a small smile tugging at his lips.

‘I play cricket.’

Cricket is his job. That surprised me because he didn’t seem like a cricketer. He was far too quiet.

‘Oh, okay.’

The door to the X-ray room opened, and the doctor peeked outside.

‘Leila Amara. You can come in.’

I stood up from my seat and took a few steps forward. Then I remembered I hadn’t finished the conversation with that boy. I turned back and walked towards him.

‘Bye. Hope your leg gets better soon.’

He stood up from his chair in pain; I saw it on his face.

‘Thanks, and I hope your arm gets better soon.’

I lifted my right hand and waved lightly before going inside the X-ray room.

As I walked towards the room, the only question in my head was: Who was he?

He looked very familiar, but I had no idea who he was.