I then left for the weekly meeting, where our entire department assembles and discusses the cases that we did this week and the cases we will do in the coming week and the team shift roster.

It is a small meeting room cum auditorium with a capacity of fifty people and has a projector and everything.

I went and sat with my fellow residents. The room is almost full with all the residents, interns, nurses, and attending physicians. I kept my bag on the aisle seat next to me and started going through the notes and was discussing my case with Hussain.

We were waiting for our HOD, Prof. Chadda. It seems he is in OP Consultation. Prof. Chadda and the devil came after 10 minutes and Prof. Chadda went directly to the stage to open the meeting. Whereas the devil looked around the hall and looked at the seat next to me. I looked around the meeting hall and found there are seats vacant in the front row beside the attending doctors. The devil doesn't have a choice other than sitting beside me. I groaned internally.

I don't want him sitting beside me. It's been 2 years and I have never sat beside him in meetings. He always sits in the rows behind the professors. But because of my rotten luck, all seats were filled. I saw him sighing and coming towards me. See, he too doesn't want to sit beside me.

I don't want him to make eye contact with me, so I bent and started going through the case materials but I can't seem to get anything into my head. I found myself observing everything in the corner of my eyes. I saw him standing near the chair but he is not sitting. I wonder why?

Should I lift my head and see?

No. Let's just mind our own business Ananya, I told myself.

But, he is not sitting. He hates me that much that he wants to continue the meeting standing?

Fine. Stand. I don't care.

Just then Hussain nudged me and I looked at him and he was seeing the devil. I then looked at the devil and found him staring at my bag in the chair. I immediately removed the bag and kept it near my feet and mumbled a sorry to the devil. He then sat in the chair.

So he was waiting for the bag to be removed. He could have asked me to remove it instead of staring at it and making me feel like he hates me. Just then Hussain leaned into me and whispered,

"Where were you lost? Sir called you two times, you didn't respond".

"Really?" I asked Hussain surprised.

He nodded. I told him that I was thinking something. The meeting started and they were discussing a diskectomy case but strangely, all my focus is on the person next to me.

Nope.

Not because I like him.

But because I am feeling extremely uncomfortable sitting beside the devil. Our hands are almost brushing. Removing it would be rude. If not removed, I don't know what he will think. It's not that I have never touched him. We performed several surgeries huddled together. But, I was never bothered about the proximity. Because we were always concentrating on the surgery. Once the surgery is done, we always have at least a two-meter distance between us. So sitting like this, I am feeling very weird and uncomfortable.

Just then, he removed his hand and I left the breath that I was holding. But then, I felt his shoulder bump into me. I looked at him and found him tapping his pockets like he is searching for something. Anyone can guess that he is searching for a pen or pencil to make notes.

Ha.

Looks like Mr. Perfect forgot to bring his pen.

I have extra pens in my pocket. Should I give him?

But then, he might think that I was observing him.

Who cares what he thinks?

I extended my pen towards him and he stopped fidgeting and took the pen and thanked me smiling.

Did he just smile at me?

My jaw hit the ground seeing him smiling. He cleared his throat and looked at his notes. I could see his neck is red due to embarrassment.

The meeting continued and there was a certain awkwardness in the air. As soon as the meeting is done, the devil left to discuss with prof. Chadda and Prof. Acharya. I then left a big sigh thanking him internally that he left.

God!! Why is it so awkward with him?