Ishqbaaz Imagining the Future part 13

Next morning Anika was not there beside him. The last time it happened,there was a danger down the lane. Shivay hurried outside the room and bumped into Priyanka.
“Good Morning Shivay bhaiya”
He wished her back with a smile…

“Oh Priyanku!!”
“Yes bhaiyya?”
“Have you seen Anika?”
“Oh yes!she’s already down there for preperations…. the last time I saw her,she was calling the Mehendi people to be on time”
“Thanks!!”
Relaxed, he went inside the room but was still surprised that she could even wake up that early, let alone preperations.
He went to freshen up.

SHIVAY:
When I came out thinking what I should be wearing for Priyanku’s mehendi today, I found my clothes already chosen and ironed, on the bed.
Anika?
I looked around to check if she’s there but I already knew she’s not.
Done with myself,I looked into the mirror and felt satisfied with the way I looked,and her choice.
A mauve brushed kurta with a white churidar and chunni felt apt for the occassion.
Not being able to wait anymore I left for my destination. While coming down the stairs I had prepared myself for Anika’s obvious attitude today. I knew after getting pissed off last night her tadi today will be of some other league. Thinking of last night a smile instantly played on my lips and…

I came to a standstill when I saw her.
A strap sleeved deep neck mauve blouse, with an almost plain white long skirt except for the matching mauve waist border,defining her curves. The transparent mauve dupatta did nothing to hide her slender neck or her smooth bare waist, instead it rested loose on her right shoulder tending to fall and I had high hopes today Kamini’s pallu will be having a tough competition.
I drank her in with my eyes. She was looking just like Anika but nothing like she had ever looked before.
Unlike the wedding day her look was not shining or gorgeous, it was sober, graceful, elegant and…. and attractive. Then and there I knew she had chosen this outfit intentionally and within seconds she had made her point!!
The dress no doubt was living upto her intentions. Intentions, which was giving me a tough time.

I chided myself and started breathing again. Seeing her laughing happily I noticed Ru was enacting something with his hands waving in the air and was helping her with the arrangements when…
A plate fell down.
Okay! Not so helping it seems.
Rudra panicked, though Anika found it extremely amusing and couldn’t stop laughing.
I ordered myself
‘Breathe Shivay! Breathe!’

I knew the moment she’ll see me, she’s gonna put up an angry face,so I waited for her laugh to complete but unfortunately she looked up and saw me but…. her expressions didn’t falter she waved at me casually and resumed with her work.

‘What was that? I thought she’s going to be really angry.’
Okay so she’s pretending. I intentionally went over to her “Hey!”
She greeted me with a broad smile “Hi!” She turned towards Rudra

“Rudra… isn’t your brother looking good for a change? I know!! That’s my choice afterall”
Maybe it was a backhanded complement but then I wasn’t expecting one at all.
Something’s wrong or has she absolutely forgot about our last night encounter? The thought worried me.
“Actually Bhabhi you are right! Bhaiyya you are looking good for a change. And woww… matching matching? Wah!!” He grinned at both of us and left. She was still smiling. I kept a hand on her bare back feeling the warmth of her skin and instantly felt an urge to get more of that heat. I spoke to her in a low voice “Make sure your plan doesn’t backfire!!”
“Plan?” She asked me with an innocent face.
I made a mental note- ‘Next time when you don’t find Anika in the morning,on the bed next to you,remember you are going to have a hard day’

The whole day I tried to avoid standing near Kamini and tried to distract myself. Anika being around, that was an easy thing to do.
I went to her and asked “Have you decided the outfits for evening yet?”
“Evening?” She asked puzzled “There’s something in the evening too? Dadi didn’t tell me… Oh God I’ve not made any preperations…”
“Anika… Anika…”I stopped her from running away
“Don’t worry, the evening preperations are on me”
She gave me a skeptical look when Badi maa called her. It was her turn to have mehendi.
Even after her protests that her work will be hampered, Dadi forced her to have mehendi in both the hands saying that there are servants to work!! I left for my room to attend a video call. Finishing my call I closed my laptop and turned to find someone whom I already knew was there in the room.
She was leaning on the doorway waiting for my call to end so that she doesn’t come in the frame.

She was gazing at her own designed palm.
“Liked the design?”
Sho looked up at me with a smile “Om chose a khidkitor design for me… see… isn’t it beautiful? ”
She came forward to show it to me, but my eyes never left her face “Yes! It’s beautiful”
She lit up with my acknowledgement.
“See… I told you…you know…”
“Anika?”
“Yeah?”
“You look awfully happy today. Is there a sale going on in your favourite chappal store? Or have you simply lost it?”
I earned a laugh at that. A clear ringing laugh.
“I’ve lost it!”
“Wow! Such honesty”
I replied with a sarcastic tone but her smile had grown serious, one that reached her eyes which told me she was seriously happy. She started walking towards me “Yes. I’ve lost it and I’ve lost it to you Mr.Shivay Singh Oberoi”
She kept her elbows on my shoulder carefully,not messing up her mehendi or my kurta.
“And this is the first time in my life that I’m happy to loose. I’ve never been so happy ever in my victories the way I’m happy to loose it to you”
She spoke each word slowly and gently as if she’s making something understand to a primary department boy, and surprisingly, I even felt like one. She leaned closer to me and I did not dare to touch her or keep my hands on her waist for support,
it was already enough hard to resist.
“Now that I’ve lost… I’ve no games to play… no rules to abide… no filters… nothing to hide ’cause you already know everything”
She winked and turned around to leave.

Coming back to my senses I called her out when she had already reached the doorway. She turned back questioningly. I pointed at the gift on the bed.
“What’s this?”
“Open it and you’ll know”
She showed up both her hands full of mehendi.
I realised I’m still not back in my senses. I reached to the gift to unpack it for her and pulled the outfit from the bag.
She looked up at me with surprise

“Your evening dress”
I exclaimed holding the saree up for a clearer view. She smiled pleasantly and looked at it closely
“It’s beautiful!! But Shivay what’s there in the even…?”
I did not let her complete
“That’s all. I need to leave now. Have an important meeting to attend”
“Oh Shivay…!!”
“Yes?”
“Can you please send a car to pick Sahil?”
“I can but I won’t”
She frowned but clearly did not believe my words…
“I’m going to pick him myself” I smiled.
“But you have an important meeting…there’s no need,you can just send…”
“I’m not leaving him alone Anika. Not when so much is happening now a days, and about my meeting,don’t worry. I’ll manage.”
I seriously meant it and she seemed to comprehend that,but the way she reacted to it was not something I expected, though she was doing nothing expected since the morning.
She gave me a hug as good as possible with her busy hands followed by an “I Love You Shivay!!” and a quick kiss on my cheek.
She ran out of the room grinning.
I stood there smiling with an expression of *Unbelievable*
I gifted her an expenssive readymade saree… a pleasant smile with an ‘it’s beautiful’ tag was all I had recieved. I said I’ll manage a meeting to pick up her brother earned me an ‘I love you’ with hugs n kisses.Wow!!
“Anika…” her name rolled of my tongue unknowingly and I doubted I would have recieved all of that if she knew my important meeting was actually with none other than Sahil!!
Thinking of that I realised I’m late and even though Anika is not showing me tadi today her brother was not going to excuse me…

“I’m sorry… I’m late”
I opened the door for him.
“You are late?” He asked while getting inside the car and I searched for a hint of sarcasm in his tone but there was none.
What’s wrong with this
sis-bro duo today?
What did they have in their breakfast… A Circus?
What’s wrong with me? I should be glad that they are not showing tadi today!!
Urrgh!!
“What is it?”
Sahil’s question reminded me of the business in hand.
“I wanted to ask you something Sahil! What’s your di’s favourite thing?”
“Huh?”
“I mean something she loves?”
“Why do you want to know?”
“I was expecting an answer you know…not a question in return”
I exclaimed with my eyes on road.
I had firstly thought of setting up a company of her favourite thing and would name it after her.
Then I felt it’s better to surround her with her favourite things and for that I needed to know the answers from Sahil.
“But I’m not getting your question. Favourite food…fine. Favourite colour… fine. Favourite place… fine. Favourite thing? What
is that even supposed to mean?”

He was seriously confused and was not doing it intentionally to annoy me… though the fact that I couldn’t make him understand was annoying me anyway. We had almost reached and I still haven’t got my answers.
“I mean what is it that she loves the most? I mean is there nothing that she loves a lot?”
The thoughtful expression which he wore after that, made me feel he had finally got my question.We had reached and I opened the door helping him get off the car.
“She loves a lot… yes there is”
I gave him a victorious smile at that “Name it”
I asked, and was almost ready with my phone to order the best quality of whatever it was.

We went inside and Om walked towards us to greet. I smiled at him.
“SSO…” Sahil called and I looked at him expectantly eager to know the answer
“What?”
“Shivay Singh Oberoi…”
I had no idea exactly why Sahil was upto making it so melodramatic. Om had already neared.

“I thought you asked me to name it” Sahil shrugged

Om was already here. We chatted a while and then Om took Sahil to Anika. I left for the room.
Sahil’s words did not let me stay in the reality
‘What is it she loves the most?’
‘Name it!’
‘Shivay Singh Oberoi’ was what her beloved brother had answered.
I called myself an idiot to even think that I could make her happy with materialistic luxuries… at least after the morning incident, I should’ve known it!!
Damn!! I should’ve known it always… she’s Anika after all.
I had already wasted a lot of time where I shouldn’t have, it was time to make some real preperations.

Sahil’s words repeated in my head and I again fell in…

Urggh! I can’t even say it to myself mentally, how am I even supposed to say it to her.
Come on Shivay you can do this. Not a big deal, and even if it is,you’ve tackled bigger deals. I motivated myself continuosly.

Anika was taking too long to get ready… I checked my watch and realised I was wrong, hardly a few minutes had passed. I was nervous and excited at the same time.
Finally she came out of the room.
I was impressed with my own selection,the plain black Chiffon saree with the velvet off shoulder blouse suited her well. The beads that bordered the chest lining shined like her aura. She had let her waves loose on her beautiful collar bones on my request.
I offered my hand to her and she placed hers on it without any hesitation. Just like she had said, she was no more into games. I already knew that she loves me n thus none of her actions looked odd to me… she was free to do anything and everything. I envied her.

After getting inside the car she threw up her hands
“I knew this. I knew there’s no occassion. I would’ve been informed otherwise”
I smirked at that “You still feel there’s no occassion?”
She started explaining
“Oh no no… I meant… not one inside the mansion. Uhh Shivay, you know what I mean”
I smiled at her.
“Where are you taking me?”
“You’ll know soon”
Sitting beside me I could feel her eyes go wide with every turn I took when she started realising where we were headed too.
“But why…?”
“Why not?” I replied with a question.
“Moreover Shivay Singh Oberoi doesn’t keep any business
unfinished”
She blushed at that and I knew she understood exactly what I meant. No matter how free she felt after the confession, that was not going to stop her from blushing.

Once we had reached I walked a bit ahead of her to open the door.I stepped in instantly to turn around and look at her. I did not want to miss her reactions.
She looked at her surroundings with an awe.
“I never thought my house could look this beautiful!”
I agreed to that, when I decided to make it happen in her house I doubted whether the selected decorations would work. But it did!!
“This is amazing Shivay!”
She stood near the window touching the hung chinese lantern. The light fell on her face and the beads on her reflected it!
She looked around and finally fixed her gaze on me.
She walked over to me and brushed her hand on the velvet border of my black suit. Giving me a million dollar smile she rested her head on my chest and I did not hesitate to put my arms around.
She knew, no matter whether I say it to her or not she already knew the truth!!

We dined together merrily.
It was hard to believe that it was only last night when we had dined in this very place together but in an absolute different state.
Finished with the dinner I knew it was time for climax. The reason for which I had brought her here. I held her hand and made her stand exactly where she had made the confession yesterday, she got the point too. I pulled out the small box from my pocket and placed it on her other hand.
She opened the box to find a ring inside. I shrugged when she looked up at me with surprise. Pulling out the ring she examined it. A small frown grew on her forehead.
“The size?” I asked knowing her thoughts.
“Mmm it’s beautiful Shivay but just a bit bigger than my size”
I laughed at that
“Not a bit bigger Anika its huge for your size but then… the ring is not for you!”
Her frown grew at that and she stared at me intently waiting for an explanation.
“It’s for me Anika”

Her expression turned to that of amazement and she still waited patiently for me to explain.
Keeping the box aside I asked her to hold the ring while I held her free hand and bent down on a knee infront of her.
I started with whatever I felt would sound right, it was difficult but then I focussed solely on her face
“I can’t ask you to marry me, since we’re already married, twice now. You have the sindoor on your hairline and a mangalsutra of my name, but I…
I still have no sign to prove that I belong to you. We’ve never been engaged…”
I pointed at the ring
“so I thought this might work”

She pulled me up and immediately placed the ring in my finger. She was about to hug me when I stopped her “Wait!! I’m not yet done”
I took her hands in mine again.
“Just like I can’t ask you to marry me, I also can’t ask you to be mine, since you have already declared that you are mine, but today… I do have something else to ask from you…”
I released her hand and moved a little back to spread out my arms
“Mrs. Anika Shivay Singh Oberoi can you please permit the man standing right infront of you, to be yours? I want you to look at me and say ‘He’s mine’,I was trying to gift you something you love, after your yesterday’s confession I think I’m in the list too. So all I could do is make a present of myself to you. Anika will you accept me? I would like you to own me for I feel you are the one under whose ownership I can be saved and flourished I want to belong to you because…
Because I Love You”

She ran towards me with her wet eyes and nothing at that moment could stop me from lifting her up in my arms… keeping her back to the ground I leaned closer when she closed her eyes. I knew it would be her first kiss so I had to take the lead. When the kiss happened I found myself equally inexperienced because the feeling right now was nothing which I had ever experienced before. It has usually just been somebody else’s lips on mine. But this… this was different. Maybe no violins, bells or special wind effect but it was still different. I immediately found all the urges which I had suppressed till date coming on ground and the way she responded,I knew she felt the same…

I went down to kiss her neck and whispered in her ear “I told you, I don’t keep any unfinished business…”
She giggled at that and we resumed from where we’ve been interrupted yesterday.
I checked on her for a fraction of second to be sure if she was ready for it.
The slight smile on her face and her dreamy eyes answered much more than I expected… within moments I realised that I was wrong then, the climax was yet to arrive. Lying on the bed together she whispered an “I love you” against my lips.
I immediately responded without hesitation “I love you too Anika, I love you too…”
She was right, once the secret is out, you feel free… and today we were about to reveal our deepest ones to each other, but there was no uncertainity in it because she was mine, and I belonged to her…!!

~WHILE IMMAGINING THE FUTURE~

I did not at all had an intention to write a long FF since I did not have a story,never thought of a plot neither chose a theme.I had immagined a single scene which I wished to see in the original.The response which I got there, made me continue and then the further responses motivated me.So Thanks a lot for being there.
I have been busy during the time when I had received the best responses (Part 5 ‘The Letter’/part 12B ‘Coming back to d mansion’)I couldn’t reply to all of your comments but those had touched my heart.I’m sorry for wrapping it up uninformed and it has turned out to be hard for me since the majority of comments that I had received lately were the ones asking me to keep writing,not end this FF soon, not end this FF at all (Surbhi I’m sorry!)
But since every good thing has to come to an end or else it might seem monotonous and dragged.This is neither a farewell note nor a goodbye since I’ll be back soon.Probably after 25th March.

IMPORTANT- I wanted the advice of all my readers that when I come back to write shall I proceed with the ongoing original track or continue with the plot of my own FF?

Thanks to all your comments and responses,to the silent readers who have been there throughout, to all the times when you’ve searched for the next part,to all the untyped but heartfelt complements! Thank You!
Don’t forget the name of the FF so that you can recognise it once The Future Is Here!!
See u guys soon

With Bhalobasha
||Shaoni||