Days after Holi
Shivaay sneaks up behind Anika and smirks as placed his hands over her eyes.
“Hey, who’s this?” asked a startled Anika as she smelled a familiar scent teasing her nostrils and knew exactly who it was.
“A surprise” Shivaay whispered in in her ear, something he knew she founded irresistible.
“What’s the surprise?” Anika asked as she slowly snaked her head around.
“Me.” He said as he places his lips on the curve of her neck.
“Stop it, Shivaay” Anika said as she pushed him away. “I thought you were going to be at work for another two hours.”
“I’m home now. Didn’t you miss me?” he said leaning against the kitchen island.
“Let’s go away, Anika. Just us” Shivaay said rubbing his forehead.
“I don’t have time. You know, I have the internship thing, remember.” She exhaled hard as she interrupted him purposely and walked off to the bedroom closing the door behind her.
“I wonder what’s wrong with Anika.” Shivaay thought as he followed behind her.
Anika looked down as she fidgeted with her fingers, she knew that his request made sense… it was a reasonable request.
“Anika? Anika?” Shivaay said yet it took her forever before she was able to look up.
He lifted her chin looking into her eyes, she was still the same enchanting beauty he fell in love with but he knew her eyes were different “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing, Shivaay,”she replied as she turned away from him.
Somehow, there was something in the way that she looked at him, even the way she spoke that felt off to him.
Shivaay tried to figure out what he saw in her eyes….Uncertainty or fear but something very unusual was going on with her, the girl who showed Shivaay Singh Oberoi, how to live again; more importantly to love again was lost in her own world.
Anika clenched her fingers tightly as she felt her hands trembling at her sides.
All the pain and heartache she buried all these years seemed to have been awakened from the depths of her soul.
Her mind was a flush with scenarios playing over in her mind like a broken tape.
It was like a dream, surreal and unbelievable. But, more than the pain and disbelief that she felt, it was the uncontrollable beat of her heart that echoed in her ears blocking out everything.
“Why couldn’t he resist the temptation” she though as she fought with her brimming tears.
“Anika, please…” a confused Shivaay said as he was dumbfounded by her sudden change in behaviour.
His eyes remained on her until she walked passed him.
A shiver ran up her spine as she tried to put some distance between them but Shivaay stepped closer, reaching out to hold her hand.
“What’s wrong?” he asked as his voice cracked.
Anika tried to let go of his hand yet the more she pushed him away, the more that he pulled her closer to him. His other hand encircle around her waist so that her back was crushed to his chest.
At that moment all her mind said that he was her enemy but when she heard his heartbeat her heart assured her that; he was her protector.
Somewhere in Mumbai
He waited for a minute until he saw her going into a nearby apartment building as he crossed the street and stepped into the light of the street.
Looking around he saw her make a right turn through the building to the elevators and stepping in when the doors opened.
Saumya stood in the elevator checking her phone as she went through her Instagram feed, not even bothering to look up when someone came to stand next to her.
The familiar sound of an incoming message caused her face to frown when she saw the name of the sender.
Her eyes flashed with lighting as she read the message, “LOOK UP! Sumo” terror overtook her as
it dawned on her.
Saumya took in a deep breath as she slowly tilted her head and proceeded to go through her cell phone again.
“Hello?” Rudra said as turning towards her.
“Rudra, you followed me?” she said as she moved away from him but he just stepped towards her until her back hit the elevator wall.
“I am not stopping until I get answers from you, Saumya” He said slamming his hand on the wall.
“Might I remind you, you were the one who only thought of me as a friend and that everything was a mistake” Saumya said rolling her eyes, visibly upset. “You don’t have the right to demand answers”
“You know what, Saumya,” He stopped before continuing, as the doors opened and she got out.
“I’m trying but you are so stubborn.” He said as he followed her trying to keep up.
“Oh really, are you sure about that….?” Saumya questioned her voice in a hoarse whisper as she opened the door to her apartment.
“I Am.” He said, his words causing an explosion of emotions as it hardened.
He put his foot in the door, stopping it from closing.
“This is happening, this is actually happening” Saumya thought as her mind was a blur;she didn’t trust herself to be alone with him.
Before she could put her bag down, he caught her arm, “I need to know……..the last time we met…….”He turned her to face him.
Cupping her face, he asked her again “Saumya…….” She struggled as the voice in her head was fighting with her heart and all she could do was nod as tears ran down her cheeks.
Rudra rested his forehead against hers as he looked into her tear filled eyes, he simply he leaned in and kissed her tear-streaked cheeks.
“Everything will be ok” he pacified her.