A week passed by. No numbers, no conversations… but the heart synced as if they are close. She remembered his cute antiques and laughed remembering the way a girl made him awkward in front of her last week in the restaurant. He remembered her angry but not disappointed glare and smiled, of course the smile was hidden in front of his brothers and sister. His brother teased him though… saying that he went to Moonshine Restaurant just to see Anika once more, he admitted that to his heart but admitting in front of his brother would be murdering his attitude and ego, so… of course he didn’t admit that in front of his brothers.
“What are your plans today Shivay?” Omkara interrupted his thoughts and he turned to see his brothers and sister standing their with an awkward look.
“Nothing… why are you all standing over there? Come inside… and… why are you all looking at me like that?” the look on everyone’s face didn’t change and they stepped in.
“Bhaiya… you were chanting Anika didi’s name from past five minutes” Rudra said as his eyebrows danced in rhythm.
“No… of course not… who said that… no no not at all” as expected, he denied. Om-Ru-Prinku looked at each other and burst into fits of laughter.
“What… why… hey why are you all laughing?” Shivay startled and tried to recall that did he seriously vent out his inner thoughts that were meant to be his secret.
“Relax bhaiya… look at your expression, why being so scared huh? You seriously didn’t take her name” Prinku cleared and continued her laughter.
Something inside their big brother’s heart calmed down listening to Prinku, but… his siblings are their to stretch the matter.
“One minute… why did your expression changed like that? Were you seriously thinking about Anika di… huuh huuhh?” Rudra teased hitting Shivay’s arm using his arm softly.
“No… why would I think about her… I even forgot her name… what’s her name.. huhh… I am not getting it… what’s her name?” Shivay acted as he touched his forehead and rubbed his temple.
“Who’s name Shivay?” Om asked showing confused expression.
“Arre… Anika’s name” ohh no… what did Shivay say… he is definitely go to pay for this and yeah… as expected…
“Hmm… that’s interesting, you are remembering the name but look at you… you didn’t even realise how fast you answered my question using the name without thinking for a second” second roll of laughter followed as Om completed his sentence.
“You all are impossible” saying this Mr. Emotion Hider Singh Oberoi went out, well… blush accompanied him and he stopped in front of his pool and stared at the sky. He has planned not to go to office for that day as he was not feeling like to go, and the sun is setting slowly.
“Sunsets are so beautiful” he murmured to himself and smiled.
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“Hmm…hmm di… date date…” Ishana teased her sister over phone as she asked for Shivay’s number from Ishana.
Ishana do have the three brothers number as Om has saved his brothers and his sister number in her phone, you know understanding relationships.
“Ishu… I just want to meet him once… don’t tease me now” Anika sounded irritated but Ishana was damn sure that her didi is smiling… naahh… blushing.
“Okay fine maata rani… here is the number” she said and Anika noted down.
“Listen… I would be late today, don’t wait for me to have dinner” Anika explained.
“Enjoy ji enjoy” Ishana grinned and sounded naughty. Anika smiled and muttered a pagal before cutting the call.
She looked at the number and dialled it instantly, she was about to press the call button but… she hesitated thinking that what he will think.
“No… Anika, if he thinks that you are liking his company then… what will be your image huh? Leave the idea of date… what? Date… no no… it’s just a random dinner… but why do you want to meet him, leave it Anika” she muttered to herself and looked at the sky through her cabin’s window.
“Just a meeting Anika, it won’t hamper your image… call him yaar” her heart said and she dialled his number again. This time her thumb shivered but she pressed the call button.
‘Tring Tring… tring tring…’
She waited for him to pic up… and… at last he did pick up.
“Hello” came a manly voice from other side. The sound was questioning, definitely it should be as her number is unknown to him. Ishana didn’t save her di’s number in Om’s phone then how will be Shivay knowing her number… easy logic… right.
She gulped down, why is she so nervous, okay Anika speak now.
“Is it… is this Mr. Shivay Singh Oberoi?” she asked, her voice shivered though she tried to grip it as much as she could.
“Yes, who is it?” he asked, she got some strength.
“Anika… Anika Mukherjee… the girl you met…” she was explaining while he interrupted.
“Yeah… Anika… say it… how… how are you?” this time his voice was loosing grip, though she didn’t understand that much.
The lioness’s strength completely got back listening to his ‘how are you’
“I am good… you remember me right?” such a foolish question, her mind mocked the same.
“Yeah of course I remember you yaar” waahhh… Bhullakar Singh Oberoi got his memory back, few minutes ago he was the only one right… who forgot her name… am I right?
“If you are free then can we meet today at dinner, just a random dinner… don’t think it as date” she vented out, uugghh… she was never so outspoken, but it was him and what she did was blunder.
Well wait… this side the man already jumped in joy after listening dinner… he didn’t even hear the next set of words she spoke.
“Yes… sure why not?” over-excitement ki dukaan happily spoke jumping from one side to other of the pool.
“Ahhh…uuhhh…ahhh” Anika heard clearly these sound from the other side and her concern asked “are you fine Shivay?”
Shivay… the name sounds so sweet from her mouth, he was thinking all these when she repeated the question.
“Are you fine Shivay?” she asked again, her voice sounded so concerned.
“Yes… yes yes I am” he lied, perfectly lied.
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Wait let me explain what actually happened… he was jumping in joy thinking that Anika is inviting him for dinner and he tripped, he kept his hand above the water so that phone doesn’t gets effected as the girl on the other side who called him was the first girl whom he got attracted to and he don’t want his phone to get affected due to this poor water.
“Then we are meeting at 8’o clock… same restaurant, table number 55” she said.
“Yeah… sure I would be waiting for you” he hung the call and was about to throw his phone in happiness but he stopped, thank god he stopped and held his phone close to his heart.
The thing that he still not noticed was OmRuPrinku standing and watching him doing weird things.
“Why are you in pool at this hour bhaiya?” Rudra asked, again his eyebrows jumped.
“Nothing… I have a meeting and I have to go” he said and very quickly, very very quickly went to his room and closed the door and the window.
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Hours passed and here they came, bumped on each other at the entrance. Shivay held her by her waist and smiled, the cute brown eyes met those adorable piece of azure eyes. It didn’t blink for moments and their trance broke as the watchman at the gate asked them are they fine?
She stood up and he left her. She was wearing a kurti and a pair of jeans with a scarf for style.
“Beautiful” his heart sensed and he smiled again.
To her surprise he wasn’t in formals, rather he was in jeans and a casual shirt. He looked so handsome, so different in this look. She has seen him in newspapers and news channels in formals always and this is the first time she saw him like this. The experience for both of them were different. They walked in and got seated.
Minutes passed, they should talk something right… but all they did was ordered their foods and smiled looking at each other.
“Shivay… you are a very nice person, and my family… my family loved the members of your’s family” she said softly.
Where this conversation will lead? Came the question on both of their minds.
“My family too… specially Prinku and Rudra liked you the most” he said in reply and smiled.
Again silence… but not awkward, something very soothing and comfortable. They finished their dinner.
“We will split the bill” she said. He definitely admired this.
In the past experiences either he paid or the girl paid to show attitude and ego to Mr. Shivay Singh Oberoi.
“Yeah sure” he said.
“Anika… you are so different, I mean… you are really unique” he complimented.
“Well… thanks for the compliment… I don’t know why but I just wanted to meet you” she said.
“What about your marriage? Did you get your perfect match?” he asked, the question has hurt both of them but… this was necessary.
“No… my parents stopped searching for grooms after they met your family, to be true…” she stopped to read those azure eyes, to her belief these eyes won’t lie to her ever and what she saw was eagerness and some sort of happiness “to be true… they liked you and they want me to marry you” Anika looked down, her cheeks turned red from pink.
Shivay looked down too and smiled, he was relieved that there are chances of them be together… for ever… what are you thinking Shivay… just calm down and try to initiate the friendship.
“My family too wants to see you as their daughter-in-law” he replied, her eyes shot up.
For the very first time both didn’t deny their families wish… does that mean… the thought just crossed and Shivay’s phone rang.
“Yeah… Shivay Singh Oberoi speaking… why suddenly… no… okay fine… okay… tomorrow… what about air tickets… okay… fine fine…” his face saddened suddenly.
“Everything sine Shivay?” he admired the way she takes her name.
“No… I will have to leave you…” he stopped seeing her gasping at this comment when he corrected himself “…I mean leave everyone of you tomorrow… I will have to go to New York for a project” her face saddened too this time listening to this answer.
“How… how many days?” she asked.
“I don’t know… I got this deal few days back and now they want me their to discuss how to carry on the project” he replied sadly.
“I will miss you” she don’t know why she said it, but he looked at her with a foreign expression of proud.
“I will miss you too” he replied looking deep into her eyes.
A sudden feeling of longing emerged inside their heart. She smiled and he smiled back. They have not met many times, they have not talked many times but just two hours of dinner tied them in an unknown bond and the result was so bad that she doesn’t wants to go back to her home. Situation was same in his case.
This woman… this woman was the first one who captured his mind without even any extra effort. This woman pleased his family without even meeting them. This woman became the topic for his brothers to tease him, he do show irritation at their teasing but deep down he knows how much he feels proud and enjoys his brothers’ teasing sessions. This woman seriously had something special in her that only in few meetings he confessed that he will miss her.
“Shall I drop you?” he asked.
She nodded no and answered “I got my car today”
He saw her walking away and she vanished after few moments from his vision.
“Will miss you a lot Anika” he muttered to himself as he pressed his car keys and started the engine.
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Thank You so much to everyone who read, voted and commented. Hope you have enjoyed this part as well. If so then please do hit the like button and leave your comment or criticism down.
-NILANJANA