A Secret Rendezvous

Chapter 3

Just 'em

"Billuji, aap?"

Anika could distinctly hear Avni snickering but the only thought Anika had at this moment was, will Billuji or his thoughts ever leave me alone?

Shivaay rolled his eyes at her addressing him like that, even in front others.

"What are you doing here?" Shivaay asked, finally letting his curiosity show.

"Shivaay, she is our wedding planner." Aryan provided.

"Oh. But Anika you never told us about this project."

"Dadi knew I was working for a friend for the next few weeks." Anika smiled a bit.

"And plus, she doesn't really have a lot to plan, considering the three of us did that all those years ago." Aryan grinned at Shivaay.

"Oh, so Billuji helped you plan all of this?" Anika asked in wonderment.

"Yep. This place has been my favourite for so long. So I decided that if I ever get married, it is going to be here. Once, while we were discussing a few other things, the three of us sat down and planned the whole thing, keeping our tastes in mind." Aryan smiled at Anika, reminiscing whatever happened at that time.

Avni smiled fondly at Aryan. Then suddenly smirking, she turned Anika towards her.

Looking at Shivaay and Aryan, she smiled. "Excuse us, gentlemen. We have a cruise party to enjoy." She looked towards Anika and winked. "Anika, I will repeat what I said this morning. It is my bachelorette. Go find a guy, kiss him, make out, anything! Let loose!"

Aryan rolled his eyes at his to-be-wife's obvious attempt at annoying him. Shaking his head, he turned towards Shivaay, only to find him staring at their retreating figures.

"Shivaay, is everything okay?"

"Uh, yeah."

He then looked at Aryan and sighed. "What did she tell you guys about me?"

"How does it matter? I thought Shivaay didn't care about what rumours said."

"It is Anika." Shivaay exclaimed.

"And how does it matter?"

"Well, I don't want my image ruined in front of my Bhabhi." Shivaay grinned.

"Well, all I know is Anika narrated a lot of incidents about you guys. Your fights, arguments and stuff. The only time I got to hear those, she was calling you Billuji so I didn't really know it was you. Trust me, the descriptions weren't anything like you either. Plus, Avni even told me that Anika..." Aryan stopped short in his tracks, realising what he was about ti say.

When Shivaay raised his eyebrow in question, Aryan could only chuckle nervously. He started debating if he should let Shivaay in on the secret that Avni had suggested.

"What?" Shivaay asked.

"Uh, Avni thinks, I mean it's completely from her imagination, that Anika had feelings for this Billuji." Aryan muttered.

Shivaay gulped as his heart started thumping in his chest. Seeing Shivaay a little too stunned to react, Aryan decided to continue.

"And she also thought that Billuji had feelings for Anika." Then pretending as if he was called by someone, Aryan hurried away, lest Shivaay should come out of his stupor.

When Shivaay finally let himself breathe, he could feel his cheeks heat up. The mere prospect of Anika liking him back was so thrilling, Shivaay couldn't help but grin.