ShivOmRu SS ~ Cross Connections

Chapter 13

"For the last time Anika, tell me what is wrong, else I will have to call your mom now!" screamed Soumya in frustration, as Anika sat on the couch and silently massaged her scalp with almond oil (Soumya wanted to grow her hair now and was impatient at the rate at which her hair was growing).

"Nothing Somz, I mean Soumya. I am just a little upset about life in general" she replied, rubbing her ever flowing tears with the back of her palm.

"Cut it out Anne! You were with bhai nah? Did he say something? Damn it, he is not even picking up my call right now!" she responded in anger.

"No Soumya, it's not him, its me. I am upset over Malli's breakup with Daksh, I am upset because I haven't prepared enough for my exams and also I am upset because I miss my mom very much" and with that she began uncontrollably weeping - for the life of her, she couldn't stop herself from imagining Shivay hugging Tia, kissing her forehead, holding hands, sharing eyelocks - each image burned her insides and scorched her, but she had no place for solace.

"Aah, you're having a panic attack Anne, and you're homesick too - take it from me dude, don't study tonight - just keep it light - go visit Mallika for the night"

Anika so wanted to be at Mallika's tonight - maybe in consoling her sister she would forget her grief? But no, Tia stayed there too, and she didn't want to be near them to hear a first hand account of their love saga.

"No thanks, I think I will go to bed. Goodnight"

***

9:45p.m. [Hey Mallika, Soumya here. Is it a good time to talk?]

9:48p.m. [Who Soumya?]

9:49p.m. [Er..Somz. Your batchmate? Anne's roomie?]

9:55p.m. [Right, sorry. Yes err.. Somz. Sure, what is it?]

9:57p.m. [I think you should call Anne over, she is really homesick, but she doesn't want to bug you I think]

***

10:04p.m. [ Diii, I miss you!!! I miss telling you everything. I am loneeely. Tia is also out for the night with a guy other than Daku! Imagine! Haha. Come over nah, I can't wait till the end of your exams!! Come NOW]

Oh so Tia and Shivay were spending the night together are they? Now that Daksh has dumped Tia, of course she had to go to Shivay - her heart went out for Shivay, his niceness and his sincere love for Tia. She wished Tia was a little more deserving of it. But if her Mallika needed her, she would definitely go.

Mallika wondered whether she should tell her sister about Omkara just yet - not that there was something to hide, but di didn't seem to be in the right frame of mind, she was upset - and this sudden news would make her anxious, Mallika thought it was better to wait. Tonight she would just be with her sister and make her feel better. She was waiting for Anika to come when she received a text message.

11:10p.m. [Hey Mallika, how are you? I am missing you - Your Daku]

***

Shivay and Tia were still sitting at the beach cafe, it was dark and windy and added to that was the continuous sound of waves lashing on the shore. It was beautiful. Sitting there holding Tia's hand, Shivay felt complete.

"You know Tia, Anika is no silly, she kept smiling at me in such a weird way through out the time I sang from the front row, and then disappeared."

"Shivay, I was there, in the front row - I didn't see her there."

"Arre, you were too engrossed seeing me, so you didn't notice. She was wearing this strange smile - she looked nice.."

"Shivay, when I was busy looking at you, why were you busy looking at her?"

"Arre Tia she was in my direct line of vision...bunk her you say, did you like my voice today?"

"Yes Shivay, you were very melodious...infact.."

"Guess what? Every time I hummed something in front of Anika, she said it was noise for her and shrunk her nose this way..see..silly Anika" he laughed.

"Shivay..er..---"

"And the one time I did her assignment for her? The silly fool, she was going to tell on herself! You should have seen her expression when I stopped her"

"What? You did her assignement??"

"Why yes, in fact she had scored a B- in it. In fact had it not been for her proxy, I would not have been granted to sit for the finals - infact without her notes, ..."

Tia sat there and looked at Shivay curiously, he was too close to Anika for her liking. What if Anika told him about Daksh? In fact, Daksh was her best friend, if she knew she dumped Daksh for the about-to-be famous Shivay, she would definitely tell on her. She would rather tell her that Daksh had dumped her, just like he had dumped Mallika - yes, this would gain her sympathy and keep her out of harms way. And also, from now on, she had to ensure that Shivay and that behenji weren't great friends anymore.