|| THE PURPLE HEARTS ||

9. So close yet so far

The magic of the stars and the cherished moments with her loved ones had left her with a glow, making her look forward to her day at the office. However, her enthusiasm took a hit when she found her parents' room empty, and the prospect of having a talk with her dad had to be postponed.

Heading to the kitchen for breakfast before her day at university and then the office, Annika realized she had forgotten to call Shivaay. The months of not talking to him had made her miss him, and she decided to send him a message asking him to call her when he was free. The challenges of their busy schedules had created a distance between them, but it also led Annika to bond with her university friends.

Bunking boring lectures and enjoying movie times with friends, along with occasional spa pampering, helped Annika maintain her sanity. Since it was her final year, she had a special permission from the university authorities to attend only the important lectures, a privilege that came with being the Trivedi daughter. Mallika and Nia, her close friends, played a crucial role by assisting her with notes and exams. Grateful for their support, Annika couldn't help but appreciate how they, too, understood the complexities of the corporate world due to their affluent backgrounds. Despite others in their clique knowing about Annika's privileged status, they seemed to care less, allowing her to blend seamlessly with her friends. 

Lost in her thoughts, Annika decided to skip her classes for the day and head to the office. The new construction project in Bandra demanded her attention, and she needed to collect estimates from the accounts department. This project had been a nationwide sensation, and the competition with the Khurannas had been tough. Overcoming this challenge had drained them, but finally, when the project was officially announced to be in the hands of the Oberoi group, Tej and Shakthi threw a grand party in celebration.

With a meeting scheduled for tomorrow to finalize designs and materials for construction, Annika had to be prepared for the upcoming questions. As she gathered her things to leave, her phone buzzed incessantly. Irritated, she initially planned to call back later, but when she finally picked up, she was surprised to see Shivaay's name flashing on the screen.

"Shivaaaayy!!Finally, I got to talk to you!", excitement was evident in her voice.

"Yeah... Finally, the great Annika Vardhan Trivedi got time for her poor friend. I don't know how I got so lucky," he replied.

His voice made her stomach churn in a way it hadn't before. She was teased by Mallika and Nia when they learned about their engagement, and now, the teasing seemed to be getting to her."Hello... Annika? Are you there?" Shivaay spoke on receiving no response.

"Ha... Haan Shivaay, I... actually... I will call you later, bye," she said in one go and kept the phone aside.

She washed her face and stood in front of the mirror, trying to calm herself."Annika, relax... It's just Shivaay, your best friend and nothing more. Calm down Annika.. come-on now, you can do it, just a call."

"You also wanted to talk to him, right? Just call him, Annika, and prove that you have nothing new in your stupid heart. It's just the initial awkwardness, Anni; you should get over it soon..."

When her phone rang again, this time a video call from Shivaay, she swiped to attend with a racing heart.