An Imperfect Story ||✔️||

Final

Shivaay: *thinks to himself* Here goes everything.

Shivaay held Anika's hands and caressed her knuckles with his thumb.

Shivaay: You know, mujhe lagta tha mera life ke do hi purposes hain; business sambhaalna aur apni family ko protect karna. Mera dil ek organ hain jo ek minute mein 70 baar dhadakta hain aur mujhe kisi baat se koi fark nahi padta. Likin phir tum meri life aayi, ek toofaan ki tarah. Matlab meri life mein enter karte hi tumne meri car ka windscreen aur mera ego, dono tod diya. Main tumse naf... nahi, main tumse kabhi nafrat nahi karta tha. Mujhe is baat se chidd machti thi kyoonki koi mujhe takkar de sakta hain. Likin phir humne saath mein kaam kiya, unintentionally ek-doosre ke saath time spend karne lage. Tab mujhe realise yeh ajeeb-si language use karne wali crazy ladki kitni special hain, jisne zindagi mein kitna kuch sahaa likin khul ke jeena, khul ke muskaruna nahi chhoda. Mujhe pata nahi tha, na hi samajh aa raha tha ki mera saath kya ho raha hain, kaise ho raha hain. Bas itna samajh aa raha tha ki tumhare hone se mujhmein kuch toh fark aa raha hain... and I liked it. Tumne mujhe smile karna, 'thank you' bolna, naam-khoon-khaandaan se aage dekna sikha diya. Din-bar-din tum important hone lagi, tum saath nahi hoti thi toh bechaini-si hone lagte thi aur tum saamne hoti toh... meri saansein tham jaati aur dil ki dhadkan tez ho jaati. Mujhe tumhari language cute lagne lagi aur tum...aur bhi zyaada khoobsoorat, khidkitod khoobsoorat lagne lagi. Agar chot tumhe lagti toh dard mujhe hota, agar tum roti toh dil mera dukhta aur agar tum hasti toh khushi mujhe hoti. Main bahot time se apni feelings se bhaag raha tha kyoonki meri beliefs, meri responsibilities mujhe rok rahi thi. Mujhe darr tha kaheen jo hum dono ke beech hain woh bigad na jaayein. Likin pichhle kuch dino mein jo kuch bhi hua, usne mujhe yeh ehsaas dilaya ki...ab main apni feelings se aur bhaagna nahi chahta. Jo mere dil mein hain woh saaf-saaf kehna chahta hoon. Anika, tumne mujhe Stone Singh Oberoi se... ishqbaaz bana diya. * looks into her eyes* Mujhe tumse pyaar ho gaya hain Anika. I love you.

Anika felt her breath caught in her throat. She heard a love confession. From Shivaay Singh Oberoi. No, this wasn't the egoistic SSO. The person speaking was Shivaay. Her Shivaay, her person.

Anika got up and went towards her cupboard. Shivaay panicked a little, feeling that he scared her off.

Shivaay: *panics* Anika? Anika kya hua? Kya maine tumhe hurt kiya? I'm so sorry, mujhe aise out-of-the-blue nahi bolna chahiye tha. Shaayad tumhe time chahiye hoga. Ya shaayad tum waisa feel nahi karti jaisa main...

Anika: Shivaay shant ho jaayiye.

Anika sat back on the bed, a box in hand.

Anika: Shivaay, aapko yaad hain jab Mallika aayi thi?

Shivaay: *nods in approval* Mmhmm.

Anika: Usne mujhe kuch diya tha.

Anika opened the box to reveal the bangles Mallika gave her.

Anika: Shivaay, main jo aapse kehna chahti hoon, main chahti hoon woh aap mujhe yeh bangles pehnaate hue sune. *takes a deep breath* Shivaay main na, bahot aam-si ladki hoon. Kuch karti hoon kyoonki karna hain, zarooratein poori karna, zimmedariyaan nibhana; meri poori zindagi aisi hi thi. Phir meri zindagi mein aap aaye aur aate hi toofaan-bhoochaal sab macha diya. Tadibaaz bagad billa Shivaay Singh Oberoi. Kabhi-kabhi toh mujhe lagta tha aapki jagah Yamraaj tak aa jaate..

Shivaay: *angrily* Ek second, khabbardaar jo yeh Yam, Yamraaj, mar... aisi baatein ki toh..

Anika: Achha nahi boloongi likin abhi woh bangle pehnayiye.

Shivaay put one of the bangles on her wrist as she continued.

Anika: Hum dono ki zindagi mein itne raite phailne lage, hum unhe sameintne mein lag gaye. Tab, mujhe aap ek alag roop mein nazar aaye. Is Tadibaaz ko itna tadibaaz waqt aur haalaat ne bana diya hain. Ander se yeh bahot achhe, bahot narm-dil hain aur apne apno se bahot pyaar karte hain, khud-se pehle unke baare mein sochte hain. In kanji aankhon mein kitni gaihrayi hain, mujhe dikhne lagi. Main aapko samajne lagi, aap mujhe samajhne lage. Ek doosre se ladte-ladte hum ek doosre ke liye ladne lage. Aap bolte nahi they par dikhate the ki aap meri parvaah karte hain. Aaj tak main akeli rahi, akeli jee hoon likin aapse milne ke baad aapka saath mujhe bahot achha lagne laga, aap paas hote meri dhadkane tez ho jaati aur kaano mein ghanti sunai dene lagti. Aap door hote toh aapki kami khalti aur aapke door hone ke khayaal se hi meri saanson ruk jaati. *sniffles a little* Mujhe laga nahi mere jaisi ladki ke saath aisa ho sakta hain. Likin ho gaya. Mujhe pyaar ho gaya.

Shivaay had just put the last bangle on her wrist so he looked at her. She held his hands and looked into his eyes.

Anika: Main aapse pyaar karne lagi hoon Shivaay. I love you.

This time, it was Shivaay who felt air being caught in his throat. Anika loves him. The woman he is in love with, loves him too. Like, LOVE loves him.

Shivaay: *dumbstruck* Are...are you...sure?

Anika: Hein? Kya matlab "sure"? Matlab kya pyaar hone se pehle telephone laga ke poochhta hain "Haan, hello, main pyaar bol raha hoon. Agar tum free ho toh tumhare dil jagah bana loon-

Anika got cut-off as Shivaay pulled her into a bone-crushing hug.

Anika: Shivaay?

Shivaay: *breathes out* I love you...

Anika smiled and relaxed in his hold.

Shivaay: *elated* I love you, I love you, love you Anika! Oh God, saying this feels so nice. Maine yeh pehle kyoon nahi kaha?

Anika: *gleefully* I love you, too, Shivaay.

Music to his ears.
Anika placed a soft a kiss behind his ear.

Shivaay: *hisses* An...Anika...

Anika: *whispers* Patni hoon aapki, haq banta hain mera.

Shivaay smirked as he threaded his fingers through her hair and pulled her closer, leaving barely an inch between them. Anika snaked her arms around his neck, leaned in and captured his lips with her. Shivaay leaned back on the bed, making Anika lay down, not parting his lips from hers even once.

What happened and what would happen, it did not matter. In that moment, being in each other's arms, into each other was as perfect as perfect could get. Their story wasn't perfect, but moments like these were.

An Imperfect Story
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