"Love involves spending time together, but spending time a part can lead to loving each other more"
It's been a week since Mallika left. She is all set in her life, thanks to Annika. They both are in constant touch and Mallika is glad that she obliged Annika's suggestion. Indeed, running away from the problem isn't the solution. Instead, we should face them fiercely.
But for Shivaay and Annika, it was totally opposite. They have met for just a few hours in this week. Shivaay is busy with his super important deal while Annika is busy with her transfer formalities and embassy work. Both are not able to give proper time to each other.
Infact, they are left with just seven days from the courtship period they have been provided. Yes, though they have known and understood each other more than they used too, but now, they have been running out of time for each other.
The following day, Shivaay had to leave to Lonavala for some land work. Om suggested him to take Annika along cause First, he'll get a company and Second, and the most important, they can spend quality time together. Shivaay finds the idea interesting and decides to go forward with the same. He calls Annika to ask her about the plan.
Shivaay took a seat on his couch and layed on it. This one week was the worst one of his life. He was not able to buy time to talk or spend time with Annika. The one month period is about to get over and they'll be hitched soon.
Though, they'll be having enough time to spend with her after their marriage, but he wanted be with her right now too.
She too was busy with her formalities and all. He decided to call her up and ask if she is free or not.
"Hey Shivaay!", she answered after the fifth ring. Her voice was dull and and tender.
"You seem tired. Are you fine baby?", he asked.
"Ya..The formalities are over, finally!", she exclaimed.
His poor baby. He had told her that he'll handle the formalities thing for her. Even Manish asked her the same. But she told that she didn't want us to worry about her work and was adamant to do that herself.
"Aacha, Tomorrow I'll be leaving for Lonavala for a work and you have to accompany me", he told authoritatively.
"I'll be with you. Finally we can spend some time together", she cheered. Her voice turned to cheerful.
"Listen, I am going for an official work, not to romance okay?", he teased.
"Fine, then take Khanna Ji with you. You can do the official work as well as romance him!", she was frowning right now.
"Baby, I was teasing you, get ready by 10. I'll pick you up", he told before things get worse. She is jealous of Khanna, for sure.
She agreed and after having a small conversation, they hung up the call. He slept, thinking about beautiful tomorrow, waiting for it anxiously.
*****
The next day, Shivaay gets ready and drives to Goenka Villa to pick Annika.
There, he meets the members. "Shivaay Bhaiya, you can go to her room and check if she is ready or not", Abeer suggested what Shivaay wanted badly.
He smiled and climbs the fleet of stairs to reach her room. He knocks the door, reaching there.
"Come in", came the reply.
He walks inside and sees Annika, holding a yellow jumper in her hands. She didn't turn around, "Abeer tell me, which one will look nice, yellow or the red one?"
Seriously, this girls is mad. For once, she recognises his cologne and at the other time, she is forgetting the same. Anyways, no offence, she is actually damn busy right now. He looks at his watch, ten fifteen, and she is not ready at all. He furrows but listing to her voice he moves towards her.
"Dahi jama rakhi hai kya mooh mein? Speak na", she told, still unaware of his presence.
He stepped to her and traces his hands on her waist, hugging her from behind.
She gasped feeling the touch around her body. The usual shivers she feels whenever he touches her paved there way down her spine. A soft moan left her mouth, "Shivaay"
He smiled and kissed her shoulder blade before placing his chin over it. "Yes baby?"
"What are you doing here? I thought it was Abeer!", she said being perplexed. She caressed the length of his arm and placed her hands over him. Feeling him around, after so long, for a longer period of time made her feel blissful.
"You were mistaken there!", he kissed her right cheek.
She smiles and turns her head a bit towards right and kissed his cheek. She comes out of the loop his hands had formed around her and turns to hug him.
He ran his hand through her hair, "You are not ready yet?"
She bit her tongue, "Vo..I slept late", she confesses knowing rhat he can catch her lies easily. They have known each other quite well during these days. Usually, they can pretend each other's next step or next set of words.
He takes her out of the hug. While so, her hair stick to his stubble. He likes that. He smiles and tucks her messy hair behind her ear. "Don't tell me that you have started with another wild novel of your!", he spoke skeptically.
She walks to the mirror and picks her jumper, "Romantic, that's the word."
"Means you have actually started. Which one?", he asked sitting on the bed. He looks at the book beside him. He picked it up, "The Notebook". " You always shoo me away whenever I try to come closer to you and yourself read a lot of romantics."
"Excuse me Mr.Bagad Bille! What you were doing few minutes back is what we call ROMANCE and I didn't shoo you away even once.", she corrected him.
"That is cause we got time for each other after long", he turned the pages of the book.
"Doesn't matter. At least I didn't", she sees him messing with the pages of the book. "Don't remove the book mark!", she said sternly.
Her stern voice made him alert and the book fell from his hand, removing the book mark.
She gave him a you-are-impossible look and shaked her head.
He bit his tongue and picked the book. While so, the book shelf caught his attention. Wait, it used to be full of book. He opened his eyes widely. "Wait, where are your other so-called romantic book?", he eyed at the book shelf which was nearly empty.
"The books got old, so I packed them up to make space for new ones.", she told.
"What's the use of reading romance when you can't do the same", he murmurs.
She turns around and gave him a sharp look, "I heard that!"
"Then implement that", he got up.
"First you get out of the room cause I need to change.", she told finalising her yellow jumper.
"I am not going anywhere. Anyways, I'll be getting to see everything one day, then why not today?", he winked.
Her jaw touched the ground, "Shut up Shivaay. You're such a shameless creature. Chii..yuck, move out.", she tried to suppress red tint on her face with her disapproving words.
"Nyah", he grinned and took place on the couch, with his one leg balanced over his other, similar to a king.
"Then don't go!", she told and ran inside the closet room and lock the door.
He sat there, bewildered, "Cheat Play!", he yelled.
"Smart Play!", she replied back making her grin.
She comes out after a while, all dressed and decked up. She was wearing a yellow jumpsuit paired with white sneakers. She left her wavy hair open and looked thrilled as always. Soon, both of them left in his car with he taking the lead to drive.
On the way, he kept his hand on her right hand which was on her thighs. Usually, he hold her hand and keeps it with his on the Gear Knob. She lifted her head a smiled at him.
The way to Lonavala was filled with chit-chats and their usually teasing shows and banters. After a long period of time, both were laughing whole-heartedly. They were in happy space, spending time with each other, compensating for past one week.
Once they reach there, they move out of the car. They were at a big open place, a hill top. They had their lunch together, which was already planned by him.
After that, while Shivaay was signing some papers, Annika was near the cliff, enjoying the windy atmosphere and lovely weather. The view from the top was serene.
She spread her arms around to let the wind take her into it's embrace. Her hair was dancing with the air, in perfect rhythm, pecking her cheek, forehead, ears and lips.
He came from behind and spread his arms like her, coming in contact with her hands. "Tell your hair that it's my right to touch your face, not there's.", he told in her ear.
She chuckled, "My hair hold the first ownership Mister!", she replied back.
"They used to have. But ever since we are Rokaed, I hold the first ownership over you!", he said.
"Done? Now tell me, what you gonna build over here?", she turned around.
"Farmhouse, where we can spend magical nights together!", he teased and winked.
"Why can't you get over from you cheapda mode?", she punched his chest.
"Cause you never get into the same!", he smiled.
A sound of lightning broke there trance. The sky was getting darker with black clouds.
Annika looks up at the sky, "I think we should leave before it starts raining", she suggested.
He nods and hold her hand before walking to the car.
"Keys?", Annika held her palm out.
He shaked his head.
"It's not fair. You promised me to lead while we return back.", she cribbed.
He poked her head, "Drama Queen", he hands over the keys to her making her smile widely and running towards the driver's seat.
While they were driving back to Mumbai, the car gets halt abruptly.
"Why did you stop it?", Shivaay questioned.
Annika looks at him, "I didn't, it stopped own its own!", she tried to start the car again, but to their dismay, it didn't bulge. "Go and check"
He nodded and opens the door of the passenger seat to get out. He opens the car's bonnet.
She being impatient, too walks out. While he was having a look inside the bonnet's content, she glanced a bit over it.
"The engine is heated!", she told in a casual way.
He lifts his head up to look up, "How do you know?"
She crossed her arms under her chest, "I am a racer, I know everything about cars."
"Oh, my bad, I forgot it for a while. So Miss Racer, what's the solution of the same?", he asked, knowing the answer.
"C'mon Shivaay, that you also know that we should wait till it gets cooled up!", she told smiling sarcastically. As she said so, a drop of water landed on her left cheek. She traced her hand over the wet area and looks at the sky.
"Shit, it raining. Sit inside!", he walks upto the door and tries to open it. It didn't opened. "Baby, the door is locked. Unlock it", he told looking at her, who was still starring the sky.
As his words reached her senses, she bit her tongue, "Phail gaya raita", she mouthed.
"Baby? Baby? Annika?", he called her again.
"Vo Shivaay...I..I forgot the keys inside.", she confessed.
His eyes open widely at her words, "Annika, how could be you be so careless? Now, what we gonna do?", he again tried to open the door.
"Call Khanna Ji", she reminded making him smile and then frown. Reading his reaction, "Don't tell me that phone is inside"
"It actually is!", he replied, not facing her.
"Hadd hai, vaise toh you keep you phone with you as if it's your wife and now, when we actually need it, you have forgotten that inside."
"Hey! Don't compare my phone with my wife. And where is your phone?", he asked.
"Um..I don't keep my phone sticked to me always, it's inside.", she told.
The rain drops became frequent and there was a sudden increase in there velocity too. The atmosphere became dark and there was no ray of light. The sounds of lightning and thunder echoed in the sky. Though, it was just five, the weather spoke as if it was eight in the evening.
Shivaay lifts his head, only to find Annika missing. He cranes his neck around, only to find her standing, not just standing but getting soaked in rain. She had her arms open widely and her face towards the sky with eyes closed. Her jumper sticked to her body and and wet hair hugging her back tightly.
He was admiring the beauty in front of him. Her sight made her forget the car, the rain and the keys.
"It's better to enjoy the weather rather than cribbing over the same", she told making him come out of his thoughts.
He smiles and took turtle steps towards her. He grabbed her arms, making his arms open wide just like her. He entwined their fingers together. She turns a bit, giving him a smile. He then caressed the length of her arms, bringing his hands towards her shoulder. He slid his hands down her upper body to reach his waist. Grabbing her waist, he made her turn around.
She looks at him, in his eyes, only to find pure love and care in them. She brings her hands down. She kept her left hand on her stubble and right hand on his shoulder.
His both hands were on her waist. Her eyes look lovely, and seemed to give him the permission to take the next step. He leans closer to her face. His nose's peak came in contact with her's. They were still gazing deeply into each other's eyes. They passed each other's nose. The feel made them close their eyes. He takes his both hands around her face, keeping them on her cheeks. As the came more close, their bodies sticked together. Their lips separated by just and thin layer of cold air.
As he was about to make the final move, he felt a push on his shoulder. He then heard a sound. A sneezing sound. Registering the things in his mind, "You sneezes always come in between us whenever we are about to kiss!", he spoke annoyingly.
"Sneezing is not in my hand Shivaay!", Annika spike before sneezing for one more time, "And this is the first time!"
"No, remember the challenge day, in the pool!", he reminded.
"Seriously, I am thankful that it didn't happened that day, otherwise I don't think we would have faced each other after that. And just to remind you, you too had sneezed on that day!", she sneezed for one more time.
Yes he did. Rolling his eyes, he finds her hugging herself with arms, shivering in cold. He gets worried and moves towards her, "Annika, baby are you okay?", he rubs his hands on her arms to provide her warmth.
"I...I..I am...fee..feeling....cold", she managed to say while shivering.
"Annika, relax, breathe", he rubbed her hands.
"Shivaay, I..I suffer from hyp...hyperthermia at times", she informed him.
"Let's move to somewhere.", he told and walks inside the jungle with her. "Annika, tum toh thandi padh rahi ho", he sees her skin turning blueish.
"Hyper..thermia", She was not in a good state. She was shivering and stuttering. Words were not able to make there way from her mouth.
While walking inside, he finds a dense tree and makes her sit under it. "Mad woman, what was the need to drench like that?", he blows air over her hands and rubs them.
"You...you...you wanna...fi..fight..now?", she managed to asked. As soon as she spoke those words, she felt dizzy.
"Annika! You shouldn't sleep. Keep your eyes open", he yelled and patted her cheeks. He felt like his world is falling. Was his life was edging death. He was getting panicked when he noticed a place. He picked her up in his arms and quickly rushed to it.
It was a desolated debri, which was fortunately covered. There was no source through which the water could enter inside it.
He placed her on the floor and patted her cheek, tears were making their way from his eyes, "Annika, please wake up, if not for me then at least for Papa", he hugs her tightly. "Warmth, she needs warmth!". He gets up and picks two stones. He moved them against each other to lighten fire but the trick was not successful.
He was afraid to lose her. Having no other idea or say an alternate option, he did something. He removed his coat, unbuttoned his vest-coat and then his shirt. Laying down beside her, he took her cold blue body in his embrace, providing her with body warmth. His mind was constantly praying to god to save his life, his Annika, his Baby. He rubbed her back and made her snuggle into his bare chest. Soon, he being quite exhausted from today's events, drifted into slumber. He didn't mind the hard floor instead of his soft and comforting bed cause his first priority was Annika.
In the morning, Annika opened her eyes first. She smiled, feeling the warmth. She lifted her head and find his sleeping, with his mouth slightly open. She smiled and moved her left hand to reach his stubble. While trying to do so, she felt that her hand is caught in somewhere. She looked down and her mouth opened widely seeing the view.
She pushes him back, "Shivaay...move away!".
The push broke his sleep. He sit up straight and surprisingly, he grabbed his shirt and started wearing it.
Her looks demanded explanation. When he didn't even face her, she spoke up, "What happened last nigh? How did we end up like this? How did we came here? As far as I remember, we were under that tree.", she feared the replies.
He took his vest-coat and the coat which were scattered.
"Why are you giving deaf ears? Speak na!", she yelled.
"You remember nothing?", he finally faced her.
"Haan?", she sit up properly and hugged her knees. Her heart was thumping loudly.
"Seriously?", he opens his eyes widely. He inched closer to her and took her hands in his, "Last night, you and me, me and you, came together Anni", he spike softly.
Her mouth as well the eyes gaped.
"We crossed all our limits.", he spoke in a comforting way.
"What Rubbish! That's nonsense! You're lying!", she scowled.
"That wasn't nonsense Anni, it was magical. You pounced on me as if--------"
"Shut up Shivaay! I know that nothing like that happened!", she spoke with with lack of confidence.
"It's okay Annika. We are already Rokaed and will be getting married soon. Forget it, after all, it was dark, sultry night, passion of youth, our breaths united. It's okay!", he assured her.
She jerked her hand away from his grip, "What dark, sultry night, passion of youth, whatever! I was unconscious but I can't cross my limits", tears were making there way from her eyes. She didn't had words to say. She hugged her knees again and hid her face in between her legs.
He chuckled at her condition and tries to control it.
She looks up, listening to the sounds of laughter. Soon, the realization hits her, "You were joking right?", she asked.
He got into fits of laughter listening to her, "How can we do that Annika? In that case your clothes----"
"Shut up Shivaay! Aren't you ashamed you your tricks? Wait, I'll show you!", she scowled and gets up.
He too gets up and runs to save his life, "Annika, stop it yaar!"
"Why? You should have thought of the consequences before playing whose cheapde tricks!", she ran behind him.
He finally sits on the log and pulls her into her lap. Both were breathing heavily. "You were turning blue. It was a medical treatment!", he tucked her hair stand behind her ear.
She nodded and turned her face away, examining the surroundings.
"Don't you know how tensed I was?", he questioned.
She looks at him, "How much?"
"It seemed that I'll lose my life.", he confessed.
"Please never ever talk about those dying stuffs", she requested.
He nodded, "Let's get out and look for some way out."
She got up from his lap and both of them walk out of the debri. While coming out of the messy jungle, Annika sees a tea stall. "Shivaay, lets have some chai and we can call home too using the owner's phone", she exclaimed.
"I don't have tea!", he told being disinterested in the idea of tea.
She raised her brow at his words, "Seriously? You don't have tea. Still, you didn't used to have Chole Bhature either but I made you eat it. Let's try tabri wali chai this time", she ran towards the stall, knowing that he'll follow her too.
As they reach the stall, Annika goes to the person over there, "Bhaiya, do masala chai. And do you have a mobile cause we need to make a call."
The person nodded and handed over his phone to Annika. She calls Manish and tells them about the address and all other stuffs. She made him taste the masala chai. It seemed a bit annoying to him, owing to the fact he like his kaali coffee. But after a while, it soothed him.
Soon, Niketan arrives along with OmRu to take them back. They reach there respective houses. The previous night made Annika realizre that she means the world to Shivaay. While he was confessing of her situation, his eyes displayed the fear inside him. He dis feared losing her.
Also, that night made Shivaay understand that he is nothing without Annika. He thought of him losing her made him shiver. He had been thought that experience that night and now, he promised that he will never ever let her go away from him.
At night, Annika was going through her phone. She checked over the date. The date made her realise something.
It was a month back from today, Shivaay had confessed his feelings to her. And after two days, they will complete one month of togetherness. After two days, it will be a month ever since they had started dating. And after six days, their courtship period will end.
They will be hitched soon. Today was a special day. She realised how special she was to Shivaay. He likes her, no he loves her and that to the core.
She thought that their one-month anniversary will be a perfect day to say those, what other call as three magical words to him. But she wanted him to do the same. But, does he even remember that?
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