"Hey!" Shivaay greeted her sitting beside her.
"Hi!" She smiled taking a moment to admire how good he looked. He seemed so perfect. Although the thought of a perfectionist was scary, she appreciated it.
"I can't believe you are actually taking me grocery shopping." He vocalized his thoughts as they entered the supermarket.
Anika giggled, "This was my duty this month."
Shivaay turned in her direction, "you and your mom take turns every month?"Anika nodded in a yes pulling out a trolley cart.
"So do you have a list or something?" He asked looking around. People were giving him looks. He wondered why.
"The list is here," Anika spoke drawing a horizontal line over her forehead with her index finger.
"Umm, what if this list misses out something?" He spoke and without even realizing his finger drew a line over her forehead just like she had.
"A second trip then!" She answered, a weird sensation filling her thoughts. His touch had somehow made her feel awkward.
"So, umm, you said you wanted to talk about something?" He kick-started the conversation. At first he thought that she would say a yes, but when she asked him to join at the supermarket, he began having doubts.
"Yeah, actually--"
"Excuse me for cutting you off," he spoke leaning closer to her. "Do I look weird, something wrong? Why are people looking at me?" He whispered his lips near her face while his eyes looked at the lady who was giving him a scrutinizing gaze.
Anika chuckled, "it's not everyday a man dressed in Armani three-piece suit comes grocery shopping to a moderate supermarket." She answered smilingly. His eyeballs rotated in her direction. Damn, so close! He pulled back nodding and quickly removed his coat and placed in the shopping cart.
Anika stared at him. To her own surprise she had this urge to take her time and run her eyes over his shirt.
"Is that better?"
She nodded looking away at the rack.
"So, what's the agenda behind me being here?" Shivaay prompted once again as they strolled ahead.
"To make you used to it." She answered a smile threatening to appear on her face.
"Okay, but.." he stopped abruptly sinking in her words. "Is that a yes?" He asked aloud baffled.
Anika smiled turning to him, placing her right hand on the cart. "I guess so. I mean. I like you too!" She explained a little nervously.
"You do?" He asked bewildered and a charming smile appeared. Before Anika could even expect his arms were around her. Her hold on the handle of the shopping cart tightened. Damn, his scent, his embrace. It was messing with her mind.
It was preternatural. She could feel his palms on her back. His sudden expression of affection caused her to blush. "Shivaay." She said softly and he immediately pulled away. What was he even thinking? He had got so excited by her oddly worded confession that he had ended up hugging her.
"Oh, I was just.." he fumbled with words sheepishly. Anika smiled, "happens!"
"God, I am so excited aren't you?" He asked her elated. "I am. But it's not like I am marrying you right away. I think we have a long way until then, don't we?" Her words drowned his excitement. However he was so happy. He smiled and looked ahead. Anika giggled and soon enough he was chuckling.
* * *
"Anika, you do realise that we are in a slightly odd zone? I mean we literally broke our temporary engagement and now getting back together." He spoke as he sipped on the milkshake.
"I do." Anika answered. Shivaay paused for a moment before talking again, "What should we tell our parents? I mean it's kind of.."
"I already told my mom." She quickly replied and he looked at her dumbfounded.
"Wow!" He reacted and she smiled.
"She's my best friend before being my mother. I share everything with her. In fact, she's always the one to know my decisions first."
Shivaay smiled, "so I am the only one in a fix. I have no clue how my mom will react if I tell her that I am seeing you again!"
"You haven't told her yet? Umm, does she have issues with me?" She was surprised and doubtful.
"Nope I haven't. I only confide my decisions to my brothers. After we called off ...mom was upset. She really liked you. So there is no big deal such but..." Shivaay passed her a smile. "You know what, I will tell her only when you..decide to take things further." He spoke thoughtfully.
Anika looked at him a little disappointed with his decision. But then he was right. If she was not sure...Wait. Why was she not sure? It had been almost four months now that she knew him. She liked him a lot. "I will marry you!" She said and he looked at her baffled. "No one's forcing you, Anika."
"No, I mean it. I have always been a very confused person. Especially, when it comes to making decisions for myself. I always make mom do it. Because it's easier that way. I don't know what actually scares me but I just can't find the courage to take a call. But I think...its time to be brave enough to make my decisions. Mumma, won't always be there." She shrugged.
Shivaay placed his hand on hers, "I will be there." Her eyes snapped from his hand over hers to his eyes.
She smiled, " you are sweet!"
He grinned, "You are the first person to pay me that compliment."
Anika laughed, "maybe your many firsts will be with me."
Shivaay smiled cordially, his mind already going into pervy thoughts. Darn, she hadn't the slightest clue what kind of imagery she had ignited in his head by those words. He focused on sipping his milkshake. Damn, his thoughts needed some whitewashing.
* * *
"I told him that I will marry him!" Anika broke the news in the most casual way to her mother.
"You did what!" She squealed in response. "Didn't you say it was early and that you'd only tell him you like him?" Her other asked putting the knife down, facing Anika fully with one hand on her hip.
Anika sat on the kitchen counter chewing the apple she had been eating. "That was the plan. But, I thought it was stupid. I mean I like him. What if I scare him away with my ever confused mind? He's kinda a good catch."
"Ahaan, good catch!" Her mother's tone was clearly teasing while she grinned. "So I am supposed to do the initiation talks again. Are you sure Anu?" She looked at her carefully. "There is no hurry I mean--"
"Look, Mumma, for the first-ever time I have actually decided something with so much confidence. Now don't give me second thoughts." She told with annoyance lining her tone.
"Offo, I am just making sure. It was you who took the decision of not going ahead with him before. So, I am just being sure this time."
"Yeah, at that time that idiot agreed with my stupid decision and obviously I couldn't change my decision then. And sometimes only some bad decisions take you to the right ones."
Anika's mother curved her lips impressed at her daughter's big words of wisdom. "Anu, you called him an idiot?" Her mother chuckled. Anika glanced at her mother realizing the same. She looked away while her mother went "Aww.." She quickly took a slice of apple and put into her mother's mouth.
"It's juciy and sweet. " she spoke and her mother shot daggers her way chewing the apple.
"Even my friends don't annoy me so much." She muttered.
"Yeah, yeah," her mother spoke till chewing. "Don't you move away, I have more to talk about." Her words sounded off due to her stuffed mouth. Anika folded her hands and waited. "Have you told him everything about yourself? Your.."
"No," Anika replied with a solemn expression.
"When do you decide to?" Her mother asked. "Is it necessary for him to know me entirely? I mean there can be a part of me for just me right?"
"Anu, he is going to be your husband then he surely needs to know everything. See it this way. Don't you always tell me everything with no fear of judgement at all? Make your relationship like that with him. Marriage needs confidence in one another. You cannot just not tell him."
"What if he asks me to stop all of it? You did that too, initially."
"You convinced me thereafter, did you not? You'll convince him too!" Her other replied diverting her attention to the steaming pot on the stove.
"Fine!" Anika grumbled walking out of the kitchen. "And... He said he will make sure Pinky aunty calls you. Just giving a heads up." She muttered before leaving the kitchen. Her mother smiled while stirring the vegetables. She just hopes that Anika found happiness wherever she went.
* * *
"Hey!" She greeted quickly entering his car. Their parents had done the marriage talks last Tuesday. The wedding was fixed a month later. Anika was happy and so was he.
"You look great!" He grinned paying her a compliment being rather rather flirtatious in his conductance.
Anika beamed with pinkish hue spreading over her cheeks. "Have you noticed from past one week every time we have met you have complimented me that way, with just different words."
"Someone is very observant and believes in record-keeping huh?" He smiled driving.
"You really don't have to flatter me every time. A simple hi is sufficient." She answered looking ahead at the road.
"Why use hi when I want to use better words?" He questioned.
She nodded and then replied, "That's really sweet of you. But, on a serious note, you really don't need to. I mean what if I get used to it. Then when I actually put efforts into dressing up and looking better, I won't be convinced with your compliment."
"Maybe then I will have more than words to express my love." He smirked knowing he was slowly trying to stretch the limits. Why not? She was his fiancee, after all.
Anika blushed smiling widely, no more courage to say anything.
"Anika, I think you can do better than a blush." He commented mischievously.
"I see all your masks falling off Mr.Oberoi. Friend-zone to flirting at the speed of light." She remarked not looking at him.
"Well, I think I can be a real romantic!" He spoke having a smug grin on his face as he placed his left palm over hers. Anika stiffened at the contact. Her cheeks were flushed with a red hue. When she didn't react he cautiously pulled his hand away. "I-- didn't mean to make you uncomfortable." He mumbled an apology.
"No don't apologize." Anika immediately reacted. "It's just..weird." She smiled awkwardly. When she looked into his eyes, his features relaxed and he grinned and placed his hand back on hers. This time he lifted her hand and placed his lips kissing the back of her palm. Anika had never before felt the swarm of butterflies tickle her stomach that she felt in that moment.
Share your thoughts, please! Would love to read them.
-Anami!♡