"Soumya, Rudy ne bataya nahi you are coming?" Jhanvi said as they sat on the dining table for breakfast.
"Uss dumbell ko yaad nahi tha about the presentation" Soumya replied and Om and Gauri chuckled.
Rudy wasn't saying anything unlike him as his mind was driving back to the morning encounter with Abhay and calling Soumya as his girlfriend. He shouldn't have done this.
"Ayee" Soumya hit him lightly.
"Kya hai?" he asked.
"I called you dumbell and you didn't reply" she said.
"Whatever yaar" his reply was shocking as hell. Anika and Abhay too entered the scene and they had questions. They sat down and again Soumya's eyes met with Abhay and they smiled. Rudy clenched his fist in anger.
"Baitho Anika, Abhay" Jhanvi said.
Here, Anika's eyes were searching for Shivaay who was nowhere to be seen since yesterday.
"Gauri Shivaay?" Om asked.
"Bhaiya so rahe hai" Gauri answered.
"By the way Om Bhaiya, ye naye guests kaun hai, introduce karwayiena?" Soumya said.
"Kya kar logi jaanke?" Rudy replied.
"I am not talking to you. So stop your bullshit" she whispered in his ears.
"Ye hai Anika and unke Bhai Abhay, humare guests" Jhanvi said it simply.
"And ye hai Soumya...." Jhanvi was about to introduce Soumya to them but then Abhay interrupted,
"Rudra's girlfriend?" and Rudy choked on his drink and began to cough. Soumya was looking at him for answers while Om,Jhanvi and Gauri were smiling.
"Not at all Abhay, mai single hun" Soumya said hurriedly.
"But subah to.."
"Arey aap bhi kya bol rahe hai Abhay Bhaiya, ye meri haathi dost hai. I know girls can't resist my charm but she is just a friend. Aur tum Bhaiya bulao unko. Bade hain humse" Rudra said quickly to Soumya and Abhay's brows raised.
"Anyways khana thanda hoga"
They ate their breakfast, chitchatting and talking about random stuffs. Abhay realised that if Tej and Shivaay hadn't done the shit, then probably Anika would have been so happy in this family. Everyone is so warm and fun loving.
After the breakfast, Anika went to Abhay's room.
"Bhaiya, yaha hum kitne din hai?" she asked.
"I don't know." he said.
"But why can't you just tell me? That is so simple" she demanded.
"That is not. Things are very complicated here" he said.
"Okay, aap sab jaisa thik samjhe" and she went outside to walk towards her room. As she passed Shivaay's room, it was open and he was sipping his morning coffee. She remembered the days when she used to make his morning coffee as a secretary duty.
She knocked and when he looked up, he was surprised.
"This is not your room." he replied and took out his phone.
"Mai aapse milne aayi thi" she said and he couldn't believe what he heard.
"You clearly said yesterday you don't wanna see me. I am just following that" he said and Anika took steps towards him.
"I think I was really rude yesterday" she said while standing.
"Sit here" and she sat beside him.
"I am sorry" she said.
"You don't have to feel sorry. I can understand your state completely. And why should you trust me? I am just an outsider. Trust me, you have a great family" he blabbered but she placed her finger on his lips.
"I am currently in that position jisme I don't know what is right or wrong or whom to trust. Now I believe I should know everything before blaming you. I acted like a douche" and they chuckled.
Shivaay reduced the distance between them and she could feel butterflies in her stomach.
"Anika" he said, or more like whisper.
"Mujhe chalna chahiye. Medicine ka time ho gaya" she said and got up to leave when he held her wrist but then her words rang in his mind and he left her immediately. Anika got perplexed and left the room.
"Anika ab kaunse medicines le rahi hai?" he thought
Anika on reaching her room, locked the door breathing heavily. Why does she always lose control near him? His touches have a great effect on her body.
She took her medicines and dialed Vinay's number.
"Papa, aap kaise hai?" She asked.
"I am fine. Waha sab?" He asked back.
"its all good. The family is really warm and good. And Abhay Bhai to hai hi" she said.
"Usi ke saath raha karo"
They talked for a few more minutes and she hung up. Gauri knocked and Anika smiled.
"Hum andar aaye?" And Anika nodded.
"How are you?" She asked Anika.
"Mai thik hun" Anika replied.
"Aap kamre me bore nahi ho rahi? Garden chalein?" She chipped.
"Sure" and they went to the garden.
Once they reached, Anika felt like asking her.
"Hum jethani devrani the na?" Anika asked and chuckled on her words.
"Not exactly but haa. Humari aur Om ki shaadi ke pehle hi aap logo ka divorce ho chuka tha" Gauri said and Anika's smile faded.
"But mai apko hi bhojai manti thi" she said honestly.
Anika smiled unknowingly and looked elsewhere.
"how were we? Was I rude to you? Or very sweet?" Anika was hell curious.
"Mai jinse mili thi, wo nariyal ki tarah thi. Hard from outside and...." She was cut in between by Anika.
"Soft from inside"
"Exactly. Unhe situation ne majboor kiya tha. So I loved her, I mean I still love you and I can't think any other woman in Shivaay Bhaiya's life" Gauri said honestly.
"Thats so sweet of you" Anika said.
"Humne aapko Shivaay bhaiya ke room jate dekha. You care for him, right?" Gauri's question baffled her.
"Nope. Mai bas apne room ja rahi thi and his door was open. So I just barged in. Nothing else" Anika replied unsure of her own answer.
"Hum ek sawaal puche?" Gauri asked and Anika answered in yes.
"Shivaay Bhaiya se wapas milke aapko kaisa laga tha? I mean any familiar feeling or anything?"
And Anika drove down the memory lane.
-------------------------------------------------------------
Here Shivaay was pacing in his room
"What medicine?" He said to himself.
"Abhay se puchu kya?" He thought for once.
"Wo to ulta hi jawaab dega. Anika se puchu?" His mind was full of questions. Not able to think anymore, he rushed towards her room. As he reached there, he saw it was empty and open.
The medicine box was kept on her bed and he examined it but the it wasn't some common flu or cough medicine. He clicked the picture and keeping it back like it was before dashed outside the room.
Here in the garden, Anika was so lost in her thoughts that she forgot that Gauri was still there standing with her.
"Back to Earth Bhojai" she said.
"Anika hi bulao. Bhojai hun nahi mai ab" Anika said.
"Naam se nahi bulayenge. Didi sahi hai" Gauri said.
"Waise you forgot the question"
"I don't know. He is a bipolar man" Anika said