Chapter 2 *last*

ShiriHoonMain

@ExoticDisaster

As soon as I entered my room, I saw Gauri busy on phone and Bhavya doing her housework. Priyanka had gone out with Aarav and suddenly I felt alone. I was all alone and couldn't decide what to do. I lied on the bed, covering myself with the duvet when I realised tears rolling down my cheeks. 

Why am I crying? I asked to myself. 

I closed my eyes and what I saw was... Shivaay. His puffed eyes and weak voice. Suddenly, our first meeting drew in my dream. 

Flashback 

I paid to the rickshaw and went inside the Mall. Priyanka was very much excited because I was going to meet Shivaay for the first time. Yes, I was excited, but not as much as her. We went inside and he was standing just at the entrance. He waved and smiled at me and I did the same. It had been months that we were talking on phone and become very good friends. He had proposed the idea of meeting at the big bazaar and I liked it. As we entered inside, we came across a escalator. He forwarded his hand towards me, I looked at it but decided not to hold. I moved by myself supporting the boundary of the case. All of a sudden, I felt bad. Did I offended him? I looked at him and he smiled. I don't know why, but his smile was a relief for me. We moved inside. 

"Let's go there!" I heard Priyanka chirped. 

I looked at her direction and my eyes caught a poster of 'Haunted House'.

"Like really, Priyanka?" I asked her sarcastically. 

"Yes. It will be so exciting!" She said.

"We aren't kids anymore." I said her in a stern voice. 

"Are you afraid?" She asked with a frown. 

I gulped. 

"No." I tried to sound normal. "But we're not going in." 

"You are afraid, Annika." She laughed.

I frowned. I can't let her make it a issue later and laugh at me lifetime for this. 

"Fine. Let's go." I said with finality. 

"Are you sure?" I heard Shivaay whisper near my ears.

"I am." I whispered back and we smiled at each other. 

We went inside and it was indeed a scary set-up. It has scary sculptures and painting. I was moving inside admiring the settings when a weird creature came in front of me suddenly. I gasped and held the next thing I could find, tightly. Automatically, my hands wrapped around something and I looked up only to see a smiling Shivaay looking back at me. 

"Someone refused to hold my hand before, and now..." he smiled, mischievously.

My jaws dropped and I realized our position. I had held his shirt tightly with my one hand and wrapped my other arms around his waist. I quicked left him and part away, looking down to the ground, particularly nowhere. 

And I.. blushed.

"Annika!" I heard Priyanka call me, I was really shy to look up at her. 

"Annika, Annika wake up!" And my eyes flew open. 

I gazed around. I was in my room, sleeping on my bed and Priyanka trying to wake me up since god knows when. 

"You're okay? Tears have made pool in the corner of your eyes." She said in concern. 

I wiped the tears and smile at her. 

"I am totally fine. You don't worry." 

"Pakka?" 

"Pakka."

Then reality hit me. Hit me, hard. Just a mere thought of not talking to him, not meeting him anymore, took away a part inside me.  I was in love with him, perhaps since forever. And I was stupid enough not to accept it. I was doing unfair with the word love by terming it as friendship between us. I can I be so idiot? He had gained so much courage to tell me those words, It was our moment and I ruined it. I never felt so angry on himself before. How could I do that? I berated myself in my head. How can I let him down?

I picked up my phone and dialed his number. It was then when I realised that I remember his number by heart. I smiled at myself. I pressed the call button and waited. He picked up in the first ring itself. 

"Hello?" 

"Shiv.. Shivaay.." 

"Annika!" 

I felt him sigh in relief. 

"I am sorry, Shivaay."

"You don't need to be." 

"Still.. I.. "

"Just say it." 

"Say what?" 

I asked him confused.

"That you love me." 

I was speechless. So he knew that. And still didn't force me to accept. I fell in love with him all over again. 

"Say it, Annika. A hundred times."

"What?"

"You made me cry a lot. Compensation."

"I love you.. I love you... I love you..." 

And I continued it for 100 times.

It was my birthday and I  was eager to know what gift Shivaay was going to present me. I was lamenting in my thoughts when my phone buzzed. I smiled looking at the caller I'D and picked it up.

"Happy Birthday, Love!" He said in tge most romantic voice. 

"Thank you." I said feeling lucky to have him. 

"I have something for you." 

"What?" 

"I am going to show you my future today. Get ready, I will pick you in an hour. We are having a lunch date." 

I wore my favourite dress with matching accessories. I applied some cream on my face and put lip gloss on my lips. I tied my hair in a bun and arranged the stole as per my preference. I heard the horn, he was there. I gazed at the mirror. Satisfied with my final look, I marched out. He was waiting for me on his bike. I sat behind him and the bike came to life. 

We reached a restaurant and I sat on the waiting area while Shivaay talked to someone on phone. I was happy that he took out some time from his busy schedule to spend the day with me. 

"Annika.. I am sorry. A sudden meeting has come up. We have to leave." 

He apologise and my face fell. My felt bad. But I decided to tell him. Work is important, after all. I nodded and went out of the restaurant. 

My birthday is spoilt, I thought. I was really upset as it was my first birthday with him and he was dropping me back without a celebration. The bike stopped and I looked at the surrounding. It wasn't not my place. 

"I have some work here." Shivaay said. "Please come inside, we'll leave when it's over."

I nodded and followed him. We went inside looking down. He stopped and so as I. Something tricked me. Why is the place so silent? I looked up and saw the room fully decorated with flowers and balloons. 

"Happy Birthday." I read.

"Happy birthday, Annika!" All his and my friends jumped from god knows where. 

My heart filled with joy. I looked af him and be held my shoulder, half-hugging me. 

We cut the cake and I was more than happy. 

"This is the best birthday ever!" I said to Shivaay. 

"There is something left." He said smiling. "I said I will show you my future."

I smiled. I thought he would share about some big deal he had cracked or a new business he started or may be his future plans. But what he did, make me speechless. 

He brought something covered with a cloth and placed it in front of me. He uncovered it and I saw a mirror. Suddenly I felt him putting a veil on me looking through the mirror.

"That's my future." He said. 

My eyes started to well up. I was not in a state to speak. I just looked at him and he kissed my forehead. I was indeed lucky to have him. He was no more a prominent part of my life, he became my life. 

And I realized, it wasn't the end. It was a new beginning.