ShivIka SS: Avoidance Waltz PART 8 (22.5.17) pg 40*new* Index pg1 - Page 16

Part 6

Annika is a fool. She never listened to her brain. After hours of crying , her brain told her to buck up and find him again, and DEMAND that he tells her what it is that he's angry about. To catch him by the collar and shake it out of the stubborn man. Fight it out. Sort it.

But her heart is hurting. That despite all her defences, she let him through, and he could do such a thing to her, shut her out like this. So completely. So she cried and cried, dragged herself to work and back for 2 days, with little to no sleep. The nights were the worst, hoping that he would call or reply to her messages.

But there was absolute silence from him. He had shut her out completely.

***

She never did have the most shrewd of hearts . Very soon, she'd had enough. She'll face his anger until she's sure about them being over. He'd have to tell her to her face that they were over, she deserved that. His anger had haunted her for many days, knowing how gentle he usually was with her made it all the more worse.

She went to Oberoi Mansion the evening 2 days after, and came face to face with Pinky aunty. She took great relish in telling Annika that Shivaay had gone for a dinner date with some socialite's daughter, for a business merger. Apparently, he was looking for another suitable bride to marry, and his mother was helping. And if Annika knew what was good for her, she would just go back and be happy in her little house and stop bugging Shivaay's life.

Annika left the mansion with a strange feeling. She really needed to see Shivaay , right now. She took a cab to the fancy hotel Pinky aunty mentioned. As she walked in the lobby , she saw a party of 10 people walking out , shaking hands and talking.

As the people parted, she saw Shivaay standing with a pretty woman in a fancy white halter dress. She was talking to him smilingly and laughing elegantly. He bent over and whispered something sardonically and she giggled. They made a strikingly handsome pair, she thought, as her heart shrivelled painfully.

He turned suddenly and looked straight at her. He was shocked at her presence, and curious about the expression on her face. Then he remembered, his eyes took a steely look, straightened and continued talking to his companion, ignoring her. Smiling for extra effect, he rubbed it in as though he didn't care that she was watching.

Let her burn in this feeling she put me through.

Unable to resist, he peeked a look. She was crying and walking away. This time he went after her. He caught up with her outside the hotel and she had turned on him like an angry wildcat.

"Why do you promise me things, when you were just going to leave me anyway? Why did you let me think WE, had a chance?"

"Sorry , I'm not the one who has one foot in two places, wondering which was the better one to choose !! Of course I am the better choice. I am Shivaay Singh Oberoi. Not One-Supermarket-Guy. Were you going to string us both along until you made your decision? Wow, Simpleton Annika, with two guys vying for her, how will she ever decide?? So I made it easy for you and removed myself. Evidently, you have other options."

"What the heck are you talking about, Shivaay? Who are you referring to? One-Supermarket-Guy? Who-... (gasp) ...Rohit??"

"Ah, she remembers. How convenient. That innocent shock, quite nicely done. Beautiful and deceptive."

"This is about ..Rohit? But he's my oldest friend, and Sahil's. I don't have that kind of relationship with him. We knew each other as kids, Shivaay..."

"But he is interested in you, right? You almost married him..? "

"That's a long story Shivaay, I'd tell you but it's not what you think, I promise!"

"I'm sorry if you think I have time for your long story about your best friend turned boyfriend. I am not interested! "

"Shivaay, please !! Just listen to me first..."

"You know EVERYTHING about my life. Tia, Mallika, my family, everything. Every last detail. And you never bothered to tell me you had a man in your life that you almost married. What were you doing accepting Daksh's proposal then? Where was this Rohit guy when Daksh was stalking you?? Why is there so many things I don't know about you, Annika? "

"I can explain, Shivaay."

"But I don't want to listen now. You should have told me yourself. Not have me dig up details from a private investigator. This is not how I want to do a relationship and marriage. I trusted you, Annika. You should have told me all of this."

"Shivaay, you're misunderstanding me!! Please..."

"Just go, Annika.."

Annika sat and wept for hours that night. Sahil was back at school, so she didn't bother to silence the heart wrenching sobs. That night before she slept , she sent him a message.

[We must talk, Shivaay. Let me know when we can talk]

To which she got no reply.

**

Rudra thought himself as a cool even tempered guy. Shivaay bhaiya had his phone-breaking temper, Om had his bulging veins and angry dramatic poetry.

But himself, well, he found that nothing made him reach that level of anger. So he decided, he was pretty cool and unflappable guy.

He and Om were hanging out at Annika bhabhi's with Prinku. Bhabhi was not herself, deeply unhappy and gaunt, her smile not reaching her eyes. Rudra wondered if this fight between her and Bhaiya will go on forever. These two silly goons loved each other so much, yet hurt each other just as badly.

But she was putting on a brave face and all seemed well. And she wasn't fooling anyone. Because all of them knew what state Shivaay Bhaiya was at home as well. Om had made Rudra promise not to interfere, and he was finding it exasperating. Something about letting them work out their issues themselves without interference.

Nonsense, they needed help !!

A sudden commotion drew everyone's attention. Rushing to the door, they found the house surrounded by people curious as to the appearance of a bulldozer outside. The bulldozer stood menacingly in front of the compound as Annika ran out to stop the madness.

The foreman with a document came to say, he was told to flatten the structures on this piece of land, as instructed by its owner. Annika started arguing fiercely, defending her home with Sahil, but the foreman sympathetically listened and said he had no choice because they owners have paid him for the job. He even rung someone on the phone and got confirmation to go ahead.

Om and Rudra were just as shocked and enraged. They started ringing Shivaay, Mr. Oberoi, and Chote Papa. Shivaay wasn't answering, but both dads had no idea who ordered this. Om went forward and authoritatively took over the reigns as an Oberoi himself, but had needed to get in touch with Shivaay to stop it indefinitely, because he wasn't really in the business side with executive power.

While he was on the phone, pandemonium broke loose as the bulldozers went ahead and rampaged through the little house. Annika fought wildly and railed and Rudra had to yank her out of the way to make sure she didn't get hurt. But he held the screaming Bhabhi as they watched her house trampled and destroyed, reduced to a rubble.

Om came running back , and stood holding his head watching the catastrophy before him. How flimsy was the house to be destroyed so quickly by one bulldozer. Bhabhi broke free of Rudra and held Sahil close, the little boy's sobbing was devastating to say the least. Rudra shook with anger , his face red , as he watched the home they were joking in just an hour ago, reduced to rubble.

Om saw how Rudra was lost in his fury, decided he had to do something first. He rang his gallery assistant, and made him clear up the adjoining rooms he had there, for Bhabhi and Sahil to move in. He then watched her and Sahil go through the rubble to look for their things, salvage what they could. That was when the tears broke out of Rudra, silent ravaging tears.

Hugging his brother close, he saw Khanna appear, holding his head in shock at the sight. One thought struck Om's mind, Shivaay didn't do this.

If he did, Khanna would know. Then who?

Bhabhi was not happy to stay at his gallery , and insisted she would stay only one night. Prinku and Saumya stayed with them as he and Rudra drove to Shivaay's offices. Rudra was ominously silent. They marched their way into Shivaay's office, and he looked up with a small surprised smile to greet his brothers.

"Rudra? Om? Hi, come on in guys, how come you're here?"

"Save us the pleasantries Bhaiya." Rudra shouted, "Today you crossed all the boundaries of decency. Today I am ashamed to call you my brother. I have heard how ruthless and cruel you can be, but today I have seen first hand! Why, Bhaiya ! Why do you have to be so cruel, when all Annika Bhabhi did was love you!? How is it possible to punish someone who loves you like this???!!"

Rudra was red faced and furious, the rage emanating from him shocked his brothers. Om stood in his way, his back facing Shivaay, as the eldest brother stood up in confused shock.

"I HATE YOU SHIVAAY SINGH OBEROI!!!"

"RUDRA !! That's ENOUGH !!" Om yelled tearfully. Rudra the youngest of the OBros , the one who always held them together, is now uncontrollably angry. "Stop it, before you say something you'll regret !!"

"What the HELL is going on?! Is someone going to tell me?" And both his brothers turned to him with incredulous expressions. Rudra made a violent lunge at him, and Om had to strongarm him out the door, telling him to walk it off.

Turning back, he proceeded to give Shivaay the worst dressing down he has ever given his brother. No words minced, no words wasted. Rudra watched from outside as Om verbally attacked Shivaay and he staggered back. The longer he listened, the more Rudra thought, Om was right, Shivaay bhaiya may have not done this. But he had left Annika Bhabhi alone to face this. There is one other person who had the stomach to do this heinous deed.

Chote Ma.

**

Shivaay had drove like a demon to Annika's house, gasped in horror at the sight of the messy rubble. He made some very ominous phone calls and discovered the order for demolition came from the Mansion, specifically bearing Mr. Shakti Oberoi's signature. A call to his Dad, and he knew it was his mother who had done this.

He drove to Om's gallery building. He faced all of his angry siblings but got nowhere near Annika. Dadi had come and was sitting with her inside, and he couldn't get in.

He tried explaining to Rudra, but he was not in the mood for explanations. He can't imagine what Annika would be feeling right now, probably furious, betrayed , hurt , devastated. He ached to see her, to hold her, to tell her he would make things right.

But she refused to meet him. And the next day he found, she had moved out of Om's gallery to a friend's place. Now even Rudra and Om don't have news of her. With much difficulty , Khanna tracked her down to a Ms. Chanda's flat . He had parked and waited outside much to the curiosity of the dwellers, but no Annika. He rained her phone with calls, she did not pick up even one. He was contemplating breaking down this Chanda's door, when she appeared in front of his car.

With a swift move, she tossed her phone on the floor by his feet, the flimsy thing splintering into little pieces.

"Stop calling me , Shivaay Singh Oberoi. I have nothing to say to you." And she turned to walk away.

He grabbed her hand and turned her. "Just listen to me, once..."

"NO!! I won't! " she jerked violently.

"Stop!! "

"Leave !! Before the cops arrive. I called your mother also. The next time I see you is with lawyers to finish our divorce."" And she left. When he lunged for her, people started intervening for her. Without a look, she walked away.

**