AnShi SS: The Girl Who Destroyed Me *CHAP ONE* 31/07 Page 04 - Page 3

Chap One

Mehndi

It has been two days Anika was back from London. Two days since she has locked herself in her room, the room, which she is going to leave very soon, the room that has been her solace, the room where there are so many hidden memories of him. She is going to very soon and leave this house forever, his house forever. But she refused to shed a single tear any more even when all she wanted to do was to cry her heart out as question him what has she done to deserve this. Wasn't it enough that he tore her from him and sent her away to some unknown places in between unknown people? And all he has done is to send money and make sure she is all right and her basic requirement is fulfilled. That's all he did. And all she ever did is to love him. If it wasn't Dadi he would have made sure she was out of the house and never entered the premises as far as he lived.

Love, she thought. What a joke. It was not love. It was giving herself totally and unconditionally to a man who hates her.

--

Anika sat on the parapet and watched the decorators wrap the whole Oberoi Mansion with fairy lights. Pink and White tiny lights glittered the whole mansion transforming it into a fairy tale castle. She remember telling Dadi about them one day when she was really small that when she gets married she wants the whole house to be covered with her favorite fairy lights and that's what she has done. The memory brought fresh tears in her lonely eyes. How she wanted to get married to Shivaay.

The florists were busy fixing up the orchid gate. Orchids were Shivaay's favorite flower, which were specially brought from Singapore.

She smiled mockingly thinking about the irony. The man she always intended to marry is now going to be someone elses. And they are doing to marry on the same day as hers. It was the last nail in her coffin. The bitterness of the coffee burned her throat. The man hated her so much.

17 years back it was a joyous occasion in Oberoi mansion. Shivaay's mother Anjali was expecting her second child. But the happiness didnt last long. She miscarried her child during her 4th month of the pregnancy. The incident took a toll on her health and mental state. Both his parents were devastated. They mourned for their little baby girl who failed to come to this world. Later the doctors told them that Anjali won't be able to get get ever. She went into depression when refused to come out of her room. They showed many doctors after that but sadly everyone told them that they cant have any more children.

One day while coming back from doctor's chamber, Anjali happened to visit an ophenge near the doctor's chamber. She was strolling inside the premises when her eyes caught a tiny, fragile yet a lovely girl. She didn't know when she started to smile looking at her. The girl's piggy tail bounced as she ran behind a rabbit trying to caught hold of the fluffy animal. Anjali realised that it was the first time she smiled after that ugly incident. She didnt know how long she stared at the child.

The girl came to her side and pulled her pallu. "Can you catch the rabbit for me aunty?" Anjali looked down at her baby blue eyes. She was the prettiest girl she has even seen. Anjali dropped on her knees and brushed the golden brown curls from her forehead.

"Whats your name sweety?"

"My name is Anika. What's your name Aunty?"

"I am Anjali", Immediately the girl's expression changed. The radiant smile she was giving vanished immediately. She looked down while shifting from right feet to left feet.

Anjali frowned and tilted her chin up. "What's the matter sweetheart? Why are you sad?"

"Mrs Gomes tells me that my mother's name was also Anjali. She died after giving me birth. That's how they named me Anika. They say that my mother was very pretty".

"I am sure your mother was one beautiful woman. Look at you. So beautiful".

"Why did my mother die Aunty? When other kids doesn't listen to Mrs Gomes she says kids who are naughty their parents leaves them. But I am never naughty. I listen to Mrs Gomes all time. Then why did my mother died".

Her words brought fresh tears in Anjali's eyes. And she decided then.

"Since you are a good kid, your mommy has sent you another mommy to take care of you". Anika snapped her head and looked into Anjali's sparkling obs.

"Who is my other mommy? Will she love me and never leave me?"

"Anika, will you come with me and stay with us kid?"

"Will i get a mommy if i go with you? And is she as beautiful as you?"

Anjali's laughter filled the whole orphanage. "Oh sweetheart, you new mommy is not as beautiful as you are but she promise to take care of you and love you. How about you call me mommy?"

Anjali saw the most beautiful sight then. Anika gave her the most beautiful smile and threw herself on Anjali to hug her.

After few days Mr and Mrs Oberoi decided to adopt Anika as soon as possible. True to her words, Anjali gave her security and love. But probably Anika was destined to be orphen for the rest of her life.

She was brought in the Oberoi Mansion. Anjali and Shivam Oberoi couldn't make it.

~FLASHBACK~

"Dadi! Where is Thivaay?"

Dadi, pulled her chubby cheeks. She hugged her back dearly. "Its Shivaay sweetheart and not Thivaay".

"Thivaaay", she continued to pronounce his name wrongly.

"DADI, batayien na Thivaay kahan hai?" she pouted and peeped towards his room craning her neck.

Dadi, chuckled and caressed Anika's soft cheeks which were touching her cheeks as she was hugging dadi from behind and said "Woh abhi abhi aya hai, tum tang mat karo ussey, uska mood off hai".

"I know Dadi".

"achha, kuch huya hai kya school mein?"

Anika giggled and came and sat on dadi's lap. Then she snaked her arms around her neck and kissed her cheeks. Widening her eyes cutely, she bit her lower lips giving a naughty yet innocent look towards dadi she said, "ya dadi, I kissed him in front of the whole school".

Dadi was awe struck hearing such an innocent confession. She was just 8 and she was nothing less than a pataka. God help Shivaay, she thought. This girl is going to be his death someday. She is so innocent and she loves Shivaay fiercely. Such tender sould who loves him unconditionally. No wonder why Shivaay looked pissed and grumpy.

Before dadi could stop Anika she ran upstairs straight to Shivaay's room.

"Anika wait sweetheart. Dont go to his room now. Give him sometime honey". Dear lord how am I going to save her tender heart from his hatred. Dadi looked at Anjali and Shivam's pictured and said, "you have brought this girl here in his mansion, how dare you leave her and go. Your son hates her for some reason. I tried to talk to him but he refused to tell me anything. He is going to crush her heart someday. And i fear that day. I don't know how am I going to protect her from him?.

Shivaay was arranging his playstation when Anika barged inside his room.

"Thivaay!" she gave her wide smile.

Needless to say, she gave her heart to him at a very tender age. She had nobody except dadi and Shivaay. She immediately liked him the moment she saw him. Initially she tried to talk to him and offered him her friendship but he refused to talk to him. Anika got used to his behaviour and she made friendship with him in her own ways. She chatted with him when he was silent. Stood beside him during puja's. Studied in his room when he refused to help her at all. And slowly, very slowly they got used to their natures. But lately Anika was becoming bold. As in hugging him innocently. Packing his school bags and filling it up with his favourite chocolates. But Shivaay clearly didn't appreciate her behaviour.

Shivaay on the other hand always avoided Anika, for the fact that he always blamed her for his pathetic past. And yes kahin na kahin she was responsible for that but not fully. He tried not to be rude to her, but her fondness and closeness and clinging to him grew more and more which irked him. And today she crossed all her limits. Out of no where she came to his class during lunch time to borrow a pencil sharpener from him, after taking it from him she kissed him on his cheeks in front of the whole classroom and saying the most embarrassing words "I love you Thivaay".

Ek to uska har dost ussey Thivaay ka naam se chidata hai and upar se they got another topic to bug him more.

Anika jumped on his bed and hugged him from behind.

He closed his eyes in anger and tried to remove her hands, which was practically choking him.

Anika rocked herself with him still carrying her school bag on her back.

"Tu mujse naraz hai?" (are you angry with me?)

Shivaay grabbed her wrist and forcefully released him from her grip.

In the process he held her hand so tightly that she winced in pain and started crying badly.

"aah! Thivaay! It hurts".

She rubbed her wrist and shobbed.

"I told you not to enter my room and what is this? What are you doing on my bed? And who has given you the permission to behave like that in front of my friends? Don't you get it when I say that don't come near me in the school. I don't like you".

Anika was still crying totally avoiding what Shivaay has just said, or rather barked.

When he saw that she continued sobbing holding her wrist he crawled towards her to check whether it was too hard on her or not.

"Let me see" he tried to grab her hand but she snatched her arms from his grip.

He gritted his teeth and pulled her hand once again towards him.

"aah!" she screamed again.

"stop being so delicate Anika! You are not a princess".

She picked her lashes and looked at him with a cute pout on her face.

Shivaay immediately concentrated on her bruises. It has turned purple. He mutted something under his breath for being so harsh on her. He had no right to behave like this. But it was all Anika's fault. She brings out the worst in him.

He massaged the affected area and tried to make the blood circulation normal. He continued the process for few more minutes and then took out an ointment and started the process all over again.

During the whole process Anika was all awe! Looking at him cutely. She gazed at his newly grown stubble. It wasn't there few days back. It was new. It was like ramu kaka, their chief. But Shivaay's was more like hair. Not as hard as Ramu kaka's she deadpanned. She decided, he looks much better without those hair on his face.

Feeling her gaze on him he looked at her. He thinned his lips and concentrated back on her slim wrist.

Once he was done she quickly sat on his lap and wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him once again.

"STOP IT Anika!" he said in anger. "Got out of muy room now. I told you many times that don't enter my room. Why don't you get it?"

"Par kyun? Mujhe achha lagta hai tumhara room mein aana".

"Par mujhe achha nahi lagta hai".

She pouted again and silently got up from his lap and walked towards the door.

Suddenly she remembered something and said "why am I not a princess? I stay in such a big house, it is like a palace and if others can call you prince why cant I be princess? Waise bhi mujhe tum bohot pasand ho, isiliye dadi meine kaha hai ki mujhe tumse hi shaadi karni hai aur kisise nahi. And after that I will become your princess". She giggled and clapped twirling herself holding her tunic. (in any case I really adore you and I told grandma that I want to get married to you and you only, so after that I will become your princess)

Shivaay gritted his teeth and held her from upper arms and dragged her out of his room and then closed the door on her face.

This happened almost everyday, when Anika entered his room and after sometimes she was thrown out of his room.

She always felt sad and went to dadi to cry her heart out. She could never understand why Shivaay, whom she considered him to be her best friend behave in such a pathetic way.

She was too young to grow any kind of ego in her, so she almost forget how he behaved with her after sometime and by night everything was back to Anika's way again. She ate her dinner with him. Pinched his cheeks with affection. She stole food from his plate and sometimes forcefully feeding him sometimes from her plate.

Though Shivaay never used to like those gestures but in front of Dadi he did not have any guts to scold her. And Anika always took that as an opportunity when she started understanding things.

Dadi was one person who always supported Anika over Shivaay. She knew about Shivaay's hatred towards Anika very well. She even tried to explain him, but he had his own set of thoughts.

~FLASHBACK ENDS~

She kept the mug on the table and hopped down from the parapet.

It was the worst feeling ever. She thought by staying away Shivaay will realise his feelings towards her. He will finally acknowledge her love for him. But it looks like the distance between them has become so huge that she will never be able to bridge the gap between them.

When he finally told her the reason behind his hatred he made sure she is out of his sight forever. He sent her abroad to pursue higher studies.

Things were still fine once she was back, but the day neighbors started talking about them staying in the same house under the same roof being adults, Shivaay announced that he had fixed Anika's marriage with Kabir, his good friend and a renowned business man.

Anika once back from abroad wanted to speak to Shivaay and tell him that she wanted to settle abroad. But the moment she gathered her courage to go and talk to him. She stepped back before entering his room.

During her days in abroad. She started sketching. She always knew she could draw but never really pursue the art. But when she was lonely and thinking about Shivaay, she started to sketch him. Specially his eyes. She loved them. It has so much depth and full of hatred for her. Oh how she wanted him to look at her lovingly for one.

She took her sketch book at the hidden under her pillow and gazed at his sketches. Then she flipped her palm to check her mendi, which was done yesterday. There was a heart sign in the middle of her palm inside which there was the letter "K" which did not have a rich colour compared to the rest of her palm. The reason which made it fade was her own tear that dropped seeing Shivaay kiss Tia's mehndi after she requested him to do so many times.

She held her sketch book with the right hand now and flipped her left palm.

The design has come out really well and the colour complimenting her skin. She gave a close look on the letter "A" jo woh chupke se kal likkhi thi (which she secretly wrote) sab se chupake running inside her toilet with the mendi cone. She wrote "S" right at the beginning of her ring finger so that nobody notices. She kissed her ring finger then while streams of tears started rolling down her cheeks.

**