ShivIka FF: PROMISES- The Final Promise: I Love You (Pg 39) - Page 7

It had been four days since Anika had started cooking for Shivaay.

On the second day, he asked her how her day had been.

On the third, he asked what she had actually done earlier that day.

On the fourth, he asked whether she thought there was any hope for Rudra or whether he was destined to develop into an overgrown dumbbell. The question had startled a giggle out of Anika and, to her surprise, Shivaay had smiled too.

Well, one corner of his mouth quirked almost imperceptibly upwards. "Is that an actual smile, there, Billu Ji?"

His mouth twisted into a much more obvious scowl. "How many times do I have to tell you, don't call me that?"

"Okay, sorry. Sorry, my bad. Ooh, I have something special for you today."

That perfectly curious quirk of the eyebrow that never failed to set Anika's heart racing. Anika picked up a box from the chair beside her and placed it between them on the table. "Now, before I open this it is important that I check- you don't have diabetes, do you?"

"How could I possibly have had diabetes all this time without you knowing about it?"

Anika shrugged. "I used to watch this show on TV and the hero had some weird form of diabetes that only surfaced when it would allow the heroine to feed him her jalebis."

Shivaay sputtered. "Her what?"

Anika frowned. "Her jalebis. Oh. Oh. Shivaay you naughty man. What were you thinking of? I meant actual jalebis. Not whatever filthy things you were obviously thinking."

"One day, Anika, you will say something that isn't complete nonsense."

"Whatever. Since we have established that you do not have diabetes. Here."

Anika took the lid off the box and presented the contents to Shivaay.

"What is this?"

"Tiramisu, biscotti, zeppoles, cannoli and this is sfogliatelle. I remember you said you like tiramisu, and I'm pretty good at Italian desserts in general so I thought I'd make you some."

"You made all this? For me?"

Anika blushed. "No! Of course not! I mean, I'm going to make dessert for everyone but I thought I'd let you try them first and tell me if I should change anything."

Shivaay picked up a clean spoon and reached over to take a bit of the tiramisu. "This is perfect."

Anika struggled to find words. When she found them, she rambled. "Well, since you drink such bitter kaali coffee," she ignored his eye roll, "I soaked it in stronger coffee than they suggested. I thought for everyone else I'd make it less strong."

"So you admit it then?" Shivaay leaned back in his chair and folded his arms.

"Admit what?"

"You made these just for me? According to my tastes?"

"No. I made them according to my tastes, you arrogant Billu." She reached over, grabbed his spoon and stabbed it into the tiramisu, putting the large scoop in her mouth and swallowing, trying to ignore the more bitter than sweet taste.

The spoon was warm. Still warm.

From Shivaay's mouth.

He stared at her lips as she nervously licked at them. He almost groaned as she caught a sliver of coffee cream on the tip of her tongue and drew it back into her mouth.

"What are you doing?" his question was so quiet Anika wondered if he wasn't perhaps talking to himself.

"What are you two doing in here?"

Both of them gasped as they turned towards the door. Soumya was standing there, eyes wide with shock. Beside her was Rudra, looking comical. He was holding two bars of chocolate high above his head, as though he'd just confiscated them from Soumya. His mouth was hanging wide open.

"OOOMMM." Rudra hollered down the corridor, and there was the sound of running feet as Omkara suddenly joined them in the doorway. "Anika Didi and Shivaay Bhaiya are having a secret midnight feast!" Rudra pouted and put down his arms. He seemed to notice the chocolate bars in his hands and beamed, walking over to Shivaay and slapping the bars down on the table. "Here, my buy in."

He sat down and beckoned Omkara over, sticking his tongue out at Soumya as he did so. "You can go back to bed, Sumo Somu. And be grateful I caught you sneaking down for your midnight pig out and stopped you. If you can stay up late to eat chocolate, you can wake up early and come with me to the gym." He was cut off as both Omkara and Shivaay slapped him round the back of the head.

Omkara turned back towards the door. "Please ignore Rudra, he's clearly dropped one too many dumbbells on his already stupid head. Come in Soumya, sit down. Let's join this... midnight feast."

He looked from Shivaay to Anika. Both pointedly avoided meeting his gaze. Soumya met it though, and she could see in them that the wheels were turning in Omkara's mind just as quickly as they were whirring in hers. Everything clicked into place and she gasped as she took the seat beside Anika and Omkara took the seat opposite her, beside Shivaay (Rudra, of course, had placed himself at the head of the table and was currently biting into one of the cannoli). She widened her eyes at Om in question and in response he nodded.

A silent conversation passed between them while Shivaay and Anika were distracted by Rudra's antics.

No.

Yes.

But... he's getting married. She's planning his wedding.

I know.

This can't go on.

I know.

But...

I know.

After they had finished all of the desserts (including the chocolate bars) and the members of the household were preparing to leave, Shivaay stopped. "Anika, I have to talk to you about something. You three can go to your rooms."

"Who do you think you are, my mum?"

"No, but if you don't go to your room right now, Rudra, I will wake up your mum and mine and tell them that this midnight feast was all your idea."

"Oh my mataa." Rudra squealed in a perfect impersonation of his aunt. Omkara laughed and started dragging him out of the room, exchanging one last meaningful glance with Soumya before exiting.

Soumya turned back and chewed her lip as she took in the scene. Anika was clearing away the plates and the box of desserts. Shivaay was watching her with a look full of such absentminded tenderness, such longing, that it unexpectedly brought tears to Soumya's eyes.

She quickly shuffled out of the room, careful not to make a sound lest the spell break.

"This was the last time." Shivaay said, after he was certain everyone had left. He was thrown by the unexpected disappointment he heard in his own tone. The stab of frustration he felt in his chest. He cleared his throat, hoping it would clear his head at the same time. "I mean, the deal I've been working so hard on came through today. I'll be able to leave later in the morning and come home earlier in the evening."

"So I'll still see you?" Anika looked up and smiled. Then quickly looked away, picked up the last plate. "After all, you never did answer all my questions. And your wedding is coming up really soon."

She looked back at him to find that any hint of the Shivaay he had revealed to her over the past few nights was gone.

He looked... furious. His eyes were gleaming so brightly she could almost convince herself she saw sparks, his mouth was turned downwards in a deep frown and there was an angry red flush cresting his cheekbones.

"I told you not to bother me. Why did you do all of this? Who are you? Who gave you the right? Just stay out of my bloody way and do your job. Don't bother me. Don't ask me questions. Don't try to be nice to me. If you have questions for me, send someone else to ask them. I don't want to so much as see your face."

Anika felt as though he'd slapped her. She felt some tiny, fragile thing deep inside her crack and fall apart.

Steeling herself against his glare, she stood up straighter. This tempestuous man with his anger and his misplaced bitterness and rage and ego... He would not break her. She would not let him.

She kept her voice steady and level. She did not raise it, but made her tone void of all emotion. Pure professionalism. "Of course, Mr Oberoi. As you pay me for my services, I will of course comply with your requirements. I shall be sure that I perform all my tasks in a way which will be above reproach. Exemplary."

Shivaay grabbed the plate at the top of the pile in her arms and hurled it to the ground, Anika winced at the cacophonous sound as it smashed and all of the pieces scattered.

She met his eyes and, using her professional monotone. "I'll be sure to come back and clean that up before I leave, please don't worry Mr Oberoi."

Head held high, tears held back, Anika walked out of the room.

When she went back, the lights were off.

She turned them back on and saw the shards of the broken plate placed in a neat pile on the table.

7th Promise- "This Won't Hurt"

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Shivaay was never going to make things easy, was he? 😆 Worry not, I have the next chapter written already, I just need to iron out a few kinks and aim to have it up by the end of the day. Hope you enjoy reading! Do let me know what you thought :)