Anika's head was spinning. She grabbed onto the pillar for support, her legs suddenly jelly. "You wanted to do that? With me?"
"Very much so."
"Why?"
"I don't think there's any point in denying that I'm extremely attracted to you. Physically, at least." He shrugged. "I was hoping that would work it out of my system, although I will admit I had no intention of actually doing anything to you. I know it might sound unbelievable but I really did think I was dreaming."
Anika struggled against the urge to punch him in the throat. "And did it? Work it out of your system?"
"Quite the opposite."
Her head spun again as she struggled to draw breath into her lungs.
"So, now what?"
Shivaay shrugged again, ran his hand through his hair and sighed sadly. "Physical attraction isn't enough," he said finally. "And I won't do you the dishonour of even suggesting a clandestine relationship. That would be selfish of me as well as unforgivably unfair to both you and Tia."
Anika was fuming, but she couldn't actually argue with anything he was saying because she agreed with every point. She in fact realised she respected him more for not suggesting an illicit relationship when she knew many men in his position wouldn't think twice. "Are you saying we should just carry on as before?"
"Not exactly. Perhaps now that I am no longer in denial, I will find myself less inclined to be so," he searched for the appropriate word, "pernickety, around you."
"Pernickety. You call your previous behaviour pernickety?"
Anika felt like the human equivalent of a deflated balloon. The events of just minutes ago already seemed like the dream Shivaay had believed them to be.
"I previously had no explanation for the way I felt and reacted while around you. A denied physical attraction would provide a more than satisfactory explanation." Shivaay nodded, a smug smile on his face as he congratulated himself for cracking the mystery.
"Well isn't that just Scooby Dooby Delightful? Congratulations, Nancy You." Anika did a slow-clap.
"Anika, be reasonable. It's not like I'm saying this is all in our heads- I'm just saying that this thing between us? It's nothing to worry about." Again with that infuriating dismissive shrug of his shoulders, "I'm attractive, you're beautiful, it's just natural we'd feel something. Once you finish planning my wedding and I'm married to Tia and we're no longer constantly in each others' orbits, it'll pass." An odd expression briefly flashed across his face, but Anika blinked and missed it.
"You really think that's all this is?"
"What else could it possibly be?" Anika searched his face for any sign of a challenge, but found none. Instead, he looked genuinely curious.
The reality hit her then.
Shivaay Singh Oberoi considered his world so far apart from hers that the idea of having true feelings for her just weren't in the realms of what he considered plausible. What could Anika say? What could she do?
Nothing. She could say nothing, do nothing.
She would carry on planning his wedding and it would be made inordinately simpler now that she had the groom's co-operation. Swallowing the lump that seemed to have lodged in her throat, Anika closed her eyes and for just one moment, she let herself believe that Shivaay hadn't rationalised and boxed off his feelings for her. She let herself imagine he had realised that his feelings, and hers, ran far deeper than just the superficial and that whatever it was between them was based on much more than just what they looked like. Her heart recognised his, called out to his, and for one beautiful, devastating moment, she let herself pretend that his had heard.
And called back.
She opened her eyes to find him watching her, one eyebrow raised in question. "You okay?"
Anika took a deep breath and plastered the biggest smile she could manage on her face. "Now that we've got that sorted, I don't suppose you'd be willing to answer a few questions about your Engagement for me? It is, after all, in 6 days."
Again, that same dark expression on Shivaay's face. Again, gone so quickly that Anika had no hope of catching it. "Yes. My Engagement. To Tia." He nodded. "I'm ready."
-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-
6 days later, Shivaay lay in bed and contemplated the rest of the day, he raised his left hand and stared intently at the ring finger.
He then rolled over onto his front and reached over to the drawer of his bedside table. He opened it and pulled out a small, black box. Rolling back onto his back, he held the box in the air and opened it.
Tia had begged him to go ring shopping with her two days ago and eventually, at his mother's incessant urging, he had agreed. He had allowed Tia complete freedom over the store, saying if she found one she loved he would buy it immediately and if she didn't, then she could buy one to be exchanged at the Engagement and design another one for later. Tia had squealed with excitement and immediately latched onto a jeweller who, recognising Shivaay, immediately had a bottle of champagne brought out and took Tia directly to the section where they displayed their alexandrite rings. Knowing the precious stone to go for almost 1 million rupees per carat, Shivaay left Tia to it and began perusing other items in the store.
He wasn't really looking at anything until his attention was captured by one particular item. He stopped and leant over the counter to look at it more closely. He summoned another jeweller and asked to see the ring.
It had to be a trick of the light.
But it wasn't. The older, experienced jeweller handed Shivaay the ring and he immediately turned it every way in his hands. He held it up to the light. He held it in the palm of his hand.
No matter what he did to it, it remained the same. A beautiful star of light blazing across the surface of a translucent white stone which seemed to be glowing from within. It was as though someone had trapped a star made of lightning inside of the moon.
The cabochon was set in a platinum band with a split shank and a diamond bypass. The four diamonds on each band of the bypass were flawless, but their perfect icy beauty was lost on Shivaay, his eyes focused only on the lightning stone.
"What is this?"
"That, Sir, is a white star sapphire. The highest quality, of course. The star on its surface which you were so thoroughly examining is an effect of asterism. If you would allow me to show you." The man held it so that Shivaay was looking at it from directly above. "As you can see, the star is perfectly centred with each ray equally bright and of the same length, extending fully from the centre to the base. This one has been carefully heated to enhance the colour without losing any of its lustre. It truly is uniquely beautiful. Although it would appear," he murmured, looking up to where Tia was clapping with delight at something her own jeweller had just shown her, "that your lady has something quite different in mind. Shall I put it away, Sir?"
"No." The word was out before he could stop it. "No I'll... I'll take it."
Shivaay looked at the elderly jeweller, his back curving slightly from age and a lifetime spent leaning over jewellery counters and ignored the knowing look in his eyes. He beckoned Shivaay to the back of the shop to complete the transaction.
The jeweller placed the ring carefully inside a little black box and handed it to Shivaay, along with the receipt. He did not include a bag.
"To love a woman who can appreciate the beauty of such a stone, you are a fortunate man indeed. Congratulations."
Shivaay did not respond, slipping the box into the inner pocket of his jacket and telling the jeweller he could put the documentation and receipt in the same bag as the ring his fiancee selected.
So it was not the extravagantly beautiful alexandrite and diamond ring Tia had chosen which he was currently looking at. No, that ring was locked up securely in the family safe.
It was the dazzlingly simple beauty of the white stone shot through with lightning.
The one without an owner.
Well, he supposed it had an intended owner but as she would never receive or wear it, she did not count. Had his entire fortune been at stake, Shivaay still could not have explained to anyone why he had bought the ring.
He snapped the box shut and placed it carefully at the very back of his bedside drawer. Shivaay then got up and got out of bed. He pulled off his t-shirt and ran one hand over the fading crescent shaped nail marks on his chest.
He shook himself and reached for a fresh shirt.
He had to get ready.
After all, today was the day he was getting engaged.
9th Promise- "Just Keep Breathing"
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Thank you all so much for reading. I appreciate every single comment you take the time to leave and some are so thoughtful and lovely it makes me a little emotional- it can be a little scary sharing writing with people and so to hear that you're enjoying it means a LOT, and if you ever have any constructive critique, I'm open to that too (also omg typos are my downfall so if you spot any, please point them out so I can edit them 😆). Also even if you're not commenting but are dropping a Like or just enjoying the story- thank you for that too. :)
Cricket
Bindi
