ShivIka FF: PROMISES- The Final Promise: I Love You (Pg 39) - Page 12

"Good morning, Anika."

His voice from the staircase behind her stopped her mid-sentence. She took a second to gather herself, finished telling the labourers how she wanted the sound system set up and then turned to face Shivaay with the best smile she could muster. "Good morning, Billu Ji."

"Are you really calling me that? On such a special day?"

"Would you rather I called you Bandar Ji? Or how about Bug Ji, because the only thing you seem to know how to do is bug me."

Shivaay's eyes glinted dangerously for a moment, and then cleared. He smiled. "Call me whatever B-word you like, Anika. Just so long as the only one calling me B for Baby' is my beautiful fiancee-to-be."

Anika grimaced. "Of course. Now if you wouldn't mind going and being whatever B-word you want to be somewhere else, some of us have work to do."

She marched off before Shivaay had a chance to respond.

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

It was around an hour later and Anika was taking a working break, stitching together the flower garlands to be wound around the bannisters. It was relaxing while keeping her occupied enough that she didn't begin thinking about eyes of piercing grey. She didn't start remembering the feel of hands burning hot against her bare skin. Lips on her neck.

The sound system unexpectedly blared into life at that moment, and a hauntingly beautiful song started to play. Bells. Maybe a glockenspiel? Some sort of synth in the background.

The strings and the lyrics came in at the same time.

[YOUTUBE]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tHnYzexLrv4[/YOUTUBE]

Jo Main Jaanti Ke Preet Kare Dukh Hoye

If I knew that falling in love would cause such pain

To Nagar Dhindora Peet Ti Kehti

Then I would go around the town screaming

Preet Na Kariyo Koi

No one fall in love

Jo Main Jaanti Ki Mann Khud Bairi Hoye

If I knew that my heart would become my own adversary

Har Dagar Dhindhora Peet Ti Kehti

Then I would go to every hill-top screaming

Preet Na Kariyo Koi

No one fall in love

"Not exactly the kind of song you'd expect to be playing on the day of someone's Engagement."

Omkara's voice caused Anika to jerk forward and stab the needle she had been using sharply into her finger. She quickly bit down hard on her tongue to hold back the hiss of pain and hid her finger under the garland before turning around to face him.

Anika rolled her eyes. "I think one of the sound system guys is going through a bad break up."

Omkara laughed and sat down on the sofa to her left and started threading one of the spare needles. "Oh, you don't need to do that."

"My brother's getting engaged today, I feel like I should be doing something useful." He looked at her and Anika couldn't help thinking that the woman who one day married Omkara Singh Oberoi would probably need a PhD in how to unravel the hidden layers of meaning in his eyes.

"How are you feeling, Anika?"

"Hmm? Well, I don't want to jinx it but for now, everything seems to be going fine. The caterers are running a little behind schedule, but they'll be ready. I've worked with them before and I know how hard they work to make sure everything runs smoothly."

Omkara shook his head. "That's not what I meant. I meant how are you feeling?"

"What do you mean?"

"About Shivaay's engagement. To Tia."

Anika's heart slammed up into her throat. This was dangerous- Omkara Singh Oberoi might be able to get her to slip up and admit far more than she wanted to. And as much as she might want to, she had to remember- Omkara was Shivaay's brother. His first loyalty would always be to him.

"You know, Omkara Ji, I was beginning to worry that stupid Bhaagad Billa had no intention of actually ever getting married but just wanted to waste my time by having me plan the whole thing. I'm just glad something is finally happening. And you know what?" Anika decided to rant it was okay to rant to Omkara about Shivaay to release some of the tension, just so long as she was careful what it was she ranted about. "That stupid Billu absolutely refused to answer my questions or tell me what he wanted for this event until just six days ago! And then he came in and changed everything: colour scheme; decorations; music; lighting; did I tell you he even demanded control over where everyone stands when they actually exchange rings? The man is a complete control freak. I don't know why he even hired a wedding planner. Why not just do everything himself?"

Omkara was laughing so hard it had drawn Rudra's attention and he launched himself over the back of the sofa, plopping down beside Anika.

"Are we complaining about Shivaay Bhaiya again?" he cackled, rubbing his hands with excitement. "Anika Didi you won't believe what he did to me yesterday!"

"I probably will, that Bhagaad Billa is capable of anything."

"Well, I ran into his room last night and saw him holding the little black box with Tia's ring in it, just kind of staring at it. And when I called him out on his Ishqbaazi for having snuck it out of the safe, he just threw it in his bedside drawer and yelled at me to shut up. Then he told me to get out." Rudra shrugged his lip. "When I refused, he threw his shoe at me."

Anika spluttered. "Seems like Chameli taught him a lesson or two."

As Rudra and Anika bickered over whether it was Chameli or Chameli's owner who had taught Shivaay the art of weaponising shoes, Omkara sat back in lethally quiet contemplation. Tia's wedding ring, Omkara knew, was not the one currently hidden in Shivaay's drawer. He knew this because Pinky Aunty had taken it out of the main family safe and given it to Omkara in secret to place in the safe hidden in his room. That way even if someone went into the main vault, Tia's ludicrously expensive ring would be safe.

So whose ring had Rudra caught Shivaay looking at yesterday?

"Anika," he rose swiftly to his feet. "Will you come with me, please?" Anika nodded, though he noted that she hesitated for a moment and balled her left hand into a tight fist before standing up.

"Rudra, can you please find Shivaay and keep him distracted for just five minutes? I need to go check something in his room. It's for the Engagement so Anika needs to come with me."

Rudra complained about always being used as the decoy, but nonetheless wandered off to find and waylay Shivaay while Omkara and Anika headed towards Shivaay's room.

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

"What is it you wanted to show me?" Anika asked, looking round nervously. She looked physically pale and her hand was still held firmly closed by her side.

"Just checking something." He said, pulling open the drawer to Shivaay's bedside drawer and reaching his hand inside. Omkara felt terrible about invading his brother's privacy in this way but all Omkara had now was a suspicion. He needed confirmation.

Once he had this proof, he would be able to help his brother. His brother who clearly had no intention of even trying to help himself. His fingers closed over the small velvet box and he drew it out, opened it.

The ring was as perfect for the woman Shivaay had obviously bought it for as it was singularly unsuitable for Tia. He closed the box and handed it over to Anika. "What do you think of this ring, Anika?"

He watched as she opened the box. Stared. She started blinking rapidly and sniffed delicately. Omkara noted her pained swallow before she handed the box back to him and Omkara put it carefully back in the drawer.

"It's beautiful." Anika whispered. "Perfect, even. I can't believe that that walking Machine-Man chose something like that."

"I think it suits the woman he chose it for."

The pause before Anika spoke said much more than the words which followed. "Yes, it will look beautiful on Tia. Can we go now, or was there something else you wanted to show me? I don't want to have to deal with that stupid Billu accusing me of planting something in his room again if he catches us in here."

Omkara was thrown by the dazzling smile Anika directed at him. Had he not known the hurt she was fighting to squash down, not just seen it devastating her from within, he wouldn't have known the smile for the fake it so obviously was.

Just how much pain was this woman hiding? And how long had she been doing it?

"Can someone please explain why there is a trail of blood leading to my room?"

"Blood?" Omkara looked down and saw that there were, indeed, several drops of blood on the floor. And they ended in a slightly larger pool at Anika's feet. How had he missed that? Omkara stared, dumbstruck, as Shivaay crossed the room in three large paces and grabbed Anika's hand in his.

"How did you even manage to do this you stupid woman? Just sit down over there," he pointed towards his bed, "I have a First Aid Kit somewhere." Omkara watched the care with which his brother tended to Anika's wound, though of course he made sure to blame and berate her at every point. In all fairness, Anika was not exactly suffering in silence.

"Tsk. Do you have to scrub so hard? Are you wiping blood from a wound or exfoliating your legs?"

Shivaay spluttered, "Exfoliating my what? LANGUAGE Anika."

"OW! Is that antiseptic or acid?"

"Maybe if you'd dealt with this earlier instead of letting it fester then it wouldn't be so painful."

"Maybe if you'd taken a few first aid classes instead of practicing glares in the mirror, you'd be able to do it properly."

"I will feed this to you if you don't shut up."

"What kind of bedside manner is that supposed to be?"

"Owww you're cutting off my circulation. Are you bandaging my finger or trying to get it to fall off?"

"It has to be tight to stem the flow of blood or you'll bleed through it."

"I'll be sure to come and wipe it on your face if I do."

Omkara hadn't seen Shivaay this happy all week. Around Anika, Shivaay just lit up. Omkara, the artist, noticed every detail of his brother's demeanour: from the small smiles he couldn't quite hold back in time to the warm fondness with which he looked at her whenever he thought nobody (especially not Anika herself) was looking.

There was a soft knock at the door and Priyanka walked in. "Ahh Rudra was right, she is here. Sorry to interrupt whatever you're yelling at Anika about this time, Bhaiya, but can I borrow her for a moment?"

"Don't just borrow, please take and permanently keep her."

Anika stuck her tongue out at him in response, making Priyanka laugh. "And shouldn't you two be getting changed? Omkara Bhaiya, I left your tux on your bed and Shivaay Bhaiya, Pinky Aunty has yours. She keeps looking at it and bursting into tears. I think she's more excited for tonight than both you and Tia combined."

As Omkara and Shivaay exchanged looks, Priyanka took Anika's arm and began pulling her towards her bedroom.

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

"Anika, I know you were planning on just wearing the staff uniform tonight but you were my best friend and now, you're family. And so I got you something." Reaching for one of the many, many shelves in her wardrobe, Priyanka pulled down a large, black box.

She placed it next to where Anika was sitting on the bed. "I knew if I gave it to you any earlier, you'd probably take it back to the shop and then bring me back the money they refunded you. So I saved it for today and I'm giving it to you as a gift. And if you don't wear it, I'll cry. You know I'm an ugly crier and my eyes stay puffy for days so all photos of me tonight will be forever ruined if you don't wear it."

"Okay, okay. Look, Pri, I'll take a look at it and if I think I can do all my jobs for tonight while wearing it, then I will wear it. Fair?"

"Sure." Priyanka beamed.

"Why do you look so happy?"

"Do you honestly think I didn't take that into consideration when I bought it? Now you've backed yourself into a corner."

Anika gulped and lifted the lid.

"Anika." Priyanka let out a loud wolf-whistle as Anika stepped out from behind the screen. The plain black ballgown fit her body like a glove. It had a halter neck cut, but instead of simple material ending at the base of the neck, it in fact ended partway up her neck as a gold choker which clasped the dress shut at the back. The back was cutout to just below the curve of her spine, but to keep it firmly secured there were two black ties which could be knotted into a bow above her shoulder blades, essentially serving the same purpose as a dori.

Anika had swept her hair up into a messy bun in order to fasten the clasp at her neck, but a few loose strands had escaped and Priyanka started rambling that a tidier version of this was exactly how she should wear it tonight. "I have to go get Soumya! Don't move! I'll be right back." And with that, Priyanka darted from the room.

"Wait, Pri, the bows!"

Anika heaved a sigh and turned to look at herself in the mirror. The dress truly was beautiful and she would venture the gold neck clasp alone probably cost more than she paid in rent over three months. With her hair up, and wearing the oversized gold drop earrings Priyanka had pulled from a smaller navy box, Anika could believe that she almost looked beautiful too.

Shivaay had called her beautiful. She'd tried not to think about that night, his words as painful as they had been humiliating. But he had called her beautiful and that she could allow herself to remember.

"Hey Prinku are you sure you want me to wear..." his voice cut to nothing as he met Anika's eyes in the mirror. She spun quickly, turning her exposed back away from him.

Shivaay didn't seem to notice. His expression grew darker, hungrier and he closed the door as he stepped into the room. As though in a trance, he walked towards her. When he was close enough that she could see his eyes, she saw that his pupils were so large that the usual ice-storm of his irises had been all but completely obliterated.

Wordlessly, he stopped in front of her and held up his left arm and opened his right palm. Anika's eyes darted down and she realised what he wanted her to do. She picked up one platinum cufflink and slotted it through the cuffs of his shirt. Her heart beating a painful drumbeat against her ribcage, she finished securing it in place and picked up the other cufflink as Shivaay handed her his right cuff. Her skin brushed against his as she worked, the rough hair on his arms a sensual caress against the soft skin of her fingers.

"Turn." His command was hoarse. She did as he asked, felt him tremble as he picked up the two sashes of the tie. She felt his hands brush against her nape as he pulled them together and her breath hitched in her throat, her body stiffened. He paused for a moment, and then deftly continued to tie the bow. There was something so startlingly intimate about helping each other with the details of dressing that Anika couldn't let herself focus on it lest she collapse onto the floor. She focused instead on breathing in. And out.

Breathe in.

And out.

A moment later, she thought he was done and started to face him again when he stopped her with a hand on her waist. He stood beside her and they looked at each other in the mirror in front of them. Just looked. And then he ran one hand down the curve of her spine and Anika closed her eyes, shivering.

That was when they heard the sound of voices coming towards them and both she and Shivaay swiftly stepped away from each other.

The doors opened and Soumya came in, laughing at something Priyanka had just said. "Wow, you look amazing." Soumya darted over and made Anika do a twirl for her.

"Shivaay Bhaiya, you're looking pretty dapper yourself, you know. The classic tuxedo. Did you wear the cufflinks I gave you?"

Shivaay pulled his eyes away from where Anika was still swirling for Soumya. "Yes, Prinku. Of course. Here, look." He held up his sleeves and saw with satisfaction that Anika's cheeks crested with pink when her eyes caught sight of the cufflinks.

"Great," his sister clapped. "Getting ready is so easy for boys. Now you just need to go put some mousse in your hair and you're done. So if you don't mind, for us ladies, the preparations have just begun and we would appreciate some privacy."

She placed her hands on Shivaay's back and began pushing him out the door.

He turned one last time, ostensibly to hug Priyanka, but his eyes hunted for Anika's over his sister's shoulder. Found them.

His heart felt like it was about to beat right out of his chest.

It's just physical. It's physical. I'll get engaged. I'll get married. She'll be gone and so will these feelings. It's just physical. He kept repeating the mantra to himself on his way back to his own room.

Yeah, right. Came the voice of that one small part of his brain he seemed to have no control over. The part which seemed to take over completely whenever Anika was concerned. Just who exactly are you trying to kid, you stupid Bhagaad Billa?

10th Promise- "I Love Him"