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Chapter Four: The Masquerade
" I can't take it" anika thought. It was too much for her, she could hear her heart beating loudly, the feelings that she felt were the same she last felt five years ago , in the same garden. "how can this be? Maybe there is something wrong with the air in the garden, makes me feel weird."
She had just gone to the garden to have some peace but someone was there. He wore all black with a mask covering the area around his green eyes. The eyes were distinctly familiar to her, realising that she was staring at him and he was doing the same , she cleared her throat and made a move to leave.
She hadn't expected what he said next, he was a stranger yet she said yes when he asked for a dance.
It was fine until he pulled her closer and she really realised how close they were. His touch was burning her through the fabric of her dress. Most important thing was that he was shivaay's friend and she shouldn't be feeling this way with him, it's just wrong.
Heaving a sigh as she had left him so abruptly, she entered the party. She could see that people were dancing and the lights were dim. She quickly scanned the crowd for any familiar face or maybe familiar dress would be better.
She spotted dadi sitting on a sofa with some other women and a man. Anika approached dadi and dadi smiled when she saw her. "oh anika, where were you? Have you met billu yet?" dadi asked her without really giving her time to respond. The next minute , a man appeared from behind dadi and she gasped.
This was the same man, shivaay's friend but what is he doing here? Surely dadi must be mistaken, after all people are wearing masks, this man couldn't be the one dadi was implying him to be. anika thought.
Then the man removed his mask and bent down to touch dadi's feet and takes her blessings. Anika stood frozen , this man was shivaay and the twitch of a smile on his face was proof that he was definitely laughing at her. She had told him so many things that she hasn't told anyone, she called shivaay an idiot in front of shivaay, how stupid, she mentally face-palmed herself. she wondered how is she even going to look him in the face but then looking at him, she remembered what he did and her eyes narrowed.
She smiles wide and excuses herself " dadi I have some work to do , I'll be back."
Anika goes to where food items are placed and she starts talking to the servant. " oh god, how many times do I have to tell you that.." before she could finish she was facing shivaay as he had held her shoulder and turned her to face him.
"why are you taking out your anger at him?" shivaay asked irritating anika further.
"who said I am angry?" she asks him and is about to leave when shivaay holds her wrist and pulls her back.
"speak" shivaay says one word and that's all she needed.
" Fine ! you want me to speak? I'll speak then" shivaay was still holding her wrist and so she just starts walking and he follows never releasing his hold on her. They go to a corner where nobody can see them and anika pulls off her mask.
"how dare you? I don't want your money." She yelled at him but shivaay remained calm "technically, I didn't give you any money. I just..." anika interrupted him and almost screeched "you bought me a house!! it's the same thing... almost" and her look was of pure disbelief.
"look, just keep it okay. I don't understand why you are making such an issue about this, it wasn't even expensive." He said as if 12 lakhs were 12 rupees instead.
Anika looked with disgust at his face " just because you are rich and have all the money in the world , I doesn't mean you'll buy anyone a house"
"you are not anyone anika" hearing this anika calmed a bit.
"you don't know me shivaay and I am perfectly capable of buying a house for myself." Anika told him with seriousness.
"yes right! I can see that, and I do know you. You weren't able to even pay your rent" he scoffed
"you are so arrogant! So what if I am struggling , I never asked for anyone's help and I certainly don't need yours" when she said that shivaay remained silent and gritted his teeth.
"take the your money back from my landlord and give the house to them." Shivaay didn't say anything again.
"five years shivaay, you were gone and now you are changed man and I changed too. I haven't been in this house in past 5 years and I don't need any favours from you shivaay. I am not coming back here after today, just leave me alone okay?" anika explained as she was tired of arguing.
"are you angry at me because I bought a house for you or because I left?" he asked as he pulled her closer. " I know you remember the last time we were together." Anika blushed as she remembered as soon as he mentioned it.
"I don't care if you left, my world doesn't revolve around you. Yes we were friends ... kind of, but whatever happened last time was because we both were upset, it was just a vulnerable moment for us. It doesn't mean anything and this isn't even the issue here. I don't want you to buy me a house, we are practically strangers now so take it back and we won't have to see each other anymore."
"no! I am not taking the money back and no you're not going anywhere" he tightens his hold on her.
"what? why do you care what I do and Who are you to stop me? let me tell you , you are no one mr. sso and if you touch me again i... I am going to throw water on you." Saying this she snatches her wrist from his grasp and leaves.
Shivaay kept looking at her as she left and her question kept ringing in his ears "why do you care what I do and who are you to stop me?" she was right to ask this question. Even he didn't know why he was doing this.
~
Shivaay came back and went to his brother who talking and laughing. As shivaay approached them, his thoughts were still focused on anika and rudra noticed that. "bhaiya?" when rudra called out shivaay looked at rudra and om had a smile on his face.
"so you met anika didi?" rudra asked and om observed shivaay's expressions change for a fleeting second.
"yeah" he said trying to be nonchalant about it. "how did it go?" om asked. "what do you mean how did it go? It was fine!" shivaay said leaving omRu shocked. "relax shivaay, why are you getting so hyper?" om asked amused.
"because that girl is so difficult!" saying this he left not giving his brothers a chance to say anything.
Om Ru looked after shivaay, then at each other and started laughing. "there is something going on between them" Rudy said and Om agreed " yes and we just have to wait because the fun has just begun."
~
"ladies and gentlemen, may I have your attention please." Tej Singh Oberoi spoke through the mike and everyone had their attention on him. There was a man and a young lady standing next to him.
"on the occasion of this new year, I would like to thanks Mr. Rajiv Khurana and his gorgeous daughter Tia Khurana for joining us not only here but in our business as well." And saying this he clapped followed by a huge round of applause.
Then tej called shivaay. " and now most important news is that MR Khurana and I are not only going to be business partners but soon we will be a family. We have decided to marry shivaay and tia." Hearing this, the crowd roared in happiness and clapped. People were now congratulating Pinky and Shakti but piky wasn't happy that Jethji decided this on his own, it was her right to choose her bahu.
But four people amongst the crowd were shocked and definitely not happy. OmRu were looking at their father with disagreement at his decision and anika was stunned and shocked out of her mind because for a second she had liked getting Shivaay's attention and now he was being promised to someone else. Her eyes found shivaay's and found him looking at her directly. He wasn't smiling or anything, just expressionless.
Anika couldn't look at him anymore and turned to leave but was stopped dadi.
She didn't get the time to say or do anything when the lights dimmed and people started couple dancing, apparently tej had announced the last dance to start which would end with a countdown.
Anika was about to leave when a man asked her to dance and she looked at shivaay, he was dancing with tia so she said yes to him.
[play music - Ishaara -force 2]
Pal bhar mein tere ho jayenge
Koi ishaara toh karo
Tere bin kahaan aur kidhar jayenge
Zara samjha toh karo
Both of them were dancing with someone else but looking at each other. Anika was trapped in his gaze and couldn't look anywhere else. It was as if he was trying to say something but couldn't.
Saaye se tere lipat jayenge
Koi ishaara toh karo
Chupke se neendon me aa jayenge
Koi ishaara toh karo
Raaton se teri guzar jayenge
Koi ishaara toh karo
The guy anika was dancing with twirled her and again her eyes found his. She was feeling so many emotions but didn't understand what it was. she was happy he was back but now he would be engaged then what should she think of his actions. He must have known that he will be engaged. Anika finally looked away.
And suddenly she was getting pulled by someone and when she looked it shivaay, he pulled her close and continued dancing. Anika is about to speak when shivaay puts a finger on her lips. "shhh..."
Aankho mein dekho humaari
Naye khwaab kuch chal rahe
Shayad Khuda ki hai marzi
Hum aur tum mill rahe hain
Hum aur tum mill rahe hain
He made her look in his eyes, and she remembered the dance they just had. He twirled her and pulled her back mid-twirl so that her back was to his chest. He had his arm around her stomach and anika looked around to see if someone was looking. She struggled to get out of his grasp but her struggles seized when shivaay asked her "are you jealous?" he was resting his head on her shoulder and spoke in her ear, his breath caressing the side of her face.
Chaahoge jab tum qareeb aayenge
Koi ishaara toh karo
Na chaahoge toh chale jayenge
Koi ishaara toh karo
They swayed slow to the rhythm. Anika couldn't speak, her heart was beating so loudly because shivaay was so close to her. "why... why would I be... jealous?" she stammered. "you tell me anika?"
"I don't know what you are talking about and shouldn't you be dancing with Tia? What are you doing here. It was just now announced you are to be engaged and what are you doing?" there was no response from shivaay but then he whispered something in her ear.
Kabhi naa kabhi toh
Khatam hi ho jaayengi apni saansein
Tab tak mera saath dena
Jitni bhi lambi ho raatein
Jitni bhi lambi ho raatein
"I'm not engaged yet and I can dance with whoever I want. I like dancing with you?"
"why are you doing this" anika said but there was no response from shivaay. They kept dancing but never spoke anything.
Badloge karvat nazar aayenge
Koi ishara toh karo
Aankhon me teri simat jayenge
Koi ishara toh karo
He turned her to face him and both of them kept looking in each other's eyes.
~
After a few songs there were 15 minutes left for new year and everyone removed there masks and gathered with their family and friends as the countdown began. 1..2..3..4..
Anika stood with prinku and tried not to look for shivaay.
5..6..7..9..
She felt someone behind her and at 10 as everyone screamed Happy New Year, she could only hear the voice behind her "Happy New Year anika" which was shivaay's.
She turned to look at him and after a few seconds wished him "Happy New Year Shivaay" and then her best friend snatched her attention and everything was fine once again.
~
The only people left in Oberoi mansion were MR Khurana, Tia and Anika.
"so, I think we should have the engagement party in a week" Mr Khurana suggested. "yes, that will be good" pinky said.
Pinky had a talk with tia and she immediately liked her. Everyone was happy and were planning how they were going to celebrate and then dresses, themes, etc.
Anika was just standing and watching when she felt as it someone was staring at her and she turned her head to look at shivaay. Shivaay kept looking at her and then suddenly smiled when he heard his mother talking about getting an Event Planner. He moved towards his mom.
Anika was confused when she saw him smile and decided it time for her to leave. She went dadi and told her that she was going home now. As she turned to leave, pinky stopped her "anika wait, billu gave me such a good idea right now. I have decided that you are going to plan the engagement party, help us organise it"
Anika was shocked and so were OmRu , all of them looked at shivaay. Anika was angry suddenly and om smiled as he realised shivaay's plans.
"O, I think bhaiya has had a 360 degree change of attitude. Only a few days ago he had said that no one understands feeling and only know the language of business, then what is he doing now?" rudra asked om.
"he's crazy or maybe he is in love" om said amused. "what? This is not possible" rudra said with wide eyes and jaw hanging open. Om hit rudra on his head "drama queen".
On the other side anika was trying to deny Pinky when dadi also asked anika to accept it and then tia also insisted so anika agreed.
"anika puttar, why don't you just stay with us for the duration" dadi suggested
"sorry dadi, I can't, I mean how can I stay here.." anika was interrupted when pinky spoke "why can't you stay? You used to do that all the time when you were young."
"billu, ask her to stay" dadi said and shivaay smiled.
"anika, please stay" but hearing him say this she was more determined to leave. "I'm sorry dadi, I really have to go home. I'll be here tomorrow morning." Saying this anika is about to go when prinku comes forward "anika, won't you stay for me, we'll have so much fun" and finally anika let the matter go and decided to stay.
~
Anika was staying in prinku's room and it was decided that she'll go home tomorrow to bring her clothes.
Prinku was already asleep but anika wasn't able get a wink of sleep so she went to the kitchen to drink some water.
Upon entering the kitchen, she opened the fridge and poured herself a glass. After sating her thirst she puts the bottle back in the fridge as she is about to leave shivaay comes there and blocks her path. Anika looks at him irritated "what do you want now?"
" I wan't so many things but right now I just want an answer"
"what answer?" anika crosses her arms.
Shivaay moves closer and anika steps back "were you jealous?"
"oh my god! Not again. No I am not jealous" she says with pressure on every word.
"we will see about that" shivaay says "are you challenging me?" anika asks disbelief. "I will not be jealous of Tia" anika says adamant to make him believe.
"as I said we will see about that and yes I am challenging you" saying this shivaay takes what he needed and before leaving says "and anika? Didn't I say you weren't going anywhere?" .
Anika remained standing there.
~ To Be Continued ~
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WAITING FOR YOUR FEEDBACKS EAGERLY 😃 Edited by -Escape- - 8 years ago
Anupamaa
