Roundabout Love - A ShiVi OS

Hello,

I decided to participate in the Santa Prompts are coming to town where I picked prompt 3.

My entry is based on the last scene from Bridget Jones Diary (2001) and lyrics from the song Love is all around by Wet Wet Wet (1994), which both needed to be included in the story somewhere. I did edit a lot to stick to the word limit, so I may end up re-writing this if I ever get the itch.

Word count is Approximately 1617 Words.

The bus ride felt long as she sat beside Rahul, her boyfriend, who was fast asleep. Gazing outside the window, looking at the blurring scenery as they covered the final stretch to the resort that would be home for the next five days. The headphones blocking out all of the worldly noises, she hummed along in a low voice, lip-syncing to the lyrics of her favourite song that had just started playing, drawing parallels to the situation that she was stuck in currently.

I feel it in my fingers, I feel it in my toes

Love that's all around me, and so the feeling grows

It's written on the wind, it's everywhere I go,

So if you really love me, come on and let it show.

They had hated each other when they were younger, fighting like cats and dogs causing their families to intervene. Until her sixteenth birthday when his friends had egged him on and he placed a chaste kiss on her cheek. Something within her shifted, causing her to see him as he was and not what she had been shown. Now their fights held undercurrents of a different type of pleasure that she actively sought.

The memory of the sensations that Shiva left within her every time, the tempo of her heartbeat increasing, her lungs straining to catch the breath that seemed to elude her, whenever they had any contact ran through her mind; all it took was a brush past her or holding her hand as he pulled her away. She savored the contact, craved it, even more, the giddiness that came with the sensuality. The epiphany of what her feelings for him were, came to frame, she had begun the shaky walk down the path of love.

You know I love you, I always will

My mind's made up by the way that I feel

There's no beginning, there'll be no end

'Cause on my love you can depend

He hadn’t thought much of the life-altering kiss though, because he had asked Disha out within a week of her birthday. That hadn’t stopped her fanciful thoughts of him and she had fallen for him more every day with the subtle care he had for her underneath the cloak of aggression. Almost two years later he was still with Disha and she was Rahul’s girlfriend. But the thoughts of the elusive relationship refused to budge and she let out a sigh at the memory of his lips. Her intention of ending things with Rahul tonight, after a long six months, was firm, feeling like a cheat whenever she remembered every accidental touch, every glance, and every word that Shiva had bestowed on her.

The tap on her shoulder brought her out of her reverie. Pausing the song and taking her headphones off, she turned to see Rahul looking at her with questioning contemplation; almost understanding, did he know? Wondering if her traitorous thoughts were visible on her face, she smiled at him,

"What happened Rahul?"

"I wanted to ask you something, but will you give me an honest answer?

"Of course. What is it?"

"Do you have any feelings for me at all? I feel like I'm the only one present in this relationship."

"I was going to talk to you about that when we reached… No, I don't have any feelings for you; sorry Rahul. I thought I would eventually, but it isn't going to work out."

Silence hung between them, watching as he processed what she had said. Then,

"I thought so. Waise... Is it because of Shiva?"

"Hmmm…I mean no... Nothing like that…"

"Yes, it is."

"Okay fine. It is. But that stays between us because he is with Disha…” trailing off she continued “Friends?"

"Sure. But now I know your darkest secret so be nice." he teased, squeezing her shoulders.

The swerve of the bus pushed her into him and had them giggling as they settled back in their seats, oblivious to the eyes watching them from two rows behind.

***

She had overheard his argument accidentally, two months ago, when she had rushed into the store, excited about the Christmas skiing trip their college had organised for the final year students. Wanting to share with Shiva the news that her masima had finally agreed to let her go, she had with great zeal first told Gautam all about how she had convinced her masi, before walking towards the storeroom to surprise her supposed foe; he had his back turned to the door and she had managed to sneak in without him shouting for her to leave. That day, Shiva had caught her trying to sneak back out and had shared his problems with her for the first time. She had listened, consoled, and then given him suggestions for a resolution that stabbed at her heart.

Since that day though, he had become friendlier, spending more time with her than he did with Disha and even though they had sorted out their fight, he had begun to spend less time with her. On the other hand, their equation had changed and the flame that she had half heartedly stamped out, had slowly reignited leaving in its wake a hope that things would change in the future.

I see your face before me, as I lay on my bed

I kinda get to thinking, of all the things you said,

You gave your promise to me and I gave mine to you

I need someone beside me in everything I do

She had woken up cold and shivering, sleep eluding her, she looked out at the night sky, the moonlight bouncing off the snow, making everything seem brighter, ethereal. Putting in her earphones, she pressed play only to realise that she had played what she coined as their song from where it had stopped four days earlier. Taking a thick throw, she slowly shuffled onto the balcony, wrapping it around her to enjoy the view without disturbing her roommate. They had the one last day here; she was determined to enjoy it, wanting to bring in the new year with friends that she might not see after college ended, without getting distracted by the boy; no, a man with an onyx pair of eyes that occupied her every thought. She had felt his gaze on her ever so often, but whenever she turned to look, he averted it.

***

Catching her as she tripped over her skis, she spoke before he could,

“Ae ghadheri, can’t you see where you’re going? You would have fallen just now. Why are you so clumsy?”

“Are you hurt?” he asked quietly once she had finished. Surprised at the tone, she shook her head mutely, straightening, and walked towards the hire shop to return the gear that she had for the past five days, turning ever so slightly to watch as he walked away. On completing the check that the gear was okay and she had gotten her bond back, she moved towards her room, wanting to shower up and get ready for the bonfire they had planned for their last night.

***

Two hours later she sat across the flames, with her friends, watching as his face glowed in the orange light of the flames in the centre. Disha sat beside him, throwing daggers in her direction and she couldn’t help but wonder what had happened that they were both acting weird. One by one all their friends started dancing to the music that had started up; she watched the snow falling ever so lightly making the scene in front of her magical until her mug was empty. Getting up to put away the mug at the tables set up under the verandah, she hummed the song that was still stuck in her head. Her inattentiveness caused her to walk into the solid chest in front of her as she turned to go back to her seat.

An automatic apology left her lips and her eyes moved up the dark parka to the face she could outline from memory. His eyes swirled with banked desire and she shivered, a mix of the heat from his unblinking stare and the cold on her back that contrasted to the warmth where their bodies touched. Grazing her finger over his forehead and down his cheek, relaxing the muscles in the serious face, finally moving to play with the ends of the hair that brushed the collar of his jacket.

You know I love you, I always will

My mind's made up by the way that I feel

There's no beginning, there'll be no end

'Cause on my love you can depend

There was a slight hesitation, then his lips were over hers and she forgot all the thoughts that had been swirling through her head. As the kiss deepened, her insides churned, eyes closing and the sensations taking over, the warmth seeping through every pore, cocooning her from within. He pulled back, eyes closed as though in a meditative trance and she couldn’t stop the slight whimper that escaped, complaining,

“Wait a minute. Nice boys don’t kiss like that.” hoping that he would continue where he left off.

“It's a good thing then, that I’m not nice," he said, capturing her lips again.

Pulling away as his tongue delved between her lips yet again, she voiced the unsaid question between them,

“What about Disha?”

“I broke up with her last night when I heard Rahul tell Asha that you were no longer together.”

“Stupid. Ghadheda. Idiot.” she said, hitting him lightly, before kissing him fully to make up for the time that they had almost lost, silently promising to never let go.

I love love love this! Please write more! Will comment longer after I’ve reread at least 5 more times!

Originally posted by: IshqKaRang

I love love love this! Please write more! Will comment longer after I’ve reread at least 5 more times!

Aww, thank you, Neetu!!!❤️

Looking forward to your long comment. I have to go through my archives for all the drafts I had for this... There was a particular way I did want this initially before I remembered the word count so I might write it out if I get inspiration (Shivi currently make me want to write so much angst)

Originally posted by: Kfof

Lovedd itt ❤️

Kshama my number one reader!! Thank you!!!

Awww such a cute, college love story of the two❤️ He kissed during her 16th birthday, and it took them more than 2 years probably close to 3 years after that to get together. Shiva indeed is a Gadheda as Raavi said😆

How cute and adorable it was

My first reaction was oh.. So Rahul is good guy here and disha as usual non existant😆

I can imagine shiva and raavi going around in circles and doing nothing about their feelings😆 Such a shivi thing to do... Being gadheda and cute little dobi.

Ekdum feel good kinda story

Loved it soo much❤️

Oh how I've loved this piece with the bottom of my heart!

I can't with this dynamics-

So pure.

So breathtaking and so so so intense in its unique way.

This signifies all the doba-dobi(ness) of both the characters in a very beautiful way.

Can't complain. Disha and daggers? I got an image from the show in my head while reading. We all know which one. The crayyy crayyy eyes yo. 😆

Keep writing//

Lots of love// ❤️

How Lovely, good Raavi broke up with Rahul and he was so understanding.

Shiva is hilarious… it seems he was only waiting for Raavi to break up with Rahul

so cute… please write more