ShaKhi FF: Secrets of the Courtship *Chapter V pg 27* (7/5) - Page 5

Originally posted by: Akanksha29100

Why did this has to stop? I want to read more. 😒

Like I am totally in for this....

Jyada time nai lenaa....waise bi abi shuru kaa hafta esa mu/fight mein hi jayega sakhiii kaa so you update quickly quickly 😆

Thank you so much for reading!! I'll definitely be updating soon because I'm totally lost in these two

@bold hahaha they are fighting in the episodes, they are fighting in this story, our poor shakhi are destined to always be fighting 🤣🤣

Nice start of the FF. So Anokhi hs retured back to the same university as a Director, n she will nw be Shaurya's equal. She accepted the job just to taunt him. Wd look forward to knw abt their story....both past n future. Do update soon. 🤗😁

Originally posted by: infinitie

Thanks so much for reading!! This Anokhi has something to prove and Shaurya, like always, refuses to let anyone know what's going on inside his mind or heart. So we'll have to see where these two go from the cold war they've got going on now!!

I know myself and know that I'm most definitely going to ramble so thank you for appreciating my long chapters 😅😅😅 I'll be bringing more of them soon 🤣🤣

Looking forward to read it.

Originally posted by: jhankarbeats87

Nice start of the FF. So Anokhi hs retured back to the same university as a Director, n she will nw be Shaurya's equal. She accepted the job just to taunt him. Wd look forward to knw abt their story....both past n future. Do update soon. 🤗😁

Thank you so much for reading!! Yes she is back to work at SIAC so these two will be forced to interact 😂😂 I'll be sure to give a good mix of both past and present as I continue and will definitely update soon!!

Originally posted by: deepshiii

Hi Sruthi😄 You can call me Deepshi..

Oh, I love longer updates😂 I go into a different world reading these FFs, SS, OS or maybe I should say I end up in ShaKhiland😂😂

Amazing, hi Deepshi!!! I'm also in ShaKhiland all day so glad you're there too 😂

Heyy!! Wonderful start!! I like this take on their story. Anokhi’s return after being successful in her career is amazing. And how I wish Shaurya could speak his mind for once. Par koi nahi...

Very curious to see how the past has lead them to where they are. And honestly very very happy that Shaan is still involved in the institute enough to invite Anokhi on an important position.

In dono ki takkar will be worth-reading!! Looking forward to see how the story moves ahead!! ❤️

Originally posted by: anamika365

Heyy!! Wonderful start!! I like this take on their story. Anokhi’s return after being successful in her career is amazing. And how I wish Shaurya could speak his mind for once. Par koi nahi...

Very curious to see how the past has lead them to where they are. And honestly very very happy that Shaan is still involved in the institute enough to invite Anokhi on an important position.

In dono ki takkar will be worth-reading!! Looking forward to see how the story moves ahead!! ❤️

Thank you so much ❤️ I've always wanted to see their professional tashan so I was like, gotta make her just as successful in what she does! Hahaha neither of them is willing to let the other see that they are weak but this is only the starting 😉 And yes, Shaan has finally decided to take ownership of his responsibilites and his duty towards his son!!! I'm glad you enjoyed and I'll be sure to update soon 😊

Wow! Fab start 👏

So Shakhi have a bitter past.

Shaan knows their story and Shaan Shaurya have mended their differences.

I am excited to know how this story will unfold.

Chapter II

“Thank you so much Shaan sir. I’ll finish up the paperwork at home and bring it in on Monday.” Anokhi stood in front of her car, surprised at herself for accepting the position.

“There's no rush on that Anokhi. Nothing is finalized yet because we haven’t gotten unanimous agreement from the Trustees yet. Some still need a bit of convincing but I’m positive you’ll manage.” She gave a determined nod and Shaan observed the woman who he had first met at the tender age of 19. She had the same resolve as she did then.

“You’ve changed a lot Anokhi. You’ve grown and achieved so much. I couldn’t be prouder of you,” he praised, speaking not as an employer but as her well-wisher. Anokhi was grateful to have his support and thought back to what would have happened if he hadn’t been fighting for her.

“This is all thanks to you and Aastha ma’am sir. Without the two of you, I wouldn’t be where I am today.” Shaan shook his head at her humility, unwilling to let her diminish the fruits of her labor.

“Anokhi this is the result of your hard work. You’re the reason for all your success. We were just along for the ride.” Anokhi couldn’t express how much hearing that meant to her. Nor could she express how much it meant to her that he was still on her side and still supported her to this day. All she could do was mutter an insufficient thank you, leaning to touch his feet. He stopped her before she could, placing his hand on her head as a blessing.

“Go home and rest now. You’re probably tired. I’ll see you on Monday at the meeting.” Anokhi nodded and Shaan gave her another smile before heading back to talk to his son who currently stood by his office window, watching the exchange between SIAC’s new Program Director and his father.

Once she was alone, Anokhi took in the campus she vowed to never see again for a moment longer. She felt a pair of eyes on her and instinctively looked up to where she suspected they were. Where they had once been. And indeed, she saw Shaurya watching her, face blank. He didn’t look away when she caught him, nor did she. Instead, he slowly clapped to congratulate her on her new position. She didn’t humor him with a reaction, opening her car door and leaving.

As soon as her car drove off, Shaurya whipped the curtain shut, the entire façade of disinterest crumbling. He was raging. As his mind replayed every second since he saw her in the conference room, his anger intensified. Reaching for the first thing he could, Shaurya threw it with a vengeance, shattering the unsuspecting sculpture against the wall. Shaan expected as much. Shaurya’s anger usually simmered below the surface but when it reached a boiling point, it destroyed everything in its path.

A light rap on the door brought Shaurya out of his fit but did little to temper his fury. Rather his father's arrival added fuel to the fire. Shaan didn’t wait for permission to enter, stepping around the shattered plaster.

“Shaurya, let me explain,” he was cut off by a hand and his son’s icy demeanor.

“Don’t bother. You lost your chance to explain when you didn’t tell me that she was coming.” Shaan had known. In fact, he had been the one to reach out to her. This betrayal stung more than her reentry into his life.

“Why didn’t you tell me?” Shaurya demanded, contradicting his previous words. “Is she more important to you than I am? You’re on her side, is that it? Of course you are. Why am I even asking? Anyone I don't like, you're their biggest supporter. What’s new about this?” His father had always prioritized and empathized with everyone but him. Growing up it was his mother and now it was Anokhi. When had Shaan ever bothered to understand him? In this situation too, he was probably seen as the villain.

“Shaurya,” Shaan began calmly, knowing his son's walls would be up and he'd be unwilling to listen to reason. “I didn’t tell you because I knew that you’d be like this. You would never let me contact her. But this is for SIAC, Shaurya. This program is going to be revolutionary for us. It’s an amazing initiative and it's your pet project. I wanted the best and that's Anokhi. She can help us make it a reality.” He shrugged off Shaan's justifications with irritation, doing just as his father suspected. He refused to acknowledge the benefits that would come from this because his judgement was clouded by his emotions.

“Shaurya, every single faculty and director found her qualified. What would they think if I didn’t reach out? If I didn’t even try to get her to come?” Shaan appealed to his professionalism because he knew trying to appeal to the man would be fruitless. Personally, Shaurya would forever be opposed. But if he could convince him that the professional benefits outweighed the personal costs, then maybe he'd reluctantly accept.

Deep down, Shaurya knew his father was right. People would have raised questions on the integrity of their hiring process if, after such overwhelmingly approval, they chose not to approach the candidate. But his mind kept replaying her cocky acceptance and he felt his resentment swell.

Shaan had tried to break through his son’s shell over the past few years. But he quickly realized that the damage was too deep for him to bandage. Shaurya was emotionally stronger than he had been. Where Shaan nursed his broken heart with alcohol and memories, Shaurya locked them away merely a few days following her departure. For the world, all was well with Shaurya Sabherwal. But Shaan knew that though time passed around him, Shaurya was still stuck in the past. Whether he’d admit it or not, the bitterness was eating him up from inside. And if not a happy ending, Shaan hoped the two could at least receive some closure.

“Just think about it Shaurya. She’ll be back on Monday to give the presentation to the Trustees. See what they think and then make up your mind about whether you want to be involved or not.” And with that request, Shaan left Shaurya alone in his office with only his thoughts and fury to keep him company.

❈~❈~❈~❈~❈

It had taken half the day to unpack her belongings and her jetlag had her falling asleep at random times. Waking up at the weirdest hours of the night, Anokhi walked through the unfamiliar space, trying to find something homey about it. Though this apartment was her’s, she was barely ever home. Work took her everywhere and she never really stuck to one place. When she said she wanted to fly, this wasn’t necessarily what she had in mind. But she couldn’t complain. She was the one who never wanted to stay in this city for long. Maybe Monday would come and she’d learn it was pointless to have unpacked. The SIAC trustees might not even approve the proposal and she'd just accept one of the other offers pending. Nonetheless, her efforts to secure the project would be 100%. The rest was up to them.

Opening her laptop, she pulled out the files she received with the proposed plans along with her own program notes. As Anokhi began to modify her existing presentation, she absentmindedly turned on the radio to fill the silence. Usually, her mind was laser focused when she was working, but today, the music caught her attention. Whether the sleep deprivation was to blame or the events of the day, she subconsciously increased the volume and her thoughts drifted to a memory that she hadn’t revisited in recent history.

“Come on yaar Anokhi, you have to sing. You lost the bet fair and square so now no excuses. Stop wasting time.” Reema continued her pestering while Anokhi shrugged her off, hoping her friend would drop the matter. But unfortunately her friends were just as persistent as she was.

“Friends, today our very own Ms. Anokhi Bhalla will be performing a beautiful song for us. Come on everyone, clap.” Leading the whole class into a round of applause, she strongarmed Anokhi into standing up. Her dark orbs flashed to the clock and she decided to quickly finish the bet. Beginning with a few bars of the song she had most recently heard, her eyes closed as she got into the tune as she often did when she sang. That was her mistake that day.

When she finished her bet and opened her eyes, rather than being met with scattered applause and appreciative cheers, she faced a class that was fully silent. A moment later the sound of one person clapping caused her to whip around. Damn!

“Amazing, Ms. Bhalla. Truly spectacular.” Anokhi was usually very careful to maintain a certain decorum in class. Today, because of Reema, she was caught in this predicament. She couldn't only blame her friend though. She should have been more mindful of time. But she still didn't understand why he was here?

“If your concert is finished, can I start class?” Caught up in the surprise of Shaurya's sudden appearance Anokhi didn’t realize that he had directed a question to her. She detected the amusement twinkling in his eye despite his stoic expression.

"Ms. Bhalla?" He snapped his fingers before her face. "Are you planning to teach today? Should I leave?” She shook her head and muttered a quick sorry before going back to her seat. As he informed the class that he was subbing in for their usual professor that day, she opened her textbook. Reema apologized for landing her in Shaurya’s line of fire, but Anokhi silently assured her it was fine. After all, as far as her classmates knew, these two couldn't stand each other. So, whenever she met his eyes, she ducked her head to hide the way her lips curved up. Once the lecture ended, Anokhi packed up and was headed out the door when Shaurya stopped her.

“Ms. Bhalla, please see me in my cabin after your next class.” She nodded somberly and received another round of apologies from her friends. Excusing herself from the group after their last class for the day, she made her way to Shaurya’s office.

“May I come in, sir?” She asked, finding him leafing through a book. He waved her in and Anokhi figured he was going to rebuke her for wasting class time. Nonetheless, she hesitated at the entrance. “Should I close the door?” She questioned, taking a tentative step inside.

“Why?" He began in his typical teasing manner, tilting his head to look at her. "What do you want to do with the door closed?” Anokhi, who hated when he managed to make her blush, purposefully opened the door even wider.

“Nothing!” She entered the cabin proudly and her annoyance brought him another round of amusement. When Shaurya did close the door, she rolled her eyes. He could have just answered her question with a straightforward, yes. Why did everything have to be an innuendo? Again she caught herself blushing and looked down so her hair shrouded her features. Gently tucking the strands behind her ear, Shaurya brought her eyes to meet his. He adored the crimson of her cheeks whenever his words affected her. And though he had actual business when he asked her to come, he was yet again distracted by her.

“I think, more than me, you have something else in mind. I thought you called me here because I interrupted class.” Her mouth twitched upward when Shaurya didn’t deny the allegation. He instead leaned in closer and spoke in a whisper. “I always have something else on my mind.” Anokhi averted her eyes and this time, his lips curved into a smile.

"By the way, I must say, I'm impressed. You're quite the actress. What was that expression you had when I asked you to see me after class?" He mimicked the deeply ashamed nod that she had given him before laughing, unable to resist picking on her for a moment longer. He could only assume it was an act so that people didn't catch onto their relationship. "Nice. Very convincing."

"I really thought you were going to scold me. That's what you always do anyways." She justified, referencing all the times that he behaved as her professor rather than her boyfriend. Anokhi didn't mind either, but she could never predict which hat he'd don when.

"Oh really?" He asked, trying to pull her closer to him which Anokhi didn't allow, stepping back as soon as she saw his hands reaching for her. She tried and failed to suppress a smile at his confusion. "Really," she jibed light-heartedly, taking her revenge for his previous teasing. "Well that's not why I called you," and to avoid veering their conversation fully off course, extended his hand out. “Your phone.”

“My phone?" It was her turn to be confused. "Why? What do you need my phone for?” He remained silent, directed her to place her phone in his palm. Hesitantly fishing it out from her bag, she handed it to him. Resting against a chair, he thumbed through her contacts as she got closer, trying to see what he was doing. Catching her wandering gaze, he raised his hand higher so she couldn’t see.

“That’s not fair! You can’t always use your height like this.” She complained, looking around to find a way to see what exactly he was doing with her phone.

“You should have grown taller then,” he responded unsympathetically, finding the contact he was looking for. Memorizing the number, he barely navigated away by the time she stood on the chair to match his height.

“Anokhi,” he exclaimed as she placed her hands on his shoulders to keep herself steady. “See, I grew taller." She flashed him a triumphant grin before continuing to pester. "What were you doing on my phone?” Shaurya shrugged, refusing to divulge the information she wanted despite her adorable curiosity. “Nothing that concerns you.”

“You were using my phone! How could that not concern me?” Shaurya was unmoved, refusing to tell her what he was planning. He had randomly taken a look at the academic calendar a few days earlier and realized she would be finishing up her semester soon. And with her pending graduation, Shaurya figured he was done hiding her away from the world. He was done with them being each other’s secrets.

“Have patience Ms. Bhalla, you’ll find out soon enough,” he promised with a smile, flicking the tip of her nose with his finger playfully. She swatted his hand away as he began to scroll through her phone again.

“Anyways, what do you have me saved as in here?” Anokhi’s eyes widened and she quickly snatched the phone away from him before he could see. He gave her a perplexed look at the sudden movement.

“That’s nothing that concerns you,” she gave back, flicking his nose this time with a cheeky grin.

Anokhi’s was brought out of her daydream at the sound of the radio host's abrupt commentary, and shook her head to purge these stupid thoughts. Apparently seeing him once was enough to unlock moments that she promised she would never relive. Turning off the music to avoid anymore walks down memory lane, she went back to work, unaware that a similarly restless soul was reminiscing many of the same memories.

❈~❈~❈~❈~❈

The weekend was truly always too short and Monday brought with it a new challenge. Sitting in the same conference room, Anokhi went over her slides one last time. She knew they were perfect because this was the tenth time she was reviewing them that morning, but she could not afford to make a mistake. Not here. Exhaustion was taking its toll on her and Anokhi reclined in her chair, closing her eyes to get her head in the game. God, she needed caffeine.

Shaurya, like usual, came earlier than the rest. He was always the first to arrive and the last to leave. But today, it seemed someone beat him to the punch. He stopped in his tracks, surprised to find Anokhi already sitting in the conference room. Well not sitting exactly. She appeared to be napping. He observed her features for a second, trying to find anything familiar in them. But she had been unrecognizable a few days back and she still looked like a stranger today.

“Did you sleep here?” Shaurya’s entertained voice cut through her grogginess and was a stronger energizer than any beverage for remedying fatigue. Her mind immediately focused as her eyes opened and fell on him, resting against the door frame with his arms crossed.

“It’s amazing Ms. Bhalla. Every time I find you, you're sleeping somewhere on campus.” He continued with a dry laugh. She could only wonder why he caught her when she was less than perfect. Though she didn’t bat an eye, internally she was cursing the universe for sending him a minute late. He should have seen her preparing for her presentation instead. Another part of her mind chided her for even caring.

“Luckily I have a place of my own now. I don’t need this college to be my shelter anymore.” He remained unimpressed, moving from the door to lean against the table beside her. He was just far enough such that their bodies wouldn’t touch, but close enough that she could feel the coldness in his demeanor.

“Seems like you don't need anything anymore.” He challenged her to deny the characterization and she caught the implication. But he was right. She didn’t need this college anymore. Nor did she need him. So she refused to back down.

“Did I need to spell that out for you?” Shaurya smirked at her feisty response, expecting nothing less from this new and supposedly improved Anokhi Bhalla. He moved to his seat on the opposite end of the table. They weren’t allies because they would never be on the same side. Yet, they weren’t enemies because they were working towards the same end. Where did that leave them?

“So, if you weren’t sleeping, why are you here so early?” He inquired, going back to the initial point of conversation that had led them down this rabbit hole. “I came in to set up.” Anokhi smoothed her hair, making sure that she was presentable since there was no more time to rest. Studying her action briefly, Shaurya didn’t need to be intimately acquainted with her to see that she was tired.

"I see," he began, while dialing a number into the phone at the center of the table. “Yeah, what are you doing? The refreshments aren't in the conference room and the Trustees will be here any minute. Send it up quickly. And…coffee?” He asked her in between his conversation with the man over the intercom. "Two coffees as well," Before she could respond he corrected himself. “Wait I forgot, you only drink tea, right? Make that one coffee and one tea for Anokhi madam.” His emphasis on the title caught her attention and she quickly put her hand over the holder before he could hang up. “I drink coffee now,” she informed him matter-of-factly.

“Oh, very nice. Then two coffees it is.” He paused for a moment and gave her a look she couldn't decipher. Following his gaze down, she realized she was still covering the phone holder. Quickly retracting her hand, she laced her fingers together on the table. Meanwhile his mind was still stuck on her new order, as though it were really that big a deal. Yet to him, it was. Because the woman he knew insisted that there was nothing better than a good cup of tea to relieve exhaustion. But this Anokhi was dead set on distancing herself from whatever memories of her he had, no matter how big or small.

“So, you’re ready? Dad has high expectations of you.” The condescension practically dripped from his tone, as though he expected her to fall short. “I don’t disappoint.” Her statement was not couched between qualifiers or unnecessary modesty. She was good at what she did, and she knew that. He merely shrugged, figuring time would tell just how good this Anokhi Bhalla was. Their battle of wits was cut short as the refreshments and their drinks arrived. A few moments later, the Trustees began to filter in. Shaurya greeted each of them while Anokhi took her position at the front of the room. Shaan gave her a subtle thumbs up and she began.

The presentation went better than she could have imagined. Maybe it was the hours of preparation, the caffeine, or the adrenaline rush of trying to prove something to a certain someone, but Anokhi was truly on fire. Each transition was seamless, her jokes seemed to land especially well and overall the room buzzed with enthusiasm. She fed off the energy, reaching her final slide before she knew it.

“Thank you so much for your attention. I’ll finish by saying that this is a project that is especially close to my heart. An an alumna of this institution, I've seen how many doors this college can open. I can personally attest to the effectiveness of educational programs like this one and I hope that I’ve convinced you all of that as well. I look forward to a positive decision and welcome any questions or concerns.” Her voice remained stable to the very last syllable. Apart from a few logistical issues, the room generally seemed to be on board. Shaan gave her an encouraging smile while Anokhi completely avoided looking at his son sitting beside him.

The questions died down and she was about to leave them to deliberate when Mr. Chopra, one of the Trustees broke the silence. “This is all great Ms. Bhalla, but don't you think we're giving seats to students who aren't qualified?” She wasn't surprised with the question because it was something she heard often, falling at the intersection of class and gender. It was one that had been directed at her when she first arrived at this college too.

“Why are you assuming that these students aren't qualified sir? It is not a matter of ability, but of support. I don't think any of us have gotten to where we are without help along the way. I am where I am today because my ma'am believed in me and this institute gave me the chance to prove myself. All I'm asking is that others be given the same support we were lucky enough to receive. There are so many capable girls who are trapped, only because no one gives them that chance. Women have always had to fight harder for an education and a career. Their choice is questioned at every turn and too often, the people closest to them become their shackles.” Her eyes finally flashed to Shaurya who wasn't even looking at her. His jaw was clenched, and she could swear she saw him stiffen. Perhaps her words reached their target.

“Every girl that joins this program will be one who fought against all odds to be here. What student could be more qualified, sir?”

_____________________________________________________

A/N: That's the update!! Given that these two are fighting in the present (both in the story and in the show), I'm going to satisfy my need for cute ShaKhi through flashbacks 🤣. Hope you all enjoyed!!

Awesome update. Simply loved it. Continue soon