Frozen - Shivika FF | ✓

Chapter 21 : Retrospect

They had rested a while at the Chandigarh hotel before catching the late evening flight to Shimla. Shivaay still had no clue what was going on with Anika. She seemed too lost in her thoughts. She had barely spoken anything since they had left Patiala. He hadn't probed further. 

Shivaay was carefully observing her while occasionally sipping on his coffee. After days he had finally found an espresso to his liking. The travel gave him ample of time to think about his feelings. He had slowly come to realize that she meant so much more to him than he thought. It was scary. He recollected the day almost a month before the wedding, when Omkara had said that he was fearful of his own feelings. Was he right? 

Among other things, the police protection period had expired. Shivaay had on purpose not hired any private bodyguards. He wanted the normalcy to settle in. And if the details collected by his investigation team were correct, there shouldn't be any threat.

The ring of his phone brought him out of his thoughts. He gazed at the phone screen thoughtfully. "Yes, Khanna!" He spoke after picking up the call, knowing there was definitely some development in the case.

He noticed Anika look up at him and then immediately look away when their eyes met.

Anika couldn't stop thinking about Pari, her Chutki. Strangely, she felt very alone. Chutki had a family of her own. A family that loved her. She was happy for her. But with that was a little sadness. Did she not remember Anika? She was too little when they parted ways, maybe she didn't.

So many what-if scenarios had filled her mind. She glanced at her phone screen, checking Pari's dp for the fifth time in the day. They definitely had similarity in features, like their cheekbones and eyes. At least she had her number. She could call her and talk to her once in a while. But maybe she was lowkey expecting more than that. 

Well, keeping expectations had always hurt her and perhaps it was time she stopped expecting good things to happen to her. She looked up at Shivaay. She remembered all those heartwarming moments she had spent with him. Laughing, smiling, fooling around and just being happy. All those heartfelt moments of joy had unknowingly brewed a lot of expectations. Expectations that had very harshly been crushed to ashes. 

Maybe love wasn't meant for her. Her parents left her, her sister then, now even Saahil was away. With time he would also be living a life of his own. Where was she stuck in all this? Was she just a living body surviving the everyday life on earth? Her life had no purpose. 

Her thoughts were broken as Shivaay looked up at her and got up. "That's the announcement for us."

She nodded and quietly followed him.

* * *

Anika had never, even in her dreams visited so many cities in such a short span. Shimla, the capital city of Himachal Pradesh has always been the charm of the Himalayas since the time of British Raj in India. 

It was close to nine thirty when they had collected their baggage and exited the arrival gates. Like every other time, there was a driver and porter with yet another premium car waiting for them. 

The chilly wind had Anika shiver in no time. The jacket she wore proved to be of no help against the strong cold winds of the Himalayas. The temperatures were relatively lower, like the air hostesses had announced.

"Come on," Shivaay said leading her to the car. He held the door open for her as she sat in. His care, his concern for her, had begun to get more bothersome to her. The more she avoided him, the closer he was trying to get. 

* * *

An hour later, Anika sat in another one of the presidential suites after a nice warm water bath. The hotel in Shimla was more cozy and had beautiful interiors. Every city had it's own charm. Anika couldn't even tell which one she loved more.