Broken Hearts and Strange Girls || Shivika AU FF

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Shivaay's first thoughts that morning consisted of food, a nice cold shower, and Annika. 

Wait, what? Shivaay bounced up, fully awake and out of his stupor. "What the hell?" he muttered to himself as he flung off the covers and moved out of bed. Shaking his head and shrugging it off as a weird morning, he left for the bathroom to check off one thing from his morning agenda. 

A nice cold shower would certainly snap him back to reality. So he grabbed his towel and hopped in, averting his mind to the day's events. Not because he needed to divert his attention from a certain girl bouncing jovially around his head. Because she wasn't. Right. 

Shivaay skipped down the steps two at a time, in search of Adi, who would often be playing at the dining table while his mother pestered him to eat breakfast. However, the four-year-old wasn't there today. Aishwarya was clearing the plates when Shivaay looked around for the little devil. "Good morning, Shivaay! Breakfast?" Aishwarya asked. Shivaay shook his head. "Where's—" 

He was interrupted by a fit of giggles coming from the kitchen. "Adi?" he asked, moving towards the noise, taking note of Aishwarya's little grin. 

When he entered the kitchen, he was surprised to say the least. On the counter beside the sink sat Adi, laughing his heart out as Annika, who was washing the dishes, was blowing bubbles at him. She looked so innocent and happy. "Ready?" she asked. "Here's a big one," she playfully warned before blowing at her lightly fisted hand. Adi gasped as a round, sudsy bubble expanded right into his face. He giggled again when it popped at contact with his cute nose. 

"Again, Annika!" he shouted. Annika smiled as she obliged her nephew. Shivaay was simply lost in her playfulness. How could she be so carefree? So untouched by life? Unbeknownst to himself, a light smile donned his lips as he watched. "Shivaay?" someone asked from behind him. 

Shivaay turned to find Meera Thakur. "Meera," Shivaay greeted formally. Meera, however, moved forward to hug him. She held him tightly, while he awkwardly moved his hands around her to reciprocate. He pat her back twice before she pulled back, chuckling. "Still haven't learned how to hug, eh?" she said with a smile. Shivaay rubbed the nape of his neck. "Um, no, I guess not." 

"How are you?" Meera asked softly. "Hey! It's Ann and Adi!" a voice boomed. Shivaay and Meera exchanged a mutual look of annoyance. "Kushal," Shivaay muttered under his breath. 

"Hey, you're back!" Annika said with her pretty smile. Shivaay turned in shock to see Kushal run in and side-hug Annika. Even more traumatizing—Annika reciprocating! "You two are friends?" Meera asked before Shivaay could. Kushal shrugged. "We exchanged a couple words, but that's the gist of it, yeah," he said, popping the bubble that Adi was blowing. Adi frowned, but Annika diverted him by blowing a larger bubble with wide eyes. "Oops, sorry, bud!" Kushal said, holding his ears. Adi smiled, a sign of forgiveness. 

Shivaay scowled. Oh, how he hated this young man. And now, he had more reason to, because this man was 'friends' with Ann—Adi. He couldn't care less if he was friends with her. It didn't matter to him. Kushal smiled as he rubbed off some soap from Annika's cheek, and Shivaay felt his fist tighten up enough to leave marks on his palm. [[Oh, Shiv, who are you lying to?]]