Beauty is the Beast[Under Editing]

THE OLD ANNIKA

Nebulochaotic 

(ad.) A state of being hazy or confused

"Annika------ you got to be kidding me!" exclaimed Shivaay seeing her practicing shooting in the middle of the night, he has stayed over Deshmukh Residence after the whole confrontation with Siddharth and Mallika. Despite the comfort of the ever posh and hi-tech room, the image of Annika laughing with Siddharth didn't let him have even a blink of sleep.

Why and how does this bother him so much?

He had woken up and randomly asked Layman about Annika who informed him that Ms. AJD was practicing shooting in her sports arena in the middle of the night. The girl does the weirdest task in the weirdest hour.

"Couldn't sleep?" asked Annika, shooting the moving target, then let out a mocking chuckle "Did Sid break quite a few ribs?"

He frowned, why was she referring to him with a name. Didn't she call him Looser, Officer "Very funny," he remarked, shaking his head at her aims. He had stopped being surprised with her skills "About feeling sleepy? Could ask you the same?"

"I was sleeping. Woke up to a nightmare" she placed the pistol down with a slight frown "Sort of? Only that it was just my mind repainting some shitty memories I want to forget."

He held her wrist, walking close before taking out the noise reducer from her head "You won't tell me if I ask, would you?" She gave him a light shrug to which he let out a breath while his thumb traced her cheek and unconsciously, she leaned into that feather-like touch "At least tell me you are fine?"

"I wasn't scared, I was angry. I needed to let out that pent-up emotion so here I was" she replied, giving him a small smile before taking a bottle of water "Also Congratulation Mallika chose you."

"You don't seem happy about it?" he asked, passing her the night shrug. Annika chuckled "Can I ever be happy in her happiness? You know me that much."

"Of course," he replied with a roll of the eye "So you still up to your mission of ruining my marriage?"

"Maybe or maybe not" she replied walking out along with him. He didn't say anything just walked alongside as they reached the garden and the image of her along with Sid again rolled up in front of his eyes "You were very happy with Sid?"

"You don't like me happy?" she asked with a knowing smile, she doesn't know but his jealousy for her always left her with a warm feeling. She has had her share of possessive men but with Shivaay it was different. She kind of like being his possession.

Shut up, Annika!

Remember the plan!

"I love you being happy" he replied, then his voice felt low "Just not with others."

"Pardon?" she asked even though she heard him clear, she wasn't willing to indulge in emotions. Already being with him give rise to those sickening feelings she is still researching how to delete. Her therapist was useless!