ShiVi FF: Always a Losing Game

Part 11: Mujhko de tu mitt jaane, ab se khud dil mil jaane...

Apologies for the delay. I was on vacation and forgot to take my computer along. Either way hope you enjoy the next part! Thanks for your patience💕💖🌹

Shiva spent the next few days hiding in the store, ignoring everyone around him. He wanted to slap himself for what he did. He didn't know what came over him. She was his brother's bride. And he kissed her!! He shifted his weight uncomfortably from foot to foot, as the memories of their kiss came crashing in over him. He felt the guilt bubbling inside him, but try as he might, he couldn't get rid of the feel of her lips from his. It was excruciating! A torture. How could she affect him this much? But she responded to him, didn't she? She didn't push him away. To tell the truth, he wasn't even sure who initiated the kiss.

Shiva sighed. It didn't matter who made the first move. The fact remainded that he had betrayed his brother's trust. Shiva tugged at his hair in frustration. This woman is making him lose his mind. He wanted to bang his head on the wall. Radhika was right. At this rate, he'll go mad by the time Dev and Raavi get married. His heart clenched at that thought. She is marrying his brother in a few days. And he is pining over her like a lost puppy. She is a total gadheri. She is annoying. She talks too much. She is Maami ki behen ki beti. She has ruined his peace of mind. He should hate her for this. Why on earth is he torturing himself over her?? Why can't he just let her go??

"Kyunki tu pyaar karta hai ussi gadheri se," an annoying little voice said inside his skull. Shiva forcefully choked it to silence, instead focusing on the store. There are things to be done and he had wasted enough time over this.

*****

Raavi stood outside Pandya Stores hesitantly, mustering the courage to go speak with Shiva. She needed to talk about what happened yesterday. She needed to find out his feelings for her. Was it just a one time thing for him or did he feel something for her? Even since they were kids, Shiva was very vocal about the fact that he hated his Maami ki behen ki beti, but yesterday it didn't felt like he hated her. He was just as lost in her as she was in him. Raavi shut her eyes as she felt a rush of blood race to her face, her throat tightened, and her stomach clenched. She tried to shake the memories off, forcing herself to the present. She cannot afford to get distracted. Right now she had a job to do.

Raavi entered the shop to see Kaka attending to some customers. She hung back for a bit till he was done, before approaching him. Kaka smiled at her.

"Arre Raavi bitiya. Itni subah subah? Dev se milne ayi ho?"

Raavi heart thudded in fear at Dev's name. She was so caught up with her feelings for Shiva that she totally forgot all about her wedding plans with Dev. She sighed deeply. That was a problem for another day but for now, she had to deal with Shiva first.

"Nahi Kaka. Woh main Shiva se milne ayi thi. Woh kaha hai?" Raavi's heart skip a beat, bringing his name to her lips made her feel all hot and flustered inside.

Kaka looked at her all surprised. "Shiva?"

"Haan Kaka." Raavi didn't elaborate.

"Woh bas peeche ke kamre mein gaya hai. Abhi ata hi hoga - Arre Raavi bitiya kaha jaa rahi ho?!?" Kaka called after her but Raavi had already disappeared into the back room. Kaka shook his head, praying fervently that these two wouldn't blow up the store.

Raavi shut the door behind her, and entered the room to see Shiva stacking some boxes. She stopped in her tracks. He was shirtless again, like countless times before but unlike the previous times, Raavi's eyes were now glued to his movements. How come she never noticed before, the way his muscles flexed when he lifted those heavy boxes with ease? Was he even aware of how incredibly edible he looked right now, with beads of sweat glistening on that perfect body? The sight was almost proving too much for Raavi and yet she couldn't force herself to stop staring. She shook herself out of the stupor. Before she gets totally distracted, she called out to him.