Shivi FF: Agar Tum Saath Ho

12.

Raavi went to Dhara's room. She felt weird to talk to Dhara after the events that happened in the morning, but she really needed to speak to her. To take permission before things got out of hand again. Dhara was on the bed folding clothes, but on seeing Raavi, she smiled and invited Raavi to sit beside her.

"Dhara di ek baat karni thi.." Raavi began.

"Haa bata na."

"Dhara di, Shiva ne aaj jo mere liye kiya, uske badle main bhi kuch uske liye karna chahti hu." Raavi said. "Aur mujhe uske liye aapki permission chahiye."

"Kya karne waali hai tu?" Dhara asked.

"Aap Sameer ko jante ho na? Shiva ka dost. Usne meri friend Garima ke saath shaadi ki hai pichle saal. Dono humare kuch friends ke saath do dino ke liye ghumne jaa rahe hai." Raavi said. "Toh main soch rahi thi Shiva aur main bhi chale unke saath. Do din agar Shiva na rahe toh dukan mein problem hogi kya?"

"Bilkul nahi. Dukaan sambhalne ke liye Gaumbi hai, Dev hai, main hu, kaka hai..." Dhara smiled. "Tu jaa ghum aa Shiva ke saath."

Raavi smiled. She hugged Dhara tightly. "Thank you Dhara di. Bohot maza aayega. Hum dono ke liye yeh ek mini-honeymoon hoga. Aur uske aur mere friends bhi rahenge. Hum bohot zyada maze karenge. Par aap yeh baat abhi mat batana Shiva ko. Main ekbaar Garima aur Sanjana se baat kar lu. Phir woh jab shaam ko lautega, main khud use bataungi."

Dhara smiled at her excitement. "Okay. Tu baat kar le phir taiyaari kar le."

Raavi went to her own room and called Garima from her phone. She asked if they could add in two more members for their trip. Garima called her back after 10 minutes, after booking a room for them, and told her everything had been arranged. Raavi knew this trip ought to cheer up Shiva. They would be away from home, with each other. It would the new beginning they both wanted.

***

Shiva came back early from the store. He couldn't stop thinking about his Chipkali. This had never happened to him before. Usually he loved working and would be focused on his work but today he just couldn't. Raavi kissed him on the cheek for the first time and he felt as if he were high. Gaumbi was giving him weird looks throughout the day and when he finally gave a customer rice instead of sugar, Gaumbi asked him to leave.

Shiva bought some chocolate ice-cream for Raavi and went home to her. To his surprise, she was packing her bags, and for a moment, he couldn't breathe. Was she leaving him? He stopped her and made her look at him. Raavi was surprised to see his expression.

"Kya hua? Tu samaan kyu pack kar rahi hai? Koi galti ho gayi mujhse?" He asked. He finally realised, now he couldn't afford to lose her. The thought terrified him.

"Tu toh teen ghante baad aane wala tha. Meri packing khatam nahi hui." She pouted.

"Tu packing kar kyu rahi hai?" Shiva asked.

Raavi suddenly smiled. Watching her smile, Shiva relaxed a little bit. "Hum Ahmedabad ja rahe hai Sameer, Garima, Sanjana, Arjun aur Kirti ke saath. Waha ek resort hai wahi do din rahenge. Main tujhe surprise karne wali thi hum dono ka luggage dikhake par tu pehle hi tapak para. Aaj surprise dene ka din nahi hai."

Shiva hugged Raavi. The thought she'd leave him was killing him and he felt peace knowing she wasn't. Also, the thought of spending two days with her, away from their family was fantastic. He loved her surprise. She went to close her suitcase, and Shiva went to help her, but Raavi failed to notice him and crushed his finger while closing it. He screamed out in pain.

She immediately took his hand and began to inspect his finger. Then she ran to get the first-aid box. She kept wincing for him. Shiva was lost in her. He couldn't believe that she was wincing as if she were in pain. He also couldn't believe that he was behaving like a lovesick puppy. With his fingers, he tucked in a strand of her hair behind her ear.

"Tu mujhe pasand aane lagi hai." Shiva said.

Raavi chucked as he said that. "Tujhe chipkali pasand aane lagi hai?"

"Haa."

Raavi stopped what she was doing and looked into his eyes. He was serious. Her heart started beating loudly. She quickly wrapped that bandage and took a step back. They were just supposed to be married. She did not want like or love to come into the equation. The last time she'd loved someone, it ended in disaster and she didn't think she could ever love another person. It was just too much. She was happy with Shiva, why did he have to bring feelings into this.

Shiva noticed her expressions and quickly said, "Tujhe kuch bolne ki zaroorat nahi hai."

Raavi nodded and left the room. Shiva cursed himself for being too rash. It had just been one week. How could she get over one person and fall in love with someone else in one week? It wasn't possible. Even though he had fallen for her, he couldn't expect the same thing from her. He only wished his abrupt confession hadn't changed anything between them. 

After Raavi came back to their room after an hour of freaking out about this in the kitchen, she found Shiva packing his clothes. She sat on the swing and just looked on. Shive decided not to make things weird by talking about it anymore. Raavi had the same plan.

"Meri packing ho gayi hai." He said, zipping up his bag. "Kab nikalna hai kal subah?" 

"7 baje." Raavi said.

"Okay." Shiva put down his bag and sat on the bed. "Mujhe bhook nahi hai toh dinner nahi karna."

"Par maine tere liye aloo gobi banaye the." Raavi said. "Please thoda sa kha le."

Shiva couldn't say no. Raavi rushed to the kitchen and got some sabji and one roti for him. She went back and handed the plate to Shiva. He quickly finished the food and went back to bed. Now Raavi was worried that things might get awkward between them. That was the last thing she wanted. She got on the bed and lay down beside him. She wasn't hungry either.

"Shiva?" Raavi called out. "Mere life mein ab pyaar ke liye koi jagah nahi hai. Jis insaan se pyaar kiya tha usne dhokha diya. Ab aur nahi hoga mujhse. Main nahi chahti tere aur mere beech kuch bhi galat ho. Tujhe pati maanti hu par usse zyada mujhse aur kuch expect mat karna."

Shiva's heart broke. He turned to his own side. "Tu fikr mat kar. So jaa."

"Par humare beech sab thik hai na Shiva?" Raavi asked.

"Haa." He switched off the lights.