A girl like me

28.

Anamika pov

Somya made Anirudh sleep and went for Sid again. She stopped by watching me.

"Anamika.. I'm sorry for not understanding you and blaming you for all this." She looked down but I hugged her.

"I'm here to understand ok? You're my bestfriend Somya!" She hugged me back like a small kid. "You're the best person."

She looked up with her glossy eyes. "It must be harder for you... You found love after so long and he's going far from you again." I smiled painfully at her words trying not to break down. "Of course it's hard Som... It's shattering me but who am I to decide?" I said and she hugged me again.

"I wish I grow up to be like you Anamika, a girl like you!" She smiled with hope in her eyes.

"A girl like me? Scared to fall in love? Dominating? Insecure?" I asked still trying to believe what she said.

"No Anamika!" She placed her hands on my shoulder. "A girl like you, brave yet innocent, strong yet sensible, full of love but still self worthy. I want to be a girl like YOU."

She smiled and left making me realise things I never noticed in me. Yes, Anamika! You never found love because you were building yourself. You were worthy and capable. You are The Anamika Srivastava! My heart was filled with confidence when I came to know that someone wants to be like me.

I walked inside Anirudh's room and watched him sleeping. Covering his body with a blanket I laid beside him. I hugged him from the back whispering in inaudible voice "I'll miss you like crazy Ani.." pressing my face gently on his naked back I don't remember when a tear escaped from my eye.

Anirudh pov

She was hugging me from the back, I felt her tear on my body. Pretending to fall asleep, I hid my tears too. "I'll miss you like crazy Ani.." I heard her faint voice.

"I'll miss you too." I just moved my lips but the voice never came out. Her little arms were trying their best to cover my large body.  "I hope you won't miss me that much." Again her voice broke and so did my tears. If I turned and she saw them again her sensitive side would disappear so I decided to pretend sleeping.

She kept talking to me. Her hands never stopped tracing my body, her face never stopped kissing my back.

"Do you remember when you bought the dress for me? It was really pretty Ani.."

I don't know when she fell asleep while talking and finally I turned to see her teared eyes. I covered her with blanket and kissed her forehead. "I'll miss you every second Anamika." I said and left the room.

Sid was already standing in the shared balcony, I joined him. We stayed quiet for a while.

"Somya is asleep?" I asked. "Yea she is... It was hard to make her sleep but she would be fine." He sighed. I patted on his shoulder. "I know she would be fine, as long as you are there with her." Sid smiled painfully.

"I love her so much Anirudh... But I'm too old for her." I could feel the pain in his low voice. "Sid.. you are perfect for her." I said. "But your parents? Would they accept me?" He said with his forrowed brows. "Would your parents accept Somya?" I asked back and after a 5 minute silence he said "I would do anything to convince them." I smiled and said "So would Somya."

He got his answer. It would be from both ways not just him or her. "For now.. we have to be away from our ladies for 6 months." I sighed and looked from the window, my sleeping girl. "I would miss her so much, it would be so hard for you too." Sid said.

"Sid... We have to stay alive for our love! Promise me! We would keep us safe and sound!" We held hands and promised.

"Bro, do you feel sleepy?" He asked. "No." We both smiled and sat in front of the tv with some beer. "Forged in fire!" We said excitedly and turned it on. Ofcourse some bro time is necessary before leaving for a war.

We both are proud of us being a part of vaccination camp. We are going to do research on that feild also. I hope our team would come up with something and we could save the world from this pandaemic.

Talking about a lot of things with my best bro, we never realised when we fall asleep.

The morning sun shined upon us and we found us in blankets. The table, filled with snacks was clean. "Why time is it bro?" I groaned in sleepy voice. "8:30 am." He said in half asleep voice.

"Hmm.." I replied. In a second we both jumped from the couch. "Breakfast!" We shouted and ran towards the kitchen just to see Anamika and Somya!?

They were giggling and taking the plates towards the dining table. "What are you two doing?" We asked rubbing our eyes in shock.

"Oh! Breakfast is kept on the table." Somya said.
"And you don't have to go for work today. Iasked for your leave." Anamika said in a sweet voice.

The shock on our faces never went away and we sat on the dining table. "it's your favourite breakfast." Somya said smiling. "And we are taking you out for a date this evening." Anamika winked at me.

"Why.. suddenly?" We asked together.

They gave us a stare. "Can't girlfriends spoil their man huh?" Somya pouted and we laughed.

We tried the dished she made for us. Scrambled eggs with cheese toast and orange juice. It was really tasty. They cooked first time and it was really good.

I helped Anamika with the dishes. "Anamika... You made my life better. How could I ever repay you?"

"Make me your wife Anirudh." She said casually, cleaning the kitchen. My hands stopped hearing the word wife. Last time Somya talked about this topic, she was scared. She wasn't ready but right now...

"Anamika.. are you sure?" I washed my hands. "Umhmm.." she voiced.

I turned and made her sit on the slap of kitchen. "Look into my eyes Anamika. Am I really worthy to marry you." I asked again with my heartbeat turning fast.

Her silence was obvious but still shattering me.

I looked down and stepped back. "It's.. it's ok.." I said in a low voice. She pulled me by the collar and looked into my eyes. It was when I noticed how beautiful her eyes looked when her orbs turned dark.

"I know what I said before." I touched my forehead with hers. "Knowing in what danger I'm putting myself into?" If I looked up this time, I know I would break down.

I wish we could lead a normal life, getting married, having kids but.. 

"Anirudh." She hugged me again. "I'll wait for you." I pulled her closer and hugged her tighter.

"I love you." My voice broke, she touched the strands of my hair.

"Love birds get ready! We have a date guys." Somya said from the back. We both laughed and I stared at her. She looked into my eyes obsessing over her.

I tucked a strand of her hair behind, tracing every inch of her face. "You are so beautiful Anamika." She looked down, blushing at my compliment.  I held her in my arms and walked towards the room.

She was standing in front of the mirror, I was at the back. "Don't we look beautiful together." She said. My head was placed on the nape of her neck, both hands holding her waist tightly.

She was staring our reflection in the mirror but I was staring her.