Meeting You || ✓

Chapter Eight

Again You ~

"God! She's not picking up my call. Adi...Adithya" Shivaay called him.

"Did you talked with Annika ? In the morning ? Both she's not responding to my calls and messages"

"No, Sir. She must be caught up with any works. Please relax" Adithya said whilst Shivaay remained unconvinced.

After the pack up, Shivaay straightly drove to her apartment. "She's still not attending. Huh! How shall—-God! Please pardon your child"

He started honking. He closed his eyes and kept honking when people bickered over from their balcony.

"There she is!" A cheery smile adorned his lips. She narrowed her eyes at the car and Rudra beside her, sinuously.

"Why this man!" She groaned looking up at the sky and walked to his car. Rudra waved at him from the balcony, even though he couldn't see Shivaay in the black-tinted window.

Shivaay waved happily and immediately kept his hands down as he realised Rudra couldn't see him. Annika walked towards his car, hands kept above her chest and head down.

Shivaay grinned at her in his teenager way, part sorry part mischief, lowering the window.

She gave a frustrated sigh and said, "What's with you ?"

"I—-Hi Rudy" Shivaay waved at him. Annika looked at him vexed.

"Di, invite him to our house. He did something to a great degree to reach you. Must you be look dispirited for that ? Didi.." he whined pulling her arm.

She looked at Shivaay who was looking at them, hand on cheek. His still child-like grin felt like a kid, beautiful idiot laughing on a rainy day.

She walked inside the apartment making him confused.

"Bhaiyya, let's go. Uhm—can I call you bhaiyya ?" Shivaay smiled, "Of course you can, darling. But...but am I invited ?"

Rudra chuckled and nodded to him. Once inside her apartment, Shivaay looked around in amazement. "It's very neat—-ooo! What happened ?" He gulped seeing Annika's glaring eyes.

"What was that behaviour ?"

"I can explain"

"Explain!" She looked at him keenly. Rudra nodded to encourage him. Annika observed their exchange but stayed silent.

"You were not attending my calls. So—-" She cut in, "So ? You caused this nuisance. Are you serious ?"

"Annika. I was worried for you"

She sighed whilst he blinked.

"I'm having a slight fever" She said and moved back in horror when he abruptly came to her.

He kept his right palm above her forehead, left on his. "Hmm. You're hot" He shook his head seeing her widened eyes and said, "I mean you're warm. Slightly"

"That's what I said. Slight fever. And you're still using this technique to check body temperature"

He smiled removed his hand off her, "Old technique has its own way"

"Huhm—-guys" Rudra called alerting them. Shivaay stepped away from her.

"I'll make—-" Shivaay shook his head stopping her. "You're not making anything. No need of any compulsory coffee reception. I'm good. You need rest. I'll get going then"

"Already ? I mean you just came" She said.

"Miracles do happen" Rudra said earning a black look from her. Shivaay patted on his shoulder with a chuckle.

"Bhaiyya, she herself stopped you. It's great then. We'll see the premiere together"

"Premiere ?"

"The new serial. Didi is the writer"

"Oh wow! I'm in"

Rudra pulled him to the living room. Annika sat beside Rudra.

"You don't have to watch if you're not interested. Anyways you can't follow a serial with your tight schedules"

"When it's about you, I'm always interested" Shivaay said. Rudra gave a mischief glance making her look away.

"I'm sure she's the one appointed to cause misunderstanding between the leads" Rudra said surely. "How did you found out ?" Shivaay asked eyes on the screen.

"Arre bhaiyya! Look at her lipstick shade. So bright in the shade of orange like it could slap the person in front of her. Usually, bright shade lipstick considered evil. It's an ITV theory"

Annika sighed out whilst Rudra concentrated unaffected. Shivaay laughed a little shaking his head. He learned something new, nevertheless.

Annika slowly watched him move, there's always something about him combined with a gentleness that made her heart reach out. Then in that instant he turned and caught her eye. She looked away rubbing her throat.

"I—-I need some water" She stormed towards the kitchen. "Di, water is here. On the ta—-what's with her now ?"

Shivaay excused himself and followed her. Rudra smiled to himself without taking his eyes off the screen. Annika didn't bothered to turn around to know who was standing behind her.

"An—-" His phone rang. He pulled out his phone, still looking at her.

"Yes, Vinay. What she said ? Huh! Please ask her to leave!" He frustratingly end the call.

"Anything serious ?" She asked concerned at him.

"A lady came to meet me. She claimed herself to be the one. The girl that—-"

"What the hell!"

Shivaay chuckled, "Calm down. She's not the one. I knew it. It's not something new. I've met a lot of people packed with chicanery to fool me. But, they couldn't"

"Ho..how do you know that they're lying ?"

He stepped forward. Her eyes wandered on his face restlessly.

He bent his face closer and whispered, "That's a secret"

"Secret ?"

"What if you try to use that advance of knowing the secret and profess yourself as that girl ?" He asked mischievously. She quietly stared at him.

"What happened ?"

She nodded in nothing but didn't averted her eyes off him. He smiled and kept his hands on her head, a genuine smile spread across his face.

"It was just a joke, Annika. I know you"

"You still don't know me" She said. He blinked and moved her head to the sides, gently. It was the moment - the scars built, the hard roads and she started loving him for the softness she felt in teenage. All over again.

To be continued ~

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Gratitude, Love Comrade