Broken Hearts and Strange Girls || Shivika AU FF

𝐗𝐗𝐗𝐈

That evening, Annika sat down with her notebook that she had now officially dedicated to Mission: Restoration S.S.O. Though she hadn't been able to jot down the all of the ongoing developments in the subject, she had been able to update the notebook quite frequently over the past two days.

Project SSO to OFFICE and Project Discover SSO's Origin Story had already been crossed off her list. Her most recent project had been: Project ShEera

Of course, it wasn't the most inventive ship name, and it did make her quite hungry every time she looked back at it. But Annika did deserve some credit for coming up with one in the first place. All of Luna's had the same underlying message: that somehow she would end up the love interest. Annika knew to not take her best friend seriously, since Luna was a mental asylum escapee, but she had to admit—ShivIka was a really, really, really cute ship name. It sounded much better than ShEera, at least. 

However, Annika knew she wasn't going to be anything in Shivaay's love story, except for the kebab mein haddi ever so occasionally. Surprisingly, Shivaay had grown to be Annika's dearest friend in the shortest amount of time. Shivaay had helped Annika to fall in love with her Mumbai all over again. Ever-the-nomad Annika Bhattacharya had started daydreaming of what it would be like to wake up to the breathtaking sunrise from her guest room in Oberoi Mansion, which had quickly become her second favorite room in the entirety of the house, losing only to Shivaay's grand and royal blue one. 

 However, Annika also knew that it was unwise to fantasize about a life in India, when she already had a life settled in Italy. A life she would be returning to in less than a month. As her days of vacation slipped away like sand in an hourglass, Annika felt the strangest sadness at the thought of leaving.

"It's no problem, Anni. Now that everything here has been sorted with Mom and Dad, you can come visit more," she consoled herself. It wasn't going to be the same, though, and Annika knew that. 

What she found herself laughing at was the irony of the situation. The life Annika had pined for was now hers, yet she couldn't help but feel like she was tearing herself apart from the life she had once lost because of her stupidity. It seemed like a cruel twist of fate, keeping Annika on her toes by forcing her to balance the two people she had wanted to be in life at one point or another. 

"I guess I was just always meant to run and keep running," Annika said amusedly over the phone to Enrico one night. 

"It's good that you get to choose where to stop and stay, though," Enrico had grinned. "But I love both rest stops equally. That's what makes it all the more difficult," Annika had smiled back. 

"Rest stops are rest stops. The destination is different, Annika," Luna had commented over the group call. "The destination isn't Italy or India. Maybe it's Switzerland," Marina smiled dreamily. 

"Maybe you should just give yourself time. When you come back, you can decide where you feel the best. Whatever you decide, the rest will just fall into place, I'm sure!" Valentino nodded in understanding. 

"Thanks, guys! You're really the best," Annika smiled wholeheartedly, placing the notebook to the side and blowing a kiss to her friends before hanging up. 

"How was your date?" Annika singsang as Shivaay stepped through the door. "Good," Shivaay mumbled half-heartedly, taking his coat off. 

"Good? Only good?" Annika questioned in confusion. "Tell me the whole story. From the starting itself. Did you greet her the way I told you to?" 

Shivaay hummed distractedly in response, moving towards his bedroom, Annika trailing closely behind him. As they walked, Annika twittered with questions, only annoying Shivaay further. 

"It was fine, Annika," Shivaay responded occasionally. He finally reached the door to his bedroom and went inside, shutting the door as soon as he stepped in. What he didn't notice was that Annika had just been faceslammed into his bedroom door. All he heard was the dor slam and Annika's shout of pain. 

"Oh, crap!" he exclaimed as he opened the door hastily and cupped Annika's face. "I'm so sorry, that wasn't what I meant to do!" he kept mumbling as he inspected her rather red nose. 

"How mean," Annika whined, glaring at him through her chocolaty brown eyes. "I didn't mean to, I promise!" 

"But you still did, didn't you?" Annika questioned like a child as she stepped back and rubbed her nose. "Sorry, sorry, sorry. Shit, yaar, I didn't think that you would be right behind me, though!" Shivaay exclaimed as he ran back inside and searched for some ointment. 

Annika stood outside his door with a cute pout. Once he found the ointment, he rushed back to Annika and dragged her inside. He gently sat her on his bed before sitting himself down and twisting open the ointment tube. When some squirted onto his finger, he shook his head and drew Annika's face towards himself, all the while scolding her for being so reckless. 

"The whole thing was your fault! And you won't even admit it," Annika frowned. She hissed in pain as the ointment stung the bridge of her nose. "Sorry, sorry!" Shivaay whispered, trying harder still to apply the medicine as gently as possible. 

When it was over, Annika stood up and moved to leave, muttering a half-hearted "thank you." Shivaay looked on as she rose from the bed before grabbing her wrist.

"The last thing I want is to hurt you, Annika," he said. "I want you to know that I never and will never hurt you on purpose."

Thu-thunk, Annika felt her heart skip a beat at his heartfelt words. 

"And I'm sorry for speaking to you that way." 

Thu-thunk!

"Friends, again?" he asked cutely. 

Thu-thunk! 

Annika hummed in approval. She felt him stand, leaving her wrist. 

Thu-thunk!

She felt him approach. She screwed her eyes shut.

Thu-thunk!

She felt his arms slowly rise, his fingers barely grazing the fabric of her kurti.

"I better go!" she said loudly before running off.