Our Entwined Faith

Chapter 55: Camping

Seven Months Since Marriage

Moving forward some months, Annika and Shivaay have been married for seven months. Om and Gauri were married too an few months back. Now, all the Oberoi Siblings planned for an outing. 

Though a person like Shivaay wanted to go to an exquisite location, Annika and Rudra wanted to go camping. Om and Gauri agreed that camping would be fun and something new to try out. Eventually, Shivaay had to agree with them, reluctantly though.

Just because Bhavya was on a mission, Rudra was accompanied by a friend of his. They were at the location when Om went to fetch the booklet of instructions. He came back soon, "Shivaay, you and Bhabhi have been allotted ground 4, we have ground 2 and Rudy has ground 3"

"Why do we have different ones? Are we gonna camp alone?", Annika complained.

"It's because of last minute booking", Gauri told.

Shivaay huffed, "See, that is why I suggested to go to a farmhouse of our own. We could even have a camp zone of our own", he said.

"What would have been the fun if only us would have been there. Look around Bhaiya, this is an actual camp zone", Rudra told him.

"And Shivaay, we just have today's day, not the whole week that we should have gone to the farmhouse", Annika said.

"Aap sab toh apne apne husband wife ke saath ho. Ek main hi hoon jo akela hoon. Bhavya ko bhi aaj hi jana tha", Rudra whined.

His friend wrapped his arm around his neck, "Main hoon na bhai tere saath".

Rudy scrunched his nose while others laughed.

*****

Shivaay and Annika both stared at the tent that was lying flat on the ground. He had made five attempts at getting it set up, all of which failed, "That is why I suggested a farmhouse"

She glared him. Can't he stop his chant of farmhouse, "Stop before I say something to spoil our moods. Maybe you should read the instructions", she suggested.

Now he glared her. He had told her he didn't need it. But with it beginning to get dark, maybe he did need them, "Fine. I'll go back to the car. Wait here", he told her.

She laughed as soon as he was out of earshot. Om and Rudy were right. He was hopeless when it comes to camping. Maybe, that is why he was refusing to camp again and again. She walked over to the tent, examined it, and then began fiddling with the poles. In less than five minutes, she had it standing and all staked into the ground. She had done this done - a camping in New York with Arnav and Yug. Heck Yug! Forget it!

She grabbed their sleeping bags and began laying them out. Shivaay was back ten minutes later reading the instructions manual. He stopped abruptly when he saw the tent. "There was an important piece still in the bag", she lied. "It went up fairly easy as soon as I added it".

He grumbled, dropping the manual on the picnic table, "I'll start the fire", he walked over to the fire pit and added the woods he had bought along the way. She sat down and watched him. He would strike the match, place it on the newspaper under the wood, and it would go out. After a few times, he got frustrated.

"I hear the pinecones work really well", she mentioned. She was feeling bad for him. He wasn't a camping guy, she knew it, at least now for sure. So that is why the farmhouse was a better idea for him. He got up and went in search of pinecones while she quickly grabbed a lighter from her bag.

When he returned, the fire was roaring to life. He frowned. "Oh, you had gotten it started and I just blew on it for sometime and it caught on fire pretty quickly", she lied after hiding the lighter back.

He dropped the pinecones and sat down on a log facing the fire, "You're lying. About the fire and tent", he told her. She frowned too, "That is why I was saying a farmhouse. This is a mistake".

She sat down with him and wrapped her arms around his arm, resting her chin on his shoulder, "So you are no good at camping", she shrugged, "You're good at bunch of other things, one of which I'm expecting you to prove your talent for tonight inside that tent", she said, her eyes lightening up at just the thought.

He smiled, suddenly forgetting his inadequacy in the camping department, "I am pretty good at that, aren't I?", he asked slipping his arms around her and pulling her closer. He leaned his head against her and smiled. He brushed his lips against hers, just slightly. She tugged on his shirt, wanting him to put more to it, "Ah ah ah, we have dinner to make first", he reminded her, pulling back slightly, "Later, I promise", he kissed her ear before standing up.

As always, he was pretty amazing with the grill they had packed along. She sat on the table, keeping her eye out for bugs that were trying to get into the rest of the food. She set two cups on either side of the table before sitting down. He made his way over with the plates, "Dinner is served", he told proudly.

He sat down next to her, rather than the opposite side. She curled into his side and ate corn from his cob, stealing glances up to him, "This all looks great", she told him, grabbing various food items to add to her plate. He did the same thing, "How do you even do that?"

He sighed, "How come you are such a great racer?", he asked, chancing a glance at her.

She smiled, "It's my passion, Shivaay", she said, bumping her knees with his.

"This is mine", he said, wrapping his hands around her.

She gave a agreeing nod, picking up a plastic fork and trying her potato salad.

He smirked down at her, "You're pretty amazing at other things, you know", he told her.

"Yeah, like what?", she asked curiously, though she knew the direction he was taking this conversation.

"I'll let you show me in the tent tonight", he shrugged, letting go of her and going back to her dinner.

She smiled, "What if the tent is too uncomfortable?", she asked. She could see his eyes full of disbelief.

"Please", he scoffed, "We've done it in many other places. I think we can handle the ground", he told her, winking for an added effect.

She blushed at the memories but tried to keep it under control, "You know, you were against coming here. But I guess we are having a pretty good time together", she told him honestly.

He set his food down and sighed, "You know, when you say thing like that, it makes me feel really guilty because all I want to do is rip your clothes off", he told her, trying hard not to smile.

"Oh, I want to do that too", she assured him, "But I like this - being next to you and being able to hold you", she explained.

He smiled and kissed her hair. Yeah, he liked that  too.

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