QUERENCIA

21.YOU ARE STRONG

"I guess I should head out now; it's getting really late," he said, glancing at the clock and then back at her.

As he was standing up Annika holded his hand and said "Stay tonight".

When he heard her he looked at her who was already looking at him with a feeling which was enough to flutter his heart.

"Ann..Annika", he didn't know what to say, it was out of the blue for him.

Realising his hesitation to stay, she said "I am telling you to stay tonight because it's really late plus you came with me, then how are you supposed to go?"

"I will take a cab." he told her.

"Still I insist on staying, and trust me you are safe." she requested him with a wink.

He chuckled when he heard her.

"You and your not so funny jokes" he said shaking his head in disbelief.

"So you are staying." She asked with a glint of hope in her eyes, which Shivaay can see.

"Well yes I am staying, can't say no to this pug face." he said with a playful smirk.

Annika's mouth was completely O and she left his hand and picked a cushion from beside her aimed at him which he successfully dodged.

"Seriously pug??? From which angle do I look like a pug??" she asked, raising her eyebrows.

"Well I am not going to answer you, after all truth can't be hidden for a long time." He said sitting beside her and leaning on the headrest with a playful smirk playing on his lips.

"You know what if I look like a pug then you look like a billu." she gave him back, this time Annika rocked Shivaay shocked. She rubbed all his smirk with her one word BILLU.

"I have told you not to call me that." He said with frown and pout making him look so cute that Annika was biting her cheeks to control her giggles.

"What Billu?" she said, repressing her laughter by biting her lips and provoking him.

"You won't stop, fine I am going." He said to her and got up.

But she quickly held his hand and made him sit again, and said "Achha sorry sorry I won't call you Billu, I know only your dadi can call you Billu, Billu is not for me and I am not allowed to call Billu so I promise you even if you insist me to call you Billu I won't call you Billu. And even if you begged on my legs even then I will not call you Billu."

When he heard her rant, he sighed heavily and shook his head and interrupted her before she called him Billu one more time. "Ok that's enough you have already me,Billu seven times, and that's enough for tonight."

She rolled her eyes, listening to his calculation. "Thank god you stopped me or else I would have said the eighth time. My bad for not keeping the count. Won't happen again, promise." her voice was dripping with sarcasm.

Both looked at each other and broke into laughter. Whenever they tried to control their laughter , they looked at each other and started laughing again.

After a moment, Annika managed to stifle her laughter and leaned backward, her gaze fixed on him. "You know, it's funny," she began, her voice tinged with amusement. "We've known each other for what, two months now? Yet it feels like we're still just scratching the surface. Guess we'll have to work on that." Her words carried a hint of curiosity, inviting further exploration into their budding friendship.

He pondered on what she said and leaned backward making himself comfortable. He said, "Somewhat you are right, we know so little about each other yet we never felt that." Even Annika agreed with him, that what they share is not a normal friendship, it's a deep connection which both of them know. Whenever one of them is struggling or in any problem the other one is always there to help in the way out. Whether it was Satvik or the broken deal.