Healing Him | ✓

04.

Annika woke up well rested from her, she looked at the clock, from her ten hour long sleep. She stretched lazily before getting up and rushing downstairs to enjoy a late breakfast.

Her parents weren't home for three more days, she had the house to herself. She grabbed her breakfast plate and rushed back into the room ignoring the scoldings from her caretaker. She placed the plate onto the bed before turning on television.

She looked at the time and sighed. She must get back to her studies. The new term had started. And it was already hard on her. She hated physics with passion. The sums zoomed in as one and she slammed the book close in frustration. She decided to study chemistry, her favourite so she got better focus. And after an hour if studying, memorizing her highlighter ran out of ink. And in need of change of environment she decided to go out informing the caretaker. Taking the familiar route towards the grocery mart.

She entered the grocery mart opposite on her way to home. Picking up the shopping basket she beelined to the stationary section. She picked up the pack of highlighters when a box of acrylic colours caught her attention. She liked painting, but the art supplies were so expensive that she didn't want to spend all her pocket money on them even her parents didn't buy them as they were a waste of money for them.

"Both are totally different things to be confused with." She turned around in surprise. Shivaay was placing notebooks in his basket.

"Hey!" She greeted cheerfully. He passed a smile of his own. "I'm surprised to see you initiating a talk." She remarked playfully. "What can I say when someone who's taking forever on choosing between highlighters and acrylics, standing in my way. I had to intervene." He said, adding a dramatic sigh. She giggled. "You don't have to be so dramatic." He only smiled in response.

"Why don't you buy both of you're so confused." He said as he slid up few packs of drawing pencils and ruler in his basket. "You draw too?" She asked observing the things in the basket. "Huh?" He looked up from where he was examining the contents before placing the pack back. Six pencils, his brother has specifically asked to bring the pack which had six pencils. He followed her eye to his basket before shaking his head.

"Oh, these. No, I can't draw even if my life's depended on it." He said. "These are actually for my brother. He's fond of art." He said as he finally found the pencil set, he placed it in his basket finishing up. She placed the acrylic set back. He looked up surprised. "Too expensive." She explained.
He nodded. She saw him then moving to the dairy section placing few condensed milk packets. She quietly followed him. "Why do you always seem to follow me?" He asked amused. "I like your company." She shrugged. He froze for a moment before he continued with his list. She waited for him to finish so they could bill together.

"That'll be total......" The shopkeeper said after scanning the goods she watched as he struggled with the bags on their way outside. She calmly took the bag of dairies so he could adjust the hold on the bag containing stationary. He looked at her grateful, as he extended his hand for the bag. She handed the bag back. "You brought a lot of things." She observed. "My mum always nag me to go out shopping groceries and explore the world but I always leave out a things or too. Did your mum send you too?" She asked. His face darkened a little, before he shook his head.

"They're— they're not at home right now. Hence I had to come." He said with his lipped pulling out a tight lipped smile. She hummed. "By the way, have you done our physics assignment due this Tuesday?" She asked. He nodded, "Yeah? Why?" He asked. "Expected. Anyways I needed help with some concepts, so you in?" She asked. He frowned. "I can help but you see the roads aren't very ideal for learning the concepts." He said refering to the little routine they have seemed to form between the conflict of the class. They met after the school was dispersed chatting away or just simply walking in silence.