A Bargain Made with Frosting

Ch.36. The Morning After: A Foggy Memory and a Heavy Heart

The morning sun peeked through the blinds, casting a warm glow across Shivay's face. He stirred, the events of the previous night flooding back in a wave. Annika's tearful confession about her parents, the drunken carpool karaoke, and most importantly, the unexpected kiss and her declaration of a non-existent pregnancy.

He winced, half-hoping it had all been a bizarre dream. But a quick glance at the nightstand confirmed the reality – Annika's phone, retrieved from the floor during their fumbled walk to their rooms, lay forgotten beside his glass of water.

With a sigh, he rose and went to check on Annika. He found her door slightly ajar, a sliver of sunlight illuminating her room. Hesitantly, he knocked.

"Annika?" he called softly.

A muffled groan came from within. "Just a minute," she mumbled.

He waited patiently, the silence thick with anticipation. After a moment, the door creaked open revealing Annika.  Her hair was a mess, eyes puffy from sleep, and she cradled her head in one hand.

"Annika, you okay?" he asked, concern lacing his voice.

She opened the door wider and gestured for him to enter, then slumped onto the bed, clutching her head in distress. "Ugh, my head feels like someone's using it for a drum solo. What happened last night, Shivay? I don't remember anything after talking to Rohit and Natasha at the party. It's all a complete blank." Her voice trailed off into a moan as another wave of pain hit her.

Shivay winced at her words, a knot of worry tightening in his stomach. Annika forgetting the entire night after the party wasn't ideal, considering the emotional rollercoaster they'd experienced. He entered the room cautiously, the air thick with the remnants of sleep and unspoken tension.

"Easy there," he he murmured, his voice gentle as he pulled a chair closer to the bed. "Sounds like you have a classic hangover headache."

Annika winced again, confirming Shivay's suspicions. "But I was having the mocktail, how did I get so smashed? Tell me, Shivay, please, I don't remember anything and I'm worried I did something stupid."

Shivay's gaze darted around the room, his usual calm demeanor replaced by a flicker of unease. He wanted to be honest, but the potential consequences of revealing everything about the night before warred within him. "Honestly, it's okay," he finally said, his voice measured. "You don't need to remember every detail. You just… got a little carried away, that's all."

"Carried away?" Annik's brow furrowed as she tried to piece together the missing fragments of her memory. "Like what?" There was a hint of panic in her voice.

Shivay downplayed it. "Just some silly things. Insisted on playing hide-and-seek in the car, talked my ear off the entire ride…" He trailed off, hoping that would be enough to deflect from the more significant events.

Annika sighed, relief washing over her features. "Oh, thank goodness. You scared me for a second. Sorry, Shivay, I guess you had to bear the brunt of my drunken antics." Another wince escaped her lips as a fresh wave of nausea hit.

"Don't worry about it," Shivay reassured her, his voice gentle. "Go freshen up, and I'll whip you up a hangover remedy that'll knock that headache right out."

Annika nodded gratefully, a sliver of her usual playful smile returning to her lips. She shuffled towards the bathroom, her steps tentative but purposeful. As the door closed behind her, Shivay stood there, a knot of indecision tightening in his stomach. He knew he was sparing her some initial discomfort by omitting the details of the kiss and the baby talk. But the lie felt heavy on his tongue.

He wasn't sure of his own feelings yet.  The memory of the kiss lingered, a spark of something unexpected. But was it real, or just a product of the night's chaos.

As Shivay stirred the concoction of ginger, honey, and lemon juice, a flicker of movement in the doorway caught his eye. Annika leaned against the frame, her hair damp and a towel wrapped around her shoulders.

"That smells amazing," she said, her voice still slightly groggy but laced with a hint of curiosity.

Shivay smiled, a genuine one that crinkled the corners of his eyes. "It's supposed to be a miracle cure for hangovers. Hopefully, it lives up to its name." He poured the golden liquid into a mug, the steam carrying the invigorating scent of citrus and ginger.

Annika took the mug gingerly, her eyes lingering on Shivay for a beat longer than necessary. "Thanks," she murmured, her gaze dropping back to the drink.

The comfortable silence at the kitchen table shattered with Annika's question. "Are you close with Natasha?" she inquired, her voice laced with a hint of curiosity.

Shivay's features hardened at the mention of Natasha's name. "Annika," he began, his voice clipped, "Natasha and I are not close. In fact, she's someone I'd rather keep out of my life." A flicker of possessiveness crossed his face, a feeling he couldn't quite explain.

"You too, stay away from her," he added abruptly, surprising even himself with the territoriality in his tone.

Annika blinked, taken aback by his sudden intensity. Before she could respond, Shivay stood up abruptly.

"Look," he said, his voice strained, "I don't feel well. I'm going to head to the office." He paused, his gaze flickering to Annika's face. "You should stay home and rest today. No need to go to the bakery."

Without waiting for a reply, he turned and stormed out of the kitchen. Annika watched him go, a wave of confusion washing over her. What had just happened? His reaction was so out of character, so unlike the gentle Shivay she knew. A frown creased her forehead.  What did Natasha do with him in the past?

Ten minutes later, Shivay reappeared, fully dressed and ready to leave. He cast a brief glance at Annika, who was still sitting at the table, but didn't say a word. With a brisk nod, he exited the apartment, leaving Annika alone with her questions and a growing sense of unease.

Confused and slightly hurt by his abrupt departure, Annika decided to give him some space. She finished her drink, the clinking of the ice cubes echoing in the sudden quiet of the apartment. With a sigh, she decided to follow his advice.  Maybe a day of rest would clear her head, help her piece together the fragmented memories of the previous night.