The GIRLFRIEND Deal

CHAPTER 50

Half Century Guys!!

A dull ache throbbed in Shivaay’s head as he stirred awake. The dim morning light filtered through the curtains, casting soft shadows across the room.

It took him a moment to register where he was.

Not his bed.

Not his house.

The couch beneath him was unfamiliar.

His eyes flickered open fully, and then he saw her.

Anika.

Curled up on the bed, her face towards him, breathing steadily in sleep.

He exhaled slowly, shifting slightly—and that’s when he noticed the comforter draped over him.

She had covered him up.

Shivaay sat up, running a hand through his hair. His movements were slow, careful, as his mind scrambled to piece together the events of last night.

And then, like a sharp jolt, it all came rushing back.

The drunken words. The way he had leaned in too close. The tension crackling between them.

“And right now… I want to know exactly how your lips would taste if I kissed you.”

His own voice echoed in his head, and his stomach dropped.

God.

He had actually said that.

And the way Anika had looked at him eyes wide, lips slightly parted, completely stunned, before he had unceremoniously dozed off like an idiot.

A wave of guilt settled in.

What the hell was wrong with him?

Pushing boundaries he had no right to cross.

Shivaay sighed, leaning back against the couch. He needed to fix this before it became something messier, something neither of them were ready for.

A soft rustling sound caught his attention.

Anika stirred, stretching slightly. Her sleepy eyes fluttered open, locking onto him almost immediately.

For a moment, neither of them spoke.

Then, she pushed herself up, rubbing her forehead. "You're awake."

"Yeah," he said, his voice rough from sleep.

A beat of silence.

Then she asked, cautiously, "How are you feeling?"

"Not great"

"I will get you your americano" Anika got up from her bed and moved to the kitchen.

"Wait wait, ab tum ise kali coffee saherabano nahi bolti?(Now you don't call this black coffee saherabano?)" Shivaay surprisingly asked her.

"You remember?" She couldn't believe that he would even remember that.

"Can't forget. That was one hell of a unique name" he replied.

"Wait until you hear that I even consume it occassionally" Anika slightly laughed and he couldn't help but look at her as she tied her messy hair in a loose bun and her morning attire was making her look even cuter.

"Waise, you remember anything from yesterday?" She asked while setting up the hot water kettle.

Shivaay hesitated for half a second before slipping into the safest option.

"I… don’t remember much," he lied smoothly. "Just that I drank too much, showed up here like an idiot, and passed out."

Anika’s expression was unreadable. "That’s all?"