Zindagi Kitni Haseen Hai

Part 12

{ flowers need time to bloom }

• • •

Shivaay's Pov

It had been officially one week since we last saw each other and she confessed that she didn't like me. I wasn't going to lie, it hurt. She was the first girl in a long time I had feelings for.

Today was the 10th of August. Our therapy session, I had planned out the most of it. We would go for a walk. Nature helps with anxiety. Mostly.

I was waiting outside the clinic so that we wouldn't have to waste much time. I saw her coming, her face looked worried and her body language screamed how much she hated going outside.

"Hey", she greeted me. Her hands buried in her side pocket.

"Hi, we're going for a walk", I told her and started walking. I could hear her footsteps following me.

Soon we were out of the clinic. Anika was on my side. The weather seemed beautiful. Sunny but not too much. The wind hitting your cheeks was a cherry on the top.

"How was your week?", I asked her. It was a part of the schedule. I had to find out her routine.

"I didn't do much. Sitting at home, I wrote some things, watched some movies and etcetera", she kept looking straight.

Was she possibly avoiding looking at me? That would've hurt too.

"Anika, if you don't take risks, you won't have fun", I told her. Her head turned towards me and she raised her eyebrow.

"You gotta put yourself out there. We don't stop living life because of bad experiences. It's like you going fishing and it rains, so you never try to fish again", I wasn't really sure about that example.

"What if it rains again?", she looked at me.

"You just have to pick the right day", I answered.

"How will I ever know which is the right day?", she sounded annoyed.

"For that to find out, you have to leave the house", I looked at her.

"I don't like going out", she looked away. Well, we weren't really making progress.

"Why?", I asked her. It was important to know what triggered her trauma.

"The world's full of demons. There are no humans, all I see are devils", her voice raised.

"So, you're trying to say I'm bad too?", I tried to sound offended. She looked stunned.

"N-no, t-hat's not what I meant", she tried to defend herself.

"But that's what you were saying? You see, there are good people. Maybe hard to find but they do exist", I told her. She didn't want to buy it.

We were standing in front of an ice-cream stand. There was this little girl who bought an ice cream. She kept looking in her pocket for the money.

"I fink, I forgot at home", her voice sounded low.

"You sure?", the vendor asked her.

She nodded. Her eyes were filled with tears. She looked at the ice cream and forwarded it to give it back to him. Anika tried to approach her but I stopped her.

"It's okay kiddo, see it as a gift", he slowly smiled at her. The girls lit up and she literally ran to the other side and engulfed him in a hug.

"Okay okay, but don't forget it next time", he told her sternly and she smiled.

"Now go play", he patted her head. And hushed her away.

"See", I whispered in her ear. Anika turned towards me and then at the vendor.

"Do you want ice cream?", I chuckled. I knew she did by the way she stared at the vendor.

Reaching there, I looked at her waiting for her to tell me which flavor. She didn't say anything.

"What's your favorite flavor?", she asked me.

"Strawberry", I told her. But why was she asking me about my flavor?

"One strawberry and one choccolate", she told the vendor.

Once she had ice-cream in her hands, she tried to take out her purse but I had already paid.

"I'll give it back to you", she whispered.

"I'd really appreciate you giving me my ice-cream back", I taunted.

"I meant...", before she would have finished the sentence, I interrupted her.

"Shut up", I scolded her. Her face showed surprise. She handed me the chocolate ice-cream.

"But", I tried to get the strawberry one. She backed away.

"I want you to eat my favorite and I'll eat yours", she told me and smiled. Wow, that was smooth!

"Why?", I furrowed my brows.

"I don't know, it seemed fun", she licked at her ice-cream and I shook my head.

We were walking when I noticed that her shoe laces were open. I. motioned her to stop walking. She looked at me confused when I gave her my ice-cream to hold.

I bent down and Anika stepped back. I chuckled at her thinking I was going to propose to her. I signaled towards her shows and her mouth turned into a "0".

After that I tied her shoelaces. We sat down in the nearby park until we finished our ice-creams.

Then we walked back to the clinic. The therapy time was over. We stood in front of the clinic.

"I'm giving you homework", I told her. She giggled.

"Ain't I too old for that?", she asked me.

"You're never too old to learn new things", I laughed and took out the keys to the clinic.

"I want you to hang out with your friends, twice a week. I'll ask you about it when we meet next time. I expect you to do it", this time my voice sounded more. professional and stern.

I wanted her to take me seriously and do the things I was going to tell her. Like I said, we needed to start with a base.

"I don't..", she was about to say something when I glared at her. She rolled her eyes at me.

"Okay", she sighed and left.

Well, at least a starter. Maybe things were starting to sort out, slowly.
_______________________________________

Take care

Amna xx