The Dating Charade ✔️

Chapter-25

Shivaay was having that recurring dream again where an angel in white was creating havoc in his senses. This particular night she was wearing a sheer white robe and even though the fabric was thin enough to be see-through, Shivaay's dream-ridden, delusional mind couldn't make out the details, and it frustrated him to no ends. She was sitting right beside him, looking at him with a seductive look in her eyes, and a sultry smile on her lips. Her creamy white skin was glowing in the moonlight, and he could only but stare.

"Will you only keep staring?" She asked him like the minx she was, with a flirtatious look. Shivaay gulped and tried moving forward, but was held back by unseen restraints.

"Oh, I wanna do so much more," He said, and she giggled.

"Well, what's stopping you?" She asked, a challenging look in her eyes. 

"I don't know," He replied simply. It was so easy; she was right here, all but ready to be taken, yet even in his fantasies, she was unattainable.

"Get some sleep, Billuji," She teased him, leaning in closer. "Try again tomorrow." 

And with that, she disappeared, and he was wide awake.

"Oh God," Shivaay groaned, sitting up and messing up in his already disheveled hair. "What is this girl doing to me?" He asked to no one in particular, or maybe to the Gods above.

These kind of dreams had started making frequent appearances and it was driving him mad. He knew he was very attracted to Annika, but didn't know it had escalated so much. She was a gorgeous woman and he was a hot-blooded man, and they did spend a lot of time together, so Shivaay had assured himself that it was normal to have such desires. But the way she kept tormenting him during the night too, he didn't know how long he could hold back before deciding to just go ahead and fulfill these fantasies.

Checking his phone, Shivaay saw that it was only 5.30. He didn't need to be awake till atleast another hour, if that, because it was a Sunday and he didn't need to go to office. Sleeping was out of the question now, though, since his damned hormones were still raging. He needed to take a cold shower soon but decided to prolong it a bit. Yawning, he started going through the gallery in his phone, and his face lit up with a smile as he stared at Annika's pictures from last night.

"Beautiful," He whispered, admiring her by caressing her face on the screen. He had this sudden urge to save a picture of her as his home screen, but knew it would result in endless teasing from anyone who saw it. He ended up saving it as her caller ID. Doing so gave him another sudden urge to call her, knowing that she would never be awake at this hour. But he really wanted to hear her voice, and thought of giving it a try. 

There were many rings, and Shivaay was about to hang up disappointedly, when the call was picked up. Smiling like an idiot, Shivaay proceeded to wish her.

"Good morning," He said, eager to hear her voice but all his hopes went down the drain as he heard a voice that was definitely not hers. It was Sahil's.

"Why are you calling so early?" The little boy asked irritably. His sister wouldn't wake up so early even if a bomb exploded near her, so naturally he had had to pick up her continuously ringing phone. Shivaay was caught unawares and slapped himself for being stupid enough to actually call her.

"Oh, I-um- I think I called by mistake. Sorry," He said sheepishly, praying to God the little guy would let him get away with this one.

"Hmm, I see," Sahil said thoughtfully. "Well, it's nice to know you have manners and wish people a Good Morning even though you 'call them by mistake'. Good morning to you too, Mr. SSO. Bye bye."

Saying so Sahil hung up, and Shivaay closed his eyes in embarrassment. Taking a deep, frustrated breath, he made his way to the washroom, trying to forget all about the interaction, thinking that one day, he would surely drive himself mad because of a certain girl named Annika.

**

"Wake up, didi, it's 10 o'clock already," Sahil said, trying to nudge his sister awake. To no avail though, as she slept on with her mouth slightly open. Sahil rolled his eyes.

"Hey boyfriend woke me up so early in the morning," he mumbled, annoyed, "and she's sleeping here ghore bech kar."

These words made their way to Annika's ears, somehow, and instantly, she was wide awake.

"What did you just say?" She asked him, mouth wide open again. "My boyfriend woke you up?"

"Aur kya," Sahil said with a pout, crossing his arms. "Mr. SSO called you at 5.30 IN THE MORNING, and when I called him out on it, he said he had called by mistake! How ann- why are you smiling?"

Annika had indeed started smiling, that too shyly, and tried to cover it up with a fake yawn.

"I'm not smiling, okay? And I'm pretty sure Shivaay did call by mistake." Saying so she went to freshen up in the washroom. Once inside, the smile made it way to her face again.

"Shivaay called," Annika told herself, blushing and biting her lip, excitedly, "He called! That too in the morning!" 

Not knowing why a simple call from him was suddenly making her so giddy with happiness, she proceeded to wash her face. He had called a hundred times before, right? What was so special now? Subconsciously, Annika knew the reason. Last night had been so magical, and for the world, she was officially his girlfriend now. The pretense was getting a bit too real from her part, and although she would never admit it out loud, she knew she had a massive crush on him, and thus the school-girl type reaction because of his call. Sighing, Annika wondered if she would actually go crazy someday because of a certain man named Shivaay.

**

"Hey, did you call earlier?" 

It had taken Annika almost 2 hours to muster up the courage and call him back. She had almost backed away thinking he had indeed called by mistake but her gut feeling told her otherwise, and with shaky hands she had called him up.

"Yeah, I had." A moment of silence that got Annika disheartened thinking it had all indeed been a mistake, but as usual his words surprised her, "Just wanted to hear your voice."

Annika barely just managed to hide her gasp. What had gotten into him? Even if this was indeed the case, was he really admitting it? Feeling her cheeks burn, Annika composed herself enough to reply.

"So early in the morning?" She asked, biting her lower lip. She could more or less feel the amusement in his voice.

"All the time, actually." He said, grinning. Were they really flirting with each other? Annika felt like giggling at the very thought.

"How cute, Mr. Oberoi," She said, knowing it would annoy him.

"Hey, I'm not cute, okay? I'm hot," He said with his tadi at its peak, and Annika did giggle at this point.

"Oh please," She scoffed, "You and hot? Not a chance!" 

That did the deed. Shivaay furrowed his brows in annoyance. 

"Oh, so you don't think I'm hot, eh?" He asked in a challenging tone. Annika had to press a palm over her mouth to stop from laughing.

"Um, I haven't really noticed, to be honest."

Shivaay thought for a moment before replying.

"I see," He said with a deep, dramatic sigh. "Well then, get ready, Miss Annika."

It was Annika's turn to furrow her eyebrows now, in confusion.

"For what?" She asked, scrunching her nose.

"To find out just how hot your boyfriend is." 

Even though Annika couldn't see him, she knew he was smirking in that arrogant, and admittedly, very sexy way of his. Gulping, she wondered just what she had gotten herself into.