The Dating Charade ✔️

Chapter-43

I'm really happy today for a particular reason, so was able to write this without procrastinating much. It's really short, I know. Sigh.

 Hope y'all like it nonetheless 💕

**

An hour later, Shivaay was kneading out the dough for making the pooris. He had decided to get some work done while Annika napped, checking emails through his phone while laying down beside her and lightly caressing her hair. Now that it was almost dinner time, he decided to wake her up after frying the pooris. However, as he was rolling out the dough, she herself emerged from her room, rubbing her eyes and then stretching slowly. Shivaay had to look away at this point, since the way she was straining her arms out wide, it flaunted her curves and made his mind fill up with wild thoughts. Such as, getting rid of that top and get a better view of said curves...

"Hey," Walking into the open kitchen, Annika greeted him in a voice raspy from sleep, not to mention hours of crying, and gave him a light peck on the cheek.

"Hi," Shivaay replied, looking at her intently for any trace of her previous sadness. "You okay?"

Annika nodded, and walking behind him, wrapped her arms around his waist tightly, thus engulfing him in a back hug.

"Thankyou," She mumbled into his shirt, and Shivaay smiled fondly.

"You don't have to thank me, Annika," he said, resuming his job with the dough. "But, what you can do is tell me the reason why were so upset."

Hitting her head against his back lightly, Annika reprimanded herself for being so vulnerable in front him. Of course he would be worried and ask for an explanation, but currently, Annika wouldn't be able to give him one. There was no way she was going to ruin their current, beautiful relationship, by bringing her actual feelings to surface. And so, she would ignore her stupid emotions and desires about him, and carry on with whatever they had for as long as she could. After all, as they say, ignorance is bliss. Sighing, she reluctantly unwrapped her arms and stood beside him, fiddling with a bit of dough distractedly.

"I told you na, Shivaay, it's nothing serious. I was just missing Sahil and-"

"And you watched a sad movie and so started crying, huh?" He continued mockingly.

"Not to forget, I was also having terrible cramps!" Annika said with a scowl on her pretty face.

Exhaling deeply, Shivaay shook his head.

"Annika, do you really want me to believe that? It had to be something major to get you crying so badly. You went to have lunch with Mallika, didn't you? Did she say something?"

"Gosh, no!" Annika exclaimed, mortified. "I'm telling you, Shivaay. It was nothing. Why wouldn't I tell you if something serious happened? I practically give you details about my entire day!"

Shivaay chuckled at that, and relaxed a bit. Even though he was still suspicious, the fact that she was over it now and was back to her cheery self, made him feel better.

"Fine then, I won't ask again. But Annika, if something does  happen that upsets you, you'll tell me, won't you?" He asked, looking into her eyes deeply. Annika gave him a wide, khidkitod smile at that, and tucking her head below his arm, she gave him a side-hug.

"I will, promise," She said, looking up at him. Shivaay smiled, and forwarded his pinky finger to her.

"Pinky Promise?"

Smiling, Annika entwined her pinky with his.

"Pinky Promise." 

"Okay now," Shivaay continued as he focused back on his work, "Let me make dinner, you must be hungry. You go and sit on the sofa, I'm bringing the food soon."