The Dating Charade ✔️

Chapter-52

"Shivaay, raita phail gaya hai, I don't know what to do!"

Pacing across her living room and frantically swinging her free arm in gestures, Annika complained over the phone to the one person she knew would listen to all her whining, console her, and then at the end find a way out.

"What is it, Annika?" Shivaay asked her from the other side of the line, in a calm voice because he knew of her habit of overreacting and exaggerating the simplest of things.

"Kya nahi hua, yeh pucho! Sahil's teacher called up, and said that he has his report card today. Today! And they're telling me now! Sahil ke bachhe ne bhi kuch nahi kaha, shayad hindi mein kam marks aye honge! And you tell me, how am I supposed to travel to Delhi by today? It takes 16 hours to go to Delhi by train. 16 hours! Even if I leave right now, I'll only reach after the report card day is over! That also considering that I get the train tickets. And on top of that, I can't just leave the shaadi preparations just like that, right? Not when the sangeet is just 3 days away. And we haven't even-"

"Annika, relax, relax!" Shivaay's voice interrupted her from the other side, and halted her bullet-speed blabbering. "Take a deep calming breath, come on."

"But Shivaay how-"

"Come on, just do it."

Listening to his advice, Annika breathed in deeply, and slowly exhaled. Repeating this a couple of times, she flopped down on her couch.

"Now you tell me, what should I do?" She asked.

"When is his report card, exactly?" Shivaay asked in turn.

"From 5 to 8 pm. They also have a science fair then, where Sahil is participating."

Shivaay hummed in response.

"So you have to be there till 8, atleast," Shivaay mumbled, as if he was speaking to himself.

"Shivaay, have you even been listening? There's no way I can go!"

"Who said so? Because from my perspective, it all seems very do-able."

Annika rolled her eyes at that.

"That's because you're The Mighty Shivaay Singh Oberoi. Everything's do-able for you!" Annika said, a hint of resentment in her voice.

"And you, my love, forget that you have 'The Mighty Shivaay Singh Oberoi' at your service. So everything's do-able for you, too."

Frowning, Annika asked him what he meant. 

"Leave all that, just come over to the mansion in an hour. I'm sending Khanna to pick you. And wear something comfortable." Saying that, he hung up before Annika could get another word in, leaving her all lost.

**

"I still can't believe this is happening."

Sitting inside the very luxurious private jet owned by the Oberois, Annika repeated this line for the umpteenth time as Shivaay chuckled from beside her. Keeping aside the business magazine he was reading, he snaked his arm around her shoulder and pulled her close to him.

"Well, it is happening, and it's high time you accept that."

"But how can I accept it, Shivaay!" Annika exclaimed as she tilted her head up to look at him. A flight attendant came and served them coffee and tea, and after she left, Annika continued. "This is all so sudden- and absurd! I mean, you just managed everything so smoothly, this is just so unbelievable!"

Laughing again, Shivaay placed a kiss on the top of her head. 

"I told you, everything's do-able if you have the mighty Shivaay Singh Oberoi at your service," he winked, and Annika smacked his arm, before joining him in the laughter and snuggling closer against his chest.