Banner and moodboards by ImLilMissComplicated (check out the lovely banner made by her in the last chapter as well <3 )
I'm here so early, right? Wanted to get done with all the shaadi ceremonies soon because y'all are dying to go to Bali! ;)
**
"Shivaay?"
...
"Shivaay?"
"Hmm?"
"I'm hungry."
Hearing Annika's words, Shivaay opened his eyes and looked at her with squinted eyes.
"Hungry? But we just had dinner a while back!"
Annika scowled at that.
"We didn't have dinner 'a while back'- it's been exactly 3 hours and 14 minutes since we had dinner! And if you don't remember, Rudra had suddenly decided it was his cheat day and eaten up half of my aloo poori!"
Groaning, Shivaay fumbled in the dark for his phone on the bed-side table.
"Babe, it's 1 am now!"
"Okay fine, I'm sorry I expected my boyfriend would be worried about me sleeping hungry, but I was definitely wrong because he doesn't seem to care at all."
Sighing, Shivaay got up and sat beside her on the bed. She had turned away to the other side, and he could practically feel her frowning, mouth twisted and eye narrowed. Wrapping an arn around her waist, he put his chin on her shoulder.
"Alright, my drama queen. What would you like to have?"
Now, Annika would have loved to show some more nakhrein, but as it was, her stomach was growling. Curse Rudra for stealing her food!
"Umm, let me think," She pretended to think deeply, tapping an index finger on her chin, but at this point she could have eaten her own shoe.
"How about some noodles?" Shivaay suggested. To tell the truth, he had named the dish he found easiest to make, because as much as he loved Annika, he was extremely sleepy and wanted to get back to bed and into her arms, ASAP.
"FIne," Annika muttered, giving him the upper hand for once because she felt guilty for waking him up as it was. "But be quick!"
"Ay ay, m'lady," Shivaay said sarcastically, getting up and walking out of the room, shaking his head at all that he had to do for his woman. Annika, lying on the bed, smiled to herself. She had known Shivaay wouldn't refuse her, and also knew that she was taking advantage of this strange power she had over him, where she could make him do anything she pleased and he would do it without question, but she couldn't help it. Having been deprived of love and affection, and even basic care, all her life, she was taking all that she could now that she had it. Over the past few days, she and Shivaay had gotten even closer, if possible. He was much more flirty, yes, but it wasn't just that. It seemed to her that he was much less reserved now, and so much happier. For one, he kept smiling to him all the time, much to her annoyance because she wanted to know what he was smiling about but everytime she asked he would just shrug it off. There was also just so much more light in his eyes, these days.
Especially when he looks at me, Annika thought with a blush.
Lying there in the dark, she felt closer to herself, somehow. Like if she thought something now, or admitted something, it wouldn't matter. It would dissappear into the night. She wouldn't feel guilty about feeling something she wasn't supposed to. And so, she allowed herself to dwell on the fact that no matter how hard she tried to not get attached to Shivaay, the deeper she fell for him. The more she tried to run away from her feelings, the more she ran away from herself. A smile on her face, Annika wondered just how she was supposed to guard her heart from the man who owned her heart.

YOU ARE READING
The Dating Charade ✔️
FanfictionShivaay and Annika start dating, but only in pretense. Slowly, the drama becomes a little all too real. Will they ever realize their true feelings? (Cover by ImLilMissComplicated)