Shivika Redux SS: Kaise Bataye...(Completed)

Chapter 9: Breaking Free

Annika had come to the beach early so as to gather her thoughts...And as if now her thoughts were heading towards a whirlwind...

Shivaay had stayed true to his words....and had convinced Nikhil....

And Nikhil had called her to meet him at the beach....

but once the ball came to her court she was having conflicted thoughts...What did she want...?Was getting married to Nikhil what she had wanted...?

"Annika..."

She heard him call her when she was walking through the beach...

Strangely her thoughts started to become clear...like her mind realized what was the best to do...

"Annika..."

Annika turned to see Nikhil walking towards her...

Nikhil handed her a bouquet of red roses..now that he had his own job he was lavish with his attentions....Annika thought....or was it because he had to impress her...?

Annika:"Thanks Nikhil.."

She said as she took the flowers...She hated red roses....it was too perfect...and it reminded her that she was far from perfect...and maybe she never will be...

Nikhil had never asked her until now what her favorite flower and colour was..well what did he actually know about you Annika....?her heart questioned her...

She doubted if he really knew her birthday even....flowers tho dhoor ki baath hein....

Annika , you are being picky for no reason.....this is what you wanted....every issue that was created that day will be solved if you marry Nikhil....
She thought to herself....

Nikhil:"I'm so sorry Annika....for misjudging you...I should have stayed with you....but that Shivaay...that Shivaay was saying all those nasty things about you and...."

Annika:"And you believed it..."

Nikhil:''I had no choice Annika....I was..."

Annika:"You knew me Nikhil....you were my friend..and still you chose to believe a complete stranger over me....I trusted my life with you Nikhil...shaadi karne ja rahi thi tumse...saath janam ka rishta....aur tum ho ki.....you ran at the first sign of trouble and left me to face the brunt....what does that say about our relationship Nikhil....?"

She had taken everything life had thrown at her in a resigned manner....always letting others trample all over her....but it was going to end....no way was she going to let others walk all over her anymore....

Annika:"I kept saying over and over that it's all a lie....but you believed the worst about me and left me there in that mandap...."

Annika:"You knew what I am....and all my beliefs and still you thought I would sell myself for money...?"

Nikhil:"Annika...mein..."

He tried to say something but forgot what it was seeing this whole new avatar of Annika....This was the first time he had seen her like this...

Nikhil:'I'm so sorry Annika....I'm so sorry that I didn't trust you that day...but I have realized my mistake..just give me a chance to rectify it Annika...I promise ki you, I'Il always keep you happy..."

Annika:"What changed now...?What made you trust me all of a sudden...?Because Shivaay Singh Oberoi told you that nothing happened that day...?that he was lying...?was just trying to defame me...?"

Nikhil:"All this happened because of him...that Shivaay Singh Oberoi...."
He said angrily...

Annika:"of course...."
She said smiling coldly...Trust Nikhil to put all blame on others and bolt at the first sign of trouble....when the wedding broke he was in a hurry to put the blame on her....accuse her of being characterless....so as to save his reputation....

Deafening silence prevailed between them as they walked through the shores of the beach...

Nikhil:"Everything will be back to normal Annika....I promise....Shivaay told me everything...you know what I think we should get married soon....this time without any issues....Ma aur Papa are waiting to bring you home as their bahu....I'm waiting impatiently for us to get married..."
He said taking her arms in his...

Annika:"But I'm not..."

Nikhil:"What do you mean...?this is what we wanted right...?this is what you wanted right...?Our wedding...?"

Annika:"Yes I wanted it...but not anymore....I guess I changed...."

Nikhil:"What do you mean...?"

Annika:"You had your chance and you lost it....Now I have realized that when I marry it will be because I want to marry....not because of some twisted beliefs that marriage will give me respectability...."

Nikhil:"Is this because of Shivaay...?are you in love with him....?"

Annika laughed....love...?
She had lost the capability to love long ago itself....

Annika handed him back the ring he had made her wear....
Annika:"I think I don't deserve to keep this now....I'm sorry that you had to spend so much Money for this..."

Nikhil:"It's ok Annika....you can keep it....And think about our relationship again...and give our relationship another shot..."

Annika:"I have made my mind Nikhil....I don't think anything can change it..."

And a small part of her mind reminded her that It was really odd to keep one man's engagement ring and another man's mangalsutra with her...

Nikhil:"So this is it...?"

Annika:"Yes i guess it is..."

Annika watched the waves for sometime after Nikhil left....She looked around to see couples in love who had come to watch sunset together....Families who had come to the beach for outings....

Annika smiled seeing a girl and her little sister making a home using the sea sand on the beach....

Annika:"It's beautiful..."
She told the kid...

Kid smiled showing her dimpled cheeks...
"That's my home....aur yeh mere Ma, Dada and cheeku...."
She said pointing to the odd looking stick figures she has placed in the sand....

Little Cheeku made ku ku sounds agreeing to her sister....
"Don't put sand in your mouth cheeku..."
Mother of the kid said exasperated trying to pry the sand out of the baby's tiny hand...while the kid tried to grab some more sand using her other hand....

Annika smiled watching the baby...
Mother:"Are you married...?When you do, do not ever agree to have kids...boy are they annoying..."
She said in a tone that made her complaint sound like a praise....her eyes glowing with pride for her kids...

Annika:"You have got a beautiful family..."
She said to the mother of the kids....
But the lady was already busy building the sand castle with her kids...

As Annika walked out of the beach she saw Shivaay waiting outside in his car...what was he doing here in the first place....?was he waiting for her the whole time...?

Yes....She owed him for bringing back Nikhil....because he made her realize that that's not what she really wanted....

Annika thought to herself as she walked towards him...

Now it was time to return the Mangalsutra to Shivaay...