It wasn't unwilled, but it was unplanned.
She didn't expect a nuptial knot at 19.
He didn't expect a spouse by his side at 23.
Undoubtedly, a circumstantial relationship, with both not knowing anything about the other.
Will love find its way while h...
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Oxford dictionary defines regret as a feeling of sadness, repentance, or disappointment over an occurrence or something that one has done or failed to do. The regret one felt always seemed to gnaw every ounce of energy in our body. When all the alternatives that could have been done are presented in front of you, there is a decreased in the activity of ventral striatum in your brain and your serotonin levels go low, making you feel really low. A series of psychosomatic events in your body causes the digestion in your body to cease causing a sinking feeling in your stomach. So, whenever we deeply regret something, we have that feeling.
THAT feeling was exactly what Annika had when she stood there with a bowl of soup when she was trying to wake Shivaay up. His eyes opened slowly and he looked at her. She could tell from his eyes that he was weak. The man who ran around everywhere getting everything right was in front of her looking pale. The look on her face made Shivaay sit up straight, and she knew why Rudra said she needed luck. Shivaay Singh Oberoi hated being sick and probably was going to deny it.
"IT'S 9? We are late for the morning safari!" Shivaay stood up straight. He was instantly cold as soon as he put his blanket down.
"No, we aren't! Because we are not going, now SIT DOWN!" She pushed him and put back his blanket. He was dumbfounded at her sudden display of authority and she could tell, he was trying to get used to it, because had it been anyone else, he would have given it right back for using that tone on him. She brought his brush and a bowl; she handed it to him along with a glass of water.
"Now, brush and drink this soup. I asked the hotel manager to send a doctor at ten. So you should probably eat too," She said as she marched to the coffee maker to get some for the two of them.
"I'm not seeing a doctor. I have all the meds in my bag, a doctor won't be necessary!" He slurped the soup. He was quite surprised himself that he didn't mind her being bossy around him. But that didn't mean he would listen to her.
"Yes, you are seeing a doctor. We will go to the hospital if necessary. There are tons of diseases you could have in this weather and here, in this geographical location. So, drink the damn soup soon!" She gave him a hard glare before she went to the bathroom.
Shivaay's nose flared. But he drank the soup anyway.
"I'm not eating this." He pushed the plate toward Annika and she took a deep breath.
"Yes you are. I didn't cook it, so you are safe." She pushed his plate back to him and gave him a hard glare. She was quite famous for those glares. She couldn't help but smile a little when he grumpily ate his plate of boiled vegetables. He reminded her so much of someone and she did not know if it was good or bad.
*
"Okay Mr. Oberoi, you have flu. I have some medicines written down. If the fever doesn't go down, we may have to run some tests." The doctor gave Shivaay a pat and Annika a nod.
"Unbelievable!" Exclaimed Omkara, who stood by the door.
"Right?" Rudra looked at his grumpy older brother who was surprisingly silent. There was never one time in their entire life they saw their brother not make a fuss about meeting a doctor for himself.
"Well, Tau Ji was like him. Di used to handle him from the day she was born you know. We used to hear stories about how the two year old Chikku made Harshvardhan Trivedi drink his cough syrups!" There were tears forming in Gauri's eyes. God, it killed her to see her sister who was a far cry from the one she grew up with.
Rudra glared at Om and kept gesturing him to Gauri. Omkara looked at him clueless making him shake his head. He was stuck with one brother who was probably friend zoned by his own wife and another one who didn't really know how to be sensitive to a girl who was crying. He put a reassuring arm around Gauri and she gave him an appreciating hug.
*
"You know its gone Annika!" Shivaay raised his eyebrow when Annika put a cold cloth on his forehead. He was a perfect 98.3 degree Fahrenheit. YET, he was still treated like a patient who was sick with pneumonia instead. There was something in her demeanor that told him it wasn't entirely about him. But he was Shivaay and this was his Annika, he knew what was on her mind in an instant like he lived in it.
"You might get the fever again! Didn't you hear what the doctor said?" She folded the clothes carefully and placed it in. Maybe it was her fault he was sick, but she was going to make sure he was alright.
Shivaay simply shook his head. He had a long way to go, to bring back the lost girl from her forlorn world.
*
"It's late already. Maybe you should go Gauri!" Annika tried shooing her away. It happened every year.
"Wait, it's just two more minutes! Look at the stars," Gauri said with a soft smile. It was hard, for anyone it would be hard. She was determined she wouldn't leave Annika alone. She frowned when she noticed one of the employees, who seemed like Abhishek, standing near one of the bushes a little away. Gauri stood with Annika in their portico while Shivaay was fast asleep.
"30 seconds more... Look up!" Gauri caught Annika's hand in hers and they saw the stars. "3...2...1... Happy birthday Sahil!"
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