Shivika 3S : Gravity

Gravity :PART 3 (last)

Shivaay continued to stalk her every move, not even bothering to camouflage it anymore. He would just show up right next to her, speak to her pointedly. And get ignored. Rudra was having a great time watching, only popcorn was unavailable. Om was watching too,  although tensely. Shivaay  is being weird, downright strange even.

But he had never seen him  behave like this ever. Shivaay was the most sorted and put  together gentleman, and he prided himself of it too. And here he was following Annika like a stubborn mule who refuses to obey, just because she wouldn't speak to him.

   Shivaay wasn't even bothered if he was subtle anymore. He just couldn't stand that she wouldn't talk. He knew he said horrible things about her but she wasn't supposed to hear all that! That was just... Just...

Just him telling his brothers to back off about them. Them, as in Annika and him, as a couple. He wasn't even going to think about that. He just needed to know she was on the same page about that.

Wasn't she?

I don't know what it is I feel for her. Love? Bah ! Nonsense... He has no time for mushy gooey feelings like that. All I know is I care about what happens to her, and I like how she makes my family happy. I like how she babies Rudra and is comfortable with Om. And above that she is comforting to Dadi. I like...

Like? he pushed aside that thought tersely when he noticed her picking up her bag to go home. She said goodbye to everyone , but him and was leaving. It was close to midnight. He slipped out a side entrance, followed by a curious Omkara and Rudra.

   They found the two arguing outside by Shivaay's car. She was trying to walk off and he was tailgating her with the car, lights and horn blaring. It was becoming such a scene, that Annika huffed and stomped into his car with a face like thunder.

When an unstoppable force hits an immovable object. One has to give way. Omkara smiled, Shivaay has found his match. He turned and high-fived a gleeful Rudra.

   Shivaay drove as she stubbornly sat staring out her passenger window. He felt his anger boiling over.

"Talk to me dammit! Say something! "
"Why should I??"
"Excuse me, but here I am sending you home and you won't even speak!"

"I never asked you to !! Why are you anyway? Aren't you afraid my dirt  would rub off on you? Dirty poor person I am!? No wait, your exact words were "roadside trash"?! Nowhere near your status? Now what huh? what!?!?"

She was ranting so loudly he winced. He parked the car on the roadside and cursed as she jumped out and walked off like a train.
"I am dirty apparently. Oh Hello!? Who do you think you are huh?! Just because you have money you think you can judge me? You haven't struggled as I have! You haven't felt hunger as I have. You won a lottery and grew up in a big house. Down here in the streets you wouldn't  know what to do!? Big deal,  name and status. ." she threw a dismissive hand in the air for effect.

  Suddenly, Shivaay had her against a pillar, his voice menacing.

"Don't  mock me, I'm warning you!"
"Your money doesn't scare me, neither does your anger!!" she bit  back defiantly.

Shivaay blinked. She's not impressed by his money or his power. His blue green eyes were shining under the street lamps of the waterfront sidewalk. He stared  into her eyes and saw the sheen of tears.

Your eyes, they change colour, at different times, they are beautiful...

  He continued to stare at her as she fell into his spell. Her gaze softened , her pupils dilated with awareness. God, she is beautiful. Her pouty luscious lips parted breathlessly. He looked longingly at her lips and slowly inched closer.

   The moment their lips touched,  Annika closed her eyes because there were fireworks exploding in her head. His kiss was soft, enquiring , feeling. Their hot breaths mingled as he came back for seconds. He sucked in her lower lip hard as she grasped lightly. She was breathing short shallow breaths.

   He said in a gravelly voice, " Shhh, take a deep breath.."
As she took a lungful, he parted her lips and deepened the kiss. Both were lost in the moment as they gave in to their frustrations. His hand snaked around her waist and pulled her close. Her softness drove him a little crazy as he kissed her over and over as she grabbed bunches of his shirt to hold on.

A sudden musical car honk broke the spell. Some boys howled in appreciation of  their scene from a passing car. She was bright red and embarrassed, and he shielded her from their view with his back.

"Shivaay..." she murmured in that alluring way, and he felt his defences crumble. He wanted to kiss her again desperately but real world was creeping in.

"Annika... nothing can come of this..."
She blinked confusedly as he slowly came into focus in front of her eyes. Regret, was lining his face and her face burned with humiliation.

She shrugged out of his embrace and shrank away. Turning abruptly, she walked away and he immediately was right after her.

"Stop!! Go back home Shivaay Singh Oberoi!  Dont mess with dirt like me. You have promised to marry Tia and you never go back on a promise. So go! I will be gone from your life after your wedding. No one will know of this!! Just go!!"

She pushed at him and he felt more furious each time. What madness is this?

He tried to catch her hand and she flung it away..

"Stop Annika. Calm down!"

"No,  I won't! Nothing can come of this!  I am not cut from the same cloth as you people!  I dont know who my parents are !! I was abandoned at an orphanage and my sister separated from me. No one came for me! I scrapped and crawled my way out until my Sahil's father adopted me. I dont know who my parents are?! I dont know! And you are a mighty Oberoi!!!"

Shivaay stood shock still listening intently. All his jibes in the past came back to haunt him. Genetic lottery,  her pessimistic views on love and marriage, her pride in being without a last name. Regret poured in him like acid.

"Annika ..."
"No, Shivaay! Just go. I give you a free pass. No strings attached. Just walk away. Go!" She pushed at him hard and ran off to a nearby auto and sped off. Leaving a thoughtful Shivaay running his hand through dishevelled hair.

The next morning the gossip papers wrote in Bold.

"Oberoi wedding called off"

The end