Once Upon a University Campus

So Be It

Annika held the glittering sapphire sunflower pendant in her palm long enough that the pendant was warm to touch. She tired to fasten it but the clasp was broken, most likely when she snapped it in a hurry. The dawn broke with this harbinger of her happiness, the day was auspicious. She had to wear it, clasp or no clasp, as a sign of her victory over herself and acknowledge that she needed Shivaay to be with her forever. She quickly rummaged through a box filled with odds and ends and found a fix, a small hook that could be tweaked to hold the necklace together. She clumsily replaced the broken clasp with the makeshift hook and wore the necklace. The minute she wore it she felt relieved, a pair of hazel eyes were now watching over her. Closing her eyes, she felt the rough edges of the sapphire and promised something aloud so that the universe could hear her clear. "As long as I live, I live with you Shivaay." She then walked into her balcony and turned towards the horizon. The languid winter sun was peeking from the green tree tops lining the horizon.

"Did you hear me?" Annika said aloud, "As long as I live, I live with Shivaay." There was no haze, no fog not even mist that day. The cold did not bite her. The winds too were calm that morning. She set her phone to charge and got herself some chai. All of a sudden, she had started feeling ravenous, though an hour remained for the mess to start serving breakfast. Apart from hunger, she also felt light, as light as air, as if she was flying like a hot air balloon. This is how freedom from her own self felt. She giggled before heading to the bathroom to get ready.

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Annika checked the time. It was 5 P.M. Her phone had been silent the entire day. There was no response to the text she had sent Shivaay earlier that morning. Enormous lunch she had consumed had rendered her half awake and much in a daze, yet mostly confused, apart for her new resolution to be with him forever. She considered all the options available to her. Should she go and try to meet him again at his office or at home? Should she call him? She tried to dial Shivaay's number several times but her nervous fingers stopped at the very last second. She toyed with the idea of calling Tina and checking his scheduled but decided against it. It was then that her phone light up.

"Pick you in 20 minutes, at the main gate." It was a message from Shivaay.

Annika at once jumped to her feet. The whole day she had been waiting for his response and now she was too overwhelmed.

"20 minutes? 20 minutes... " She said to herself aloud, trying to get rid of her stupor. If was as if life was going in slow motion and suddenly someone changed it to fast forward mode. She hurriedly took a shower, changed into fresh clothes. After thinking for a few more minutes, she decided to wear a pair of Jhumkas and stepped out. It was on her way that she realised she had not combed her hair. Without any time to go back and fix her hair, she pulled her hair into a messy bun and secured it with a small clip she was already wearing, all while running towards the gate. She spotted his car waiting for her at a distance. Mohan stepped out to hold the door open for her as soon as he saw her. Shivaay sitting on rear seat was busy with his laptop. Shivaay acknowledged her when she hopped in but remained quiet throughout their trip, did not as much as look at her again. He still wore his shades though it was dusk. His bouffant was still in place, so was the shine on his black leather shoes.

An envelope and a card accidentally fell off his lap as Shivaay got off the car without a word once Mohan pulled over onto the driveway. Annika gathered them and ran behind him. She could see the green of the spreadsheet he had left open on his laptop and wondered what he was trying to prove. Was he still angry with her? Sure enough he was entitled to be angry with her. But why did he get her here if all he had to do was avoid her. Or did he bring her here because Daadi asked him to? Annika was slightly confused but then she also knew that it was because of her that they were in this situation. She tried to calm herself down thinking of ways to pacify him, to convince him that she would never repeat her mistake again. She realised that she had fallen way behind lost in her thoughts when she heard him clearing his throat. He was waiting for her by the stairs. She hurried to join him with a faint smile on her face.