Atonement | ✓

Chapter 8

Shivaay was still weak. It had been five days he had been discharged from the hospital.  They told him that Anika did not want to see him. She was healthy but on bed rest as per doctor's suggestion.The truth was Anika couldn't even stand his name. Shivaay had lost his appetite to live. Nightmares haunted him. Flashes of the night, showed no hint of leaving him. The images of her lifeless body tormented him.

He was waiting impatiently for his brothers to return. They had gone on his request to meet Anika. While, Shivaay had himself told the truth to his sister Priyanka, who was confused about the happenings. She had not spoken to him since past four days after that. He sat lifelessly staring at the door. It had been more than an hour now. He hoped Anika was okay. A lone tear escaped his eyes. Maybe he deserved to be not loved. He deserved the emptiness that was gradually eating him up. His health wasn't doing great either. His wounds were healing but from past few days he was suffering from viral.

His body ached. His head hurt. But his heart was what pained as it remained in torn shreds. She did not want to see him and he was dying for one glimpse. He remembered that fateful day, when he had insulted her and torn her self respect. Another tear rolled down his cheek. He had gone too far. His chain of thoughts were broken when his brothers entered in smiling. He wiped his cheek before they could notice.

"How are you feeling now bhaiya?" Rudra asked him seating himself on the bed beside him.

"Better." Shivaay lied waiting for the two to fill him up on Anika's state.

"How is she?" he asked looking at Rudra and then at Omkara who sat on the other side next to him.

"She has fully recovered. She had applied for a teacher's job at Saint Mary's School. She got it. She is joining from tomorrow." Omkara spoke softly looking at him. He then turned to the bed table to pick up the tablet Shivaay needed to be given. He could still feel Shivaay's gaze on him, as though asking for more. "She is happy." Omkara muttered. Rudra looked on silently, not liking what Omkara said. It would hurt Shivaay. Shivaay sighed looking outside the window.

"Her immune system is better than yours, Bhaiya." Rudra grinned. "You better get healthy soon if you want to win her heart again."

Shivaay simply heard what Rudra had to say. He did not miss the expression that crossed Omkara's face. Again? When had he ever won her heart? He thought to himself. Maybe she was better of without him. She clearly seemed to have moved on and did not want him in her life. She had made it clear the day he had gone to bring her back.

"By the way, you know Om's new crush." Rudra grinned. Shivaay turned towards Om who was glaring at Rudra. "Shut up" he muttered. Shivaay smiled weakly turning back to Rudra. "It is Gauri Sharma!"

"it is nothing like that Shivaay, this Rudra sapeaks anything that cooks in his mind without thinking." Omkara stretched his arm and hit Rudra on his head.

"Oh please, like everyone around you is blind. By the way it's not one way Bhaiya, she also has feelings for him. Anika bhabi was teasing Gauri di about it too." Rudra smiled at Shivaay. Shivaay liked how Rudra called her bhabhi. But his mind took him back to her words. She did not wear the nuptial chain or the crimson colored vermilion in the partition of her hair. She refused to accept to be his wife. There were no proofs. "Call her anything but Bhabhi, Rudra." He spoke softly. If she wanted no association with him, he would make sure she had none.