An Aesthetic Love: A Collection Of Shivika Short Stories

08| weekend getaway.

"Shivaay, kal kya hai?" Annika asks with a smile, facing him.
Its early morning, and he's getting ready for office.
"Kal Sunday hai Annika," he says, setting his precious hair.
She facepalms. "Woh toh mujhe bhi pata hai. Aur kya hai?" She looks at him with hope in her eyes.
"Aur kal mai ghar pe rehne waala hoon after a long time. Bye!" He tells her, and leaves.
Annika frowns.

"Kaisa banda hai yeh?" She scrunches her nose, "kal hamari anniversary hai, aur inhe yaad hi nahi hai. Bahut badhiya." She says, and plans to not talk to him anymore.

The same afternoon, Shivaay comes home.
"Annika, hamare bags pack karo." He tells her, and goes to his room.
She frowns. "Kyu?" She asks, going after him.

"Woh business expansion ke liye foreign company ke saath deal hai, uske liye abhi Maldives jaana hai. I want you to come with me." He says with a smile, looking for something in his cupboard.
"Mai kyu chalun aapke sath?" She asks him, annoyed.
"Kyuki mai chahta hoon, Annika. Packing karo, aur jaldi neeche aao. 2 ghante me flight hai." He says and comes out, telling his family about this emergency business trip. 

Meanwhile, Annika is in their room, throwing clothes into her suitcase.
"Ek toh inko anniversary yaad nahi rehti, upar se pata nahi mujhe business trip pe le jane ki zidd kyu pakad ke baith gaye hain. Mai kya karungi wahan par? Khud toh meri sautan se chipke rahenge, mujhe akela chodkar. Kaisa banda hai yaar yeh!" She speaks to herself, closes the suitcase, as he enters the room.
"Mera bhi le lo,"
"Aapke kapde packed hain?"
"Haan." He says, grabs the suitcase, and they both comes down, a permanent frown on her face.

All the family members then bid them goodbye.
"Enjoy, haan?" Rudy says with a teasing smile, as Annika comes closer to his ear, and tells him, "kaddu enjoy! Mai kya karungi wahan par? Inhe toh business ke alawa aur koi kaam nahi hai, mujhe bhi zabardasti phasa rahe hain." She says, and looks at Shivaay with a sarcastic smile.

"Chalein?"
"Chaliye," she says, and goes with him.
By 6pm in the evening, they have boarded their flight.
Annika is even more annoyed with Shivaay as first he upset her and now he isn't even trying to convince her.
They are sitting in the airplane, waiting for it to take off.
"Hum 11 baje tak pahunch jayenge." He tells her.
"Acha."
"Aur uske baad resort tak 1 hour ka raasta hai so, by midnight," he trails off, looking at her.
"Theek hai." She says, and looks out of the window.
Shivaay smiles to himself.

When they reach by 11pm, Annika is almost asleep.
"Bas thodi der aur Annika, hum pahunch jayenge uske baad aaram se sona." He tells her.
She yawns one more time, nodding at him, still annoyed.
They board a cab and head towards their resort.

"Kitna andhera hai yahan," Annika says, holding Shivaay's hand, as they reach the resort.
"Mera haath pakadke rakhna, okay?" He says, as they are finding a way to their room.

The time is almost 12. Annika looks at her watch, and scrunches her nose.
Shivaay stops in front of room number 29.

"We're here," he breathes a sigh of relief.
Annika has a frown on her head.
"Kitne khush hain. Pata nahi shaadi hi kyu ki thi mujhse. Apne kaam se hi shaadi karni chahiye thi na." She thinks.

"Annika, yahin rukna, okay?" He tells her, and begins opening the door.
He unlocks it, and puts his palm over her eyes.

"Shivaay, yeh kya kar rahe hain aap?!" She asks him, but he takes her inside that way.
He removes his hand from her eyes,
"Surprise!" He exclaims, as the whole room lights up with incredible decorations.