The Accidental Matchmaker

chapter xxii

xxii. A Girl With A Mission

Anika walked down the stairs, her bag and phone in one hand each. Putting the phone to her ear, she waited for Gauri to pick up.

"Hey!" Gauri's sleepy voice came through a couple rings later.

"This is not fair. I am being woken up so early by your prospective sasural and you are out there, vacationing with your boyfriend and still sleeping." Anika whispered, lest someone hear her.

Gauri chuckled. "We had the event last night so I slept really late. Om's gone out for some morning walk or something. I have no idea. He did wake me up to say something but I don't remember anymore."

"At least one of us is enjoying."

"Oh come on, Om's family is very cool. It is fun being around them."

"Yes but you do not have his mother constantly shipping you together."

"Well, I know how to keep my secrets. You should have secrets. Now it is a lesson learnt for you. The next time you find yourself a boyfriend, fake or not, don't go around shouting about your relationship in the face of his family."

Anika groaned as Gauri laughed. "I hate all of you. You, Shivaay, Om, myself. In that order."

"Okay now do you have something to tell me or should I sleep?"

"How was your event?"

"Nope."

"Arey?"

"I'll call you in the evening. I really need to sleep."

"Gauri sun toh-" but the call was already dead.

She frowned at the phone.

"Who is at the receiving end of your tantrums this morning?" Shivaay's voice came from behind her.

"My dearest sister who has effectively ruined my life. If she wouldn't have introduced me to Om, your brother wouldn't have had the ridiculous idea and I wouldn't have to wake up to see your face the first thing in the morning." The two of them had begun walking down the stairs, Shivaay still setting his sleeves.

"Welcome to the club of elder siblings having their life ruined by their younger ones and complete strangers." Shivaay shrugged.

"Oh wait. Before that, what was that when you left the room?" Anika frowned.

"What?" he looked completely clueless, shifting to the other hand.

"Talking about," she pointed to the two of them, "us like that." Shivaay looked up to find Anika making a disgusted face.

"It's called the art of revenge. When my sex life is being discussed by my Mom and a psycho woman I met like 4 weeks ago, I find it fair enough to irritate that psycho woman to the exact same level. What better than having her all flustered?"

"Yes but that way, you are still discussing your sex life just that you are getting me dragged into it?" Anika looked at him in confusion.

Shivaay chuckled. "I was only quoting my Mom. Helping you understand what she meant. I thought you don't really get bothered at all. It sort of breaks my heart that the only thing that can shut you up is the idea of us."

"Shut up." Anika mumbled, shoving her elbow to his side which Shivaay easily dodged. She might not like him very much but Anika was aware that he was attractive. She was not blind. She had very easily compartmentalized that their relationship was professional and maybe sort of like relatives or something since Gauri and Om were a thing. She had managed to not think about Shivaay like that at all but if he kept talking, she'll not be able to stop her brain from going in that direction. Stupid man, can he not take a hint? Anika knew herself very well. Focus.