An Aesthetic Love: A Collection Of Shivika Short Stories

14| realising love.

Story plot: Shivaay's Friend, Daksh, arrives to attend his wedding, where OmRu involve him in a plan to make Shivaay realise his feelings for Annika.

Daksh is not in love with Annika or anything, okay? 😂
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"Annika didi, Daksh bhaiya aapko pasand karte hain."

As the words registered in his mind, Shivaay felt suffocated. He had heard Rudra tell this to Annika when all the youngsters were planning to have a dinner night out at an Italian restaurant, and since then, he hasn't been able to get them out of his head.

What if what Rudra said is true, and he is actually going to lose Annika to Daksh?
And the real question, why is it bothering him so much? Not like he loves Annika or something, right?

So right now, as all the youngsters- Shivaay, Omkara, Rudra, Annika, Saumya, Priyanka and Daksh- gathered into the hall before leaving for the restaurant, Shivaay couldn't get his eyes off Annika and Daksh, who were standing together and chatting about something, and he noticed how well Annika had gelled with his friend, and how it was not good for him.

OmRu looked at him staring at Annika and Daksh, and smiled at each other. The plan they created with Daksh, Mission Jealous Billu, was working.

And they knew they were going to have their favourite Annika as their bhabhi soon.

"Bhaiya," Rudra approaches Shivaay, "Daksh bhaiya aur Annika didi kitne ache lagte hain na saath me? Agar Daksh bhaiya ne Annika didi ko propose kiya," Shivaay glares at him, "toh kaash woh haan bol dein. They'd make a great pair." He says and leaves, not even waiting for a reply because he knew he was not going to get any.

By now, all of them had settled into the car with which they were going to the restaurant- Saumya and Priyanka at the farthest back, Om, Daksh and Annika in the middle (on Rudra's insistence, much to Shivaay's dismay), and Rudra on the passenger seat as Shivaay drove.

Shivaay, as frustrated as he was that Annika wasn't sitting in front with him, couldn't even react that way because he doesn't want his family, especially his brothers, to know that he is, in fact, jealous of Daksh, and of the fact that Annika is enjoying with him.

Even as he drove, his mind drifts to what Om has always told him- about love and all that. About a certain person affecting you to the end of your patience, you not being able to see them with anyone else, and not being able to imagine your life without them.

Shivaay registered how this was so similar - almost identical- to what he felt for Annika, and questioned his existence for 29 years as he went on to believe that he had indeed gone and fallen in love with Annika, or so to say- his wedding planner, when he has believed in naam, khoon, khandaan all his life.

Was it really love? Shivaay smiled at the thought. He hadn't believed in love all his life, even if he falls in love, he wouldn't know.

And anyway, he was getting married to Tia soon, so he cannot possibly go and change that because he thinks he has fallen in love. And as a businessman, he cannot let his heart control him. It has to be his mind.

So he registers the words in his head, as they get off the car, reaching their destination: "I don't love Annika." Hoping that by doing this, it will come true.

As they settle down on the table, having ordered their food, Shivaay looks at Annika chatting animatedly to Daksh, and OmRu looking at them as if they've found their bhaiya-bhabhi, and feels a pain in his chest.

He gathers all the courage to ask OmRu,
"Why are you guys so adamant on setting up Annika with Daksh, huh? Waise toh bada bolte ho, ki aapka dil kehta hai, 'Annika', yeh, woh, ab tum kyu usse Daksh ke saath zabardasti chipka rahe ho? Tum toh hamesha kehte the ki aapko Annika ko dekhte hi kuch ho jata hai, aap dono ke beech kuch hai, ab kya hai? You're my brothers, for god's sake!" He asks them with that pain-stricken look on his face.