"Babe, I am really excited. I can't control my excitement"
Mallika, Annika's friend jumped on the bed with an abundance of excitement and happiness. Annika nodded in disbelief eyeing her. Suddenly Mallika's phone rang gaining their attention.
"Oh My God! Shivaay. Hello. Yes, of course. Don't worry. Yeah,bye"
Annika silently watched her while plastering a small smile on her face.
"Gosh, I'm super thrilled. Shivaay, the heartthrob of the college is going to propose me on his very first music concert. I can't believe this. I'm going to arrange the dress for the evening"
Annika smiled looking at her retreating figure and went inside the washroom. She locked the door and sat down. Her legs were pressed against her chest while her hands were holding onto it. Silent tears flew from her eyes.
Annika laid back her head on the door and closed her eyes. She wished everything to be dream but that's the sad reality.
~
FlashBack
College Period
"Wow Shivaay! 20th love letter from the same anonymous girl. You know what, actually we should celebrate this" Om chirped.
"Celebration ?"
"Of course dude"
"Don't be so impossible, Om. I'm receiving these love letters about a year. But I can't find the girl. Till today"
Shivaay shoved the later on the canteen table. Annika from the front seat heard their conversation and giggled. She lightly tilted her head backwards and peeked from her shoulder to see him. She in a jiffy turned back and heaved sigh.
"Must say she's a wonderful poet"
"I admit it. But seriously I don't understand them" Shivaay exhaled seeing the letter.
Shivaay opened the letter and smiled reading it. This anonymous girl always discovered something new in her every love letters. Her poems will be short yet emotionally rewarding. It would be a white lie if Shivaay didn't fall for her poems.
"Who are you girl ?"
~
Shivaay was playing guitar while sitting on top of the table. The whole class stood surrounding him. Annika was admiring him from the distance while lying her head on the palm of her hand.
Once he stopped playing the strings, everyone clapped for him. Annika happily clapped for him in utter excitement. Once she realised her over-enthusiastic response, she kept her hands under the table and slowly clapped for him.
"Shivaay, you're incredible"
"I'm your fan dude"
"You really played well, man!"
"You are surely going to rock in the music world"
"Thank you, guys. Thank you" Shivaay smiled at everyone.
"Wish I could be girlfriend. Hey, Shivaay, I'm sure you will be having some fantasy about your future girlfriend. Don't you ?"
"Nothing like that.."
Om interrupted, "Liar! He doesn't have a bucket of fantasies in the list. But, there's one"
"Just one ?"
"Yeah and.." Shivaay cut in, "Om ! No guys nothing like tha.."
"You, be quiet. Shivaay has only one wish. Maybe a talent that he wish to see in his to-be partner"
"Talent ? What's that ?"
The next thing Annika heard from Om broke her heart. Tears welled up in her eyes whilst she moved out from the class.
Annika reached the library corridor which looked empty and silently cried.
She thought, "I'm blessed for nothing"
~
The next day in the college, Annika saw Shivaay sitting with Om while laughing wholeheartedly.
"Hey Annika. Shivaay is truly handsome. Right ? Tsk! You just won't respond to my rants about him. I'm going to talk to him. Wait for me, huh!"
Mallika went towards Shivaay and Omkara. She started talking with them. They also enjoyed her company. Annika smiled sadly and bowed her head.
~
Annika was walking on the college corridor while holding a novel and her notebooks in her hand. Suddenly, she bumped into someone's back. The novel and notebooks fell on the floor. She quickly bent down and picked up the book in haste and looked upwards. She gulped as she saw Shivaay standing in front of her. Annika visibly panicked seeing his coffee spilled shirt.
"Are you blind ?! Look what have you done. Next time look where you're walking, woman!" Shivaay shouted on her face.
Annika without saying anything ran from there. She can't take someone's scolding her. She's been always sensitive to bear such harsh tones. Additionally, he was the last person she ever wanted to get an earful.
"Shivaay, calm down. You scared that poor girl" Om patted on his shoulder.
"Om, because of her the coffee spilled on the le..letter"Shivaay waved the letter in the air.
He really didn't bothered about his shirt. Om smiled seeing him. He knew Shivaay had grown affectionate towards the anonymous love letters.
"Don't worry Shivaay. The coffee isn't spilled much on your love letter. Look at your shirt"
"I haven't read this—"
"Shivaay, you can read once it's dry. Come let's go"
Om walked off while Shivaay blew the letter. He was about to move but something caught his attention.
To be continued...
~
Gratitude, Love Comrade
