An Aesthetic Love: A Collection Of Shivika Short Stories

32| expect the unexpected.

"Ab aayega na mazza," Rudra says with an evil smirk, while looking at Om.
"Tu pagal hai Rudra," Om tells him, "Shivaay aur bhabhi ki ladai hai, woh khud sort kar lenge na? Tujhe beech me kyu padna hai?"

"Aap chup ho jaao. Mujhe pata hai ki bhaiya aur bhabhi apni ladai khud sort kar sakte hain but phir mazza kaise aayega?" He says with a smile, while Om shakes his head listening to him.

"Aur waise bhi, aapko yaad hai ShiTia ki patchup party? Agar usme yeh tareeka kaam kar gaya tha toh yahan toh zarur karega,"
Om shakes his head, and leaves.

Rudra was currently standing by the poolside with Om, mixing alcohol in his 'world-famous', special fruit punch for Shivaay and Annika. They had fought today morning, and hence Rudra decided to use his masterplan to sort out whatever they were fighting about.

He had just put the fruit punch mixed with alcohol on the table when Shivaay entered with a frown on his face, and Rudra smirked looking at him.
"Kya hua bhaiya?" He walks forward to stand in front of him.
"Kuch nahi Rudy. Mujhe akela chhod de. Kisi se baat nahi karni mujhe," he says, not looking at him.

"Yeh lo bhaiya," he forwards the glass of fruit punch to Shivaay, "gussa thanda ho jaayega." He says, and Shivaay, who wasn't realising what he's doing because his mind was lost somewhere else, accepted it and gulped in one go.

"Bahut accha hai," he says, looking at him, "aur de na," he asks for it, and ofcourse Rudra doesn't hesitate.
Like this, Shivaay gulps down another glass before he starts talking to Rudra freely.
"Annika na," he says, looking at him, as they both sit on the edge of the pool together, "bahut ajeeb hai."

"Matlab, pata nahi usse kya mazza aata hai mujhse ladne me. Abhi bhi faltu me ladai karke, gussa hokar guest room me chali gayi." He drinks another glass, "mujhse pyaar nahi karti kya woh?" He says, a layer of tears forming in his eyes, as Rudra looks at him seriously, "mujhe pata chal gaya hai. Woh mujhse bilkul pyaar nahi karti. Mai abhi usko jaake," he says, drinking another glass, "mai abhi usse jaake baat karta hoon."

Standing up, he drinks another glass, and walks forward.
Rudra sighs as he leaves.
"Yeh toh serious moment ho gaya," he says, but then something strikes him, and he smiles.

He goes to Shivaay's room, and plays a song on the music system.
When Shivaay enters, he is so heavily drunk that he cannot even walk properly, and he has no control over his mind.
So, his feet start moving to the beats automatically.

When Annika, who is in the guest room listens to this music, she frowns.
"Itni raat ko gaane kaun sunn raha hai," she says, and walks out, following the trail of where the music is coming from.
As she reaches the destination, that is, her own room and opens the door, the frown on her face turns into a smile.

Shivaay is standing on the couch, trying to balance himself as well as the glass of fruit punch on his head. Once he succeeds, he starts dancing to the song, making Annika giggle.

He jumps from the couch to the bed, and in the process, the glass on his head falls down. He sits on the bed, and starts crying.

Annika smiles at the sight. She walks to him, and sits beside him.
"Kya hua, Shivaay?" She asks him.
"Mera glass gir gaya," he says cutely, and then looks at her.
"Annika?" He speaks in surprise.

Annika was confused. Why was he behaving like a baby?

She sniffed, and got her answer. Damn it Rudra! Shivaay would never get drunk like this. It was definitely his plan.

Shivaay smiles, and stands up from the bed.
He walks to the dressing table, picks up something and comes back to her.
"Yeh dekho, maine yeh paper plane banaya," he says, "kaisa hai?"
Annika laughs.
"Bahut accha hai." She says, and smiling at her, he starts moving around the room with the plane in his hand, playing with it. He stops when he sees a miniature statue on the bedside table.
He picks it up, and starts talking to it.
"Tumhe pata hai, meri Annika mujhse pyaar nahi karti," he says sadly, while Annika looks at him in surprise, "tabhi toh wo mujhse itna gussa hai. Woh mujhse ladai karke chali gayi. Woh mujhse pyaar nahi karti," he says, and starts crying.

She walks to him, asking herself how will she handle him today, and sits beside him.
"Shivaay." She says, sternly, and he looks at her.
Seeing her in anger, he starts crying even more.
"Dekha?" He says to the statue, "woh abhi tak mujhse gussa hai. Kyu naraaz hai woh? Mai toh usko itna saara pyaar karta hoon," he says, spreading his arms as wide as possible.

Annika smiles at him. Trust this man to convince her even without realising it!
She holds his face in her hands.
"Meri taraf dekhiye, Shivaay," she says, and he looks at her with tear-filled eyes.
"Kyu ro rahe hain aap?"
"Tum mujhse gussa ho na," he says cutely.

"Nahi Shivaay," she says, kissing his forehead. "Mai aapse kabhi gussa nahi ho sakti. Woh toh bas mai aise hi, mazze ke liye gussa hui thi aapse. Mujhe dekhna tha aap mujhe kaise manate hain." She says with a grin.

He slaps her playfully.
"Bahut buri ho tum," he says, though with a smile, "kya mazza aata hai tumhe mujhe aise dekhke?"
She grins. "Aap nahi samjhenge."

He hugs her tightly.
"I love you so much, Annika," he says, and she smiles, "kabhi mujhe chhod ke mat jaana. Mai tumhare bina nahi reh sakta," he breaks the hug, "mai marr jaun-" Annika keeps a finger on his lips.
"Shh. Aisi baatein mat kijiye. Mai kabhi aapko chhod kar nahi jaungi." She says, and hugs him.
"Shivaay?" She speaks out, caressing his back when he doesn't reciprocate the hug.
Breaking the hug, she looks at him. He's passed out.
She smiles, shaking her head, and lays him on the bed.

After that, she leaves to the kitchen to bring a glass of lemon juice.
She keeps it on the side table, and lays beside him. Wrapping her arms around him, she falls into sleep, with him in her embrace.

The next morning.

"Tumne Shivaay ko fruit punch KYU PILAYA?!" Annika asks seriously, confronting Rudra.
"Shaant ho jaao, bhabhi," he says, and she narrows her eyes.
"Aapki aur bhaiya ki ladai hui thi toh maine socha ki usko solve karne ke liye kuch karu isliye-"
"Rudy tum-"
"Annika!" Shivaay's voice calling her out is heard, and she runs to her room.

"Shivaay-" she enters the room, and sees him holding his head in his hands.
She goes to the side table and gives him the lemon juice.
He looks at her.
"Sar dard theek ho jayega. Lijiye." She says, and he takes it.
Gulping the entire glass, he looks at her.
"Tum abhi bhi mujhse gussa ho na?" He asks her cutely.
She smiles, and then nods negatively.
He smiles.

"Yeh sar dard....kal raat kya hua tha, Annika?"
"Aapne Rudy ka fruit punch piya tha." He widens his eyes.
"Phir?" He asks her, dreadful voice.
"Phir aap kamre me dance kar rahe the," she mutters, but he couldn't hear her.

She hugs him.
"Phir kuch nahi. Kal ki baatein kyu kar rahe hain hum? Ab aap jaldi se uthiye, aur mere saath chaliye. Aaj ka din mujhe aapke saath spend karna hai." She says, and he smiles.

These two love each other so much, the extent of it is unreal.