Magical Paintbrush [Ongoing]

II. It's just the eyes ✨

Recap ~
Fall in Love with her.

Anika admired the eyes she drew on the canvas that night. They were bluish grey in color, but they seemed to reflect every color to her. She was falling for those eyes again and again as she looked deeper at them.

"Okay stop it Anika! It's just the eyes." Anika muttered under her breath, smiling to herself.

___

"Anu I'm coming with you!" Arnav announced as they had breakfast while Anika strictly reprimanded his decision.
"No you aren't. You have a meeting with an important client, you are gonna attend that." She told to which she heard back, "I don't care Anu!"
"Yaar Arnav, why are you being stubborn?!" Raj asked his son while Arnav was too surprised to react, "Dad aren't you seeing who is being adamant here?!"
"Absolutely you!" His dad said undoubtedly.

"No you are being stubborn Raj!" He heard his wife's voice from behind.
"Naina, please support me in something atleast. Arnav needs to be here!" He told to which she asked, "If he needs to be here, why don't you stay at home?! He will take care of everything."
"I don't mind jaan. I can spend every second with you." Raj spoke romantically and Naina smirked saying, "Don't regret later Mr.Romeo!"
"I will not my Juliet!" He winked at her when Anika and Arnav giggled hearing their parents.

"Thanks dad!" Anika said hugging him as they finalized Arnav wouldn't go along with Anika, she didn't want to spoil her brother's important meeting.
"Go Anu, find your love, your dream guy!" Raj told dramatically when his daughter chuckled, "So sure he will be in London?!"
"Yes I'm!" He said confidently when his daughter said back winking, "My love is right next to me!"

"Why is my Khushi sad?!" Shivaay asked noticing his sister being gloomy when she replied sighing sadly, "I didn't get passes for the art exhibition."
"Don't you worry! I will get it for you." He said assuring her but she shook her head saying, "Not that easy bhaiyya!"
"Nothing is difficult for your brother. Go to college, you will get your passes by tomorrow!" He assured and she hugged him tightly in response. Nothing really worked for Shivaay as well, indeed getting a pass for Anika's art exhibition was difficult but he didn't except defeat.

Anika reached London. As she felt the cold breeze gently touching her skin, she felt different, something she never ever felt before in her entire life. What was it meant to be?

"I have reached O! Don't worry I will be there in an hour." She said over the phone before she hung up the call. It was a call from her best friend, Omkara. On her way, she stopped by a bakery to get her best friend's favorite pastry.

"Can you pack the Dusty knuckle for me please?!" asked Anika sighing as she saw one piece of it left.
"Sorry ma'am. It has already been ordered." One of the staff said when she asked back hoping to get another piece of the pastry, "Do you have another piece by any chance?!"
"I'm afraid not ma'am. We would get back the stock in an hour or two." He answered when she said, her voice sounding disappointed "It's alright, thanks!"

She was about to get back in the car when the guy with whom she spoke earlier came running to her, "Ma'am, that sir who ordered the pastry asked me to give this pastry package to you!"
"But..." Before she could say any further, he told "A note from him ma'am!" and gave her a sticky note.

"Hey,

This is for you! Overheard your conversation, sorry about that. Maybe you need this more than me, enjoy the pastry. Good day! :)

Shivaay."

"Shivaay—?! Sweet of him." Anika thought to herself.
"Is he still there?!" She hopefully asked to the staff when he shook his head. Taking a pen and paper, she wrote something, "If you don't mind, please pass this to him." She said handing over the note to the staff and left.

That evening, Shivaay was going through a business magazine when he heard a knock at the door.
"Mr.John?!" Shivaay called out much surprised as he looked at the bakery boy at his entrance.
"Hi sir, that ma'am has sent you this!" saying the bakery boy left while Shivaay slowly opened the package to see a note followed by two passes for the art exhibition his sister wanted to go.

"Hey

Didn't get a chance to meet you, but would definitely love to. Thanks for the pastry! If you are ever interested in art, you can join my art exhibition tonight!

See you."

That evening at the exhibition was indeed wonderful, but Anika's eyes were constantly searching for someone every single minute.

"Waiting for us?!" Omkara asked his friend as he came along with his wife, Gauri to the exhibition.
"Not really, waiting for someone else O!" She said still looking at the entrance when Om said rubbing his forehead, "At least you could have told a lie, Anu!"
"Never can I lie to you Om!" She smiled at him making him smile.

Anika was walking as she spoke over the phone when she hit someone from behind.
"I'm sorry!" Anika said when she heard back a sweet voice, "I'm sorry as well."
The next minute, she heard a name that her heart knew somewhere the name was to be heard again.
"Shivaay bhai I love you!" The girl said over the call she was in, turned to Anika and spoke to her in excitement.

✨ That day was not a forgettable one, or maybe the name that decided the day. ✨

She started sketching her imagination once again that night. This time, her paintbrush swung in grace on the canvas as if it already knew who it was. (Just like Maya, don't we also know who it would be? 😉)

Precap ~
The spark & shade.