|| THE PURPLE HEARTS ||

21. A paradox of feelings

The ride was silent. Annika was waiting for Shivaay to say something and he was so lost in thoughts.

"Shivaay, where are you lost?", Annika asked when he missed the turn towards her home.

"Huh...Umm.. What?", He asked suddenly pulled out of his thoughts.

"We should have taken the last left and you.."

"But.. the GPS... direction..." He fumbled and looked at the map re- routing.

"Really Shivaay!", She raised an eyebrow.

"Ok, Sorry! I was just lost thinking about something and..."

"God, Shivaay! This is the longest route to home, I'm not sleeping anytime soon, Thanks to you." She said irritated

"Well, sleep now. I ain't stopping you." He shrugged.

"What if you kidnap me?"

"For?"

"Ransom, maybe"

"Very funny!"

"Yeah! Whatever!", She dismissed that with a hand wave.

"But, I'm glad you didn't take the turn." She added.

"So, when are you planning to tell me?", He asked slowly reducing the speed of the car. The road he took was almost silent with only a few vehicles passing them. It was breezy and the city was awaiting the Monsoon.

"Tell you what?", Annika asked very well knowing about what he was talking about.

"You kind of ignored me, since I came here", He looked at her pointedly and turned back to the road.

"I did not, I was busy with.."

"Do I look like a fool?", He asked agitated.

"It's almost two months now, do you think I'll buy that crap? Just tell me what is it."

"Shivaay, I was really busy." Annika remembered her conversation with Mallika, she was in two minds.

"Forget it. I'm never asking you again. Tell me if you feel like. Distance makes things complicated"

"It does."

He didn't say anything. The air around them had become thick. He understood that she needed some space and respected that. But, how long?

•

They reached home, Annika didn't want to let this conversation hang in the middle. Neither of them made a move to go inside.

"So... then", Annika drawled fidgeting with her fingers. The least she wanted was a misunderstanding between them.

"Bye Annika", he said not looking at her.

"Umm... Shivaay, you know... Daksh is kind of giving a short speech at the event", she said meekly.

"Short speech or the guest of honour itself", he asked turning towards her now loosening his seatbelt.

"Hitting the bulls' eye or..."

"Daksh is my friend, we don't hide things if it concerns the others", he cut her in.

"Actually... Shivaay we were about to invite you.... We were discussing about it but, that's when Daksh walked in and... we asked him and he agreed", she hoped he believed it.