Family... (An Ishqbaaz FF) ||✔||

Part 9

Rays of the evening sun entered the ward through the window, disturbing Anika's sleep. She rubbed her eyes and sat on the bed. She looked around the ward and found no one, except for Mahi who was sleeping.

Anika: Mahi.

He hummed but turned away.

Anika: MAHI!

He woke up, looked at her then streached out his arms.

Mahi: *sleepily* Good morning, Question Kumari.

Anika: Good morning? Shaam ke... *checks the time* 5 baj rahe hain. (Good morning? It's...5 in the evening.)

Mahi: Toh good evening. Ab soone de. (Then good evening. Now let me sleep.)

Anika: *angrily* MAHI!

Mahi: *irritated* Kya hain? (What is it?)

Anika: Sab ke sab kahaan hain? (Where is everyone?)

Mahi: Uh... Ruk, yaad karne de. (Uh... wait, let me remember?)

Anika: Yaad matlab?
(What you mean "remember"?)

Mahi: Sun; us nurse ne tereko injecsan diya, tu so gayi. Shivaay doctor ke paas gaya, OmRu Gauri aur Bhavya ke saath ghar gaye hain. Bas? *whines* Ab sone de yaar.
(Listen; the nurse gave you an injection, you fell asleep, OmRu went home with Gauri and Bhavya. That's all? Now let me sleep.)

Anika: Ma...

Mahi: *shouts* GOOD NIGHT, QUESTION KUMARI.

He faces away from her and dozes off while Anika was startled.

Anika: *to herself* Kamaal ka banda hain! Itni jaldi so gaya. Thak gaya hoga. Ek kaam karti hoon, Om se baat kar leti hoon.
(What a person he is! Feel asleep so quickly. He must be tired. Let me call Om.)

She takes out her phone and calls Om.

Om: Hello?

Anika: Om, main Anika.
(Om, it's me, Anika.)

Om: Haan bhabhi, boliye. Aapko kuch chahiye? Main hospital aaoon?
(Yes bhabhi, tell me. Do you need something? Should I come to the hospital?)

Anika: Nahi-nahi. Hospital aane ki zaroorat nahi hain.
(No-no. You don't need to come to the hospital.)

Om: Achha bhabhi, agar Shivaay wahaan hain toh please usse phone de dijiye.
(Bhabhi, if Shivaay is there, please hand him them the phone.)

Anika: Shivaay? Woh toh yahaan nahi hain.
(Shivaay? But he isn't here,)

Om: Main kaafi der se phone try kar raha tha likin lag nahi raha tha. Mujhe laga woh aapke ward main hain isliye shaayad phone silent pe hoga.
(I've been trying to call him for a while but he's not answering. I think his phone is on silent.)

Anika: *tensed* Shivaay phone nahi utha rahe?
(Shivaay isn't answering?)

Om: Bhabhi aap stress mat lijiye. Shivaay... yahin-kahin hoga.
(Don't be stressed bhabhi. Shivaay... must be around.)

Beep

Anika: Hello?

She checks her phone and sees the battery dead. She bangs her head on her palm and leans back in the bed.

Anika: Yeh battery bhi badi tucchi cheez hain. Jab zaroorat ho, tabhi khattam ho jaati hain.
(This battery is such a useless thing. It died when you need it.)

She tries to divert her mind but it was stuck on Shivaay. She was tossing and turning but nothing was of use. Finally, she decides to find Shivaay. She gets up, removes the IV tube from her hand and goes out. Though she had no idea where Shivaay would be, she followed her instincts and went towards the terrace. Her sixth sense was telling her that she was close to him.

On the terrace, Shivaay was sitting on the ledge, looking at the sunset. His head hung low and shoulders were slouched.

Anika saw him and a strange fear crossed her mind.

Anika: *scared* Shivaay!

He got so startled that he almost lost his balance and was about to fall. Anika rushed to him and pulled him by his arms such that he landed on the safe with his hands on her shoulders and hers holding his.

Shivaay: Ani...

Anika: *scolds him* Yeh kya tha Shivaay? Aapka dimaag tel lene gaya hain? Aap andhe ho gaye hain?
(What was this Shivaay? Are you out of your mind? Couldn't you see?)

Shivaay: Anika...

Anika: *still scolding him* "Anika" kya? Aapko andaaza bhi hain aap kya karne jaa rahe they? Aapne socha bhi humara kya hota?
(What "Anika"? Do you even realise what you were going to do? Did think about what would happen to us?)

Shivaay: Aisa...
(It's not...)

Anika: Main Abhi bol rahi hoon... (I'm still speaking...)

Shivaay: Sono toh...
(Listen to m...)

Anika: Mujhe kuch nahi sunn na...
(I don't want to listen...)

Shivaay: Ani...

Anika: Shivaay please aa...
(Shivaay please tel...)

She couldn't complete as he slammed his lips on hers, leaving her shocked to the core.

(Ishq hain aansoon, ishq hain nagma
Ishq sukoon hain, raahat hain
Ishq hain hain sehra, ishq hain dariya
Ishq junoon hain, zehmat hain... plays in background)

Not breaking their lip-lock, he ran his fingers through her hair and pulled her closer, gently sucking on her lower lip. She closed her eyes and gave in to their first kiss. She snaked her arms around his neck and moved her lips, perfectly in sync with his. He was surprised to see what a good kisser she was. He cupped her face, kissing as if there was no tomorrow. Even the sun hid itself in the horizon, leaving these souls to themselves. With no more energy and due to lack of oxygen, they parted their lips and rested their foreheads on each other, breathing heavily. Shivaay looked towards her and smiled.

Shivaay: Kitna bolti ho tum.
(You speak so much.)

Anika realised their position and pushed him away.

Shivaay: What?

Anika: *shocked* Yeh kya tha?
(What was this?)

Shivaay: Kya "kya" tha?
(What was what?)

Anika Jo aapne abhi kiya.
(What you just did.)

Shivaay: Oh, woh...
(Oh, that...)

He held her by her waist while she gulped down her dry throat. He leaned in and rubbed his cheek with hers and whispered in her ear...

Shivaay: Usse... *in husky voice* kiss kehte hain.
(It's called... kiss.)

A shiver ran down her spine while he smirked as he still had the same effect on her as he had 3 months back. Suddenly, Anika pulled out of that position.

Anika: Ek minute. Main aapko daant rahi thi...
(Wait a minute. I was scolding you...)

Shivaay: Meri maa, mujhe samjhaane toh do. Main yaha se koodne nahi wala tha.
(My dearest, give a chance to explain. I wasn't going jump of the ledge.)

Anika: Hein? Toh aap wahaan kyoon baithe they?
(Really? Then why were you sitting there?)

Shivaay: I needed to clear my head aur uske liye I needed some alone time.
(I needed to clear my head and I needed some time alone for that.)

Anika: Toh aap yahaan se koodne nahi wale they?
(So you weren't going to jump from here?)

Shivaay: *😑* Main koi athelete lag raha hoon jo high-jump ki practice ke liye aaya hain?
(Do I look like an athlete who is here to practice his high-jumps?)

Anika does logic wala sign. They look at each other awkwardly then burst into a fit of laughter.

Suddenly, Anika felt a piercing pain her chest and went short on breath. She held her throat and gasped for air. Her vision blurred and doubled. With the last bit of strength she had, she called in her faint voice...

Anika: *faintly* Shivaay...

With that, she collapsed.