ShivOmRu SS ~ Cross Connections

Chapter 17

"Om, where is your girlfriend?" whispered Anika as she sat by him, a couple of rows ahead of their friends gang.

"She is here. She saw us too, and she doesn't look too happy seeing me with you"he muttered, as he stole another quick glance at Mallika sitting few rows behind them, she was looking at him too. Om wondered if his "fake"plan of making his girlfriend jealous was actually happening in real - even if it was, they were siblings, Mallika wouldn't ever put in any effort to come back he sighed.

"Om, maybe now you can tell me her name?" asked Anika hopefully.

"No Anika, not until the time is right, when we patch up, I will introduce her to you" Om lied defiantly. Anika sighed.

Shivay was sitting with Tia on one side and Soumya on the other, beside Soumya was Daksh and Mallika, followed by Priyanka, Rudra and Reyaan. Soumya noticed that Shivay's eyes were more on Om and Anika than the screen, after a while, when Shivay caught her looking at him when he was spying on Anika, he gave an embarrassing nod.

"You know bhai, you should focus more on the movie" she smiled. "Anne and Om are having too much fun to miss us" there was a certain bitterness that didn't go unnoticed by Shivay - he found a connect with Soumya - she was going through a hard phase accepting her true self, and Anika was her constant support, but having been left behind suddenly to spend special time with someone, must have made Somu feel a little lost he thought - she was bitter too seeing them together, whatever her reasons maybe.

Shivay smiled, "It's just that, I have never seen Anika so involved with anyone you know. She is always quiet and available and around people - for her to cull out her own niche ignoring all, it is hard to digest" commented Shivay thoughtfully.

"Bhai, Anika was always like this. She bonds with less people and whomever she does, her entire world starts to revolve around that person. It is in her character" she replied looking at Shivay with a piercing gaze.

"Strange, I never noticed her fawning over anyone like this" he almost grumbled.

"You never did because earlier the person around whom her life revolved was you bhai. You never felt it but we did. Its just that now the person has changed. Yesterday it was you, today it is Om" she replied sighing.

"I guess I am past Somu" he replied and he himself was surprised to hear the pain in his voice.

"I always thought she was the perfect girl for you - I wanted to see you both together, but I guess you guys weren't meant to be - too different .."she mumbled.

Shivay was stumped at Soumya's revelation. He and Anika? "Hmm..we are too different"he mumbled back, but even he wasn't convinced with his words. Him and Anika? But why would Anika like a jock like him? Wouldn't she prefer someone calm, caring, and level headed? Someone like..errr..Om? Of course she would, guess she made a good choice he thought and looked at them again - they were laughing about something now - her life use to revolve around him? How did he not notice? And there was Tia too, who selflessly loved him he thought and smiled looking at her, she was too engrossed in the movie to notice.

Mallika was glancing at Om, he seemed to have a great time laughing with di. They seemed happy. She tried to smile.

"Stop staring Mallika, you're making it very evident" she heard Daksh mutter from beside her. She darted a glance at him. He was right, if not di, then what if someone else noticed this and questioned her?

"Sorry" she muttered back.

"And why does your Daku get to decide whether you can stare at them or not? You're so SOLD Mallu" Mallika heard Priyanka mutter from the other side and gasped. She had forgotten she was there and she had a sharp ear.