ShivOmRu SS ~ Cross Connections

Chapter 25

"Om this is futile, we need to head back and tell mom that di has run away, Dev jiju will be arriving soon - then they will find out anyway"said Mallika panting hard. Shivay gritted his teeth, "Oyi cartoon he is not Dev jiju okay! Creepy idiot stealizng my Anika!!" Om sighed, "Can you guys cut it out? This is serious - we have to go home and tell auntiji that Anika has run away"

When they reached the house, they saw the hustle for preparations for the evening ceremony was on in full swing - everyone was running around trying to make the ceremony a success - Mallika stood numb for a second, but she knew she had to eventually tell her mother, so she buckled up the courage and ran to Shiela.

"Ma I need to tell you something"

"Yeah, toh say what you have to" said Shiela unconcerned going about her chore.

Mallika took a deep breath, "Ma di has run away" she simply told her. Shiela stopped her chore and turned to look at her.

"Acha? Where has is gone?" she asked narrowing her eyes at her younger daughters' wrongly timed mischief.

"How will I know ma? She has done a bunk, Gone, Poof, woosh" she told her dramatically, "We went to look for her, me, Priks, Om and Sh—'Rudra' - but she is nowhwere outside" she finished breathlessly.

"Mallika had I not been so busy I surely would have boxed your ears for this mischief, uff go now, I don't have time for this non-sense, go and serve your friends some refreshments at least - see some more have also arrived" she dismissed her.

"But ma, you're not understanding, I am damn serious" Mallika begun, but Shiela lost her patience, "Offo Mallika, if Anika has run-away who is sitting in her bedroom applying mehendi?"She asked irritated and motioned her to look towards Anika's room where the door stood ajar. Mallika glanced and was shocked to see Anika sitting there and politely talking to the women around her. She breathed heavily in annoyance and marched to her room, with a surprised Shivay, Om and Priyanka following. She walked into her room and darkly asked the women to excuse them - once they filed out, Mallika asked Om and all to come in - Anika was surprised to say the least when she saw Shivay walk in with Om and Priyanka.

"Yo--you" she stammered. And at the same time someone called out aloud in shock from the entrance of her door, "bhai???" Shivay tore his glance from Anika and his jaw dropped to see Soumya and Rudra at the door.

"Bhai what are you doing here? I thought you didn't know about her whereabouts?" she charged at him.

"I..err..I didn't until Om told me" Shivay glanced at Anika. She was still staring at him unaware that she was doing so, with shock clearly written on her face.

But before Soumya could question further, Mallika charged at her di, "Di how dare you come back after running away? I thought you will be at least responsible enough to continue bunking once you ran away? What did you think? We wouldn't be able to handle this? It's just roka di!! Why did you return??"She chided her. Anika looked startled, run-away? When did she runaway? "Mallika I.."She had begun, but Mallika didn't let her complete.

"Now that you've come back we gotta do this the more complicated way - come tell ma you don't want to do this roka"she said and tugged at her hand.

"Mallika why won't I want to do this roka?" she asked her in surprise and nervously glanced at Shivay - why was he so agitated anyway and again, what he was doing here she wondered.

"Offo di, of course you won't because -----"but this time Shivay spoke.

"Oyi cartoon, at least let me tell her the because bit nah"?" he told her exasperated, and turned to Anika, she was looking at him with the most confused and adorable face - he smiled and turned to the rest - "Guys, some privacy please?"