The doors swung open and he caught her by her back, as she was about to fall weirdly.
"Aaah, what are you doing here?" she asked the man holding her, with utter annoyance.
"First your bags, now you? What's with you and falling?" Shivay raised his eyebrows playfully.
"Leave me then," Anika replied.
"Okay," and as he left her, she fell to the ground.
"Ouchh" Anika fell on the cold marble floor of her own house. And it was because of this assistant, lousy- stupid assistant.
Shivay walked past her into the mansion. Annika got up and came right in front of him, raising her arm to stop him.
"Where do think you're going? And what the hell are you doing here!?" she snapped her fingers.
"Excuse me, I'm not here for you. Omkara, your dear friend invited me!"
Anika just stared as he pulled her hand close and slapped it down. He eyed the stairs leaving Annika behind as though she was nothing.
The pressure-cooker of Annika's anger could explode at any given moment as she was not okay with being ignored. She raged within, not being one to lose.
"If I may interrupt you," she placed her arm on his shoulder to stop him. He instantly glanced at it. Anika didn't even realize what she was doing, "As this is my house and you want to talk to my friend. As every freaking thing here is mine, I think I can ask you, why are you behind our Om?"
"I know I'm your assistant in your office, from tomorrow," he stressed on the words, 'office' and 'tomorrow', "But that does not entitle me to answer every question you ask."
That was it. Anika's bubble of anger had maxed out.
" You egoistical ma-" but her swearing parade was stopped short.
"Shivay! Finally, you're here, " Om spoke, swiveling down the stairs. Rudy who was watching this entire mania from his chair afar took a breath at Om's entry.
"You-Invited-him? " Anika asked zoning out from Shivay.
Whereas Shivay tried to control his giggles.
Anika stared at this man. His snark had no end. She'd had enough of him. She was determined she would fire him tomorrow. Peehu or no peehu.
She paced to her room in anger, while Om kept calling out for her.
Anika :
It's so dark up here. Why has Sudha not switched the lights on?
Oh, she's gone. This Peehu – isn't answering her phone. How will I find a replacement so soon?
But I need to find my room first. It's so cold, I'm not wearing my jacket too. This is all because of that Stupid shivay.
As my fingers fall on the switch, the strips of light laden on the ground, light up the path to my room. Dad's room is dark, so I leave for my room. The humongous doors open with a gentle push. As I set foot, low lights switch on and the heater warms the room a bit. The room smells like smoke and lavender for some reason. And it has only smelled like that since forever. I've told papa so many times.
It's already midnight and I have so many meetings lined up tomorrow! And no assistant. At least not a sane one. I wash up and leap into my bed. A diverse category of books is kept on my nightstand. An african-civilization revolution, a hunky-dory tour book, Becoming by Michelle Obama, a book about tidying up that could most probably be Mary Kondo, and a romance novel.
Wait. A Romance novel?
How did that come to be in this pile? I got up and pulled out the book titled, "Me before you."
Probably Rudy's or one of the maids ordered it by mistake. As if Rudy read books! Even if they are romance novels. The cover was warm like honey and strawberries. I open it up, too intrigued.
And every page turned thereafter.
***
She reached page thirty-four, with a few laughs and a few narrowed eyes. She was about to doze off when she heard a knock on her door.
"Come in," she said, thinking it to be her father or Sudha.
"I bought you some- Anika!" Shivay stopped in his gait.
"Shivay-" startled, she pulled her blanket above the book she was reading.
"I meant to go to Shakti Ji's room! I am sorry. I couldn't find it," he babbled. Sugar syrup stung Anika's nostrils.
"It's - fine – it’s the next room," her cheeks reddened as she looked down.
He turned around to leave after nodding to her, all awkward.
Anika noticed a bag in his hand," wait."
Shivay stopped at once, his feet tightening.
"What's in the bag?" Anika asked, her voice low and soft. Shivay's shoulders dropped as he turned to reply.
"Rasgulla," he said, "Brought them for your dad."
Anika's mind flew out the window as she heard that, "My dad's probably asleep, he won't have them now," she gulped looking at the bag.
"Oh," Shivay contemplated, staring at the roof "Okay then, good night."
"Ah- no-but keep them here!" Anika gushed.
"Why? Do you want to have some?"
"No – no, not me," she was going to fire him tomorrow, he needn't know such an intimate detail about her. Something even her father would forget, "The maids have gone home. So store it in the mini-fridge here and tomorrow, Il- give it to him."
"Okay," Shivay walked to the mini-fridge near the bed, he opened it and placed it within beside the chocolates and the sodas.
Annika stands up, to show him out. As annoying as he was, he was looking for her dad. They both looked so contrasted to their personalities. One in loose beige clothing while the other doused in a formal grey suit. Night Anika was certainly different than day Annika.
Shivay closes the mini-fridge but doesn't move out. Frozen against it.
"What's wrong? Is the door not working?" Anika asks, grumpy in sleep.
But as shivay turned, he's making that face again. Trying to hide his smile, less smirk.
Worried it's something in her mini-fridge, she steps closer to check, but she freezes as well.
It's the book. He's seen the romance novel. He's seen it.
***
Words: 1043
Note: I started writing this way back, this idea and this writing is probably from a year back. I have so many ideas now and my English is so much better now. Yet I felt like this story needed to be told too. I may write other things too soon with this one.
:) Thank you! Vote and comment if you like, good day.
