It has been 1 week and 3 days to Shivaay's departure to London. As much as Annika has tried to show she's fine with it, she was missing Shivaay a lot. This period of time has made Annika realise that how important Shivaay is to her life.

Shivaay calls Annika every morning and night. He make sure to keep in touch with her so that the distance don't affect so much. Annika too show in front of him that she's fine but would sit in silence thinking about him for hours.

It was Sunday morning, Malika has come home and both were lounging in the her room watching one of old hindi movies. Annika was slumping on the couch with her legs up on the armrest and was looking at her phone time to time.

"Annika! Just call him na", Malika said, at last, eating chips. Annika tilted her head at her and made a grumpy face.

"No! He must be busy, that's why he didn't called", Annika mumbled keeping her phone away and looked at the screen.

"But he hasn't called you since morning, he always at least call you to wish or even drops a message", Malika said making Annika sigh looking away.

"I don't know Malika!", Annika said frustrated and walked to the bathroom closing the door tightly. Malika shook her head in disbelief.

•~•~•

It was late afternoon and Annika's mood was completely sour. She has not received a single message or call from Shivaay since morning. She was trying to stay calm but she was getting worried. She wasn't calling him thinking he might get disturb but finally she decided to call him when her phone rang.

She took her phone excited to see it's from Pinki. Her smile fell but she picked up the call.

"Hello ma! Namaste, how are you?", Annika said receiving the call.

"Namaste beta, I'm good! Umm, have you talked with Shivaay since morning?", Pinki asked making Annika get up from sofa with a frown.

"Ma he hasn't call me since morning, I thought he would have atleast called you", Annika said.

"Accha.. Annika beta you relax okay? I will see", Annika hummed and pinki kept the call. Annika immediately dialled his number but no one answered. She kept calling again and again but no one picked up.

A fear started forming in her heart. She kept her hand on her chest and patted there lightly muttering everything will be fine. She then called Khanna remembering once Shivaay gave his number to her so that she can contact him if she need any help.

"Pick up the call mahn!", Annika muttered frustrated roaming to and fro in the room trying to connect to either Shivaay or Khanna. Malika walked in to see a messed up and walking Annika.

"Annika what happened? Why are you looking so worked up?", She asked stopping Annika holding her.

"Its.. it's almost going to be evening. Shivaay.. Shivaay has not called till now, not even a message. I thought at least he would have called ma or anyone in family but they too don't know anything about Shivaay! Malika, I'm getting worried! He's fine or not", Annika said sitting down on the bed moving hands in her hair.

"Hey Anu calm down! He'll be fine only, maybe network issues honge", Malika said making Annika sit properly and brought water making her drink it.

"I can't Malu! My heart is feeling like it will stop any moment if he don't pick up anymore", Annika said and suddenly tears started flowing from her eyes. She covered her face with palms and started crying.

"Annika please! Kuch nahi hoga Shivaay ko", Malika said sitting beside her holding from shoulders. Annika shook her head crying. Her face has turned red and her look was disheveled.

Just then her phone started ringing. Malika took it to see it's from Shivaay. She sighed in relief and turned to Annika.

"Anu! Anu Shivaay is calling, see", Malika said making Annika look at her in snap and took her phone hurriedly picking it up.

"Annika! Baby I'm really sorry! I was stuck up in sometime since last night, came back just now and my phone was in my cabin. I'm sorry baby, I know you would have got worried but I didn't do it intentionally", Shivaay said in a go, with soft voice.

"He..hello", Annika choked out the word trying to control her tears. Shivaay, on the other hand, understood from her voice that something is wrong.

"Baby", he said little seriously and that was end, Annika broke down in tears. Shivaay stood up from his chair getting worried.

"Annika what happened? Annika, Annie?", he said again and again only to hear her cries. Malika took the phone seeing Annika's condition.

"Hello jiju, it's me Malika", Malika said trying to calm Annika.

"Malika? Why is Annika crying?", he asked with a frown.

"Jiju actually she was trying to call you since morning but you didn't picked up even a single call. Then pinki aunty called and she told you've not contacted to them too, so Annika got worried and this girl started crying", Malika explained to Shivaay making him close his eyes.

"Malika I'm video calling, give it to Annika", he said to which Malika agreed and Shivaay immediately video-called Annika.

The scene in front of him made his heart clench. Annika was looking down, her hair was disheveled, her face looked red because of all crying. He looked at Malika who sighed shrugging and looked at Annika.

"Malika leave us alone for a while. I want to talk to Annie", he said to which she nodded and left patting her shoulder. He looked at Annika who was fiddling with her fingers.

"Baby?", he said and she closed her eyes tightly and sniffed.

"At least look at me", he said softly on which she looked at him and he left a sigh. Her eyes were rimmed red because of tears along with her cheeks and nose. Though she was looking cute, he didn't liked the fact that she cried.

"I'm sorry baby", he said and held his ears. She looked at him and he was looking like a small kid. She wiped her nose with back of palm.

"You could have at least dropped a message! If not me, to family", she finally said something in her hoarse voice because of crying.

"Annie it really went from my mind, I forgot that now someone is waiting for me, I was so much involved that it slipped from my mind. I promise I will take care of it from now, I will never forget it. Don't cry", he said to which she hummed.

"Meri jaan nikal gayi thi", she mumbled and looked at him who gave a sad smile.

"I'm really sorry! I thought to make you happy today but see I made you cry", he said to which Annika looked at him with confused frown.

"What were you going to tell?", she asked.

"First go, wash your face and come, then I will tell", he said to which she pouted but nodded and went to make herself look presentable.

•~•~•

She came back in 5 minutes and took the phone in her hand sitting on the bed.

"Now say", she said excitedly making him chuckle. It didn't looked like she cried before and he liked it.

"So.. the thing is, my work here is done and I will be returning tomorrow", he said and a wide smile formed on her face.

"Omg!! Really Shivaay?? Omg! Omg! Shivaay you're finally coming! Finally I will be able to see you!", she started jumping smiling widely, squealing and Shivaay smiled seeing this.

"Someone is missing me a lot I see", he teased bringing a beautiful blush on her cheeks. She smiled widely at him.

"Why not? Our functions are going to start from next week, what if you would have got late, functions would have spoilt na", she said blinking making Shivaay raise an eyebrow.

"Accha ji.. I see", he said to which she giggled. He looked at her lovingly hearing her music like laugh. He realised in this last week that he has fallen in love with her. Her absence has made him realise what she mean to him, how important she's to his life now.

"What are you thinking about?", he heard her voice bringing him out of his thoughts and smiles at her.

"Nothing baby", he smirked lightly seeing the blush on her face. He has recently started calling her baby because of antics which always makes her blush.

"Oh! You're in office since last night na, go to your home Shivaay, take rest, eat something and sleep for sometime", Annika said to which Shivaay hummed keeping hand on his chin and sighed looking at her.

"What hmm? Go Shivaay", she said again making him frown lightly like a kid.

"Going baba! Just some paperwork is left then I will leave for home, eat something and sleep! Fine?", he said to which she hummed smiling.

"Annika..", she nodded hearing his voice.

"I've to tell you something after I come back", he said making her confused.

"Say now na Shivaay! My stomach will start paining till I won't get to know what you want to say", Annika said making a puppy face making Shivaay roll his eyes.

"I will give you a painkiller but I'm not falling for your puppy face, wait for a day and I will be there to say", he said making her frown but nodded.

"That's like my good girl. Now Annie, never cry okay? It hurts", he said.

"Why?", she asked smiling lightly.

"Just hurts here, specially if the reason is me", he said patting on his heart region. She just kept looking at her while he did the same trying to capture her in his eyes as much as he can.

"Sir..", he lifted his eyes to see an employee standing at the door with papers. He nodded and looked at Annika.

"I'll call you at night okay, bye", he said to which she nodded smiling.

Keeping the call, she kept the phone away and twirled squealing. She shouted loudly jumping happily. Hearing this, Malika came running. Everyone at home were out for their respective outings.

"Annika kya hua?", she asked with wide eyes and calming her breath. Annika held her and twirled her along with her.

"He's coming Malu! He's coming", she shouted happily jumping with her. Malika smiled widely and hugged her tightly and both jumped together happily.

"That means finally this wilted flower with bloom now", Malika said making Annika tuck her hair and smiling sheepishly.

"Accha Malika! I want to tell you something actually...", Annika closed her eyes blushing and bite her lower lip.

"Anu...say what is it", Malika said with a tint of smile understanding the matter. Annika looked at her smiling blushingly biting lower lip.

"O my god! My best friend Annika is in love!!", Malika said squealing holding Annika tightly from shoulder. Annika nodded hard and hugged Malika tightly.

"I love him Malu! I love Shivaay", Annika whispered smiling widely hugging her tightly. Malika smiled widely swaying Annika in the hug.

"Did you said it to him?", Malika asked parting to which Annika shook her head.

"Are you mad? Such a strong and special feeling it is, how can I tell on call. I want to do something special for him to tell him that I love him", Annika said smiling widely.

"Fair enough but what? I mean have you thought something?", Malika asked. Annika started thinking when an idea came in her mind.

"Idea! One idea I have but I need someone's help. You're going to help me Malu", she said excitedly and looked at her to which Malika blinked.

"Me? Bu..but what if any mistake happen Annika", Malika said making Annika face palm.

"Nothing will happen! Wait", Annika settled down on bed and called Khanna.

"Hello khanna ji? Where are you?", Annika asked.

"I'm with Shivaay sir ma'am", khanna said making her eyes widen.

"Don't say it's me! I need some help from you! Go away from Shivaay", Annika said to which khanna agreed.

"Yes ma'am I'm away from sir, say", he said.

"I want keys of Shivaay's treehouse", Annika said making Malika's eyes widen.

"Okay ma'am but there's no one else who know about it. You need to collect it from his room by yourself", Khanna said making Annika hum but she smiled.

"Okay I will collect it but do you know where he keeps it?", Annika asked.

"Ma'am near the study table, there's one drawer. In the second shelf, he keeps the keys", Khanna said to Annika nodded.

"Okay Khanna ji, thank you", Annika said and kept the call to see Malika sitting with widen eyes.

"Shivaay jiju owns a treehouse??", Malika asked to which Annika closed her eyes muttering shit.

"Listen! Don't tell it to anyone Malu! Shivaay hasn't told about it to anyone, it's his personal and private place. He has only let me know about it. Khanna ji knows because he's his bodyguard", Annika said to which Malika nodded assuring.

"So what the plan?", Malika asked.

"You'll get to know, let's go out now, everyone must be coming now", Annika said giggling thinking her plan making Malika frown.

Annika chuckled and went downstairs followed by questioning Malika.

•~•~•

Thanks for your votes and comments on the previous chapter. Keep reading, voting and commenting your views. They mean a lot♥️

I know this was smaller chapter than others but I was just busy in something. Next update will be bigger ;)

So finally Shivaay and Annika are in love with each other. Hope I'm not running fast *sheepish smile*

Do tell me how was the update. Hope you liked it😁

Precap: Annika's surprise for Shivaay

Love,
K♥️