The next two days went like a breeze. Not because shivaay was there with her but because she was too busy organizing the events. Everybody came with their best friend of the same gender. Shivaay was accompanied by his Athletic friend to share the room. And Anika had left with no other way, She had to stay with Kiara.

"Anika..." - She called her.

"Yes..." - Anika replied coldly while setting up her bed.

"Can i say something?" - She asked with hesitation. Anika got tired of avoiding her, She listened.

Anika sighed and said, "Say whatever you want!".

"It's about shivaay..." - Kiara added in a low tone. Anika expected.

"What's up with him?" - She asked her in an uninterested tone.

"Do you think he loves you, Truly?" - Kiara asked. Anika stood up and crossed her arms looking at her.

"You just lost your mom recently. And it might be something else and I am saying it in concern. Even though we have many misunderstanding, But I don't want to confuse yourself with his tender nature, You have seen it, Right. How he broke up with me without any reason... I am just saying it for you, please don't take it wrong..." - Kiara said. But Anika chuckled as soon as she finished her speech.

"Babe... Thanks for your care... I don't think, I need it now..." - Anika said and went to her suitcase to take the duvet.

"Remember, Before a few days, Who locked me inside the rehearsal hall after knowing I am suffering me from claustrophobia, and who's showing me tender after my mom's death?" - Anika asked her. She was spellbound.

"I swear I will contact you if it doesn't work in the future. But what if it works?" - Anika asked him with a sort of smile in her face. Kiara looked at her.

"You have to swear me, That you will be my maid of honor in my wedding... After all, we are friends for 6 years..." - Anika knocked her out without knowing someone hearing her from the window.

"But Ani..." - She started.

"Babe... I care for you... Please stop trying, You know about my stubborn nature, right" - She said. And get into her bed. The insecurity feelings and her feelings of loneliness went no trace now, She felt relieved. Not only, Kiara, There were many people including some of her teachers asked her to stay away from him but she didn't listen. Kiara didn't talk but they both panicked when they heard the door knocking sound around 11.55 in night. 

"Who's that?" - Kiara asked her in a panic tone.

"Maybe my mom... She said she will protect me at any cost before her death..." - Anika chuckled but Kiara was hell scared with her words and it was a huge hall and only two members staying there.

Anika moved towards the door and opened the door, She was hell surprised to see shivaay at the doorstep. He was wearing a black hoodie and He moved inside as soon as she opened the door. Kiara stood up from her bed and stared at him shockingly. But he didn't bother to see her.

"What are you doing at this time?" - Anika asked him in whispering tone, Shockingly. As soon as, He came inside, The door knocked again. Anika opened the door in confusion and saw Rishab at the doorstep.

"Hey, Ani..." - He said and rushed inside, After that, It's the girls came one by one to their room. When anika asked for shivaay, He lied they came here to discuss something about the Interschool competition. Anika was confused, They might have talked in the day, and why everyone arriving in her room one by one at that midnight.

"Can anyone say, What's happening?" - Anika yelled out of patience.

"The thing is, Ani..." - Shivaay asked, And the light turned off out of sudden. Anika became silent because of the sudden silence. And within a few seconds, The Darkness faded away when shivaay lighten up the candle in a birthday cake.

"Happy birthday, Ani..." - He said with a smile which anika never takes her eyes off. She became like a statue when he approached her, Her eyes were widened and None of her body parts were moving.

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY, ANIKA" - Everyone shouted, Anika jerked off and came out from her state.

"Oh my god! Thank you..." - Anika whispered and tear crossed from her eyes without even her control. He kept her birthday cake in the table and moved towards her. She didn't expect it from him and she completely forgot about her birthday but he didn't let it go off.

"How did you manage?" - It was her first question when he came towards her side and passed the knife to her.

"I am here and you're missing your birthday's, That's impossible..." - He said with the same smile and spellbound her. He wondered how his smile still affect her when he slightly patted her pinky cheeks.

"Let's cut the cake... It's tempting..." - Rishab asked her.

"Let's wait for Anirudh... He might be on his way from electric room..." - Shivaay said and Anirudh rushed inside and locked the door from inside.

"Did I cut it off in the correct timing?" - Anirudh asked shivaay while catching his breath. Shivaay sent him for switching off the electricity for a few seconds.

"Perfect, Thank you so much..." - Shivaay exclaimed.

"I did it for my friend... Not for you, Happy birthday, Ani..." - Anirudh said and threw a brandy bottle from his pocket to her.

"Daaruuu..." - Anika excited And caught from him. Shivaay eyes went wide in shock when he saw her excited state because he never saw her drinking before him.

"Stole it from the Sriram's sir room... My god, He's loaded, Man..." - Anirudh said and threw it to others. Ani threw one of the bottles to shivaay, Who had to catch it. Even though he stopped drinking before years. But he was delighted to see anika's excitement. And he didn't want to spoil it. Anika took the

"Everyone says HAPPY BIRTHDAY, CGS (Cultural general secretary)..." - Everyone shouted and Anika blew the candle. And in her mind, She had only her wish, she should celebrate the rest of her birthday with him.

She fed the first piece to shivaay and he fed her back, Then she moved towards Kiara who was smiling at her from the start of the celebration. They were friends for the past six years, Anika understood she always do mistakes without thinking about the situation, And Anika sensed that she was regretting for the past two days.

"Birthday offer... Maafi Nahi Milegi Dobara... Mansoor hai??" - Anika asked her. Hearing her everyone chuckled including shivaay. Kiara smiled at her and took the piece from her hand, When it comes to her turn to feed the cake, She masked the cream all over her face.

"Ullu ki patte..." - Anika swore and cake fight officially began, Anirudh threw the cake at shivaay's face. Shivaay had to become part of the game. Even he got tired to act as mature. His first target was Anika, He wiped it all over her face when she yelled hysterically. When the people decide to drink, Anika stopped them and said they will celebrate in the night after getting the trophy. Shivaay was happy and also in a moody state. But he didn't show it in his face. Everyone dozed off in her room, But anika could some sort of lowness in his face, Even he tried to hide it, He couldn't.

"What happened to you?" - Anika whispered to him when he took his seat in the ground.

"Nothing... I am fine..." - He whispered back.

"No, You are not fine..." - She whispered back. A smile appeared in his face when he realized that he never can hide anything from her.

"Come with me..." - He said and take her to the balcony outside the classroom which was temporarily converted to a normal room. He took a large gift box which was hidden in a bag which he brought when he came.

"What's there inside?" - She asked.

"Before that, I have to say something..." - He started.

"You're scaring me..." - She said.

"Even I am scared to say this to you..." He started, "The thing is, Today I have to give my entrance exams, But I skipped it..." He said looking at the night sky. Her eyes were on him. He sensed it.

"But you said..." - Anika said.

"I thought I can convince my dad... But he still thinks me as irresponsible person..." - He said in a low tone.

"Why?" - She asked.

"I just... I just... Chose you over you... I thought staying with you at this moment is more important..." - He said in a helpless tone.

"So... States?" - Anika asked. He nodded while hell controlling his tears.

"When?" - She asked again.

"Probably... Next week..." - He said.

Anika shrugged And asked about the gift which he was holding. He opened the gift, Upto her surprise, It has pink-helium-ballon which sets to take off as soon as shivaay opened the box. Anika held that ballon in her hand.

"Ballon..." - She asked him confusingly.

"Helium balloon, One fairy said, If we write anything in it, It will reach the god, Directly..."- He said and gave her the marker.

"Which fairy?" - Anika asked him, He can't say, It was her about who he's talking about. He stayed silent. But she took the marker from his hands and startled. She had no idea.

"You write your wish here... Let's see whether god listens to your wish or not..." - Anika asked him and gave him the marker.

"God already listened and granted many of my wishes... It's your turn..." - He said and gave the marker to her. She heaved out a deep breath and handed the marker and wrote.

"It should be just a 'bye' not 'Goodbye'..." - She wrote. 

he read and the tears he stacked up from falling, escaped. "I promise, It won't last long..." - He said, She was taken back to see his tears. She tried to wipe them off, But he instead hugged her tightly. She hugged him back.

"Don't cry... America is just 7000 miles apart..." - Anika tried to console him.

"I just can't believe, You are crying for leaving me..." - Anika said, And he broke the hug in an instant.

"I am not leaving you, It's just a temporary phase in our life... We will back together and Kiara will be your maid of honor... It will happen... For sure..." - He said in one go.

"Wait... You overheard our conversation?" - Anika asked him.

"I was crossing your room, I heard it accidentally, Who asked you talk loudly..." - He asked her in return after getting caught red-handed.

"And I also said, I will apologize to her if she is right..." - Anika asked him.

"Don't worry, I will never leave you in that situation..." - He said and snatched the balloon from her hand and added a sentence to her message. She read,

"It should be 'bye' not a 'goodbye'..."

and Bless for Happily Ever After  (Shivaay added)

********