Anika was confused but her brain didn't let her assure anything. But it was completely different for shivaay. He felt heartfully, but never share that with anika as she does. The next day anika got information about Khushi's long leave and there was a replacement for her in the college but anika sensed it a very bad sign. She even discussed with shivaay but he didn't say anything even though he had lots of things to tell. Anika failed to figure out what was actually going in his mind. Days went, Months went. At last, they reached the end of that year. DECEMBER 2015. 

"Ani... Do you think Mr Shergal will like my proposal to the college app?" - Shivaay asked unnoticing the thunder outside. 

"He will love it, Trust me...  And the new feature of e-notes, Who will hate that? come on... it will be easy on both sides... students as well as teachers... TRUST ME" - anika stressed the word trust in her sentence which brought the smile in his face and he gained the motivation from her. 

After speaking to his father about his future plans, He didn't get any mental support from his parents, Neither his father supported him to go ahead,  nor his mom gained any courage her son single-handedly. But Anika did it on the behalf of both. She didn't let loose hope even for a second, Which made him fall for her deeper. 

"Okay..." - he replied with a smile. 

"What okay... Just have some trust on you, More than you, I know about my boyfriend..."  - Anika told with the assurance. He smiled widely again when she claimed him. But he didn't let her know about it. 

"What happened? Why you become silent, suddenly?" - Anika asked him, even she knew, he was smiling on the other hand which never confess to her. 

"Nothing, Mom came... " - he made fake excuses to her. she understood but smiled on the other hand. 

"Why are you silent now?" - shivaay asked. 

"Nothing, My dead daadi came..." - She made an excuse, He chuckled at the very next second when he understood he got caught. 

"Why are you hiding your smile from me when you know i can sense everything?" - Anika asked. he didn't reply but smiled on the other hand. 

"I really wonder, How come you got that much courage to propose me on that day?" - Anika added. 

"Wait... wait... wait, You didn't propose me, Officially..." - Anika said. 

"What? But How should i propose you?" - Shivaay asked her. 

"By saying i..." - Anika stopped as soon as she sensed him double-crossing her. 

"Just miss..." - He exclaimed. 

"Very funny..."- Anika said in a cold tone. 

"Do you think that those three words were enough to convey the feeling we both have for each other?" - Shivaay asked her. 

"You are expert in Spellbounding me..." - Anika exclaimed to him. He laughed at that spot but he felt like he heard the same sentence before, from her, that moment flashed in his mind which was not clear. But soon his laughter disappears when she jerked over the phone. 

"Hey, What happened?" - Shivaay asked her. 

"Current went, I think the transformer busted..." - Anika replied while jerking again to the thunder sound. 

"You're alone in the house, Where is your brother?" - Shivaay asked her with worries. 

"Saahil... he went to his friend's house for the sleepover..." - Anika said in scared tone looking out for the candles in her house. 

"Where are others?"- Shivaay asked her. 

"Forget, I told you, they went to our hometown... they left me here because we have semester exams on the way..." - Anika said in a panic tone due to the darkness. 

"Don't panic... Relax..." - he said. 

"Hey, Who said i am scared?" - She answered in a fake-calm tone. 

"Okay, Jhansi rani... search for the candles, Patiently..." - He reframed the sentence. 

"It's nowhere..." - Anika told in panic. 

"That's why we have to help parents sometimes..." - He said. 

"Can you please stop taunting me and help me where should i search candles?"  - Anika asked. 

"Go to the kitchen... and search it any of the draws..." - He said. 

"How will travel that much distance?" - Anika asked. 

"Put your phone on speaker and turn on the torchlight and go..."- Shivaay asked her. she did the same and found the candles on one of the drawers in the kitchen. 

"Found it..." - Anika said in a cherished tone. Shivaay didn't cut the phone rather talked to her. but anika sensed some noise from the kitchen, she jerked in the very next second. 

"It's just wind... relax..." - Shivaay told over the phone. 

"You know I think Bhavya is hitting on me..." - Shivaay started to divert her topic and intruded her mind. 

"I know, After watching the movie bodyguard movie, I was worried, But she took it so casually... WHY THE HELL IT'S HAPPENING ONLY TO ME" - she started and blabbered everything to shivaay for minutes. But her blabber eventually had to stop when she heard the door-knocking sound. 

"Shivaay someone knocking my door..." - Anika said to shivaay in a scared tone. 

"That's me... don't panic, And one more thing, Bhavya didn't hit on me... You have to say sorry for cursing her..." - Shivaay said Before he could finish the sentence she opened the door and threw herself to him in a very next second. He caught her back didn't let her slip. 

"Relax... I am here now..." - shivaay patted her and she broke the hug in the very next second when she caught herself back. 

"Hey, Relax... It happens..." - Shivaay said and moved inside without making her uncomfortable. He knew, In these two years of dating, they hardly get the time to look upon other stuff in the relationship as she loves talking, talking and talking. And Even shivaay didn't expect anything from her. But he eagerly waiting for the time when it happens naturally, mutually and in a matured way not in a childish way. He was very particular on that. 

He made him comfortable in the couch but the uncomfortably didn't fade away from her face. He noticed that but acted like didn't notice it. 

"It's too dark here... light up some more candles, Ani..." - shivaay said casually. she took more candles, shivaay took some candles from her hand and the match stick from her hands started to lighten up. 

"Why did you come? your mom must be worried..." - Anika asked.

"My mom went to Chandigarh and papa had his drink too much, will get consciousness tomorrow..." - shivaay answered in a calm tone while removing his shoes and kept them in the shoe rack. 

"Okay... but why the hell i am feeling this much weird..." 

"You said anything..." - Shivaay asked her in a casual tone. 

"Nope..." - she nodded no. And moved towards the kitchen holding one of the candles, shivaay felt the situation very uncomfortable but he tried to manage everything with his casual tone and behaviour. 

"Mumma prepared Rasam Saatham (Rice) for me... Come let's share..." - Anika came with a plate of rasam rice and sat next to him. She brought only one spoon and shivaay kept her in the table surrounded by candles and they started eating. 

"I heard about it but for the first time, i am tasting it... it's too good," he exclaimed. She smilingly wiped off the food pieces from his side of his mouth and she did that without even her knowledge. Both stopped eating and stare at each other. The sound of their heartbeat is hearable than the thunder sound outside. Everything started to happen without their control.

She automatically closed her eyes when he ran his palms through her hair and pulled her close to him. She didn't deny when he cupped her face and started to smooch her deeply. she could feel her hunger when she responded to him in a ferocious way of exploring his mouth. But pushed him slightly away from her when she got her consciousness back. 

"I am sorry" - She said while closing her eyes in fear of facing him after refusing him. Instead of hearing any words from him, She felt his kiss on her forehead where his hands cupped her face gently. 

"It's okay... You know our relationship didn't depend on this..." - She heard him which made her open her eyes. 

"I love your soul more than your body... This body is temporary and also a carriage of the soul... i ever cared about it but i always love your soul more which defines you..." - He said, And his words didn't resist her from hugging him. 

***********

Dear Amma, 

How are you? It has been two days since i came to Ahmedabad with om. But without you, i feel like twenty years. Don't know where to start. I don't know where it will end but if you feel, my studies and my higher status help us in protecting us from the outside world, I will do it, Mom. Okay, I will come to the part which you desperately wanted to know. Mess food is good, And people overhear is too jovial. there are totally five rooms in our wing. As per the rules, Authorities decides the hostel rooms for us and om went to another wing. Don't know how to thank the god, but at least for these two years, i could sleep peacefully without any awkward cuddles. But i eventually miss my cuddle buddy mom. For now, I am sharing my room with kavish, looks bookish and somewhat mysterious but okay, i can share a room with him. 

You know it was my first day in my college and surprisingly there's a girl in my classroom out of 59 other boys. Everyone stared her like an alien, But she was quite interesting for me. she looks studious as well as i can sense some purity kind of feeling in her eyes. Whenever she stares at her book, and answer the question against the competition with 59 men, I feel like you answering. She gained my respect at the very first day, mom. Whenever i looked at her casual nature of not caring about society and the surroundings. I can sense you. Don't mistake me, mom. She really has a spark of your courage in her.  

And take care of yourself, Tell Gauri that i am missing her to the core. And try to reply as soon as possible. 

With love,

Your son. 

"*"*"*"*"*"*"*"*"*"*"*"*"*"*"*"*"*"*"*"*"*"*"*"*"*"*"*"

(a/n: Well, I don't know why i am thinking like this, but for the past few days, i think i am not getting anything in my life which i deserve, both in real life, as well as, in virtual life. If my fate can test me like this, Even i can test it... so i am setting a target for this story for the first time... Not because i want votes or anything but to stop me from thinking unwantedly. I feeling demotivated. And also i need a reality check... DON'T MIND ME...)

Target: 75 votes.