Shivaay was looking at her with shocked expression

Shivaay: tumhein kaise.....

Anika(smiled): aapki aankhone bataya

Shivaay: matlab?

Anika: bethiye batati hun.

She made him sit on the sand.

Shivaay: ab batao

Anika: insaan ke ander kya chal raha hai woh jaan ne ke liye unki aankhon mein dekhna chahiye. Sab likha hota hai. Bas pandhna aana chahiye.

Shivaay turned his face towards the water. "Agar aap chahe toh mujhe bata sakte hai" she said. But he chose to remain silent. Getting him silent she understood that the doesn't want to reveal.

Anika: it's okay agar aapko nahi batana. Par kya main yahan beth sakti hun?

Shivaay nodded without looking at her. They sat there without speaking anything. There was slience all around only the sound of waves was audible.

"Her name was Aditi" shivaay spoke after good amount of silence. Anika turned her head to him listening him.

Anika: nice name.

Shivaay(smiled): woh toh hai. She was so beautiful, pagal si thi, just like a kid. She was in my college. Same batch. You know uss mein aur mujh mein koi similarities nahi thi. Sirf padhai mein ache the dono. Agar mujhe continental khana pasand hai toh usse Indian. Main practicality mein believe karta hun aur woh magic mein. Shuruwat mein bohat ladte the hum par phir dosti ho gai aur phir....

Anika: pyaar

Shivaay(nodded yes): everything was normal.... Ek din humne..... I mean humare sare friends ne mileke decide kiya that we'll party. Hum gaye aur kisine meri aur Aditi ke drinks spike kardi and we got intimate. I was feeling guilty. Par she was okay with it. Then again life went normal....... But zindagi mein hamesha sab kuch normal toh nahi rehta. Kuch time baad we got to know that she is pregnant...... I was happy. Par usse log kya kahenge usski tension thi. So I decided that we'll get married. Humne phir church mein shaadi karli. Then she gave birth to a girl. My baby..My Aisha..

A smile crept on his face. Anika also smiled.

Shivaay: she became my life. My everything. Main usse lectures mein bhi leke jata tha. Aur woh bikul awaz nahi karti. She was a good girl.

His face was having brightest smile. But suddenly that smile fade away and tears broke the barrier of his eyes and flooded out.

Shivaay: but she is no more.

He sobbed and anika snapped her head towards him.

Anika: kyu? Kya hua tha usse?

Shivaay: usse SCID tha.

Anika: woh hota kya hai?

Shivaay: SCID matlab Severe combined immunodeficiency yeh ek rare genetic disorder hai. Jis mein bacha bina kisi immune system ke paida hota hai. Kisi bhi infection se lad pana body ke liye impossible hai. Aise bache zyada tar paida hone ke ek saal baad hi.....

His sobs got loud. Anika placed her hand on his shoulders to support him.

Anika: kya usski koi treatment nahi hai?

Shivaay: hai par hume der ho gai thi aur hum humari Aishi ko nahi bacha pai.

Anika: what about Aditi?

Shivaay: she was broken. Bohat mushkil tha usse sambhalna. She was not able to take it aur woh bhi mujhe chhod ke chali gai

He cried even more. Anika can't do anything so she just squeezed his shoulder. Not able to control more he hugged her and hid his face in the crook of her neck. Anika was quiet shocked but she understand that he needs a shoulder to cry. So she let him cry and rubbed his back to clam him.

Shivaay felt relief under her touch. After crying for sometime he broke the hug and wiped his tears.

Shivaay: a.. woh I am sorry maine... tumhein...

Anika: I alright. Everyone needs a shoulder to cry. Aap yeh lijiye paani pijiye.

She handed her bottle from her bag. Shivaay gave back the bottle after gulping some water.

Shivaay: thank you.

Anika: paani ke liye? Uss mein kya thank you?

Shivaay: sirf paani ke liye nahi. Meri baaten...

Anika: nahi shivaay. I understand jinse hum pyaar karte hai usse khone ka dar aur dard kya hota hai. Main jaanti hun. So it's completely alright.

Shivaay: waise yeh sab baaten maine apne bhaiyon se bhi nahi kahi pata nahi tumhein kyu kehdi?

Anika: maine kaha tha na. Kabhi kabhi ajnabiyon se woh baate kar sakte hai jo hum apno se nahi kar sakte.

Shivaay: tum ajnabi nahi ho. We are friends right? Tumhi ne kaha tha

Anika: aree haan. Bhool hi gai.

She giggled and tried to lighten his mood.

Anika: ek min aapne kaha ke yeh baate aapne apni family se nahi ki. Matlab Aditi aur Aisha ke baare mein unhe nahi pata?

Shivaay: nahi. Maine socha padhai khatam karne ke baad sab ko directly mila dunga. Par...

Anika: aur usske parents?

Shivaay: unhe bata diya tha. And they were happy for us. Par Aditi ke death ke baad unka accident ho gaya.

Anika: oh.

Shivaay: kabhi kabhi lagta hai. Shayad mein usse mila hi na hota toh shayad woh bhi least apni life jee toh rahi hoti.

Anika: hey it's not your fault. We can't predict what's Distiny's Plan for us.

Shivaay nodded. Silence again engulfed them.

Anika: ek baat puchun?

Shivaay: pucho

Anika: sach aapki family mein se kisi ko bhi nahi pata?

Shivaay: aisa nahi hai. Mahir ko pata hai. Woh mere saath hi tha college mein so woh sab jaanta hai

Anika: Mahir?

Shivaay: my cousin. Bhai se pehle woh best friend hai. Woh humare saath hi rehta hai. Since we were 10. Massi aur Mausa ji ke death ke baad se woh humare hi saath rehta hai. He understands me better than I do. Aur main usse.

She smiled and took out her phone to see the time. Now it was late and they need to leave.

Anika: I think we should leave now. Subhe hone wali hai.

Shivaay: ya you're right. Par tum jaogi kaise?

Anika: jaise aai thi. Apni bike pe

They stood up and dusted themselves.

Shivaay: par itni raat ko akele.

Anika: aree it's okay. Aap tension mat lijiye mujhe self defence aata hai.

Shivaay: okay pohanch ke message kar dena.

Anika: okay. Aur aap bhi so jana. I am sure aapko achi nind aa jaiegi. Dil jo halka ho gaya.

Shivaay smiled and they left biding bye.

In the morning.

Shivaay was still sleeping. Mahir came to wake him up.

Mahir: Shivaay Shivaay uth

He opened his eyes and sat up. Mahir sat beside him.

Mahir: kahan tha?

Shivaay: beach pe

Mahir: kab aaya?

Shivaay: pata nahi almost subha ho gai thi.

Mahir: how are you feeling?

Shivaay: much better. Dil halka ho gaya.

Mahir: kaise?

Shivaay remembered about last night.

Mahir: bolna kya kiya tune?

Shivaay: bol diya. Dil mein jo tha sab bol diya aur bohat acha lag raha hai

Mahir: bol diya? Lekin kis se?

Shivaay: Anika.

Mahir: kon Anika? Woh Miss Modi?

Shivaay: yes. You know ussne ek nazar mein dekh liya ke mere andar kya chal raha hai.

Mahir: really?

Shivaay: haan

Mahir: kuch logo ke pass hota hai talent. You know like me

Shivaay: oh really (sarcastically)

Mahir: haan par woh wahan kya kar rahi rhi?

Shivaay: maine pucha par bataya nahi

Mahir: aaj office aa rahi hai na puch lena, ab chal fresh ho ja 8 baj rahe hai

Shivaay(shocked): kya?? Mujhe uthaya kyu nahi?

Mahir: mujhe laga ke tu late aayega aur har baar ke tarah uth jayega. Par tu nahi utha issiliye toh aaya

Shivaay rushed to washroom. He left with Mahir without having his breakfast as he was getting late.

Here anika was waiting for Shivaay in his office. He came running.

Shivaay: sorry I am late.

Anika: aapne kya sorry aur thank you ka goddown bhar ke rakha hai?

Shivaay: kya??

Anika: nahi kalse sun rahi hun sorry, thank you, sorry, thank you. Ab itni silly baat pe sorry ya thank you mat bolna. We are friends aur friendship mein no Sorry aur no Thank you.

Shivaay: theek hai nahi bolunga. Is that okay?

Anika smiled and Shivaay shook his head.

Shivaay: he is Mahir. My best and and my cousin

Mahir: hi

Anika: hello.

They shook their hands.

Shivaay: waise tumne bataya nahi kal tum itni raat ko wahan kya kar rahi thi?

Anika: woh mujhe nind nahi aa rahi thi issiliye soch thoda tehel lete hai.

Shivaay: itni raat ko akele?

Anika: haan maza aata hai. Koi nahi hota. No traffic, no noise only peace and cool breeze. Apne kabhi try kiya hai aise bike pe?

Shivaay: nahi raat ko bahar toh nikla hun par bike pe nahi car mein.

Anika: anyways. Hum kaam ki baat kare?

Shivaay: ya par ek baat batao. Tum yahan rahogi toh tumhara office kon sambhalega?

Anika: Bela hai na. Woh sambhalegi

Mahir: Bela?

Anika: meri best friend.

Mahir: okay

Shivaay: okay theek hai. Toh let's start.

Anika: ya.

Shivaay: chalo tumahara cabin dikhata hun

Anika nodded and followed him. Thier talks was heard by Mishra he was okay with the rest talks but Shivaay's last sentence shook him along with Mahir. Their boss and best friend will personally show cabin to someone that too a girl? This was new for them. Their thoughts broke when Shivaay called them.

They started working. Anika's cabin was just beside his so he was stealing glance from her. But she was so engrossed in her work that she didn't even lift her eyes up.

It was lunch break. Mahir came to her cabin.

Knock knock

Anika: come in

He entered. Anika looked at him and smiled.

Anika: aapko knock karne ki zarrorat nahi hai.

Mahir: manners bhi koi chiz hoti hai.

They smiled.

Mahir: woh it's lunch break.

Anika: yahin kar lete hai. Mere cabin mein.

Mahir: okay. Waise bhi mujhe aap se baat karni hai

Anika: pehle yeh aap kar ke baat mat kijiye. Please budho wali feeling aati hai.

Mahir chuckled.

Mahir: theek hai.

Anika: sit.

They say and were having their lunch.

Anika: kya baat karni thi?

Mahir: haan. Shivaay mera cousin hai, par woh mera best friend hai woh mujhse kuch nahi chupata aur naahi main usse.

Anika: pata hai. Kal bataya unhone

Mahir: wahi main keh raha hun. Woh apni dil ki baat kisi se share nahi karta. Par uss ne tum se kar diya. So you know I want your help

Anika: how can I help?

Mahir: usse samjana hai. To move on.

Anika: par main kaise?

Mahir: please Anika. I can't see him like this. Humesha woh mar mar ke jeeta hai. Please help me. Jo insaan apni feelings ko apne family se share nahi karta woh ussne tum se share ki hai. So I think he'll listen to you.

Anika: it's not like that. I think yesterday he was going through a emotional turmoil. It's like jab hum koi soda ki bottle shake karte hai kholne ke baad jaise sab kuch bahar aa jata hai. Waise hi unke saath hua. Main jab unse pucha aur unhone bata diya.

Mahir: no Anika it's not like that. Main Shivaay ko janta hun. Chahe jitna bhi emotional ho. Usse lakh puch ne par bhi woh kuch nahi batata. Aur jis tarah se tum mujhe samja rahi ho. Bas waise hi usse samjane ki koshish toh karo

Anika: par woh meri baat kyu sunenge?

Mahir: sunega. Mera dil kehta hai. Aur dil ki baat humesha sach hoti hai. Please Anika. I beg you (he joined his hand)

Anika: hey don't do that. (She pulled his hand down) okay main koshish karungi.

Mahir(smiled with hope): thank you so much. Main toh samja samja ke thak gaya. Par he just doesn't listen to me.

Anika: it's okay. No need to thank me. Aur shayad tumne theek se samjaya nahi hoga.

Mahir: areee nahi bohat samjaya par sunta hi nahi hai

Anika: theek hai. Par main tede ko sidha karne mein mahir hun. Tum tension mat lo

They giggled.

It was evening and time to leave. Shivaay came to her cabin.

Shivaay: hello Miss Workoholic

Anika: haan

Shivaay: chalo office time khatam ho gaya hai

Anika: kya? Kitne baje?

Shivaay: 8 baje hai. Sab chale gaye hai.

Anika: pata hi nahi chala. Chalo chalte hai. Where's Mahir?

Shivaay: woh bhi chala gaya

Anika: okay.

She took her belongings and they left.

******