PRESENT DAY

It has been three days since Anika had been with him, taking care of him. She helped him with basic tasks whenever he needed assistance. It reminded him of his hospital days when he was admitted for kidney failure three years ago. Despite her willingness to help, she hadn't spoken a word to him in the past three days. She seemed to understand everything through his expressions, which filled him with guilt. A part of him thought she might have moved on in these two years, but nothing had changed except for her innocence and smile—she had forgotten how to smile. Tears welled up in his eyes whenever he realized he was the cause of her misery. Because of this guilt, he didn't try to start a conversation.

"Anika!" Om called her. She turned towards him from the entrance.

"Am I allowed to call you by that name?" Om continued with a smile. Her lips stretched into what seemed like a smile, but he knew her real smile, giggle, and laugh. However, Shivaay was pleased to see that smile on her face.

"What else? You call Shivaay by his name, right?" she responded in a jovial tone. Om felt comfortable after her comment, and the way Shivaay looked at her revealed what he was thinking. Next to Anika, Om was the person Shivaay trusted the most.

"The doctor wants to meet you," Om said.

"Oh yeah, I got that. Until then, can you please stay with Shivaay? I need to discuss some work," she replied.

"I will be with Shivaay. We have to discuss something about work," Om nodded. She left the ward after acknowledging him, but she didn't look him in the eyes. His heart ached more when she did that.

"I'm sorry, bro. I failed to believe you when you told me about Anika. She's a gem, for real. I'm happy she's finally here with you," Om said, looking at Shivaay, who looked so depressed.

"But I forced her to come back to me. I feel like I'm finally starting to see her heart. She's hurt, bro, beyond anything, even worse than me. I can see it in her face," Shivaay said, looking at his hand connected to multiple IVs.

"Who else can see that other than you? And it's between you two. I know you'll sort this out," Om said, which provoked a smile from Shivaay.

"Okay, it's time to announce to your fans that you're alright. Hashtag Pray for Shivaay is trending. Your Instagram is filled with crying videos from your fans. You have to let them know you're okay," Om suggested. But Shivaay was disinterested in doing that. Instead of proving to the world he was fine, he wanted to be with Anika and prove to her that she hadn't made a mistake by coming back to him. He wanted to rectify all the mistakes he had made in the past.

"I'm not interested, dude. I just need some more time," Shivaay said, looking at Om. Just then, the ward door opened, and Anika approached with some files in her hand.

"Good news, he's being discharged tomorrow, and his reports are normal," Anika informed Om, who played the intermediary between them.

"That's great! I'll make the arrangements," Om said, looking at Shivaay, who returned to his lost state when she chose Om to deliver the news instead of telling him directly.

"And also, the doctor asked about his drinking habits since he's surviving with only one kidney. I said he stopped drinking. Am I right?" Anika asked Om. Shivaay had stopped drinking and decided to keep the promise he made to her after breaking it twice.

"Yeah, absolutely. He doesn't have that habit. He never drinks," Om confirmed. She simply nodded and shifted her gaze to Shivaay.

"And sorry for interfering, but why hasn't he announced anything about his health improvement on social media yet?" Anika asked Om while placing the files on the table next to Shivaay's bed.

"Hero is not in the mood right now," Om chuckled, looking at Shivaay, who waited for her reply, eager to hear her sweet voice while she spoke with Om.

"Tell him that along with the hashtag Pray for Shivaay, Save Shivaay is also trending. People think his girlfriend is responsible for this," Anika said. Shivaay immediately grabbed Om's phone, logged on to Instagram, and saw all the hate posts towards Anika, who stood next to him. One post compared her to a gold-digger. Om couldn't stop him when he raised his hand to take the phone.

"How dare they?" Shivaay murmured under his breath. When he was about to type a harsh reply, Anika grabbed the phone from his hand and looked at him in disbelief.

"They should know their manners. Give the phone back to me," he asked her in a low tone for the first time.

"What the hell are you doing right now? They know nothing! Ever heard the proverb, 'Empty vessels make the most noise'?" she asked him directly, without Om as a middleman.

"Exactly!" Om agreed, looking at them.

"They don't know what really happened! That's why I asked you to post a photo or a video saying you're alright and out of danger. There are millions of fans out there waiting to hear from you, and it took you years to get to this place. Don't forget that. And please, do what I say!" Anika insisted sternly.

For a second, Shivaay couldn't believe his luck that she was actually speaking to him directly. He immediately asked Om to capture his photo in the hospital bed, smiling with a thumbs-up pose. He posted it on social media. Om couldn't believe how his stubborn friend was doing everything at her request. But Shivaay had decided to win her back, wholeheartedly. Suddenly, Anika got a call. She smiled at the phone screen. Shivaay wondered who it was but wasn't jealous. He wanted to know more about her.

"Immediate response," she murmured and answered the call.

"Tell me, Ria," she said with the same smile. It was a girl. The call brought a smile to her face after a long time. Shivaay wanted to know who this person was.

"Yeah, I told you he's alright! Now go and freshen up. Maths exam, right?" Anika asked. Shivaay looked at Om, confused. Even Om was confused but waited until she hung up.

"Oh okay. Give the phone to Sia, I need to talk to her. By the way, did she have her breakfast?" Anika asked, sounding worried.

"Why? Okay, give the phone to Sia!" she said.

"Hey See-Saw, Ria said your favorite singer is alright and out of danger. Then what's the problem? Why aren't you having your breakfast?" Anika asked. It was partially understandable to Shivaay and Om. She was talking about Shivaay, and the person on the call was one of his fans, which brought a smile to Shivaay's face.

"Oh, it's about you!" Om said to him.

"Sia, you can't comment on his private life without knowing what happened. She might be innocent, right? And you must stop calling her a bitch," Anika said, sighing in disbelief.

"Okay! Order pizzas, and enjoy until the evening, but after that, I want you both to concentrate on your studies. Sia, don't forget our deal—eighty percent and above in pre-boards, only then I confirm the tickets," Anika instructed.

"I think they're school-going students," Om said to Shivaay.

"Work is still pending, sweetheart. It might take a few more days. Please don't get distracted. Study and have fun. I'll call you girls in the evening. Okay, bye sweethearts," Anika said, hanging up and looking into their questioning eyes. Shivaay immediately signaled Om to ask her about the call.

"Important calls?" Om asked.

"Yes, from home. My twin sisters almost forgot to eat when they heard about his health condition. They were the ones who told me about him in the first place," Anika explained, her smile fading. Shivaay felt elated knowing her sisters were his fans.

"How cute," Shivaay responded, and Anika nodded.

"Sia and Ria," she added.

"Who did they call a bitch over the phone?" Om asked. Anika sighed.

"His girlfriend," Anika replied. Both Shivaay and Om were slightly shaken, realizing she never told them about him. Om burst into laughter, which eventually made Anika smile.

"I'm sorry, it's just too hilarious," Om excused himself, laughing hard. But Shivaay felt bad for her. However, he noticed a lopsided smile on her face. She was proud of his growth but didn't express it. Om soon excused himself to handle the discharge papers.

"Om seems genuine," Anika commented after he left, initiating the conversation.

"I met him two years ago when I composed music for a web series. I needed a manager to handle everything, especially since my YouTube subscribers reached two million. He's an all-rounder, managing public relations and more. He's more than a manager, he's my best friend," Shivaay said calmly, proud.

"Happy to hear that," she ended the conversation. But Shivaay badly wanted to talk more with her, apologize, and cry for his past mistakes. She ended the conversation and stayed silent, looking at her phone and making calls to her manager and personal assistant, Rashi, a name Shivaay heard often in the past three days. He remained silent, happy with her presence.

****

It has been three days since she returned to him. She struggled to convince her heart to forgive him completely for his past mistakes but found it impossible to leave him. She was stuck in the middle but not suffocating like before. He didn't try to convince her or ask her to stay like before. This separation had made him independent, and she could see that. His friend, Om, seemed genuinely caring for Shivaay, and she respected him for running around when Shivaay was unwell.

"Did you have your dinner?" he asked when she served him dinner.

"Hmm," she responded. She wasn't purposely avoiding talking to him, but she needed time to accept everything wholeheartedly. Her life had changed completely in these two years. She was no longer a carefree Anika but someone who had to become more mature than her age, forced to take on responsibilities.

"I'm fine! You can leave if you want. Nobody is stopping you this time," he finally said. More than the words, she felt the intensity in his tone. She raised her head and looked at him. She could see the tears in his eyes, proving he meant every word.

"I didn't come back to leave. And Mr. Oberoi, you won the game again, and I lost it again," she said, looking at him closely for the first time. But he couldn't meet her gaze for long and stared at the floor.

"I didn't mean to blackmail you. I just didn't know what to do after realizing how much I hurt you. I don't deserve you, honey," he said, tears falling onto his hands.

"I never knew you would take my words literally. We wouldn't be in this situation if you had at least listened to me that day, right?" she asked. Her words made him look at her.

"I don't know if you can see it, but I'm not the same girl anymore. That day, I went to see my father, who was disappointed with me after learning about us. Even after that, I chose you over him and came back to you, unaware that I was seeing him for the last time," she said, wiping her tears.

"My parents left me. I never got to see them again; their faces were smashed in the accident. I think that was my punishment for breaking their trust," she said, looking away at the window.

"I never thought I would forgive you. But look at fate! Now I'm here, talking with you," she chuckled, unable to stop herself from smiling at her fate.

"After two years of humiliation and misery, my heart still beats for you. It's a strange feeling. When I heard about you, I lost my senses, cried, yelled, and prayed. I blamed myself for using those words against you. I felt so vulnerable. Why do I love you this much? Do you have any answers?" she asked, unable to find answers herself. He stayed still, looking at her, but she couldn't stop herself from hugging him. This was what she had yearned for in the past two years: to cry on his shoulders.

***