CHAPTER 6

Shivay gave a fleeting glance to his reflection as he passed the huge mirror in the lobby to reach the restaurant. Blame Niki for messing with his mind. She asked "Bhai is that how you dress for a date?" looking at his complete office attire consisting of black trousers, blue shirt and biscuit colored waist coat. He wanted to say that it was not a date, but Shivay was too busy wondering if he was appropriately dressed. His ego wouldn't allow him to change while his pride wouldn't allow him to appear wrongly dressed. Tough times. Shivay Singh Oberoi's life was not easy.

If Shivay was conscious about his dressing then Annika definitely gave him a hard fight at that. She was dressed in a pale yellow saree with a see through pale orange blouse. Oh Fish! Did she just come dressed as her character Sanjana? Well, no one is dressed here for date.

"You are not here for a date." screamed his mind

"Hello." Annika greeted after she reached the table he was sitting with long strides. "Sorry shoot extended and I had no time to change."

"That is okay. This is not a date. You can dress anyway."

Annika frowned at his odd reply, but didn't comment as she took the chair in front of him.

"Did you want to talk to me?" asked Annika

"I..." For the first time Shivay wondered what was he here to talk about. "I..." he began again. "I mean Niki."

"I know..." Annika said with an understanding nod.

"You do?" asked an appalled Shivay

"I know she wants us to get together. She is such a kid."

"Yeah..." Shivay agreed as he sipped the water.

"This total thing is lame. We shouldn't worry about it." Annika said

"Yeah. Totally lame." Shivay agreed.

The waiter's interruption was a welcome distraction. Once he moved after receiving order, awkward silence, their old companion, cropped up.

"Was your family bothered about this?" inquired Shivay

"Well, not anymore. They understood rumors are part of an actor's life after the third one." Said Annika casually

"Third?" asked Shivay

"Well, you are the sixth one I am being linked up with." Said Annika casually

"So, am I the sixth one to have this post rumor dinner?" Asked Shivay with an edge of irritation (or jealousy)

Annika looked up at him with a lopsided smile and said, "You should tell me the number, Mr.Oberoi. You invited me for dinner. Did Tia, Ishana and Sameera were also invited for this 'post rumor dinner' with you?" she asked quoting her fingers.

"You Googled me?"

"Oh I just Niki-ed you."

"Sure." Shivay said swallowing a big piece of chicken in annoyance.

The rest of the dinner was intentionally quiet and both were too eager to reach the lobby after the bill was paid.

Shivay stood beside Annika with his hands in his pocket tapping his foot impatiently. Annika was pretending to look at the phone, while both were waiting for their respective cars.

"So, Ms.Sharma, when you said 'lame' is it the dating rumors or dating rumor with me?"

"Why do you ask, Mr.Oberoi?"

"Well, now I need to know since you are a dating rumour senior with a 6-3 score, you know."

Annika sighed deeply as she turned to look Shivay.

"Why did you invite me for dinner, Shivay?"

Shivay was caught off guard suddenly. He didn't know if it was just the question or her calling him by his first name.

"The papers..." Shivay's words were interrupted by the honking of Annika's car.

"My car is here." Annika said looking at her car.

"So, is mine." Said pointing at the car behind hers.

"I..." they both said together.

"I don't know what to say." Annika confessed looking down at her feet.

"I know." Shivay said as he took a step away from her

Annika watched him with curiously as he walked towards her car instead of his. He said something to her driver after which he walked to his car, opened the driver seat and instructed something to his driver as well. Shivay's driver immediately went to her car and both the drivers drove off, probably as per his instruction. Now, Shivay sat on the driver seat of his car and rolled down the mirror looking at her through the window. Annika without any delay sat in his car. Shivay began driving without informing her where they were heading.

Annika patiently looked at Shivay's actions as he parked the car in front of an ice cream shop and rushed inside wordlessly. He came back after five minutes surprisingly with her favorite ice cream.

"I love it." Annika said licking the melting chocolate sauce off the ice cream

"I know." Shivay replied eyeing his ice cream dominated by fruits

"How do you know it is my favorite? You Google-d me?" asked Annika imitating him

"Well, I Niki-ed you." Replied Shivay chuckling

"So?" Annika said breaking the silence around them. Half of their ice cream was over and Annika was not in the mood to go back home without knowing what is in his mind.

"I intentionally didn't get into relationships, because I didn't want it to affect Niki if it ends badly. Media makes a mountain out of molehill and so I didn't want to come out as a Casanova brother." Annika nodded patiently listening to him. "And moreover considering how dedicated I was to my business during initial days I don't think any girl would have wanted someone like me in her life. Inconsiderate and self centered."

"What changed now?" asked Annika looking at him

"How do you know something changed?" countered back Shivay

"Because you are having this conversation with me that I am sure you never had with any of the girls before."

"I don't know." Shivay shrugged and looked straight at the empty road ahead. "I always wanted the girl who I date to love Niki as much as she would love me. Niki is bigger part of my life than you could imagine."

Annika followed suit and glanced at the otherwise traffic filled road look queerly calm.

"I don't love you." Annika said. Being straight forward was definitely her virtue.

"Neither do I love you."

"What do you want then, Mr.Oberoi?" asked a dismayed Annika

"For starters, I want you to call me Shivay. I think we have passed the phase of addressing each other by second name. Then I want to try taking this forward and see if we can find common ground."

"And this will not affect Niki if it doesn't work out?"

"That is why we are going to hide it from my sister."

Annika clucked her tongue and looked at him impressed "You have planned everything now, huh?"

"No harm in trying."

"Why me and not any of those three girls?"

"Because I think ... I mean...." Shivay thought for a minute before replying, "I can see myself settled with you in future."

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Niki Oberoi was still awake when her brother returned very late after dinner. Curious mind never lets you sleep.

"Bhai." She sprang on her feet and immediately reached her brother's side

"Why are you up still?" asked her concerned brother

"What happened?" asked Niki dismissing her brother's first question

"Nothing."

"What?"

"Nothing we talked as well matured adults and decided to forget this media fiasco." Replied Shivay nonchalantly

"That is it?" asked a sad Niki

"What else did you expect?" asked Shivay narrowing his eyes.

"Nothing." mumbled Niki walking to her room dejectedly

Once Shivay was sure his sister was back in her room, he took out his phone to check Annika's reply for his message that said "Good night, my new girlfriend"

Annika had replied "Good night, bf :)"

Shivay smiled at his phone screen as he walked to his room.

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