"Di... there are two letters attached..." - Avinash exclaimed when two envelopes dropped from his mom's diary. Arushi took the letter which her father wrote to her mom. And he took the letter which his mother wrote to his father.  

"It's dated, 23rd August 1982" - Avinash said. 

"It's dated, 24th August 1982" - Arushi said. Both exchanged glances and were confused about which they should read first. 

"You read, First" - Aru said to Avi. He shiveringly opened the letter and started to read. 

Shivaay, 

I don't know where to start, But if i decided to write a letter, I should write something. okay! i will stop this round and round and write it directly. Nivansh said today is your birthday and you decided to say about your feeling on your birthday. I know you're not faking it but i have to say sorry for ignoring you throughout the day. I was not doing it on purpose, but some hesitations, some confusions stopped me from talking to you, or i can say, from looking at you. I know you have been desperately waiting for my answers but i couldn't say that. I just couldn't.

Uff, It's getting into my nerves now, I really like you, yaar. And you know that. But the thing is your confessions made me nervous. still, i am in that state. One part of me asking me not to loose you at any cost where the other part, asking me not to take any decisions so soon. But neither my heart nor brain asking me to stay away from you. today i felt the hell in the classroom without talking to you, without looking at you, without smiling at you, without teaching you the basics which you already knew acting like forgetting.  

Confused, Right! even i am confused. Is that possible, you could leave me in my own space to think about it and also you would behave normally with me? 

Usually, People give presents on their birthday, Here i am asking for something from you... 

possible!?! 

ANIKA. 

"Man, she really loved my dad... uff" - aru exclaimed in happiness. 

"she was asking for an in-between space, Right?" - Avi asked Aru.

"This is not an in-between space, But... it's proof that Anika bose couldn't even think about spending her life without my dad..." - she said.

"You girls couldn't say it directly... Why are you girls having fun in confusing a boy?" - Avi asked in hesitation. 

"Okay, I will read my letter... i hope daddy gets her riddle..." - Arushi opened the letter in excitement. 

Dear Anika Bose. 

I got your present along with that from Nivansh which made my day. I hope that jerk didn't open it and read. I fell in love with you the very next second when i saw you in class, but like others, i thought it was just an infatuation. But the anger i got when that kavish told me about his plan, Proved my love for you. I didn't say anything about it in the fear that, you might leave me. 

But Eventually, i have to say it when it reached the saturated point. Now i am relaxed, Take your time, but didn't expect me that i stop loving you. Back to normal, Right. But why you gifted me the tie... I only write letters to my mom, this time you included them in this list.

love, Shivaay Nair. 

He knew it... - Arushi cupped her mouth and exclaimed in happiness. 

You mean, Dad got that what she was meaning in that letter... - Avinash asked her. 

Yeah... - Arushi exclaimed.

From now, It will be very interesting to read it from mom's perspective... - Arushi exclaimed and turned the other page. Avinash was surprised in another hand when she referred to anika as her mom. 

********

Days went, Weeks went and finally a month went but there was no progress from shivaay's hand on their relationship status. Unlike shivaay, Anika didn't misuse the time. During this time, she became a friend of his mom, Pinky. A sensible but lovable mom, and come to know about their family in Mumbai. Due to some financial problems, His dad, Shakthi had to give up his title from the Oberoi industries and they moved into Chennai when his father's offered him a partnership. 

"They won't ask this in your exams, Anika... come read, We have to finish physics today"  - shivaay dragged anika and she bid bye to his mom who was in the kitchen preparing snacks for them. 

"Are you done with the derivation... Or i will explain to you again..." - He asked shivaay. 

"Where is your father? When he will be arriving?" - Anika asked.

"Anika... Force is equal to" - shivaay asked her seriously. 

"rudeness..." - she replied in her thought. 

"M V^2" - she said while lowering her face. 

"He will always come late to home, I can't remember when i met him in this month" - he said while closing the book. 

"Yet, Sweet..." - she thought. 

"Why are you being so rude to me?" - she finally asked which she wanted to ask him for a long time. He kept her books aside and kept the coffee which his mom brought before a while in the center of the table. 

"It's because you're diverting so easily..." - He replied and gestured for her to take the coffee.

"No thanks..." - she replied in a low tone. 

"I know you didn't have anything since morning... so please"  - He asked her in a pleading tone. 

"I am not feeling like..." - she denied it. 

"Anika Seshadri, I am sorry for being rude... i promise i will answer your every question, Hereafter" - he surrendered himself. She couldn't help herself from smiling at him. 

"Deal..." - she took the coffee cup. He exhaled and prepared himself for her further questions. 

"Deal... Ask me whatever you want..." - he allowed her to ask. 

"My first question, Why are you so silent? In these 4 months, since you came to this apartment, i hardly find you outside for only two reasons... your morning joking, and whenever you want to go to IIT coaching center..." - she asked and waited for his answers, He took a large sip of coffee and gulped it before answering her questions. 

"It's because I am a certified introvert from birth... I will take time to get along with people... that too, it's a different state, different language, It will be difficult for me, right..." - he replied. 

"Or, it's because you miss your family..." - she asked. 

"Maybe... maybe not... i couldn't figure it out..." - he replied after a long pause. She didn't ask him anything, rather looked at him, she could feel his pain, but why she couldn't get that. 

"Any other questions..." - he asked, she nodded no with a smile. Things went very understanding between them and also shivaay figured it out that she was not that much dumb to fail in her exams as she could get the most difficult derivation in one explanation. He was attracted to her but very scared to name it where anika waited for the correct time to open up the feelings to him.

TO BE CONTINUED...