After whole one hour, they had sat down to talk to each other, Shivaay was anything but happy about the fact that his younger brother and his girlfriend were teaming against him. But he had loved the way the two of them bonded together so well in their first interaction, it made him think how would Omkara react when he comes to know that he had a girlfriend, finally.

"No way, this is really Shivaay?" Annika said as she gazed down at the picture which Rudra had showed to her. Shivaay heard Annika giggle which in turn made him look at the picture by himself. It was taken several years ago, when he was possibly eight or nine and he only had his underwear on and he had tried to pose like a model. What Annika found more funny in that picture was his expression, he had tried to give a seductive look but in vain.

"Rudra, do you remember the bike I gifted you on your eighteenth birthday? I am taking it back" Shivaay muttered to him. Rudra looked shook, no, he did not wanted to let of his precious bike, not now, never. Annika silently listened to what he had said, now her eyes glaring back at him. "Don't give me that look, like I am a villain in the story"

"So stop behaving like one" Rudra implied, his face held a large smirk. Annika had wanted to speak some other line but as she had saw that Rudra had opened his mouth to speak, she stopped herself. "Do I look like a villain to you? Annika? You think the same too?" Shivaay's eyes followed from Rudra to Annika.

As Annika shook her head, she added "No Shivaay but stop threatening him. And let me tell you, I love this picture of yours" Annika took hold of Rudra's phone and looked down at it one more time. Shivaay was confused, did she really found his picture cute or was she just saying this to assure him he looked good even though he looked bad?

"Shit, shit, shit. I had plans with Bhavya, I forgot. Annika Didi it was really nice meeting you. Shivaay Bhaiya, tonight, I am letting you win all the games we play on fortnight. Bye" Rudra hurriedly said whilst he had grabbed his bag, phone and gave the two of them a big large smile. Even before Annika could tell him it was really nice meeting him too, he had ran away.

"You did not find that picture bad?"

"There was nothing bad in it, you looked cute and you were just a small kid" Annika assured him, even though the picture was worth laughing but she found herself mentally noting that he looked cute too. "If you say so. I am just embarrassed" Shivaay rubbed he back of his neck, his eyes fixed on the table.

"Oh god, I need to go too. It's almost past my lunch time" It was true that the three of them had lost the track of the time while they had talked to each other. Annika and Shivaay had split their bill for the Dal Khichdi they had earlier. "Listen, I will go out first and you come out after two minutes" Annika suggested. Shivaay understood what she was trying to say to him but he really wanted to escort her outside, with him.

"Bye Shivaay" Before he could he even register what just happened, a kiss was planted on his cheek by Annika. Her lips only lingered on his cheek for two seconds. Still in haze, he had seen her wave her hands at him while he stood there, gawking at her. Annika had surprisingly left him for wanting more, more of her.

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"Tell me, did you just come back from a date Annika" It wasn't the first time Alisha had asked her this question but as far as Annika had counted, it was the fifth time in a row. When Annika had came back from the restaurant, she found Alisha sitting on the chair in her office. "Don't you have to report back to Mrs Rai regarding the bridge accident?" Annoyed, Annika questioned.

"Oh honey, you don't know me, do you at all? Trust me, I know when my deadline is but tell me, was the guy you went on a date with was cute?"

"How many times do I have to make it clear that I just went alone"

"Don't lie, I can see through your lies"

"Right then, go ahead, keep wondering and waste your time" Annika threw her hands up in the air with frustration. Sighing out, she realized what a mess all of this was. Alisha seemed to not move an inch from where she was, eyes narrowed at Annika.

"Do you want a cup of coffee, I am going to cafeteria" Alisha suggested, losing hopes that she was ever going to find out about Annika's mysterious boyfriend. "Alisha, I am sorry for talking back at you like that. But I can't disclose his name or identity but when correct time comes, I will. I promise"

"Pinky promise?" Alisha extended her pinky finger at Annika which made her smile. He wrapped her pinky finger around Alisha's while she shook her head at her grinning face. "Now, go and get me a cup of coffee" At that Alisha nodded, walking away from her and out of her office room.

Annika looked out of the window, it was invetable for her to not think about him, was he thinking about her to? What would he be doing right now? Was he missing her like she was? The thread of her questions were never ending. Picking the phone up from the table, she glanced at the time, two more hours to go before she would be free.

Her fingers itched to dial his name but what if he would be busy at this moment? She certainly did not wanted to disturb him. "Here is your coffee" Annika hadn't realised that Alisha was already inside her office, the magic Shivaay Singh Oberoi had over Annika was astonishing.

"I am off to work, bye" Alisha announced, turning around to leave her office. Annika sat there silently, gripping the cup of coffee in her hands and feeling it's warmth around her fingers. It reminded her of that one coffee date she had with him where he told her the history of coffee beans origination.

That day, he had laughed at her expression when she sipped the dark, bitter, black coffee which had very little sugar and her expression priceless. Was it possible to miss him so much when she had met him an hour ago? Maybe she was losing her mind.

Sighing, she collected herself back, dragging her attention towards the laptop screen in front of her or a blank page. Annika was trying her best to put everything out in words that you satisfy Mrs Rai but how was she supposed to do it when she was the mysterious girlfriend herself.

And if she did not write it out perfectly, it would make people suspicious which was the last thing she wanted to happen. Taking a deep breath in, she started to write. Hopefully she could do it.

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"No way, are you serious?" Gauri asked in an amused voice. Hearing what Annika said, it made her rather laugh than go into shock. Gauri continued to laugh while Annika looked at her with narrowed eyes. "Stop laughing before I kill you with my bare hands" Annika threw a pillow towards her which she caught immediately.

"I find this funny, perks of dating Shivaay Singh Oberoi" Gauri muttered to her and Annika massaged her head with her fingers while she thought about the article she was working her. Annika's deadline was day after tomorrow and she was unsure if she would be able to complete it by then. "Hey, chill. Just write about it without thinking about the girlfriend being you"

"It's not easy now, is it?" Gauri nodded her head at her, it was hard and she knew. Seeing Annika this way, she wanted to do nothing but help her out. "Annika, trust yourself. Take this as a hurdle and you can make through it, you always did. You came a long way, just a bit more. You can do it" An assuring hand landed on Annika's shoulder which was of Gauri's

A smile forming on Annika's face when she heard her. Turning her face around, she took Gauri into a tight hug. "Now you are choking me Annika" Gauri muttered while all Annika did was squeezed her more tightly. "If I die, you are going to jail Annika Mehra" Gauri threatened.

Rolling her eyes, Annika released her. "Thankyou Gauri" Giving her a small smile, Annika ruffled her hair making Gauri glare at her.

"I will be here for you, always"

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If any one of you wish to read non Shivika stories, check out my other profile Desibrowngirl. And no, I don't update regularly there so read it on your own risk. 🙈