Falling in Love - A Shivika Romance ✔

62. Obstinate Wifey

Annika found herself lying on the bed when she woke up the next morning i.e. noon. She could only recall leaning her head against the bed frame trying not to sleep last night. She had slept around three only. The other side of the bed was empty. She craned her neck in search of Shivaay. He wasn't visible in the bathroom or the balcony attached. She got up, opened her bag, and got her towel to get a shower.

Shivaay entered with breakfast to find her inside the washroom. He saw the bag lying open. Her clothes were still packed inside. At the moment, he felt like a bull triggered by the color red. He marched to the bag and closed the zip. They were not meant to be unpacked here. He won't let her, he decided in all his stubbornness. Unaware, he was breathing heavily. The pretense of playing cool was making him crumble inside. And this was just day one.

A click on the door announced Annika's arrival. He looked behind his shoulder to find his angel of a wife fresh out of the shower. He closed his eyes for a second and opened them again. This was not his plan. He couldn't lose self-control so easily. There was no other way she would let him live with her.

Both of them eyed the breakfast. Anything from Shivaay looked yummy. He could tell she found the idlis with green chutney hard to resist. Anyhow she did and made her way outside.

"Khanna bought some groceries earlier this morning. I realized there was nothing in the kitchen."

"It was not needed. I have been like this earlier too. Thank you though," she left. Shivaay sighed. She was no less stubborn. He followed her. He was curious to see if she managed to cook.

***

Shivaay had his eyes closed. A kitchen, be it anyone's, was a place he couldn't see being messy. Annika was making a mess in the pretense of making the idli just like he made. Poor girl didn't know she had to soak the urad dal and poha for at least four hours before the rest of the preparations, and for that, she had to wake up early. If she craved the dish, all she had to do was to sit with him. Alas, she was arrogant like he mentioned the previous night.

He cleared his throat. She looked at him helplessly. Her stomach was making sounds every ten minutes. Despite fighting a war with the kitchen, nothing edible was made out of the batter.

"I made breakfast for two. If you want—"

Annika bent her eyes low and speed-walked to the small dining table of four placed inside the kitchen. Shivaay smiled. Some day he will make sure to tease her about all of this. His smile faltered. Some day.

He approached the table and pulled out a chair right across her. She was having her breakfast silently. She won't even meet him in the eye. He stared at her. It was unbelievable how things changed within a day. It was only twenty-four hours ago, he recalled, she was sitting so close to him without an inch gap between their bodies.

Annika looked up to find him staring at her. Staring someone was easy. Being stared at was awkward. And both of those happened with the same freaking person. She wiped the remnants of the food off her lips before placing the empty plate in the sink. She was aware of his eyes following her to the kitchen sink. She tried to be indifferent. She couldn't. Her hands were shaking. Still, Shivaay looked at her as if nothing was wrong.

He took his plate to the sink. He turned on the tap letting water rush in. The pressure of water caused Annika's top to get drenched while he was amused at her annoyance.

She heaved a sigh knowing what he tried to do very well. She wiped her hands with a paper towel, threw it in the trash can, and left the place. Shivaay turned the sink off. If he knew annoying Annika was so fun and so easy, he would have done so days ago.