Shivaay was invited into the house with laughter. His day was interesting. He was sure he would be screwed for being late, but the mention of Annika made Tej go silent. He was grateful for once, that his wife was the apple of everyone's eye. He took small steps and peeked into the dining room, where Annika was talking to everyone animatedly.

"... and every single girl followed him on Instagram. They were furious that I hadn't changed my name there afterward. Now he, is officially the best guy a girl can have apparently. So if the guys in the class and the boyfriends ever meet him, they would break every limb of his!" She laughed and Rudy started saying something, but he saw Shivaay and immediately ran to him.

"Bhaiya, gimme your phone!" Rudra didn't wait for Shivaay to hand it over, he opened it with Shivaay's fingerprint and opened his Instagram. "He got about a hundred of followers!" Rudra was beyond shocked.

"Don't underestimate teenage girls looking for hot guys!" Annika chuckled.

She had called him hot? Shivaay blushed a little. Who cared about the other hundred anyway.

"How did Stat go?" Shivaay loosened his tie and unbuttoned few buttons of his shirt. Annika wondered whether this guy knew what he was actually doing, he made a good girl go crazy.

"I apparently found answers for the hardest of problems and she gave me another bunch to solve. Being the genius statistician of the class wasn't part of my three year plan, so you are helping me!" Annika commanded making Shivaay grin.

"Would love to, actually!"

*

Exactly an hour later,

"So it's official. You have a calculator in place of your brain!" Annika threw her paper on the table in exasperation. "How is it humanly possible to do this in 3 minutes?"

"You need to analyse the scenario Annika. That's the key to play with the numbers," Shivaay replied and Annika rolled her eyes. Like she didn't know that!

"I knew Business management was a bad idea. Maybe I should have just taken Literature!" Annika exclaimed dramatically, making Shivaay chuckle.

"If you want that internship, better study Anni!" Tej warned her and she scowled.

"Okay, let's do this!" Annika said unenthusiastically.

*

Shivaay looked at the sleeping form of Annika, somehow she did not seem peaceful at all. The usual merry that rested on her face wasn't there. She looked exhausted, but he somehow knew it wasn't just an one day thing. She seemed like a different person when she was asleep. He sighed, something Gauri said the other day did follow him everywhere.

"When she smiles from her heart is the day I'd say you've done your part!"

She spurned his leg away in her sleep. He was just glad she didn't kick like he usually did. He did have a hectic week, so he took her in his arms like he did everyday and let slumber take him over.

*

"Hmm... Annika... Let's go drink coffee?" Shivaay cringed. What was wrong with him? He usually asked girls out with confidence, but Annika seemed to have ebbed it away. He pretended to comb his hair when Annika walked in with frustration.

"Bloody Indian education system!" Annika muttered to herself as she threw her bag on the bed.

"What's wrong?" Shivaay probed. His question made her realize she wasn't the only person in the room.

"College stuff!" Annika replied nonchalantly. Shivaay silently picked her bag from the bed and kept it in it's place.

"How is work by the way?" Annika asked as she took out clothes from the cupboard.

"It's going good. I'd probably handle my own project in a few months, hopefully!"

"At least one of us has something good going! I'm going crazy here. We have our Culturals coming up, and apparently the coordinator has to do every single thing!" Annika went inside the washroom and was out in a jiffy. The fact that women took forever to get ready and no time to change always amused Shivaay. She sat down with her Tab and he was a little dismayed. He'd take her out some other time...

*

"I'm coming!" Gauri yelled when Shivaay honked in front of their house. She sat down in the passenger seat. Shivaay waited for her to put her seat belt on.

"There is no turning back Gauri. Are you sure?" Shivaay asked skeptically. He did support her, but the fact that they had to hide from the rest of the family did not reside well in him.

"Never been so sure Jiju!" Gauri replied determinedly.

*

"Annika puttar..."

"Dadi, you know I won't relent nah? But Dadi, if there is anything else I can do for you, I would!" Annika replied curtly, trying hard to sound polite. It was no doubt that she hated when she was forced to do something. But she always restrained from saying anything that would make her regret later. One guilt was enough a lifetime!

"But will you manage alone?" Pinky asked worriedly.

"Ma, I'm here right..." Shivaay started saying something when Pinky interjected.

"That is exactly why I'm worried!" She turned to Annika, "If he troubles you, just give me a call!" Pinky warned Shivaay with her eyes. Shivaay groaned with frustration, did his mom have to treat him like a kid? Especially in front of her!

"Pinky aunty, I think I'd be the one who troubles him!" Annika chuckled.

"Bhabhi, I'll miss you!" Rudra hugged Annika and Om joined in. Two weeks with Annika, his brothers completely forgot him! Shivaay was a little glad at least Gauri kept him company at times. Otherwise, he would have been a lost soul wandering with no one by his side. Dramatic, are we?

The Oberois finally left for their Kul Devta Mandir. Annika and Shivaay faced each other. Just them for the weekend.