Recap ~
You are special to me

The moment Anika heard the phrase from dadi, "You are special to me" she remembered her mother.

*****

On Anika's eleventh birthday,

"Anu you won't go to school?" Jhanvi, her mother asked her seriously.
"No no no!" Anika, the little girl sat back on the bed adamantly.
"Alright, don't go." saying her mother took a place next to her.

"Ma, why did my mother leave me?!" She asked tears running down her cheeks when she heard back a reply, "Because you are mine!"
"No because she never loved me." She spoke again, crying harder.
"Look at me." saying Jhanvi held her daughter close to her, "You are special to me. You are my daughter and no one can love you more than I do!"

"I love you ma." Anika hugged her mother tightly.
"I love you more Anu!" She said back hugging her even tighter.
"I love you more and more!" Anika said kissing her mother's cheek.

*****

✨ Anika was an orphan who was raised by Jhanvi and Anand Mehra. They loved her more than anyone in the world. Unfortunately, Jhanvi left Anika at the age of fourteen. From then, her dad was the only one she had in this world. ✨

Anika hugged Dadi tightly crying in her arms. She missed her mother, not just that day but every single moment.

"Did I say something wrong? Why are you crying Anika?" Dadi asked flabbergasted.
"No Dadi, I'm sorry! I remembered my mother." she said wiping her tears.

As per Dadi's order, Anika got ready and reached the hall only to see Shivaay settled on the couch, busy reading the Business Times. She was happy that he didn't see her but little did she know he was only looking at her, hiding behind the newspaper.

"Shivaay why are you looking at her?! Come on she is in my house, and I'm not purposely looking at her! She is only standing in front of me." Shivaay muttered under his breath trying hard to not look at her.

Dadi and Sid came out of the kitchen together bringing a plate of laddos. She fed the sweet to Anika and said, "Now go to the temple, and then after coming back we will start the wedding preparations!"
"But Dadi today is not really special. I have so much work!" Anika said when Dadi said back, "Today may not be special, but you are as I told you. Don't worry about work, I will take care!"

"Billu take Anika to the temple." Dadi ordered, turning to her grandson and he nodded in positive without any second thoughts.
"He didn't deny?!" Anika wondered.

Outside the mansion, Anika said "Sir, I will go. You need not come!"
"Don't dream that I'm doing this for you. I'm just following my grandmother's order." saying he signed her to sit inside the car.
"You needn't do it for me and I don't expect it from you!" She enunciated rolling her eyes and got into the car.

As they came back from the temple, Anika hurried inside the mansion thinking about all the work she had. She was walking in the corridor lost in thoughts when she encountered a beautiful lady on her way.

Shivaay coming in exclaimed seeing the lady "Bua!"

It was Vrindha, Sid's mother.

Hugging him tightly, she finally spoke out "Shivaay, I'm really happy for you!" and he smiled back at her. She continued holding Anika and Shivaay together, "You both are just perfect for each other. And Shivaay your to-be wife looks really pretty!"

Shivaay and Anika looked at each other not knowing how to react.

"B-bua..." Shivaay couldn't reprimand his aunt's words.
"I'm his to-be wife aunty." Tia came from behind pushing Anika to a side.
"Anika!" Shivaay called out when he saw her trip but she did catch hold of a nearby pillar gaining back her balance.
"You are fine right?" Vrindha asked Anika out of concern when she nodded back in positive assuring with a smile.

"Bro, mom there is a devil who just entered and she is trying to separate my favorite couple!" Sid complained like a kid as he joined the rest.
"Devil and favorite couple?!" Vrindha asked back when he continued, "Yes, mom. Devil's name starts with T...S...yes Surpanaka! And my favorite couple are of course Ram Sita."

"Why do you have to remember them all of a sudden?!" Tia asked back trying to sound casual.
"Arey Surpanaka, I'm seeing Siya ke Ram serial in Hotstar!" Sid told. Within seconds, realizing the name he took out, he said back "Sorry Tia! I just got so involved in the serial that I'm imagining characters in real world!"
"Haha very funny Sid." Tia replied back sarcastically.

Note ~

✨ Ramayana is one of the Indian Hindu Epics on Lord Ram and his dynasty. Surpanaka, being a demon once tried to separate Ram and Sita, his wife but Lakshman, Ram's brother cut her nose and ears as a punishment. ✨

As Anika walked past Shivaay's room some time later, her inner voice raised questions trying to find answers.

"I felt concern in his voice when he called out to me. But why would he care for me? Why couldn't he tell his aunt that I'm not his to-be wife?"

"Anu!" Sid called out loud enough that Anika freaked out.
"Shivaay, don't shout. My ears are working fine!" She said back closing her ears still in Shivaay's thoughts.

*****

"Hritik Roshan is coming to our college cultural fest!" Anika squealed in excitement.
"Do people even know that actor!" Shivaay commented, irritating Anika.
"Don't you dare Shivaay! My hero is the best and of course, everyone knows him!" Anika said with attitude.
"That Kaho na pyaar hai hero only right!" He said back, ignorance clearly reflecting in his tone.

✨ 'Kaho na pyaar hai' phrase means 'Say that you are in love'. ✨

"Ha ha pyaar hai! (Yes yes I'm in love)" Anika said dreamily imagining Hritik Roshan from that movie.
"In love with me or him?!" Shivaay asked on purpose and she blurted out "Both!"

"Really?!" Shivaay almost hollered surprised by her bold answer.
"Of course I love only my hero! And Shivaay don't shout, my ears are working fine!" She said closing her ears.
"Don't give diplomatic answers, Anu. Whom do you mean by hero?!" Shivaay asked wanting to hear what his heart was expecting unknowingly but Anika left from there, smiling secretly.

*****

"Sid here." he said patting her shoulder to bring her out of thoughts.
"Sorry Sid. What happened?!" She asked mentally scolding herself for calling out her ex-boyfriend's name.

"Shouldn't you ask that question to yourself?!" Sid asked confusing her. He continued, "Why didn't you deny mom when she mistook you to be Shivaay's to-be wife?!"

Anika fell blank, she didn't have an answer. However hard she tried fighting with her heart that Shivaay was nothing to her, he still was something to her.

_______________________________________

Precap ~
Fake or real?!