Hlo darlings

ENJOY READING 💕💕💕

____________________________

Someone with evil intentions, with negatives vibes, can never attract you. If you're feeling something pleasant and attractive towards someone who you despise with all your being, then there's something you are denying to admit or don't know. There may be something good that you are not able to see. That goodness attracts you whereas you keep looking at the negative side of the person.

Sadly, Anika didn't know this. She was not herself since yesterday. After what she said to Shivaay in the fit of rage, she was feeling miserable. A part of her wanted to run and talk to him and even apologise. But another part of her was telling her that she was just an emotional fool who cared too much for the people she should not even think about. And sadly, this part of her won the battle.

It was Sunday and she had nothing to do, which was making her even more miserable as she couldn't stop thinking about the beast. Just then she heard someone crying. She looked for the source of this voice and saw Adrika, her neighbour's five year old daughter crying as she had stumbled and fallen on the ground, injuring her right knee. She ran towards the little girl and at the same time, Shivinder came running towards the girl and picked her up.

Shanti, their other neighbour told Anika that Adrika's mother had gone for an important work and left Adrika with her (Shanti). Shivinder tried to stop Adrika from crying but the girl won't stop bawling as her knee was hurting.

Shivinder wanted to take her to his house and bandage her knee but he couldn't do that because Om and Rudra were still there and Anika would surely follow him to help him stop the girl from crying.

Anika, when Shivinder's trials failed, asked him to give Adrika to her and she marched towards her house and telling Shanti that she would manage Adrika. Shivinder followed her silently.

"Adrika is a good girl, no ? Then why is she crying ? It's just a tiny-winy wound. We'll bandage it and the pain will vanish." Anika engaged Adrika in her childish talks as Shivinder cleaned and bandaged her wound.

"Do you know him, Adrika ?" Anika pointed at Shivinder as she asked Adrika who nodded her head negatively whereas Shivinder looked clueless.

"He is Shivinder, and you know, he knows so many stories. He told me some of them. Do you want to listen a story ?" Anika asked and Adrika stopped sobbing as her attention was now fixed on Shivinder who looked at Anika with wide eyes and frowned and then looked into Adrika's hopeful eyes. He sighed and then smiled as he took Adrika in his lap.

"Once upon a time there was an arrogant and terrifying beast who lived in his palace in the woods, hidden from everyone." Shivinder, don't know why, started this particular story and looked at Anika who was looking at nothing in particular. He knew what she was thinking. He continued the story while stealing glances at Anika.

"And then, the beast fell in love with the beautiful girl but She didn't love him, or may be she didn't know that she also fell in love with him." Shivinder looked at Anika who was still lost in her own world. Her telltale face hid nothing from him.

Anika was jerked out of her thoughts as Adrika shook her hand.

"Didi, Shiv bhaiya said the name of the beautiful girl was Anika." Adrika smiled as Anika looked at Shivinder who looked terrified.

"It was just a slip of tongue. She asked me the name of the girl and I was calling you. She thought it was the name of the girl." Shivinder made up the story with such effortlessness that Anika believed him and smiled.

"But what was the name of the beast who became the Prince in the end of the story ?" Adrika asked as she and Shivinder looked at Anika.

"Shivaay Singh Oberoi." Said Anika with such firmness that Adrika believed her and Shivinder looked at her with his eyes holding an unknown emotion, a mixture of love and hurt.

"I also want to have a story like that beautiful girl Anika." Adrika spoke cheerfully and Shivinder smiled at her but failed to see Anika's face that held anger and fear.

"No, Adrika ! Never. Don't say that ever again. It's just a story. Such things don't happen in real life." Anika almost shouted at Adrika who looked as if she would burst into tears any minute. If not for Shivinder she would have cried.

"I'm hungry, and even Adrika is. Anika Ji, please make something for us. You want to eat, right Adrika ?"Shivinder asked Adrika to divert her mind and it worked as Adrika smiled at Anika. Anika, who realised that she had shouted at the little girl, now looked guilty and left from their towards the kitchen to make something for them to eat.

Shivinder switched the TV on and scrolled through the channels to find a cartoon channel for Adrika and once she was happy and distracted, he went to the kitchen to see Anika leaning on the slab and her head bowed down and her eyes closed.

"What happened, Anika Ji ?" Anika turned her face to the other side, pretending to look into the pan to see if the food is cooked. She didn't want him to notice her tears, only if she knew who this man was and that he didn't need to look at her face to see if she was crying irritating smiling. He just can feel her pain.

"Nothing. I'm fine." Anika said in a firm voice to hint that she doesn't want to talk.

"Then why did you react that way ? Why did you react so harshly ?" Shivinder asked Anika as he grabbed her arm to turn her towards himself. He quite, at that time, forgot that he was not Shivaay but Shivinder. He knew what she meant by saying that it was a story and not real life but he still wanted to hear it from her.

"There's something you're not telling me. I want to know." Shivinder insisted and Anika's patience gave up.

"I said that to tell her that these stories are imaginary. It's all a lie, because in real life a beast remains a beast. He doesn't give his heart to the beautiful girl, he can't because he is heartless. In real life a beast isn't a prince charming. In real life there's no happily ever after but pain and tears." Anika shouted and then, surprisingly, hugged him. He was not shocked by whatever she said but the hug did surprise him. Nevertheless, he hugged her back.

"You're wrong. It's just your perception that is wrong. It's your mind that doesn't allow you to see through the words and the truth remains hidden from you." Anika came out of the hug and looked at him.

"But the truth is, even in real life beasts change, they fall in love, they do become prince, their is a happily ever after but only if you give it a chance." Shivinder's words felt like a balm on aching muscles. Anika looked at him as he wiped her tears.

"I'm your friend, Anika Ji, I won't give you a wrong advice. I don't know what makes you believe that in real life it's always pain and tears that remain. But it's not true, I assure you. You just have to try and listen to your heart for once." Shivinder said and Anika looked at him silently, she understood everything and wanted to believe him too but her fear of getting heart broken was pulling her back.

"I never knew I could talk in such a philosophical way. I'm proud of my talents." Shivinder smiled and patted his own back and Anika stared at him clueless before laughing at him in disbelief.

"Do you know why, in the story the beast became a prince and had a happily ever after with the beauty ?" Asked Shivinder and Anika nodded her head negatively.

Shivinder said something as he emptied the pasta on the plate and took it out, leaving Anika alone who kept standing there contemplating his words.

"Because the beauty gave the beast a chance."

____________________________

So, how was it ? Do tell me and don't forget to vote.

A very big thank you to all those who vote and leave their feedback.

Love you all a lot 💕💕💕