chapter xiv. That Little Crack in the Wall

Anika sniffed the air dramatically as Shivaay walked out with the food.

"Here you go." Shivaay placed the tray in front of her. Seeing Shivaay hover above her, she smiled at him.

"I am not Gordon Ramsay. You can chill and sit."

"Oh I am sure you are not." Shivaay frowned and settled on the couch beside hers, looking at her for a few seconds expectantly before chiding himself mentally and taking out his phone.

Anika began eating while Shivaay silently wished she would say anything about the food. Of course he would want to know. It was Shivaay cooking for someone other than family for the first time.

Shivaay sighed and leaned back on the couch, gasping as something poked him. Anika looked at him weirdly. Shivaay turned and found a black cloth peeping out from behind the cushion.

Giving her a look, he turned to take it out. It looked like an overcoat.

"Why would you stuff clothes behind your living room cushions?"

"That's definitely not mine, alright?"

Shivaay looked at the coat for a few seconds before it struck him. "What is this doing here?"

"I told you, I don't know." Anika sighed, getting back to her food.

"This is Om's!"

Anika coughed, shocked. Shivaay looked at her in confusion.

"I guess he might have left it here this week. He was over for discussing work with Gauri."

Shivaay nodded, wondering how Om was so careless.

The bell rang and Anika looked at Shivaay expectantly. He shook his head negatively. He was not going to open the door. Especially not when she ordering him around. Without even speaking or saying please.

Saving them from diving into another argument, the door opened itself, revealing Gauri who was looking around curiously, followed by Om whose smile wavered when he saw Shivaay.

“Thank God you are here. I and Gauri were growing worried.” Om sighed.

“Worried about what?” Anika asked, wondering how Om and Gauri had time to 'worry' when they couldn't even hide their deeds.

“Di, it's been three hours since we talked on phone. You said you guys were heading home. Neither did you pick my call again and neither did Shivaay Bhaiya come home.”

Anika nodded her understanding before going back to food.

“Where did you order that aloo puri from?” Gauri sighed as she walked in, followed by Om who was busy in a staring contest with Shivaay.

“Billu Bhandar.” Anika said getting confused looks from her sister and Om while Shivaay gave her a glare.

“Don't you think that is a slightly weird restaurant that you chose to order from. What happened to Pizza Hut and the regulars?” Om mused.

“Oho Om, what sort of brother are you?” Anika raised her eyebrows in amusement making Om understand what she meant. He looked at Shivaay incredulously.

“Well she was busy stalking me the whole night because of you and didn't eat so I decided I could, you know.” Shivaay wavered off. “Why did you come here?” he looked at him suspiciously.

“Uh, well you weren't home, Anika didn't pick our calls so obviously we were worried you ended up killing each other or something. She did say the date was a disaster.”

“Also, Om, I think you left something behind when you visited last.” Anika quipped with a smile.

“What?”

At that, Shivaay raised the coat to the limelight making Om and Gauri share an awkward look.

“Your brooche even hurt me. Why would you hide it behind their cushion?”

Om gulped. “Well, I had been wondering where I might have misplaced it. Good thing you found it for me.”

“Nevermind, I think we should leave.” Shivaay got up from his seat on the couch and Anika, Om and Gauri exchanged glances awkwardly. Anika was enjoying it, honestly, as she saw Om and Gauri look dejected. Serves them well for getting her stuck up with this man. She could even bear having Shivaay around if it meant torturing these two.

Finally taking some pity, she smiled. “Shivaay, before you forget, you also have your coat lying on the dining table. Guess we don't want to make it a habit of having Oberoi overcoats residing here.”

Shivaay narrowed his eyes at her. “I remembered it anyway, thank you so much.”

Anika showed him her tongue as he walked away. She waited for Om and Gauri to cry but instead, they looked at her, intrigued.

“What?”

“How do you do this?”

“Do what?” Anika asked, wondering if she'd ever get to finish her food.

“You do everything that would annoy him but he doesn't seem to tick off!” Gauri whisper-yelled.

Anika raised an imaginary collar, “The secret is simple. I told him I want to see hin get angry on me. Poor Mr. Oberoi doesn't want to do anything that I would want him to. The very way I got him to cook for me, in the first place.”

Gauri and Om gaped at her. When Anika heard Shivaay walk back into the living room, she continued, “Also, it is so much fun, riling up Shivaay ji.”

Gauri stiffled her giggle at Shivaay's eye roll while Om smirked in amusement. He had to give Anika credit for handling his brother so creatively.

“I hope you guys have lot of fun.” Om shrugged. “Shall we head home, brother?”

Shivaay seemed to mumble something in annoyance as he walked out, leaving a rather pround Anika behind. “You just need to know how to push the right buttons.”

“And seems like someone is pretty talented in that department.” Om chuckled. Placing his lips on Gauri's in a quick kiss, to which Anika frowned but smiled immediately, Om followed Shivaay.

Gauri walked to her room to get changed as Anika finished her midnight dinner. After finishing, she smiled and picked up her phone. She wasn't ungrateful.

---

When Shivaay and Om reached home, in different cars, Shivaay had disappeared in his room before Om eve walked into the house.

As he freshened up and changed, heading towards bed for a much needed sleep, he picked up his phone.

Weird Woman: Thanks for the delicious dinner! I think we should have a date where you make the food yourself. I am sure girls would die to have a husband who can cook.

Shivaay smiled softly at her message. He felt smug that he was so good that she had to appreciate him. Thinking for a few seconds he typed out a reply.

---

Anika lay in her bed when her phone buzzed.

Shivaay 'ji': I wouldn't know. Do you want a husband who can cook?

She didn't understand the weird feeling in her stomach. Did she just assume that Shivaay was flirting with her? Frowning at her thoughts, she wondered how to reply to that when he sent another one.

Shivaay 'ji': Also, my 'Billu Bhandar' doesn't offer services to everyone.

Guess Anika has a way of compelling everyone to do her bidding then.

Anika didn't know why she slept with that huge smile on her face, owing to a certain male-shrew.

On the other end of the phone, Shivaay grinned. He would probably regret this exchange but who knew, he would give in to momentary satisfaction?

---

Dang, I missed writing them but the thing is, I can't bring myself to write and once I write, I don't want to stop.

While I had assumed 15th January would mean end of exams, turns out the torture has just begun. So don't worry if I don't update for the next millenium. :)

BlackManiacx

Usually in re-reads, I realise my typos have come to grow so much. Sorry if you had to go back to your notifs and come to read again. Couldn't stand a few of them :/