(PS: The starting part is inspired from real life incidents while the further are all imaginations

PPS: it'll take time for Shivaay's entry. Please read patiently.

PPPS: The story is a little messy 😅)

*

She rushed to her room and locked the door secure before sitting on her couch comfortably.

“Finally!” She told as she clicked on the app that she had well hidden between other apps so that no one recognises that she uses that app.

The orange logo of Wattpad appeared on the screen and she quickly clicked the sign in option on the bottom of the app before clicking on the saved password and username.

On seeing the 99+ notifications, she quickly clicked on the icon only to see the votes and comments on the recently published part. Long words short, she was a part of the famous fandom in Wattpad, Narbhi, the favourite on-screen couple of her favourite show, Ishqbaaz. She was a fan-fiction writer and had quite good and sweet readers who supported her through thick and thin all the last three years that she had been a part of the fandom. With over, 1.4k+ followers, she was quite famous in the fandom according to her readers though she knew that she was not even close to being famous.

Taking the few personal messages she received from readers who texted her, she replied to one of them, My name is Anika. She never really understood why readers asked her that question when it was too obvious from the username, AnikaTrivedi.

She was a huge fan of the on-screen couple Narbhi aka, Nakuul Mehta and Surbhi Chandna. In real life too, the couple maintained good friendship though the fans wanted more from them. She never wished for that though as she was always a fan of the pure friendship between them. She used to go gaga over the chemistry and fire between them on screen especially over the tadi of Nakuul Mehta. That was exactly what compelled her to start a fan-fiction over her favourite couple and over the years, she managed to improve her literature and language.

She opened the part of the book in order to reply to the comments she received. Certain comments always managed to make her heart swell. As she replied to comments, she had a constant smile on her face that once her mother almost caught her using Wattpad. Ever since then, she had been extra careful. Thanking each of the readers who took their time and patience to give inline comments to each part, in her mind, she continued replying.

As she reached last paragraph to reply to inline comments, while replying to one of her favourite reader turned friend, she got the Instagram notification popped up on her screen. A red heart from her favourite actor. Her heart almost stopped and the whole body turned hot as she looked at the notification clearly. How was that even possible? She had heard about many fans sending him messages everyday for an year straight to finally get a reply from him but she just sent a simple message and how did he even notice it? Quickly opening the message box, she made sure that there was a blue tick against the name. There was a freaking blue tick and the freaking man replied. After quickly taking a screenshot, she returned back to Wattpad to reply to the left over comments.

All she did was stare at the screen not knowing what to reply as she felt herself blushing red. Closing the app, she quickly opened her Instagram and sent a message to her closest friend, Shreya along with a screenshot as she was the first person to be remembered after getting the reply.

Talking about Shreya, she was a reader of Anika too, once upon a time and that's how they slowly became friends. Friends in the sense, they were of the same age and were more like one soul in two bodies. That similar they were to each other in every single thing. Starting from their behaviour to opinions, they always had everything same except for a very few. What more, many of the situations and instances in their life were same that they felt at times that they were living a cloned or parallel life. Even after Shreya left Wattpad due to personal reasons, they managed to keep in touch all thanks to social media. Another peculiar thing about both of them is that, they chatted about everything and anything under the sun for over hours and hours but never called each other yet or had seen each other except for the photos. They were not even of the same states. Anika belonged to South while Shreya belonged to North, yet destiny made them both cross paths. Anika could share anything and everything with Shreya and vice versa as they both knew that they both won't judge each other. How they crossed paths in Wattpad is a story for another day.

Back in present, Shreya didn't reply as due to time zone difference between India and where Anika stays, she assumed Shreya might be sleeping then.

Quickly returning back to Wattpad, she somehow managed to reply to the rest of the comments before publishing a new part with a note on top describing how the dangerous man replied to her and nearly killed her. She didn't have anyone else to share about the reply as nobody really knew her craze for the on screen character Nakuul Mehta except for her wattpad friends and Shreya.

Smiling widely to all the readers who Congratulated her with a special mention, I'm jealous of you, she smiled thinking what a lucky day it was. It was indeed.

*

Ever since that day, she had been lucky enough to be noticed by her favourite dangerous man. The second message that she sent him after a long time was seen by him though he didn't reply anything but that was a huge thing for her. The third and the ultimate message she sent him was a story with his mention and the dangerous man as she says, reposted her story in his story. She had woke up late that morning only to see her Instagram account flooded with congratulations. She was so glad she didn't get a heart attack that day. The first thing she did was message Shreya as happiness or sadness, Shreya was her Knight in shining armour.

She didn't really message him after that but did on her birthday asking him for a small wish from him and that was the biggest mistake of her life. She kept checking her inbox for any reply from him but there was none. Almost all her readers wished her either through her conversation box in wattpad or personally messaged her in Instagram but there was no reply from her favourite man. She waited the whole day but yet no reply and she felt her heart being torn into pieces. Expectation hurts, she knew but she wished for a wish from him. He, who reposted her story could have at least done that but no! He didn't. He might have not seen the message she consoled herself. She cried to sleep that night as being a sensitive person since childhood, she cried for every small thing. By next day, she told to herself, what a fool she was to expect a reply from a busy actor.

That was not the end, it shattered her mentally. She started getting aloof from everything, stopped updating or typing stories in wattpad that was her favourite thing to do, and what more, ignored Shreya's messages. She never knew that such a small thing would mentally weaken her to that extent and that's when she realised how much of a fan girl she was of him.

Her mom—to whom she talked everything except for about Wattpad—kept on asking her what was wrong with her but she had no answer to anything. She flunked her NEET exam for what she had been preparing since an year or more. Finally after three months, when her family realised that she was sinking into depression gradually, they decided to take her to a therapist.

As she sat in front of the therapist who looked at her with a smile, all she got reminded was about her favourite man. With a twinkling pair of eyes and a handsome face, he looked almost similar to her favourite character Nakuul Mehta.

“So Anika, tell me. How are you feeling now that you're in front of a councillor?” He asked and she smiled faintly.

“Nothing! Nothing at all” She whispered and he nodded, the smile not leaving his face.

“You might be knowing why you're here in front of me isn't it?” She nodded.

“You've got such pretty eyes by the way! Your mom told you used to kohl your eyes beautifully in the past? What happened now?” He asked and she looked at him as she shrugged.

“I don't feel like using all those now” She told grimly and he nodded.

“Your mom said it right! You look like white insect without kohl”  He joked but she didn't find any humour in that.

“See Anika, I'm here to help you but if you decide to simply sit here without cooperating with me, how can I do that? Tell me, what's disturbing you? You can trust me. Your secret is safe with me” He told softly and she raised her head to look at him.

“You won't say this to mom and dad?”

“No! Whatever you tell me now will go to grave with me. Not a single soul is going to know” He told and she showed her pinky finger to him.

“Promise?”

“Promise” He told as he interwined their pinky fingers together.

She slowly started opening up about her life starting from the time she joined wattpad till the day she messaged him asking a birthday wish.

“I can understand your emotions but think for a second, he doesn't even know you”

“I know”

“Then why are you hurting those people who cares for you and the ones who love you?” He asked and she looked down.

“I have been stupid. I know but I can't help it” Tears rolled down her eyes and he sighed.

“It's fine. You're not at all fault”

“I'm at fault”

“See Anika, this thought is what brought you here. You're not at fault. Human mind is something nobody could understand fully till now” He told and she nodded slowly.

“What stream did you study?”

“science”

“What's your ambition?”

“I don't have any such ambitions. Dad told he wants to see me as a doctor. I told fine and tried for neet but I——I just——because of him——” She burst out crying at the end and he let her cry silently.

“What huge mistake did I do? I broke my parents' expectations” She cried and he offered her the tissue.

After a good ten minutes, she finally stopped crying and he offered her a glass of water.

“Have it” He told softly and she gulped down the water in a go.

“Are you feeling light now?” She nodded as she wiped her tears.

“You just had this simple problem, keeping everything in your mind and over thinking. If you shared this with someone in the start, you wouldn't be sitting here in front of me” He told and she took a deep breath.

“I pushed everyone away”

“Past is past, we can't change everyone. Now just like I promised you, you're going to promise me that you're not going to do this to yourself again. If not tell anyone, just write everything somewhere and tear it off” She looked at him and he smiled sheepishly “I used to do that” She chuckled after a long time seeing which he smiled.

“What's your wattpad ID again? If I'm free, I'll give it a try”

“You have that shortage of patients here that you want to read my immature stories?” She asked and he chuckled.

“This is just part time job! I'm not a full time psychologist” Seeing her confused face, he shrugged.

“We're not here to talk about my occupation aren't we?”

“How many secrets of mine did I tell you? Why can't you tell me this one thing?” She asked with a pout and he chuckled.

“That's a part of my job. I get paid for that. If I tell you my job, what pay will I get?” He asked and she frowned.

“Don't say! I don't want to know” She told frowning and he chuckled.

“Fine then! Shall I call your mom and dad inside?”

“You won't tell them anything won't you?” She asked doubtfully.

“You can trust me” He told before calling the attender and asking him to send them inside.

A few days later.

She opened her wattpad account after promising herself that she was opening it for the last time to tell her readers that she was leaving Wattpad.

She saw a bunch of personal messages asking what happened to her amongst which most of them were accompanied with update soon messages. Her nerves curled up seeing that her conversation box was filed with update so and so books soon making her further go mad. She opened her book that had crossed 400 comments amongst which half of it was update soon from various readers. Throwing her phone on the bed, she took a deep breath to control herself. It was frustrating to know that the sweet readers of hers cared only about getting updates and not whether she was alive or not. That mere thought made her tear up.

Making up her mind, she wrote a huge note on her message board trying to be as soft and subtle as possible. As soon as she posted it, she logged out of her wattpad account never to open it again as she knew that the readers would easily manipulate her into staying back in Wattpad. It happened many times in a past and this time, she was determined not to let it happen.

She got on the bed to take a nap but she was disturbed badly. As she kept tossing and turning in bed, bringing out her old bad habit i.e, over thinking, she remembered the psychologist's words.

you're going to promise me that you're not going to do this to yourself again. If not tell anyone, just write everything somewhere and tear it off

She was not going to break at least this promise. Taking a paper, she decided to write everything but that's when she realised she actually forgot to even write properly. Her fingers weren't helping her write and she kept the pen back frustrated. Tearing the paper off, she hit her fist on the wall as she shivered in anger. Breathing heavily, she sat on the floor. She was not the person to get angry soon but when she did, it was too difficult to control her. Her pressure shoots up and tears rolls down her eyes while her entire body shakes. Anger like that was too bad for health but it wasn't in her control.

Closing her eyes tightly, only one face came to her mind when she felt like talking about her issue to someone. Rushing to her parent's bedroom, she checked her father's wallet and her guess didn't go waste. The psychologist's card was still there in it. Thankfully nobody was there in the room.

Taking her mobile, she quickly typed the number with shivering hands as she locked the door. It took sometime for the call to be attended.

“Hello?” She told as soon as she attended the call.

“Who's calling?” Someone asked from the other side and she checked the number once again hearing the female voice.

“Uh——Isn't it Mr Oberoi's number?”

“Yes it is, who's speaking?”

“Mallika, how many times should I tell you not to take the calls in that mobile?” Came the voice from the background accompanied by faint shuffling.

“Shouldn't I know who's calling you? Come-on”

“Go go! Let me attend this——” He told chuckling “Hello? Who's speaking?” He asked and she was speechless for a few seconds not knowing what to say.

“Hello? Are you there? May I know who's speaking?”

“It's——An-Anika” She told hesitatingly and there was silence on the other side.

“Anika! Tell me” He told and she took a deep breath.

“Are you free?”

“Yes I'm”

“Can I talk”

“Of course. Anything wrong?”

She talked to him, he consoled her and she finally felt light. It was very simple when he put things that way in front of her. She almost slapped herself for over thinking and pressurising herself like that. Thanking him, she hanged the call after he asked her to message him anytime if she needed help.

*

Though she didn't need any help, she simply messaged him a good morning and good night every day as it made her happy when he replied her back. She had a long explanation to give to all her friends especially Shreya who would have been a worried mess by then but she was not yet prepared for that conversation over chat. Due to awkwardness of never talking to each over phone, she felt scared to call Shreya directly and thought to let it go on until she was mentally ready to tell everything to her.

Slowly good morning and good night messages got converted to good morning wishes early morning after he wake up and good night wishes before they go to sleep as once he had very coincidentally and mistakenly called her and had a one hour long conversation with no obvious topics. She herself was surprised after hanging the call. Being the introvert she was, she had such conversations only with her closest friends that too once in a blue moon.

“What's your next plan Niku? Do you want to try NEET again or——” Her dad asked one day and she visibly shook at the question. Taking up all her courage, she answered.

“Can I go for Bsc? I don't want to become a doctor dad” She told softly and Harsh, her dad nodded.

“As your wish” He told patting her face and she smiled widely.

*

An year ahead, she was the old Anika whom everyone knew when something came up breaking that world she built up.

An engagement card from him.

Something broke in her seeing that as he met her directly in front of her college to give her that.

“So soon?” She managed to ask and he chuckled.

“What do you think my age is?” He asked and she shrugged.

“Twenty——seven?” She asked doubtfully.

“Exactly! According to my mom, I'm already over aged for marriage” He told shrugging and she smiled faintly as she tried not to cry feeling her heart break. She had developed a mental attachment to him in the span of one year and it was too heartbreaking to know he was getting engaged.

“And we have five years of age difference between us”

“Yes?” She asked doubtfully.

“Let me give you a treat. Are you free now?” He asked with a smile.

“uh——I have to reach home! It's already late” She told softly.

“Anika I won't do anything to you. Mallika is coming too. We'll pick her up on the way——” seeing her confused eyes, he spoke “Mallika is my fiance” He clarified and she nodded.

“May be some other day? Please? I'm so tired” She told softly and he nodded.

“Alright then” He told with a smile and after drove away leaving her to nurse her broken heart.

*

That night she took up all her courage and called Shreya, feeling that she'll die out of mental stress. Though Shreya didn't answer at first, she answered after a few rings but didn't talk anything. Anika felt her heart beat rapidly body going numb not knowing what to talk.

“Anu?” Shreya finally broke the ice and Anika burst out crying telling her incoherent words.

Shreya who couldn't understand anything, simply listened to all the nonsense that Anika said. Since Anika was alone at home that day, nobody was there to listen to everything so she was more free to cry her heart out. After everything, Shreya scolded her, consoled her and finally made her laugh by saying silly jokes but never judged her for behaving that way.

Finally when Anika hanged the call, she had a wide smile on her face.

*

A FEW YEARS LATER

She smiled widely standing outside the book store. Inside, she was fretting and sweating but put up courage outside.

When she saw the particular someone walk out of the book store and stand there shocked looking at her, she smiled widely. Slowly walking forward, she stood in front of her.

“Anu?” Shreya barely managed to ask looking at Anika who smiled widely.

“Surprise!” Anika told with a wide smile.

“How did you find out my place? How did you reach here?” Shreya asked and Anika turned to look at the man who accompanied her.

“Mr detective helped me” She told chuckling pointing at her fiancé who was standing at a distance waving at them.

“I can't believe this! You came to Uttar Pradesh, just to meet me?” Shreya told shocked.

“Yes” Anika told smiling widely not knowing what to do. Hugs weren't their thing but that moment, she felt like hugging her tight. Would shreya mind? She wondered.

“Why's he standing there? Tell him to come here” Shreya told not knowing what else to say.

Anika waved at him and gestured him to come there which he did with a smile.

“Hey! Shivaay” He told with a smile as the trio had talked once during a video call.

“Let's go to that coffee shop?” Shreya asked and Anika looked surprised at her.

“Coffee shop?” Anika asked and Shreya nodded with a sheepish smile. Both Shreya and Anika had dreamt about them meeting in a cafe at different times. May be they saw their future in the dream ;-)

Though awkward at first, in fifteen minutes time, both of them were talking as if they knew since ages and Shivaay was sitting there like a post, bored like hell. They both didn't even acknowledge his presence as they continued talking. Well, it was not at all advisable to go as a third wheel for a meet up between best friends. Shivaay learnt the lesson that day.

He simply thought about the time when he and Anika met through a proposal by their parents. It was too coincidental that they both studied in same schools abroad. She was a long forgotten crush of his and was more than glad to get hitched with her. They had been engaged since last three months and he had already fallen for her. When he asked her what she wanted as wedding gift as advance for their wedding next month, she told her wish to meet Shreya. He didn't think twice before tracking Shreya's exact location with the help of a friend. Shreya had mentioned to Anika that she would be visiting the bookstore near her home that day and took the perfect opportunity to surprise her as nobody at Shreya's or Anika's home knew about this friendship of theirs.

When Shreya finally got a call from her mom, she had to reluctantly leave as she was getting late and Anika finally took notice of Shivaay.

“Sholly” Anika told with a sheepish smile and Shivaay shook his head in disbelief.

“You both can't stop once you start isn't it?” Anika nodded with a sheepish smile.

“Do you want coffee?” He asked and she smiled.

“Don't you want to invite your brother?” Shivaay asked and Anika rolled her eyes.

“Om is my friend! How many times should I tell you he's not my brother” Anika told as Shivaay always called the therapist, her brother ever since he came to know about Anika's old age infatuation towards him.

“Whatever! Since both our surnames are same, he's like an older brother to me. My brother is your brother too” Shivaay told shrugging and Anika rolled her eyes again.

“You and your logic! He's not my brother and that's final! Shivaay he's just an old chapter of my life. The fact that I had a crush on him doesn't change the fact that you're the only man in my life” She told irritated and he frowned slightly.

“Idiot! You were my first crush” Anika told with a frown and he looked at her with wide eyes.

“Seriously?!?”

“Haan seriously! I didn't say it directly but I told it many a times indirectly. You didn't understand” Anika told frowning as she used to like Shivaay while in school. A crush that stays more than four months was more than crush. If Anika calculated all the years she was crushing him, it was long that she had fallen in love with him.

Shivaay thought about all the times she dropped hints for him which he being an idiot didn't catch. He hit his forehead but then smiled widely.

“I love you” He confessed with a smile as he felt that it was the most perfect moment to do that.

“I love you too” She told with a smile as this confession was long over due according to her. She had fell for him, ages back.

“Will you write our story in your wattpad?” He asked with a mischievous smile and she chuckled.

“Shut up Shivaay!” She told chuckling.

And that's where the love story of an ordinary girl actually started.

•••••••

This is not just the story of Anika but many girls out there! Had seen people doing incoherent things for their idols, looking at them as if they're demi gods! Not targeting anyone but there are many Anikas amongst ourselves. Just mentioning, I was one of them too once upon a time but I have over come that obsession or to say, that over fangirling over that particular someone :)

Take care ❤️