"Mishri? " Anika uttered in shock and Shivaay bit his tongue. "How do you know this name? " Anika asked him.

"What did you think that Billu won't recognise his Mishri? " Shivaay asked her and Anika's eyes got filled with tears.

Anika cupped his face and her eyes got filled with tears and asked, "Billu?"

Shivaay nodded his head and his eyes got filled with tears.

"How did you recognise me?" Anika asked him.

"When I first met you in the club and talked to you. I felt that you were so similar to my Mishri and I got interested in talking to you. Then when you were asking me for marriage then I noticed the bracelet which we gave to each other in childhood. " Shivaay said while caressing the friendship band in Anika's hand.

Anika also noticed the bracelet on Shivaay's hand too which she gave him and asked, "You're still wearing this bracelet?"

Anika was surprised and Shivaay smiled. He said, "Why not? And you're also wearing this bracelet. And how can I remove this bracelet when you made it with so much love? "

"You know I missed you so much. When you left the school, I thought that I lost my best friend forever and would never be able to meet you again but it seems that destiny had its own plans. " Shivaay said with a smile.

Shivaay wrapped his arm around her shoulder and Anika rested her head in his shoulder.

Shivaay smiled and he remembered when they first met in childhood.

Flashback starts-

A 6 year old boy was playing with his friends in the school playground when he saw a 6 year old girl sobbing while sitting on the bench.

He immediately went towards her and sat beside her. The girl looked at him and stopped sobbing.

"What happened? Why are you crying?" The boy asked her worriedly.

The girl looked at him and tears started flowing from her eyes. She said, "Today is the first day of my school and some bad girls in my class are troubling me and they even threw my Tiffin box in dustbin and now I'm feeling hungry."

"Please stop crying, Mishri. I'll scold those girls. I'll share my lunch with you, Mishri. " Shivaay said honestly and Anika looked at him in confusion.

"But my name is not Mishri, I'm Anika. " Anika said while flashing her small white teeth.

"But you look like Mishri, so fair and sweet so I'll call you Mishri. " Shivaay said with a smile.

"Then I'll call you Billu because your eyes are like cat. " Anika said while smiling widely and Shivaay nodded his head.

Shivaay immediately took out his tiffin from his school bag and gave it to her.

"You can eat my lunch. "Shivaay said with a smile and Anika happily took it from him. She opened the tiffin box and saw two sandwiches. She forwarded a sandwich to Shivaay and took one for herself.

" But you can eat both." Shivaay said to her in confusion.

"But I agreed on sharing Billu, not eating the whole lunch. Stupid Billu. " Anika said with a chuckle and Shivaay chuckled too.

They ate their sandwich and went to play together.

From that day, Shivaay and Anika became best friends. Shivaay used to protect her from all the bullies of the school and Anika used to love it.

It was friendship day and Anika saw that everyone was tying a friendship band on their friend's hand but she didn't knew about friendship day.

She went towards a teacher and asked her, 'Ma'am, why are they tying bands on each other's hands? "

The teacher smiled at her innocence and said, "Anika, today is friendship day so they are tying friendship bands on each other's hands to make their friendship more stronger. "

"Ma'am, but I don't have friendship band for my friend. " Anika said with a sad pout.

"Don't worry, Anika. Come I'll teach you how to make a friendship band. I've some thread and you can make a friendship band for your friend. " The teacher said to Anika and her face brightened.

"Really?" Anika asked her and the teacher nodded her head. Anika happily went with the teacher. The teacher taught her how to make the band and Anika finally made it after few efforts.

Here Shivaay was finding Anika to give her the friendship band which he made for her, last night.

Anika came towards him while jumping on her feet and a wide smile playing on her lips.

"Billu! " She squealed in joy. Shivaay looked at her and Smiled.

"Hi Mishri." Shivaay said with a wide smile.

"I've something for you, Billu. " Anika said and Shivaay also said, "even I've something for you. "

Anika's eyed lit with excitement and she said, "Give it to me."

Anika said while dancing in excitement and Shivaay chuckled.

He tied a band made up of shells on her wrist and Anika was just admiring it.

"This is very beautiful." Anika said amazed with the beauty of the shells.

"I made it from the shells which I collected from the beach when I went there with dad." Shivaay said with a smile. "Now give me what you brought for me. "

Anika took out the band from her pocket and made him wear it. She said, "Preeti Ma'am taught me how to make it and I made it for you. "

Shivaay smiled while looking at the band and said, " I love it. It's very beautiful. "

Shivaay smiled and pecked her cheek and said, "I saw mom kissing dad's cheek. "

Anika smiled and she also pecked his cheek.

4 years later-

Anika was sitting under the tree and crying when Shivaay walked towards her worriedly.

"What happened, Mishri? Why are you crying? " Shivaay asked her worriedly and Anika started crying more.

"Billu, dad said that we're leaving this city today. I don't want to leave you. " Anika said while crying and Shivaay also felt bad that Anika was leaving.

"Don't cry Mishri. We will not be together but we'll still be best friends, right. And you have this bracelet. We can remember each other with this bracelet. " Shivaay said with a sad smile.

"Really? Will we meet again ever? " Anika asked him and Shivaay nodded his head.

"Yes. I'll wait for you my whole life." Shivaay said and Anika's face brightened.

That day, Anika left the city and Shivaay.

Flashback ends.

Shivaay and Anika were side hugging each other.

"I'd missed you so much, Mishri. I always had a hope that one day I'll meet you. " Shivaay said with a smile.

"I'd missed you too, Billu. I thought that I'll never be able to see you after leaving the city but it seems thay destiny had its own plans and look, now you're my husband. " Anika said with a wide smile.

"Mishri, I always wanted to say something to you. When you left me and this city, I got very lonely. I didn't feel good and always missed you. My mom and dad got disheartened after looking at my state so to make them happy, I immersed myself in studies. When I came into college, I started having flings and partying as I was losing my hope to meet you again and it was paining me. I know we don't know the adult version of each other very well but I love you, Mishri. And I'm happy that you're my soulmate. I love you so much. "

Anika hugged Shivaay tightly with teary eyes. She said, " I love you too Billu. I've always loved you. When we left the city, I got to know that dad wanted to start his own business. As the time started moving, dad's business got successful but he lost his daughter. I was alone in my life. I missed you. I wanted to be with you. I dated Rahul because I found a friend in him but guess what, he was behind my money. I was broken that day when I met you in the club. But after meeting you, I saw my Billu in Shivaay that's why I asked you to marry me because I didn't wanted to leave you again. "

Anika was crying and Shivaay kissed her forehead.

"I'm happy that we're together. " Shivaay said and Anika smiled.

Shivaay smiled and locked their lips. Anika reciprocated the kiss with a smile.

"The best thing about childhood love is finding someone as a best friend forever ever and ever. "

Give your views about this book. 😁😁