C H A P T E R  6

"I am surprised that you called me, your highness," Shivaye answered the phone on the second ring. "How did you get my new number?"

"I have my sources," I replied, sticking a note on the door.

I won't be home, sleepover at my friend Tessa's house. I am sorry to skip the family dinner but it is an emergency.

- Anika

"Yeah, I should have known. Why did you call me?" He asked and I could hear music in the background.

"Where are you?" I took my phone and shoved some clothes in my school bag before locking the door.

"I am flying a kite in Tartarus, want to join?" He replied, every word laced with sarcasm.

"This is not a time for jokes, idiot. Listen, come to your room and open the window." I slowly walked to the window making sure that my footsteps didn't make any noise.

"Hey, you aren't my boss," He exclaimed.

I rolled my eyes, "Yeah, I am not your boss but I am a friend who can boss you around."

"Are you sure about the friend's thing?" He chuckled and I stared at his window, the light was on.

"Okay, now open the damn window."

I tied a rope to the frame of my bed and after making sure it will not bail on me at the last minute, I walked to the window and put my left foot out.

"What are you doing, Anika?" Shivaye yelled from the other side and I face-palmed mentally. "Suicide is not a solution, we can talk over this."

I put my finger on my lips signaling him to be silent. My parents will be anytime here with their colleagues and I didn't want to sit with men in suits and women in dresses for hours. I would have stayed at Tessa but it is the time mother nature visited her and her mood swings are worse than a pregnant woman.

I climbed down to the lower roof with the help of the rope and patted myself in appreciation when I did it smoothly. Shivaye's eyes were wide and his fingers were laced together as if he was prayed to god to save me from the trouble. I slowly walked on the edge and climbed onto his window safely.

"Done," I smirked when I stepped into his room.

"Are you crazy? You could have fallen down and died,"

"Do you care?" I asked, removing my sneakers and sitting cross-legged on his bed.

The room was still the same with the beautiful mural on walls and glow in the dark ceiling stars. It brought memories of childhood where we used to build a fort with pillows and cuddle under the blankets as we laid there after watching movies with popcorns on our hair. It was the best time of my life, I was carefree and wild with no expectations to meet and being happy for no reason. But what I didn't know that he was one of the reasons and when he left without a word, he took my happiness for months too.

The blue eyes looked away from me, biting his lower lip in nervous but somehow, he always managed to look handsome.

"I don't care if you are alive or not, I didn't want to get nightmares after seeing your dead body. Please do a favor next time and fall from a cliff or something," Shivaye denied but his cheeks gave him away.

He cared about me.

"I am sorry but I love myself too much that suicide is not even in my mind." I pouted, annoying him.

"Nice pajamas," He smirked, looking at me from head to toe sending a shiver through my spine.

I looked down noticing that I didn't even change it before coming here. I was wearing a shirt with donuts print. It was cute and comfortable but not something to be seen in.

There was a music playing from somewhere near and I knew it was from this house. I stood up, heading to the door to open it but Shivaye's hand stopped me.

"There is a small party down hosted by Rudra here, we are asked to stay in our room." He explained, raking a hand through his hair.

"Yeah? I don't even listen to my own parents, then why would I listen to you. It won't be a party without the presence of Anika Reynolds, I am bored and let's have some fun." I grabbed his hand, opening the door.

"Is princess going in that pajamas?" He asked, licking his lips.

"Um, not at all. I need your clothes to change," I sulked.

"And why do you think I will lend you mine?"

I ignored him, opened his wardrobe and took a black tee shirt and gray sweatpants out. I gave him a sly smile, before changing in the bathroom. It was big for me but more comfortable and it smelled strangely like vanilla and soap.

"Great to know that you made yourself home,"  He grunted.

"Now, let's go." I took his hands and skipped the stairs.

"I have work to do," He whined and I rolled my eyes.

"I am sure that your books are tired of seeing you every day, give them some rest." I gritted my teeth. He was such a nerd but a sexy and gorgeous one.

It didn't match the definition of a party, some jazz music was playing in the background and there were fries and sprite for everyone and they all were seated in a circle with a spinning bottle in the middle.

"This game is turning out boring, let us play Never Have I Ever - Hey Anika and Shivaye! Join us." A redhead waved us and Rudra glared at his brother.

"I am not playing." Shivaye folded his arms across his chest.

"We are definitely playing." I made him sit beside me as he muttered something under his breath.

"But you guys are seniors and you have to drink something alcoholic other than cool drinks, let's take the beer out," Jake, a sophomore like others, demanded.

Shivaye shooted dagger at his brother, clearly disappointed when the latter sheepishly smiled and took the bottles out.

"Don't act like you didn't get drunk when you were sixteen." I nudged his shoulder and he looked at me dead in the eye.

Rudra and Jake passed the cups to everyone and all were ready to play. This was going to be a fun night.

"I will go first," A girl who had blonde hair and grey eyes raised her hand, "Never have I ever sneaked into a party."

A few of them drank from their cup including me. Last week, I had sneaked into Andrea's welcome party for Shivaye and had yelled "Scatter! Cops!" Nothing harmless.

"Never have I ever lied to my parents about where I am going."

I took a sip.

"Never have I ever been drunk."

Another sip.

"Never have I ever been kicked out from a bar."

Another sip.

"Never have I ever watched the gangam song video."

Really? At this rate, I would be drunk at the end of the game.

"Never have I ever actually laughed out loud when typing 'Lol'."

I took another sip but some didn't touch their drink. I wondered if Alex and Tessa were same and didn't really laugh at my pathetic jokes.

"Never have I ever tripped in public."

Everyday.

I raised my hand, with a glint of mischievousness in my eyes. "Never I have ever kissed someone on the lips."

Everyone looked at me - wide eyes and jaws dropped. I smirked, I knew that many thought of me as a bad girl who slept around, passed out drunk every time, smoked weed and sometimes the rumors cracked me up. I was only a little troublemaker who loved pissing her parents off and also who have never been behind the cells. Yet.

"Are you serious?"

"You mean you have virgin lips?"

"This was unexpected."

I winked at everyone and nodded my head. Almost everyone drank from their cup, even Shivaye which hurt a little. I was his best friend for once, at least he could have shared it with me. There was a distant look in his eyes like there were many hidden stories behind them but I couldn't read it.

"Never have I ever fallen in love," A girl confessed with pink cheeks.

A few of them took a sip but there were different emotions - Jack had a frown on his forehead like his first love brought memories of a person who no longer was in his life. Scarlet, the redhead who asked us to join, had a smile on her face and she looked happy. A girl's cheeks were already tear-stained, the sad moments bringing her pain. Rudra had a goofy smile on his face, his cheeks tinted pink and later, he shared about his story where he had fallen in love with his best friend who was staying in India and how much he missed her, it was adorable. There were smiling faces but also painful ones. We are still young, we can fall in love again when the time arrived.

It was all about how we see that person in our mind. Everyone who had a smile on their didn't have a happy ending for their love story but the memories that surfaced in their mind was the good days where they thought that they had met their soul mate. Some thought of the moments where tears were shed, hearts were broken and nights were spent awake. It was about perspective, if we chose to look at the brighter side, we can move on one day and be happy but if we still dreaded on what could have happened and poisoned our heart and soul with the bad times, we will never be able to trust someone or have a peaceful life.

Shivaye.

I missed the days when we used to sit under the tree and tell each other about our days, when we star gazed from the rooftop, raced each other in everything and all the times which made me want him back. But sometimes, the memories of how he wasn't there when I needed him the most, watch movies with me to distract my mind, to hold me in his arms when I tried to sleep appeared in my mind leaving a painful tug at my heart.

He was an angel but also my blue-eyed monster.

We played for some more time, I was starting to feel dizzy and a few guys have already passed out on the floor. Rudra had barely touched his drink, knowing he will have to clean up the mess before his beloved uncle and aunt came back. Shivaye was watching me, under his intense gaze I felt drunker.

"Bye, fun it was to talk all with you," I purred, waving my hand frantically and failing to stand up without falling.

Jack snickered, "You want to know a secret?"

"Yeah, I tell a secret," I giggled.

"My dad is a virgin." He laughed and fell to the floor. Great.

"Come, let us go to my room." Shivaye took my hand in his and the touch felt like butterflies were fluttering in my stomach.

But that is not true. There are no creatures in our stomach, we only ate food and I don't remember easing a butterfly that it was in my stomach now. It is not possible but if it was a hen, it is reasonable because I had a chicken sandwich for dinner. Maybe they had come to life and I have mistaken them for butterflies. Weird.

"Anika, what are you doing?" Shivaye asked, annoyed.

"I am flying but my wings aren't doing their work. I want to fly, be a wild bird and touch the sky. I wish instead of showering us with rainwater, the sky would rain chocolates. It would be awesome." I gushed with a smile.

Shivaye glared at me and then the next moment I was lifted in his arms. He kept me close to his body and I wrapped my hands around his shoulder, snuggling in his warmth. It felt good and better than flying.

"Shivaye..." I mumbled into his chest.

"Yeah," He asked in his soothing voice.

"I miss her. I miss her a lot. Why did she leave me? Why did you leave me when she wasn't there? Everyone leaves. I miss her," My voice cracked and tears perked in my eyes but I held them in.

I heard him sigh, "I miss her too, Anika. I won't leave you alone."

"You already did, stupid."

"I am not letting you go again, ever." He promised.

"Why? You hate me," I pointed out, looking at him as he stared at me.

"You are too important for me, I can't ever hate you even If I want to." He gave me a small smile and pressed his lips to my hair.

I felt him lower me to his bed, his warmth missing but a blanket soon coveted me. I cuddled with the pillow and mumbled a faint good night.

"Only if you knew, Anika..." His voice faded away as my eyes closed slowly and I was swept into my dream world.

×××

Anyone remember me? I hope not because I don't want you people hunting me with your sandals and tomatoes for updating late. I am sorry, so sorry. I was stuck and this is the third draft but now I don't care whether the chapter was good or not, I need to update. I promise that next one will be soon up. Thank you so much for all the love and support, it means a lot. I love you ❤

Question of the day,

Party at someone's house or movie night at home?