Evening 5'o clock:

Anika knocked at his room's door.

Shivaay was busy on his research on Rana. He opened the door with a questioning look on his face.

Anika-"Chale..?"

Shivaay- "Kahan?"

Anika-"Shopping. Aap ko aaj raat ke liye kapde nahi lene..?"

Shivaay-"What kapdee ? I have clothes..!"

Anika-"wo waale kapde nahi...dandiya waale I mean traditional waaley. Humare society main ek dum typical daandiya hota hai..with costume..!"

"What!" He exclaimed horrified.

Anika-"Haan ab chaliye."

"You mean MUJHE wooo pehna padegaa ? No this cant be happening. I am good to go in closthe like these." He said touching the collar of his shirt.

Anika-"Aap nahi toh padosi pehnenge aapk ke liye? Arey sab pehen kee aayenge...phir aap odd one out ho jayenge."

Shivaay-"No.Main nahi pehnoonga."

Anika-"Sab pehnenge...aap nahi toh aap ko ajeeb nahi lagega?"

Shivaay put on his thinking cap, she had actually made a valid point. How did she do it every time? Make a totally valid point at the peak of invalidity!

Anika-"Chalee?"

"Ok chalo",he said half heartedly.

She took him to a traditional cultural clothes shop.

" Fhat the wuck!" He exclaimed staring at the clothing he was being shown.

"How the hell am I supposed to wear this!! Nooo nooo this isn't happening." he said pulling her towards the exit. She pulled him back to the counter.."Arey acha hii toh hain."

Shivaay-"Yeh itna colourful...you know seeing this, mujhe..." He couldn't even find the words.

Anika-"Michmichi ho rahi hain." She helped him.

Shivaay-"Whaat..!!?" He looked at her bewildered.

Anika-"Mich-Michi.Michmichi. Arey wahi jo aisii gandi waali feeling hoti hainn.."

Shivaay looked on confused.

Anika-"Arey jab aap ek marey huye chuhe ko dehkte hain ..waisi waali feeling..!"

Shivaay-"Yuck!"

Anika-"Kitna mast hai naa...ye...aap aisa kariye try kariye." She said picking up yet another colorful piece.

"No way..!" Shivaay exclaimed immediately.

Shop attender-"haan sahib ma'am theek keh rahi hai yeh orange colour aap pe jach raha hain."

Shivaay gave the man a look and he shut up.

Shivaay-"Whatever..lekin main abhi try nahi...karoonga."

Anika-"Bhai sahib aap aisa kariye aap inki measurements lelijiye aur uske hisaab se iss waaley piece ko pack kar dijiye." she moved towards the other end of the shop seeing the clothes displayed.

Shivaay to himself.." Yeh ho kya raha hain? What have I even got myself into."

After giving his measurement he went over to Anika-"Tum nahi le rahi ho..?"

Anika-"Nahi mere paas hai..wo kya hain naa last Navratri pe jab kharredne gayi thii tab buy one get one of chal raha thaa toh maine tab hii isss saal ke liye bhi le liya thaa..!"

"What even !" He blinked at what she had just said.

Anika -"haan...lucky thii naa main..warna; lehnga choli pe buy one get one kaun deta hain..!"

Shivaay took a deep breath, she was really a gone case. One piece on earth. Like seriously? Buy one get one over an year's planning!

At night:

Anika came out to the hall dressed in a traditional orange and black coloured mirror-work lehenga choli. She wore very little makeup as usual. Her curly tresses were swaying and touching her bare waist. She walked up to Shivaay's room after waiting for a while.

She knocked.

"Come in" he said in his usual tone.

She entered to see him struggling with the costume. Smiling she looked at him through the mirror standing behind him.

"What the hell is this..!", he said struggling with tying the long dupatta like thing on his head.

"You know what...mujhe abhi bhi lagta hain...this is just not happening...I mean look at me...patani kaunsi century mein log aise kapde pehente hongee. Aur yeh...why the hell do I have to tie this on my head." he muttered without looking at her, still struggling.

"Dijiye main pehnadeti hoon."

"No I am good..." he said trying hard.

She turned him around , "aap nahi kar paayenge...mujhe dijiye.." He was some stubborn man.

He obeyed, he was lost in her the moment he turned. She looked breathtakingly beautiful.

Unable to tie it properly due to the height , she made him sit on the bed and stood before him tying it.

He had a hard time. To make it all the more hard for him she askee him to keep his head stationary looking in front. With her upper body in front of him. His eyes fell on her perfectly curved waist which was half hidden behind her dupatta, he sighed inaudibly. He screwed his eyes shut to way off his wandering thoughts. Did she even realise ? While Anika, least realising the situation was busy figuring out how to tie the turban.

After what felt like forever she finished tying it. Shivaay took a deep breath and forced a smile, unable to even say a thank you. He quickly went toward the mirror to look at himself. He felt weird seeing himself, never in his wildest thoughts had he ever imagined himself in that colourful-blingy attire.

Anika-"Mr.SSO, agar aapka apne aap ko nihaarne kaa session khatam hogaya hain toh hum challein? Wo kya hain naa dandiya aaj hi hain.."

Shivaay without responding moved out in style.

Anika-"Tevar dehko inke..Tadibaaz Singh Oberoi..!!" She chuckled and followed.

As they reached down they were greeted by Mrs.Bhalla and a few of her friends.

Mrs.Bhalla-"Oye hoye...mia biwi dono orange mein...kitne sone lag rahe hain saath mein..."she encircled money over their heads ..."kisi ki nazar naa lagye..!"

Both looked at each other awkwardly and then looked the other way forcing formal smiles. Both hadn't even realised that their attire matched.

After Mrs.Bhalla left to greet the others. Shivaay looked at people performing daandiya efficiently and looked dumbfound at Anika.

Anika-"Chaliye.."

Shivaay-"I can't..mujhe yeh nahi aata " he said holding up the sticks.

Anika-"Arey main koi PHD nahi ki...jab koi daandiya aage kare toh maar dena..!"

Shivaay-"What?"

Anika-"Mera matlab hai daandiya se daandiya par!"

Shivaay nodde with a weird look.

Anika pulled him into the crowd.

"Dholida Dhole re naagad..." A gujrati track by falguni phatak played loudly.

Anika kept directing him by actions and he followed. After a few minutes he got the basic hang of it. They then joined the bigger group and went in flow with the music. The 2 concentric circles one formed by the men and other by woman moved in different directions. Anika thoroughly enjoyed herself, while Shivaay enjoyed looking at her without her knowledge. His eyes just didn't want to move off her. The excitement on her face was refreshing and new. How could someone be so enthusiastic about everything in life ?Finally they came face to face.

Anika-"Maine kahaa thaa naa maza aayega..!" she lifted her dandiyaas.

Shivaay-"When did I say mazaa aaa raha hain.." he tapped her dandiyaas with his with attitude.

Anika turned, her ghagra flaring and taps his dandiyaas "Aapke cheehre ne kahaa.." she smiled with equal attitude and moved onwards. He smiled behind her.

A little while later they started the couple daandiya and Mrs.Bhalla forced the two to participate.

Anika kept giving him cues and he followed. As the music became faster so did her moves.By mistakenly she tapped his already injured hand."OOuchh.."

They move aside.."I m sorry" she said concerned.

"its fine..." he said moving his hand. Trying to avoid further proximity. Shivaay's defence system had already detected the possibility of what he would never admit, unknown to his conscious self. Yes the attraction.

Both left after having dinner.

Both were sitting on the sofa.He was irritated by her continuously flipping the channels.

Shivaay-"Just stop it. Give me the remote." he takes it from her hand and puts CNBC.

Anika-"Raat ko koi yeh channel dekh taa hain..?" she said dryly.

Shivaay-"yup...maine..!"

She boringly takes her mobile and starts checking out the forum of her favourite telly series.

Shivaay-"Omg..Shlok Singhania.."he said looking at the screen.

Anika looked up from her mobile screen.

Shivaay-"He is a good friend of mine."He saw the news saying that Shlok Singhania had bagged an award at a business award ceremony."I wish I had his number.."

Anika-"Aapko unhe wish karna hai..dil se..?"

Shivaay-"of course." He siad glancing her a weird look.

Anika-"Agar dil se karna hain toh aap kahin naa kahin se number nikal hi lenge..!"

Smilingly she got up wishing him."Okay good night. " she yawned at the'night"

Shivaay-"Good night'

As she was about to leave.."Waise...tum itna bura bi daandiya nahi karti hoo..." he said spontaneously. His brain smacking him the very next second.

Anika-"Aap bhi itne bure nahi hai...seekhne mein.." she said haughtily and left. A smile appearing on her face as she moved toward her room.

Shivaay stares behind her."Whats up with me..Damn..this girl is surely different...baton baton mein ...mujhe open challenge de kar gayi ...but she doesn't know Shivaay Singh Oberoi never loses. Main Shlok ko jarur wish karoonga..!" he ran his hand through his hair in his signature Shivaay style.

P.S

Hope you all liked it. :)