Part 19

____________

Taking a step!

It was the next day morning when Rishi woke up Stretching his body, he turned aside and was surprised and shocked to see Annika sleeping beside him. Peacefully.

R:Annika.. ek mint(he touched her nose to see if it was real or dream) arrey ye tho sach me hai. Lekin..ye ayi kab..? Anyway. (He got up and freshed up, he went to the kitchen and made some coffee for them both and came to the room, he kept it aside walked to the wardrobe. While Annika got disturbed with the sound and woke up, she sat on the bed. He saw her waking up.

R:Good morning. Kab ayi.? Matlab..

A:kal raat hi ayi thi.

R:tum tho waha rukne wali thi na..?

A:me ne aisa kab kaha tha..? Me ne kaha tha me milne jarahi hu. Tho mil ke agayi.

R:woohhh..teek hai. Waise chalo ye me ne coffee layi hai. Pe lo. Warna thanda ho jayega.

A:ha.. waise ap kal jaldi so gaye the. Aise ghadhe ghodhe Hati sab bej ke..

R: arrey me tho pura jungle bej ke soya tha(laugh)

A:(annoyed) teek hai sab bej k so jaou. Tabhi apko mere ane ki pata bhi nai chala. Ek din jab me chali jaoungi thabhi ap yehi kehena. Ok..?!

R:Annika.. ye tum baar baar mujhe chodke jaane ki baat kyu karti ho..? Tum is rishte me khush nai ho kya..?

Annika walked to him.

A:sorry rishi.. me bas mazak karahi thi. Kabhi apko chod ke jaane ki baat nai karungi

R:aur kabhi chod ke bhi mat jana please.

A:me fresh ho jati hu.

R:mera sawal ka jawab nai diya tumne..(sad smile) teek hai. Coffee pi lo. Thanda ho raha hai.

A:hmm. She took the coffee mug and sat on the couch.

R:tumne dekha nai kya..?

A:kya..?

R:arrey samne tho hai.

A:kyaa...?

R:hamari photo.

A:ha deka.

R:tho kuch reaction hi nai.(sad)

A:kya du..?

R:you are impossible Annika. Pata nai pura zindagi kaise rahunga. Ab ye mat kehena ki tum jaougi ab mujhe chod ke.

A:(chuckle) nai.

She finished her coffee and walked to the washroom. She turned back.

A:Rishi.! Bohot acha laga. Dek ke bohot khush hogayi thi. Aur ye kal ka interview time ka photo tha na itni jaldi banwa liya apne. Aur ye aise room me dal bhi diya.. thank you. Bohot special feel hua.

Rishi was initially registering what was she actually telling. Soon he was smiling. First time Annika was expressing something to him and that too so openly accepting the fact.

R:tume acha laga thank you for that.

Annika rushed in and as soon she was gone rishi did a happy dance climbing his bed. He stood near the frame.

R:uffff, best jodi. Kitna achi lagrahi hai Annika.

Sc's smile is so so sweet here.

After this they both had thier breakfast with family and soon went to thier respective works. But for a change Annika had Rishi in her head for the whole day.

She was in her cabin all set to leave.

A: me kya sach me sahi karahi hu..? Pata nai.. ek tho itna bada raita phail gaya tha and Rishi ne sab samet bhi liya. Wo mujhse pyaar karte hai ye tho pata tha lekin itna... ye nai pata tha. Wo is rishte ko bachana chate hai aur me hu ki..pata nai kis baat ka dar hai pyaar karne se. Pati hi tho hai. Mujhe kuch khidkhithod karna chahiye. Lekin kya..?

(She thought to herself and left)

She reached home and got freshed she spent time with Rano and Jay till rishi was back home. She was slowly accepting them. She saw them that they were very supportive.

It was 8pm she reached her room.

Rishi too came home by then. He saw her smiling.

R:kis baath pe muskurarahi ho..?

A:kyu..? Muskurane pe yehan pe tax lagta hai😏?

R:arrey muhje bhi tho batou me bhi khush hojaounga.. ek mint tume kisi se pyaar tho nai hua..?(shocked)

A:apko bohot padi hai mujhe kisi AUR se pyaar hone ki...😏

R: ha tho me ne tume bola hai na ki jab bhi tume kisi se pyaar hoga tho me khud use manaounga and me khud tume uske paas chod k aounga. Tho bas.

Saying this he opened his shirt and was standing bare chest.

He saw her seeing him.

R:ek mint tume sharam nai arahi..?

A:hein..? Kyu..?

R:aise tad rahi ho mujhe..

A:kyu nai dek sakti....

R: haaye.. meri tho izat hi nai hai bagwaan...(dramatic)

A:me apne pati ko dekrahi hu dusre ko thodi na.

Rishi rushed to her,

R:ahem. Pati. Apne pati. Nice improvement.

A:waise me maanti hu rishi is shaadi ko bas pata nai...(being a bit serious)

R:tum is rishte ko manti ho.. respect deti ho... wo tho me dek hi raha hu Annika. Aur tum pigal bhi rahi ho..

A:pehele ap shirt pehenlo😶

R:kyu..? Abhi tho bohot cool ban rahi thi. Ab resist nai horaha..?(wink)

A:hatiye. Aisa kuch nai hai. Me.. me jarahi hu. Ap ajana neeche.(she left blushing, while rishi left out a laugh)

They had their dinner. And spent time with family too.

Then soon they both came to room.

R:Annika kal Sunday hai na..? Tum free ho..?(he said reaching the bed)

A:kyu..?

R:bas aise hi..

A:ap boliye tho..

R:nai wo mujhe bas movie dekna tha tumare sath.

A:kal..?

R:nai abhi.. wo matlab agar kal free ho tho tum late utsakti ho na.. waise bhi tum late ut'ti ho.. phir bhi.

A:kya kaha apne..ruko batati hu..(she ran to him and he was running around too)

R: ab sach tho hamesha kadva hi hota hai..(he said still running around chased by annika)

A:ha ha us kadve ka swad tho le hi lo ab tho(she took a pillow and threw on him, he dodged and cought it, she again took another, both were on the cot. He grabbed her hand and both fell out of balance. And they burst out into laughters.

R:oh god Annika this was so fun.

A:hmm. Lekin kya ap kuch bolrahe the na...kya bolrahe the..🤨

R:ab patni ke samne sach kaise bolu. Ek baar himmat ki thi. Ab nai hoga.. 😅🤣

A:ap na.. sach me bohot...

R:cute handsome hu na. Pata hai.

A:hm😏

(She was getting up when he pulled her back and started tickling her)

A:haa...ri...rishi...kya..kya kar rahe ho.. rishi.. chod...chodiye...haa..haaaa.hahhahah🤣🤣😂 rishi..

He stopped tickling and layed down there beside her. She was still trying to control her breath. He was adoring her.

He moved close to her. While she raised her eyebrow asking for what.

He inched more close to her staring her eyes and occasionally glazing at her lips.

A:Rishi..?

He cupped her face with his right hand and was moving close to her. She knew what was coming. She blushed and got up. While he left out a laugh and layed down comfortably.

R: embarrassed...?

Annika didn't understand.

R: tum embarrassed ho..?(he asked again)

A: nai tho me kyu hongi

R: acha idar deko

A: ap hatoge tho me dekungi na

R: hm

He moved aside and Annika laied on her back and he again started tickling her she starts laughing soul fully

R: aur to tum embarrassed tho thi micky mouse(he said taking his hands back)

Then after some time

Anika staring at his eyes cute pout

R:me mazak karra tha

Annika nods sweetly

Rishi kisses on her forehead, she just cherished that sweet moment, that tender kiss of his, he layed beside her on his side keep a good distance but Annika looked at him lovingly for few seconds and slided her self on his chest making herself comfortable and Rishi was shocked but quickly absorbed the situation and warped his hands around her as a reflex

R:ahm..pyar ho gaya kya

A:abi thak tho nai

R:hmm?

Rishi raised his eyebrow

R:tho mujhse pyaar ho sakti hai?

Anika bit her tounge not looking at him for she said then looked up at him

A: me ne kaha abi thak pyaar nai hua. Ye nai ki apse.. .

(rishi gave a look. she closed her eyes and smiled for a fraction of Second.) Apse hoga? kisi aur se bhi ho sakta hai

R: acha kisi aur se..? Wo kon hamare bachho se na wo tho teek hai.

Anika rolled her eyes at his statement.

A:rishiiii....

R: waise ab sach bol bhi do pyaar ho gaya kya

A: 🙂 app is shadi ke taraf do kadam badarahe ho tho me..(she snuggled back into him holding him tighter) ...ek kadam tho lu. (She blushed) waise sach me rishi. Pata nai mujhe kis bat ka dar hai. Aur phir ap is rishte ko itna ahemiyat dete hai. Tho me ne socha at least try tho karu.

R:(tightened his grip on her) me is rishte ko ise liye importance deta hu kyu ki tum mere liye important ho Annika. Tum janti ho ki me tume force nai karunga. Kabhi nai. Lekin aj acha laga ki tum apna first step le rahi ho. And mujhe tumse maafi bhi mangni thi..

Annika looked at him.

A:kis baath pe. Kyu.?

R:wo pata nai shayad tume yaad nai hoga. Lekin us din jab tum bohot bikhar gayi thi muje chod ke.. Jane ki baat kar rahi thi. Umm logo ke wake se.. you know..

A:kya baath hai rishi.. boliye.

R:wo me ne tume ki..(lowering his head) kiss kardiya.(instantly) I know tume yaad nai hai.. tum bohot disturbed thi us din lekin I was..I was so.. I'm sorr...(Annika put her finger on his lips)

A:shh. Zaroorat nai hai. Aur me kaise bhul sakti hu. Ha wo situation aisa nai tha ki hum use happy memory ki tarah yaad kare. Us din me bikhar gayi thi and bohot kuch hogaya tha. Wo 2 rupees bate mere dil ko lag gayi thi. Lekin me.. me us k..(blush) usko regret nai karti rishi. Pehela wala tha. Special tha. Lekin situation ki aisi ki taisi ab kya karsakte hai.

He listened to her carefully. He was glad that she she didn't regret their first kiss. He was happy knowing that. And now Mr. Rishi was back on mood.

R:arrey karsakte hai na bohot kuch karsakte hai...(he moved closer, Annika blushed and hit his chest playfully)

R: but thank you Annika.

He held her hands near his heart and she adjusted her head there listening to his heartbeat, they slept peacefully. For Annika, she wished for the fresh start. She took a step.

Will love blossom in her...?