Chapter 6: Sugar, Spice, and his Eyes

The rustling wind made the wind chime tingle, it's sound tickling Shivaay's ears as he woke up to an empty bed beside. Annika was gone. Weirdly, more than the bed, he felt empty.

"Shush Shivaay, the only thing that's empty is your stomach!" He assured himself.

The kitchen counter was a mess. Nothing in place. A banana peel hanging off the dustbin, cornflakes spilled on the floor. Aaahh the mess maker hadn't apparently just left. He made himself a coffee and walked out to his balcony following the giggling sounds he would love to wake up to every day. The scale of dramatic that Shivaay was rising with this woman was dangerous.

But there she was jumping in the waters with Sahil on her back. Who would say she couldn't move on her own last night. Maybe her brother was her medicine, just like his. After a 5 minute long observation, he drew a conclusion that she was trying to dodge the waves, screaming in glee each time she was successful doing so. He smiled wide. An eye to eye smile straight from his heart. Her legs glistened. Her legs! She had put up the lower end of her gown in an artistic fashion! Like some Malvani sari types. Holy Shit this crazy woman would do anything for such small delights.

He picked up a not so round puri, put some potato mix in between, and wrapped it in a roll. He set off and n a few Swift strides he was with her. The wind blowing was moist and salty but still, she could instill her fragrance in it. As if she had activated some "Annika senses" within him, he would always be aware of her presence/ absence.

To his right were Sahil and Mishra Ji making crooked structures out of the sand. Green Signal it was. He folded his pants upward and entered the warm water. Reaching out to those sexy legs he would have wrapped around him one day.

"Why do I keep losing focus?" He scolded himself. "Breakfast?" He offered. "Oh, you're up?." She exclaimed as unsurprised as she pretended to sound. "I made this for Sahil, I didn't think you would like such simple breakfast. I have had my share, you can have this for yourself.".

Why wasn't she looking in his eyes? He finished off the last bite and filled the gap between her fingers with his, tightly holding her hand. He turned towards her, Holding her waist tightly from the other hand he skillfully picked her up in the air and twirled her around. She hooted in excitement as she dodged the biggest wave that morning. Hands still clenched, "Oh, so it wasn't really for me?" She was still giggling. She teased him with her tongue out and turned to leave. He left her hand and grabbed her from her waist. Almost hugging her from behind, he lifted her higher and started moving in circles. Just the way he had seen her playing with Sahil. She was thrilled and was continuously "wohooo"ing.

As he increased the speed of their circles, her feet flying in the air, timely reaching out to the waves and cutting the water. This was one of the best experiences of her life! As he put her down she hugged him tight, but with her heart's rhythm he could make out she was crying. Did he scare her? "SCREW YOU SHIVAAY!" thought he.

She then looked up into his eyes. The morning sunshine making them glitter. "This was one of the happiest moments of my life, Shivaay" those words leaving her lips and straight tugging at his heartstrings.

A familiar pride. Again. Those mixed emotions. Again. Those overwhelming feelings. Again.

Can someone please handover my control to me? -- he wondered. He was losing his shit around her. Her beauty and passion weren't enough? That her words and gestures were conquering something in his chest too?

Annika wanted to say so much to him. But those deeper than ocean eyes, as enchanting as life, which was now at their best shade of blue didn't let her focus quaver from them. How can a stranger feel so familiar? As if the world switched off when he was close as if her fear of darkness washed away when he was near. If he was there, she wouldn't panic when the lights go out. Could he feel that connect too? So many questions, so many expressions she wanted to portray to him. Nothing. His eyes were the moment.

.

.

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*Splat* The rich liquid came spraying out of Annika's mouth and onto the already messy kitchen floor. Before Shivaay could show his exasperation, Annika commented "How do you drink something so bitter?"

"Really?" He took the mug from her hand and noted that he sipped from where she did, immediately feeling ashamed of acting kiddishly cheesy. Nevertheless, he pretended to dislike the taste as much as she did when in reality he couldn't start his friggin day without a strong black coffee! He let out a sarcastic laugh. Not able to come to terms with the rapid changes.

"One second, try this" she added some sugar to the coffee, in the process spilling a spoonful on the kitchen counter. Not even a fine change in the excitement, as if spilling things were a routine for her. He looked around the messed counter. "You really are a certified mess maker".

She flashed a big smile and blinked. It appeared like those winks kids do with both eyes and he felt a rush all over again. "No Shivaay, DO NOT KISS HER. " his brain screaming from inside, trying to silence the fist-sized devil sitting inside his chest.

"On one condition, taste this!" He added some spices to the Aloo preparation and distracted himself. Deal!

He tasted his sweeter coffee and she, her spicier Aloo puri. The same thing would have burnt her mouth two days ago, the same coffee would have been out of his mouth spat on the floor had he had it two days ago.

Both of them exchanged glances, well versed what their expressions spoke, he sipped his coffee and she dug in her roll, with an amusingly content smile on their faces. Both oblivious to the fact, how she was adding sugar to his indignant life, and he adding spice to her life of monotone!