A U T H O R'S P O V —

The goyal nivas was decorated beautifully with lights and flowers as the engagement of the daughter of their house was just in a day. Many new guests have arrived while some were still left to arrive. The chaos in which goyal nivas was it was indescribable. Rekha was instructing the flower decorates to their work properly but they were still doing it wrong making her hit her forehead. She was having a hard time explaining them while the work in the kitchen was still left.

"Bhaiya! Hum apko kitni der se samjha rahe hai. Ye phool yaha nahi yaha lagagiye"

(Brother, i am trying to explaining you from so long that these flowers are to be placed here.)

She shook her head while holding her head in her palms. The decorator sighed as well. This was the nth time she was telling him to change the place of flowers that are to be decorated.

"Maa ji, pehle ap hi decide kar lijiye kaha lagane hai hum vaha laga denge.

(First decided by yourself where do i have to place these, i will do then)

He said rekha sigh. She wasn't satisfied with any place and so it was not his fault when she is not able to decide.

"Rekhaa, can you please help me in the kitchen?" She heard avantika's voice as she turned her head towards her and nodded. "Bhaiya you wait, i will-" "Don't worry mumma, i'll handle the decoration, you go and help avantika aunty." Rekha was cutted off in between after hearing her saviour's voice, shivika.

Shivika touched avantika's feets taking her blessings and fid same with rekha who hugged her saviour making shivika chuckle. "My saviour you are. Please handle this decoration, its not possible for me." Rekha said dramatically making the other three laugh. Avantika, shivika and the decorator.

She glared at the decorator making him gulp as he lowered his eyes. In no ways he wanted to get fire by the wedding planner if she complained his behaviour to him.

"Why worry when your smartest daughter is here maa?" Shivika said where her words made both the ladies laugh and this time the decorator didn't laugh as he didn't wanted to receive the glare from rekha again.

Both the ladies made their ways from there towards the kitchen while shivika observed the whole area, trying to figure out where the flowers will go best. "Are you done thinking madam?" The decorator asked while shivika gave him a glare as if telling him to let her think more.

The poor man pouted as everyone was giving him their death glares while he did no wrong. "Aree ramesh come here for a minute!" A voice made them snap their head on its direction as another worker called the decorator who was standing with shivika.

"Madam ji, you decide till then i will come." The man said while shivika nodded and he made his way away from her. She again focused on where to decorate the perfect combinations of the flower by their meanings and colours.

And soon she decided but the man was still not here. 'oh god, where has he gone?' Her thought voiced out as she roamed her eyes around the big hall but didn't found him. "Leave it, i'll do it by myself." She mumbled to herself and got to work.

Tugging her kurti a little inside her jeans, she climbed on the sack near the wall and took the bucket which had flowers in it and hanged it on the sack's one side. Carefully, balancing herself, she started arranging the flowers while humming a song.

She was so lost in decoration and humming the song that she didn't realised that one pair of eyes were watching her every motion. Who else it can be? Yes you gussed it right, it's atharv deshmukh. The man who has fallen head over heels for the girl who was not even aware about it.

He was leaning on the pillar beside her and his eyes were not leaving her figure. She was so engrossed in the flowers that she couldn't feel his presence. Her humming sound rang in his ears as his heart felt at ease. The rythmic music of her voice was giving the euphoric song a beautiful touch.

He saw her hair strand which was disturbing her as she let out a deep breath. "Uff these hairs!" She mumbled to herself still unaware of his presence as he let out an inaudible chuckle. She then took a rose and started twisting her hairs into a bun and secured it with the rose preventing them from falling on her back.

Atharv was observing it all as his heart raised as a view of her bare back came in his view because of the deep back of her kurti. He gulped then his eyes fell on the rose that was tugged in her hair. A pout made its way on his lips as he mumbled to himself.

"Hum toh pehle hi phase hai apke jaal mein ab ap iss gulab ko apni zulfoon mein phasa ke aur kyu ghayal kar rahi hai hume, miss avasthi?"

(I am already trapped in your trap and now after tugging this rose in your hair, why are you making it hard for me, miss avasthi?)

He pouted and looked at her side figure. Some hair strands still came on her eyes while a small pout on her lips while her eyes were focused on the work she was doing. His heart beat was still at its high speed. The shivika effect on his poor heart was something that no one ever had at him.

Finally completing her work, shivika smiled widely as she backed off a little and looked at the decoration she did. With that she started coming down the sack and finally her eyes fell on hia manly figure which leaned towards the pillar. She flinched which made her leg slip.

But would our hero let his heroine fall? Hell nah. Atharv was fast enough to catch her by her waist as his eyes were focused on her face. Her eyes closed in fear but realising that she didn't, she opened her eyes and her hazel orbs went wide at their proximity.

Their chests were inches apart, his breath was falling on her lips making her gulp. Something inside her stomach twisted as heat rushed towards her cheeks. For her, their surroundings turned slow as if it were some movie and they were the main character.

"Apko yum humari baho mein girna itna pasand hai toh hume bata dijiye hum tyar rahenge, miss avasthi. "

(If you love falling in my arms this much, tell me, i will be ready from the next time.)

Hearing his words, the blush turned into embarrassment on her cheeks as she cleared her throat and tried to calm her heart beat. But to cover up her red face she gave him a glare making him frown at her duality. She straightened her figure and stepped back a little.

"It was you who was standing their like a ghost and i got scared." She exclaimed on his face while cupping her waist. He raised his brow. "Trying to hide your blush, aren't we, miss avasthi?" His voice was filled with tease. She cleared her throat and looked away from his face, hiding her cherry red face.

Why does only he has to make her feel like that and no one else? Why every single time its him on whom she has to bump or fall on? God, it was always him who was around her at these times, that's why. He is the reason of all of it. But why him? Why not anyone else?

She was lost in her thoughts that she didn't realise that he stepped near her and his strong cologne hit her nostrils making her close her eyes. His hands reached to her hairs as she opened her eyes and looked at his face which was so close to her. Her breathe hitched as she felt him taking out the rose, she had tugged inside her hair.

As the rose left its place, her long silky hair fell on her back as her heart beat went crazy. His closeness always had her knees weak. She felt weird, weak, calm, protected and all kinds of feeling near him. And it's only near him.

Her mind goes blank when he is near her while her heart beats crazily. Her throat went dry while her cheeks turn the darkest colour of red. It was always around him. It was always him that her eyes searched for. It was always him who got her heart beat raise at the speed that can kill a person.

It was always him who lived in her mind 24/7 nowadays and it was also him who had her eyes captivates in his deep dark brown orbs.

Their eyes were locked as he brought the rose infront of her face as she got out of her trance. Her eyes shifted to the rose while his eyes still stuck on her.

"This rose deserves to be in your hands and not in your hair, miss avasthi. Let them live free, they look more beautiful that way."

Saying this he handed over the rose to her and winked at her before making his way away from their. Her eyes which were stuck on the rose shifted to his receating figure.

Why is he doing this to her? What is he doing to her? What was happening between them? Why was the mr.grumpy atharv Deshmukh was making her feel things that not even her first love made her feel?

Her mind was confused. Her heart was fearing of this feeling. Her eyes were craving, craving for him. She felt good, safe, protected and comfortable around him but why was she feeling this way?

She shouldn't be right? Because he too will go away from her life after the wedding is done. Afterall they both were had a bond which was unnamed. Were they friends? Were they still strangers?

She could decide. Her mind was full of these thoughts which were confusing her. Confusing her heart which was fearing of these feelings. What if she was in love? What if he was in love with her? No no, this won't be happening between them, right?

Or was it already happening?

Her chest started heaving up and down as she clutched onto it. No! This can't be love. This can't be. He do not deserve her but better. And she didn't deserve him. The fear in her heart was more than her feelings.

What if the past repeated itself? What if that all happened again that her first love did to her? The person she trusted the most left her like anything, what if he does the same-

No! He isn't like that, atleast give him a chance.

Her heart voice out.

And what if he is? At first he also did things like this to you.

It was her mind this time which got her attention. Yes, he used to do the same but she felt none like this before. Not like she is judging him but she just couldn't trust her fate.

It has always been cruel and unfair to her. All the people she has loved in her life, have left her. Only sonali stayed and that dosen't mean everyone will. Her fear never let her get attached to anyone in her life which left her lonely and unloved.

Her aunt and uncle were the reason behind it too. They never showed the affection they should have showed to her after her parents died. No one was their and those who were, left her in the end.

She felt sweat bends on her forehead as her breathe went uneven. Panick attack. It was hitting her. She tried breathing deeply but nothing helped. Her vision got blurry as she sat on her knees and dugged her face between her knees.

"N-no n-no this can't h-happen a-again!"

She mumbled to herself. No one yet noticed her shivering figure until atharv who was again passing by the way, eyes fell on her crouched figure. His eyes went wide as he dropped the thing that was in his hand and ran towards her. His heart paced its speed in fear as he fastened his speed.

"SHIVIKA!!"

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TO BE CONTINUED...

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