ShaKhi TS: Understandings And Friendships [chapter 2 updated] - Page 3

Originally posted by: Luilui

wow...... she's truly understood shaurya's painawesome part🥰🥰🥰🥰loved it

Thanks a lot dear🤗

Originally posted by: AK_2010

damn!!! You are a great writer ❤️

Those dialogues were so touching and engaging 👏

I can't wait for more... update soon!

Thanks a lot dear.❤🤗

Will update soon

Originally posted by: SapSur

Very interesting update...👏

Thank you🤗

Originally posted by: Cherrydreamsxx

Beautifully written. Your Stories are so good. 👏❤️ Waiting for the next part.

Thanks a lot dear❤🤗

Chapter: 2

Anokhi looked Shaurya nervously as he drove the car inside the gates of the restaurant and hoped everything will go as planned. She just wanted to make shaurya happy on his birthday in return for everything he did for her and hoped he will like the surprise and will not feel uncomfortable. She only invited shaan as she is not close with anyone else in the sabharwal family. Even though she wanted to invite kitty, she know it will feel awkward inviting her alone so Anokhi decided to arrange a small party with Parth, Zoya, shaan and her. Today is his birthday and his feelings mattered to her more than anyone else. She was not aware of the reason why he never celebrated his birthday so she is not ready to take any risk of making him upset again but inviting anyone impulsively.

Shaurya who turned off the engine looked at Anokhi who was lost in her thoughts and got out the car to open her door. Once he opened her door he placed his hand on his shoulder and Anokhi looked at him coming out of her thoughts.

‘We have reached the restaurant Miss.Bhalla’ Shaurya informed and Anokhi got of the car taking her bag.

‘Thanks for the lift sir. Would you like to have some drink in the restaurant?’ Anokhi said as she couldn’t find any better reason to invite him inside.

‘No Miss. Bhalla,It’s already late and I have to reach home soon for dinner’ Shaurya lied as he had no plans of going home tonight and planned to spend the night alone in a resort like every year he does on his birthday.

‘But sir it’s already late and it will take an hour for you to reach home. So at least have some juice before you leave. I will feel bad if you leave in an empty stomach as I am not reason you didn’t have your dinner till now.’ Anokhi said giving him her infamous puppy eyes and Shaurya’s heart immediately melted seeing it.

‘But Anokhi…’ Shaurya started to give some excuse to leave but Anokhi interrupted him before he could give another excuse.

‘Please sir. I insist. Consider it as my apology for troubling you yesterday.’Anokhi said with a pout.

‘Damn her and her puppy eyes’ Shaurya thoughts as he found hard to say no seeing her pout.

‘Fine! I will have something to drink.’ Shaurya said and Anokhi smiled in victory.

‘Thank you sir. Now let’s go inside’ Anokhi said and almost rushed inside the restaurant while Shaurya followed her locking the door with a defeated sigh.

Once they entered the restaurant shaurya looked around in confusion as it was empty without a single customer. He found Anokhi in a corner talking animatedly with zoya who was in an apron and walked towards them. Zoya who saw him left Anokhi alone after taking something some from the table and shaurya got suspicious now.

‘Miss. Bhalla what are you up to now? I can clearly see something is cooking in that troublemaker mind of yours.’ Shaurya asked and Anokhi controlled herself from rolled her eyes at his accusation as she didn’t want to look disrespectful or rude in front of her professor.

‘Sir why do you always think I am up to something when I just want to help? You are being so unfair sir’ Anokhi said and crossed her arms on her chest with a huff which made shaurya smile as he started to find her anger amusing.

‘Fine I will stop being unfair. But can I know what I am doing in an empty restaurant?’ Shaurya asked.

‘The restaurant is empty because it’s past the closing time.’ Anokhi replied praying her mobile will vibrate soon to let her know she can bring shaurya to the back of the restaurant where the final arrangements of the party is going on.

‘And why did you ask me to drop you here when you already know we won’t reach before the closing time?’ Shaurya started asking questions and Anokhi felt she is in a presentation hall attending a project viva.

‘Sir, will you be please stop questioning me like a viva invigilator and just wait for couple of minutes? Parth is cleaning the tables in the back and he will call us once he is done.’ Anokhi said in frustration as she is running out of excuses. Shaurya who saw her frustration decided to keep quiet as he can see she is on the verge of bursting out in anger and he is not in a mood to have another argument with her.For the next few minutes both of them stood in a complete silence while Shaurya got busy in looking at the interior of the restaurant and Anokhi got busy in her mobile.

Anokhi sighed in relief when she received a text from parth informing her that everything is ready and looked at shaurya who was now sitting on a table reading a magazine.

‘Sir the table is ready let’s go’ Anokhi said and took his to the backyard of the restaurant. Once they entered the backyard shaurya stopped in his tracks to see a big banner with ‘HAPPY BIRTHDAY SHAURYA’ written on it and the entire garden was decorated with rice lights and balloons.

‘Miss. Bhalla what is all this? Please don’t tell me it is another plan of yours to help your Astha mam.’ Shaurya said in a cold tone and Anokhi almost flinched seeing the coldness in his eyes.

‘Sir I promise you Astha mam is not involved in this. I just wanted to make your birthday special this year on your birthday in return for everything you did for me. So please don’t get angry and leave before celebrating. It’s my request sir’ Anokhi said and shaurya’s eyes became soft seeing the truth in her words.

‘If your Astha mam is not involved then who informed you about my birthday?’ Shaurya asked and Anokhi sighed seeing the coldness leaving his eyes and tone.

‘Kitty mentioned about your birthday this morning in the class and I planned this with zoya, parth and shaan sir. As I said in the car I understand your resentment towards Astha mam and I will not interfere in the matter again sir. Please trust me’ Anokhi said and shaurya nodded.

‘I trust you. Take me to the table.’ Shaurya said and Anokhi started walking ahead of him to the table where others are waiting for them.

After couple of seconds they reached the table and shaurya saw Anokhi’s two partners in crime and his father waiting for them with a smile. He smiled back at them once they reached the table and zoya gave him the knife to cut the cake. Shaurya who got the knife looked at a smiling Anokhi who is standing beside his father and smiled inwardly wondering why she cares about others so much.

‘Cut the cake beta’ Shaan said placing a hand on his back and Shaurya started cutting the cake as other clapped and sang Happy Birthday. First the son and father fed each other the cake and then shaurya fed the cake to parth, zoya and finally Anokhi.

‘Happy birthday beta. May this birthday bring you all the happiness, success and whatever your heart seeks.’ Shaan wishes hugging him and shaurya hugged his father back with a smile.

‘Thanks dad.’ Shaurya said and the other three smiled seeing this. After few moments shaan broke the hug wiped a lone tear escaped his eyes seeing his son happy on his birthday after many years.

‘Okay if the cake cutting is done let’s have our dinner as I am famished now and shaurya sir please don’t say anything as Nikki planned everything and even helped me cook some of your favourite dishes and we both will feel bad if you leave before having dinner.’ Zoya said with a kicked puppy look seeing shaurya was about to protest about the dinner plan. Shaurya who saw this sighed in defeat for the billionth time and now understood how these two girls are best friends.

‘okay. I will have the dinner’ Shaurya said and they took their seats around the round table as the couples of waitress served them all of shaurya favourite foods. They started eating having some light conversations and parth even made shaurya laugh out loud with his antics and by pulling zoya and Anokhi’s legs occasionally. Shaurya once finished his meal looked at Anokhi who was saying something to shaan which made him laugh and shaurya felt good seeing his father carefree after so long. He never thought today will be filled with fun and laughter as he stopped celebrating his birthday once his mother left him and his father. But the strong headed girl sitting opposite to him changed his resentment towards his birthday and made this birthday a very special one. She made him smile genuinely on his birthday for the first time in years and he really didn’t know how to thank her for her sweet and kind gesture.

‘Sir.Would you like to have some dessert?’ Anokhi asked wiping her lips completing her meal.

‘Do I really have an option Anokhi? You are going to convince me to eat the dessert even if I say no with those puppy eyes of yours. So I will have the dessert’ Shaurya teased and other laughed at this while Anokhi pouted hearing this.

‘Sir this is so unfair. I don’t give any puppy eyes. Shaan sir, tell him that I don’t do such things’ Anokhi said to shaan hoping he will support her.

‘Sorry beta, but shaurya is right this time. You do use puppy eyes to get whatever you want’ Shaan said with a smile.

‘Yep.You both are right sir. And you actually look like a retriever puppy nikki. Irresistible and cute to be precise ’ Parth said joining the father son duo and Anokhi just glared at them in anger.

‘ You guys keep quiet and you shut your mouth parth. Stop teasing my poor Nikki. Don’t worry baby I will support you and don’t mind these mean men’ Zoya said pulling Anokhi to a side hug who smiled brightly hearing this.

‘Well only you find your friend poor zoya. To others, Miss. Bhalla is nothing but a trouble maker’ Shaurya said with a slight teasing smile and as he expected Anokhi gave him a glare.

‘Sir you…’ Anokhi started and shaan who can see another argument starting between them decided to intervene as he didn’t want to listen to another debate competition.

‘Okay stop it both of you. No more argument for the day. Let’s eat some dessert in peace and end the night without any debates’ Shaan said becoming a peace maker. Anokhi sat back on the chair with a huff and disappointment as she already formulated a series of arguments in her mind while shaurya just shook his head at her childishness and wondered how can someone be so matured, considerate and childish at once.

***

Shaurya was sitting inside the hut looking around the garden which looked so beautiful under the moonlight and the decorative lights. It was a beautiful hut restaurant located near a lake and he could see some duck swimming in the lake. He actually ended up liking the place and even planned to visit it in the future as the food tasted good and the aesthetic of the restaurant is calming and beautiful.

‘Thanks for the surprise Dad. I really loved it’ Shaurya said looking at shaan who was sitting beside him and texting to someone on the phone. The next moment Shaan locked his phone and Shaurya understood his father is actually texting Astha but he decided not to react about it as he is not ready to spoil his mood after the efforts Anokhi put to make him happy today.

‘If you really want to thank someone, thank Anokhi. She is the one who arranged all this. She actually helped me the entire morning and reached college only by noon. She even baked the cake after asking your favourite flavour. She is such a loving and compassionate soul shaurya. I hope she will always stay happy like this and achieve whatever she wants’ Shaan said with a kind smile looking at Anokhi who was now running around the garden as parth chased her with a snow spray which he actually bought for shaurya but couldn’t find the guts to use it on him.

‘I know dad. I wish the same’ Shaurya said with a smile as Anokhi started screaming as parth finally held her tightly in his arms and started spraying the snow spray on her face and hair. After few minutes of struggling Anokhi finally got away from parth’s hold and ran away towards the lake to escape from him. But before parth could follow her, zoya shouted his name and called him inside to help her with the dessert which made parth leave the garden with disappointment as he had another can of snow spray with him to trouble his best friend.

Once Parth left Anokhi sat on the bank of the lake taking some duck food from the bowl kept near a tree and started to feed them enjoying the cold breeze that caressed her face. Shaurya who finally found her alone decided to have a talk with her.

‘Dad I will be back having a word with Anokhi’ Shaurya said standing from the chair and joined Anokhi sitting beside her taking some duck food from the bowl like her to feed the ducks. Anokhi turned and just gave him a smile before focusing on the ducks again.

‘Thanks for the surprise and your efforts Anokhi. I am touched by your gesture and it made me really happy’ Shaurya said throwing the bread to the ducks.

‘You are welcome sir. I am actually nervous when I bought you here as I was not sure how you will react after kitty informed that you never celebrate your birthday thought she didn’t tell me the reason. So I am happy you enjoyed the night’ Anokhi said looking at shaurya.

‘I stopped celebrating my birthday after your mam left me’ Shaurya said after few seconds of silence as he wanted to share at least some of the burdens he carried with him all these years and Anokhi looked at him in surprise.

‘Sir you don’t have to tell me anything. I know I crossed a line yesterday and I don’t want to become an intruder again’ Anokhi said as she did not want the night to end with shaurya getting upset again because of her.

‘I know you are sorry Anokhi. But you are not intruding now and I want to share this with someone as its gets heavy at times to carry all the pain and disappointments inside me.’ Shaurya said looking at the moon with a lost look in his eyes.

‘Sir you can share anything with me and I promise I will never share any of it even with Zoya and parth’ Anokhi promised.

‘I used to celebrate my birthdays with my dad and her till she left us. It used to be only us on my birthdays, the three of us and our happiness in the little world we created for ourselves. She used to bake me my favourite cakes and cookies, get me my favourite toys and dresses as a gift and we three will end with spending the entire day laughing and enjoying every single moment playing my favourite sports like cricket, basket ball etc and I always ended up sleeping in her arms exhausted. And once she left no one could fill the void she left inside me. She never gave me any explanations and made me feel unwanted. She just abandoned me and left us out of blue Anokhi. And once she left dad became a different person and ignored me when I needed him the most. I now understand his heartbreak and pain, but back then I was just a kid. A kid who had no idea why his beautiful world filled with happiness shattered in one night and why I became an orphan when his both parents are very much alive. I will always be grateful for the love and care my family has for me and my badi maa took a great care of me. But it will never erase those nights where I ended up crying myself to sleep in fear and loneliness of losing my parents, those nights when I would wake up from a nightmare and there was no one to hug me tight in order to console me. It will never change the days where I waited for hours near my window praying for that woman to return and hug me with love and care. It will never change those weekends which I spend inside my room alone as my father was busy healing his broken heart and never had time to take me out or play with me. And as I started growing up I became used to this loneliness and accepted it as a part of my cursed fate. Nothing will ever change all this. The pain I felt is still raw, the tears I shed are still fresh and the nightmares I went through still hides in the corner of my memories Anokhi. And every birthday of mine ends up reminding me of the beautiful world I once had with my parents and the disappointment on realizing that I could never have that beautiful world back almost kills me every time. So I stopped celebrating my birthdays altogether. But today you made me smile again and made me realize I still have the hope to create that happy world once again in the future with a family of my own. And I would like to thank you for giving this new hope Anokhi’ Shaurya said as his eyes got wet and looked at Anokhi only to find tears rolling down her soft cheeks.

Shaurya on seeing her tears felt touched as he couldn’t believe Anokhi is actually crying for him. Seeing the kindness she is showing him caused Shaurya to feel many things which he couldn’t define.He took a kerchief from his pocket and placed it on her hand. Anokhi immediately wiped her and controlled herself from breaking down in front of him as she can’t even imagine the pain he went through as a kid.

‘I am sorry you went through so much sir. You never deserved any of this.I am glad you shared this with me as I know how much it will hurt to carry something heavy like this in your heart and mind for long and how much trust it takes to share something like this with someone. I know there is lot of pain you carry inside you and I wish you will meet someone soon who will understand you and your pain and will love you enough never to hurt you like this again. I am sure you will create your happy world again like you said and I will be happiest person when that happens sir’ Anokhi said with a smile placing her hand on the top of his which was on the grass.

‘Thank you for being you Anokhi. I will always remember this birthday and the how happy you made me feel’ Shaurya said wiping a lone tear that escaped her eyes and Anokhi felt warm by his touch. Once he wiped her tears he gave her a soft smile and both of them fed the ducks sitting in a comfortable silence till Shaan called them for the dessert.

***

‘Sir just a minute’ Anokhi said as shaurya was about to enter his car and took something from her bag.

‘Happy birthday sir’ Anokhi said giving his a small rectangular box wrapped in gift paper.

‘A gift? There is no need for this as you already did more than enough for me today’ Shaurya said taking the gift from her.

‘It’s just a small gift sir. I don’t like attending any birthday parties without gift. And you can’t even deny it as I will convince you to accept it in the end with my puppy eyes. So don’t even try to reject the gift’ Anokhi said with a smirk and Shaurya laughed hearing this.

‘Fine. Thanks once again for the gift and for the night. See you tomorrow in the class. Good night Anokhi’ Shaurya said keeping the gift in the pocket.

‘Good night sir.’ Anokhi said returning his smile and both of them left to their respective homes in their cars.

**

Shaurya sat on his bed after taking a bath once he reached his home and unwrapped Anokhi’s gift to find a card and a customized pen with S written on it.

‘May this birthday bring you the little happy world you deserve and make your soul happy. –Troublemaker’

Shaurya smiled reading the message written on the card in Anokhi’s handwritten and kept the card safe in his journal.

‘Thank you for such a unforgettable birthday Miss. Bhalla’ Shaurya muttered and laid on the bed switching off the lights. And for the first time after his mother left, shaurya slept with smile on his birthday night.

***

Anokhi who was sitting in the class the next day was bit nervous to face Shaurya as she was not sure how he will behave with her after last night. Though she know he was happy when he left, she was not sure whether he will face the angry shaurya today. After few minutes she sat straight on the bench as Shaurya entered the class and started taking the notes once he started his lecture. The entire lecture went smoothly and shaurya behaved indifferently with her which made her sigh in relief. Once the lecture was over she smiled brightly seeing shaurya writing with the pen she gifted him and after few seconds shaurya saw her looking at him and gave her a soft smile before leaving the class.

Anokhi was not sure what changed between them after last night, but she was sure something changed and maybe the smile he gave him in the starting point of beautiful friendship filled with respect, care and understanding. With this satisfaction Anokhi left the class to the cafeteria to have some snacks with her friends planning a revenge on parth with Zoya to get back at him for the stunt he pulled on her with the snow spray.

Shaurya who walked out of the class kept the pen in his pocket and smiled remembering the happiness on her face seeing him using the pen and wondered how Anokhi finds happiness even in such small things. He know his perspective about her changed last night and now he can clearly see the kind of girl she is without the prejudice as Astha’s student and he felt happy to know finally someone understood his feelings. He can already feel a special and unique friendship forming between them and for the first time in his life, Shaurya sabherwal felt so eager to welcome this new friendship without any doubts and with complete trust.

The End

Thanks a lot for the reads and let me know your feedbacks.

Love,

Reyna.

Originally posted by: ReynaMatthew

Chapter: 2

Anokhi looked Shaurya nervously as he drove the car inside the gates of the restaurant and hoped everything will go as planned. She just wanted to make shaurya happy on his birthday in return for everything he did for her and hoped he will like the surprise and will not feel uncomfortable. She only invited shaan as she is not close with anyone else in the sabharwal family. Even though she wanted to invite kitty, she know it will feel awkward inviting her alone so Anokhi decided to arrange a small party with Parth, Zoya, shaan and her. Today is his birthday and his feelings mattered to her more than anyone else. She was not aware of the reason why he never celebrated his birthday so she is not ready to take any risk of making him upset again but inviting anyone impulsively.

Shaurya who turned off the engine looked at Anokhi who was lost in her thoughts and got out the car to open her door. Once he opened her door he placed his hand on his shoulder and Anokhi looked at him coming out of her thoughts.

‘We have reached the restaurant Miss.Bhalla’ Shaurya informed and Anokhi got of the car taking her bag.

‘Thanks for the lift sir. Would you like to have some drink in the restaurant?’ Anokhi said as she couldn’t find any better reason to invite him inside.

‘No Miss. Bhalla,It’s already late and I have to reach home soon for dinner’ Shaurya lied as he had no plans of going home tonight and planned to spend the night alone in a resort like every year he does on his birthday.

‘But sir it’s already late and it will take an hour for you to reach home. So at least have some juice before you leave. I will feel bad if you leave in an empty stomach as I am not reason you didn’t have your dinner till now.’ Anokhi said giving him her infamous puppy eyes and Shaurya’s heart immediately melted seeing it.

‘But Anokhi…’ Shaurya started to give some excuse to leave but Anokhi interrupted him before he could give another excuse.

‘Please sir. I insist. Consider it as my apology for troubling you yesterday.’Anokhi said with a pout.

‘Damn her and her puppy eyes’ Shaurya thoughts as he found hard to say no seeing her pout.

‘Fine! I will have something to drink.’ Shaurya said and Anokhi smiled in victory.

‘Thank you sir. Now let’s go inside’ Anokhi said and almost rushed inside the restaurant while Shaurya followed her locking the door with a defeated sigh.

Once they entered the restaurant shaurya looked around in confusion as it was empty without a single customer. He found Anokhi in a corner talking animatedly with zoya who was in an apron and walked towards them. Zoya who saw him left Anokhi alone after taking something some from the table and shaurya got suspicious now.

‘Miss. Bhalla what are you up to now? I can clearly see something is cooking in that troublemaker mind of yours.’ Shaurya asked and Anokhi controlled herself from rolled her eyes at his accusation as she didn’t want to look disrespectful or rude in front of her professor.

‘Sir why do you always think I am up to something when I just want to help? You are being so unfair sir’ Anokhi said and crossed her arms on her chest with a huff which made shaurya smile as he started to find her anger amusing.

‘Fine I will stop being unfair. But can I know what I am doing in an empty restaurant?’ Shaurya asked.

‘The restaurant is empty because it’s past the closing time.’ Anokhi replied praying her mobile will vibrate soon to let her know she can bring shaurya to the back of the restaurant where the final arrangements of the party is going on.

‘And why did you ask me to drop you here when you already know we won’t reach before the closing time?’ Shaurya started asking questions and Anokhi felt she is in a presentation hall attending a project viva.

‘Sir, will you be please stop questioning me like a viva invigilator and just wait for couple of minutes? Parth is cleaning the tables in the back and he will call us once he is done.’ Anokhi said in frustration as she is running out of excuses. Shaurya who saw her frustration decided to keep quiet as he can see she is on the verge of bursting out in anger and he is not in a mood to have another argument with her.For the next few minutes both of them stood in a complete silence while Shaurya got busy in looking at the interior of the restaurant and Anokhi got busy in her mobile.

Anokhi sighed in relief when she received a text from parth informing her that everything is ready and looked at shaurya who was now sitting on a table reading a magazine.

‘Sir the table is ready let’s go’ Anokhi said and took his to the backyard of the restaurant. Once they entered the backyard shaurya stopped in his tracks to see a big banner with ‘HAPPY BIRTHDAY SHAURYA’ written on it and the entire garden was decorated with rice lights and balloons.

‘Miss. Bhalla what is all this? Please don’t tell me it is another plan of yours to help your Astha mam.’ Shaurya said in a cold tone and Anokhi almost flinched seeing the coldness in his eyes.

‘Sir I promise you Astha mam is not involved in this. I just wanted to make your birthday special this year on your birthday in return for everything you did for me. So please don’t get angry and leave before celebrating. It’s my request sir’ Anokhi said and shaurya’s eyes became soft seeing the truth in her words.

‘If your Astha mam is not involved then who informed you about my birthday?’ Shaurya asked and Anokhi sighed seeing the coldness leaving his eyes and tone.

‘Kitty mentioned about your birthday this morning in the class and I planned this with zoya, parth and shaan sir. As I said in the car I understand your resentment towards Astha mam and I will not interfere in the matter again sir. Please trust me’ Anokhi said and shaurya nodded.

‘I trust you. Take me to the table.’ Shaurya said and Anokhi started walking ahead of him to the table where others are waiting for them.

After couple of seconds they reached the table and shaurya saw Anokhi’s two partners in crime and his father waiting for them with a smile. He smiled back at them once they reached the table and zoya gave him the knife to cut the cake. Shaurya who got the knife looked at a smiling Anokhi who is standing beside his father and smiled inwardly wondering why she cares about others so much.

‘Cut the cake beta’ Shaan said placing a hand on his back and Shaurya started cutting the cake as other clapped and sang Happy Birthday. First the son and father fed each other the cake and then shaurya fed the cake to parth, zoya and finally Anokhi.

‘Happy birthday beta. May this birthday bring you all the happiness, success and whatever your heart seeks.’ Shaan wishes hugging him and shaurya hugged his father back with a smile.

‘Thanks dad.’ Shaurya said and the other three smiled seeing this. After few moments shaan broke the hug wiped a lone tear escaped his eyes seeing his son happy on his birthday after many years.

‘Okay if the cake cutting is done let’s have our dinner as I am famished now and shaurya sir please don’t say anything as Nikki planned everything and even helped me cook some of your favourite dishes and we both will feel bad if you leave before having dinner.’ Zoya said with a kicked puppy look seeing shaurya was about to protest about the dinner plan. Shaurya who saw this sighed in defeat for the billionth time and now understood how these two girls are best friends.

‘okay. I will have the dinner’ Shaurya said and they took their seats around the round table as the couples of waitress served them all of shaurya favourite foods. They started eating having some light conversations and parth even made shaurya laugh out loud with his antics and by pulling zoya and Anokhi’s legs occasionally. Shaurya once finished his meal looked at Anokhi who was saying something to shaan which made him laugh and shaurya felt good seeing his father carefree after so long. He never thought today will be filled with fun and laughter as he stopped celebrating his birthday once his mother left him and his father. But the strong headed girl sitting opposite to him changed his resentment towards his birthday and made this birthday a very special one. She made him smile genuinely on his birthday for the first time in years and he really didn’t know how to thank her for her sweet and kind gesture.

‘Sir.Would you like to have some dessert?’ Anokhi asked wiping her lips completing her meal.

‘Do I really have an option Anokhi? You are going to convince me to eat the dessert even if I say no with those puppy eyes of yours. So I will have the dessert’ Shaurya teased and other laughed at this while Anokhi pouted hearing this.

‘Sir this is so unfair. I don’t give any puppy eyes. Shaan sir, tell him that I don’t do such things’ Anokhi said to shaan hoping he will support her.

‘Sorry beta, but shaurya is right this time. You do use puppy eyes to get whatever you want’ Shaan said with a smile.

‘Yep.You both are right sir. And you actually look like a retriever puppy nikki. Irresistible and cute to be precise ’ Parth said joining the father son duo and Anokhi just glared at them in anger.

‘ You guys keep quiet and you shut your mouth parth. Stop teasing my poor Nikki. Don’t worry baby I will support you and don’t mind these mean men’ Zoya said pulling Anokhi to a side hug who smiled brightly hearing this.

‘Well only you find your friend poor zoya. To others, Miss. Bhalla is nothing but a trouble maker’ Shaurya said with a slight teasing smile and as he expected Anokhi gave him a glare.

‘Sir you…’ Anokhi started and shaan who can see another argument starting between them decided to intervene as he didn’t want to listen to another debate competition.

‘Okay stop it both of you. No more argument for the day. Let’s eat some dessert in peace and end the night without any debates’ Shaan said becoming a peace maker. Anokhi sat back on the chair with a huff and disappointment as she already formulated a series of arguments in her mind while shaurya just shook his head at her childishness and wondered how can someone be so matured, considerate and childish at once.

***

Shaurya was sitting inside the hut looking around the garden which looked so beautiful under the moonlight and the decorative lights. It was a beautiful hut restaurant located near a lake and he could see some duck swimming in the lake. He actually ended up liking the place and even planned to visit it in the future as the food tasted good and the aesthetic of the restaurant is calming and beautiful.

‘Thanks for the surprise Dad. I really loved it’ Shaurya said looking at shaan who was sitting beside him and texting to someone on the phone. The next moment Shaan locked his phone and Shaurya understood his father is actually texting Astha but he decided not to react about it as he is not ready to spoil his mood after the efforts Anokhi put to make him happy today.

‘If you really want to thank someone, thank Anokhi. She is the one who arranged all this. She actually helped me the entire morning and reached college only by noon. She even baked the cake after asking your favourite flavour. She is such a loving and compassionate soul shaurya. I hope she will always stay happy like this and achieve whatever she wants’ Shaan said with a kind smile looking at Anokhi who was now running around the garden as parth chased her with a snow spray which he actually bought for shaurya but couldn’t find the guts to use it on him.

‘I know dad. I wish the same’ Shaurya said with a smile as Anokhi started screaming as parth finally held her tightly in his arms and started spraying the snow spray on her face and hair. After few minutes of struggling Anokhi finally got away from parth’s hold and ran away towards the lake to escape from him. But before parth could follow her, zoya shouted his name and called him inside to help her with the dessert which made parth leave the garden with disappointment as he had another can of snow spray with him to trouble his best friend.

Once Parth left Anokhi sat on the bank of the lake taking some duck food from the bowl kept near a tree and started to feed them enjoying the cold breeze that caressed her face. Shaurya who finally found her alone decided to have a talk with her.

‘Dad I will be back having a word with Anokhi’ Shaurya said standing from the chair and joined Anokhi sitting beside her taking some duck food from the bowl like her to feed the ducks. Anokhi turned and just gave him a smile before focusing on the ducks again.

‘Thanks for the surprise and your efforts Anokhi. I am touched by your gesture and it made me really happy’ Shaurya said throwing the bread to the ducks.

‘You are welcome sir. I am actually nervous when I bought you here as I was not sure how you will react after kitty informed that you never celebrate your birthday thought she didn’t tell me the reason. So I am happy you enjoyed the night’ Anokhi said looking at shaurya.

‘I stopped celebrating my birthday after your mam left me’ Shaurya said after few seconds of silence as he wanted to share at least some of the burdens he carried with him all these years and Anokhi looked at him in surprise.

‘Sir you don’t have to tell me anything. I know I crossed a line yesterday and I don’t want to become an intruder again’ Anokhi said as she did not want the night to end with shaurya getting upset again because of her.

‘I know you are sorry Anokhi. But you are not intruding now and I want to share this with someone as its gets heavy at times to carry all the pain and disappointments inside me.’ Shaurya said looking at the moon with a lost look in his eyes.

‘Sir you can share anything with me and I promise I will never share any of it even with Zoya and parth’ Anokhi promised.

‘I used to celebrate my birthdays with my dad and her till she left us. It used to be only us on my birthdays, the three of us and our happiness in the little world we created for ourselves. She used to bake me my favourite cakes and cookies, get me my favourite toys and dresses as a gift and we three will end with spending the entire day laughing and enjoying every single moment playing my favourite sports like cricket, basket ball etc and I always ended up sleeping in her arms exhausted. And once she left no one could fill the void she left inside me. She never gave me any explanations and made me feel unwanted. She just abandoned me and left us out of blue Anokhi. And once she left dad became a different person and ignored me when I needed him the most. I now understand his heartbreak and pain, but back then I was just a kid. A kid who had no idea why his beautiful world filled with happiness shattered in one night and why I became an orphan when his both parents are very much alive. I will always be grateful for the love and care my family has for me and my badi maa took a great care of me. But it will never erase those nights where I ended up crying myself to sleep in fear and loneliness of losing my parents, those nights when I would wake up from a nightmare and there was no one to hug me tight in order to console me. It will never change the days where I waited for hours near my window praying for that woman to return and hug me with love and care. It will never change those weekends which I spend inside my room alone as my father was busy healing his broken heart and never had time to take me out or play with me. And as I started growing up I became used to this loneliness and accepted it as a part of my cursed fate. Nothing will ever change all this. The pain I felt is still raw, the tears I shed are still fresh and the nightmares I went through still hides in the corner of my memories Anokhi. And every birthday of mine ends up reminding me of the beautiful world I once had with my parents and the disappointment on realizing that I could never have that beautiful world back almost kills me every time. So I stopped celebrating my birthdays altogether. But today you made me smile again and made me realize I still have the hope to create that happy world once again in the future with a family of my own. And I would like to thank you for giving this new hope Anokhi’ Shaurya said as his eyes got wet and looked at Anokhi only to find tears rolling down her soft cheeks.

Shaurya on seeing her tears felt touched as he couldn’t believe Anokhi is actually crying for him. Seeing the kindness she is showing him caused Shaurya to feel many things which he couldn’t define.He took a kerchief from his pocket and placed it on her hand. Anokhi immediately wiped her and controlled herself from breaking down in front of him as she can’t even imagine the pain he went through as a kid.

‘I am sorry you went through so much sir. You never deserved any of this.I am glad you shared this with me as I know how much it will hurt to carry something heavy like this in your heart and mind for long and how much trust it takes to share something like this with someone. I know there is lot of pain you carry inside you and I wish you will meet someone soon who will understand you and your pain and will love you enough never to hurt you like this again. I am sure you will create your happy world again like you said and I will be happiest person when that happens sir’ Anokhi said with a smile placing her hand on the top of his which was on the grass.

‘Thank you for being you Anokhi. I will always remember this birthday and the how happy you made me feel’ Shaurya said wiping a lone tear that escaped her eyes and Anokhi felt warm by his touch. Once he wiped her tears he gave her a soft smile and both of them fed the ducks sitting in a comfortable silence till Shaan called them for the dessert.

***

‘Sir just a minute’ Anokhi said as shaurya was about to enter his car and took something from her bag.

‘Happy birthday sir’ Anokhi said giving his a small rectangular box wrapped in gift paper.

‘A gift? There is no need for this as you already did more than enough for me today’ Shaurya said taking the gift from her.

‘It’s just a small gift sir. I don’t like attending any birthday parties without gift. And you can’t even deny it as I will convince you to accept it in the end with my puppy eyes. So don’t even try to reject the gift’ Anokhi said with a smirk and Shaurya laughed hearing this.

‘Fine. Thanks once again for the gift and for the night. See you tomorrow in the class. Good night Anokhi’ Shaurya said keeping the gift in the pocket.

‘Good night sir.’ Anokhi said returning his smile and both of them left to their respective homes in their cars.

**

Shaurya sat on his bed after taking a bath once he reached his home and unwrapped Anokhi’s gift to find a card and a customized pen with S written on it.

‘May this birthday bring you the little happy world you deserve and make your soul happy. –Troublemaker’

Shaurya smiled reading the message written on the card in Anokhi’s handwritten and kept the card safe in his journal.

‘Thank you for such a unforgettable birthday Miss. Bhalla’ Shaurya muttered and laid on the bed switching off the lights. And for the first time after his mother left, shaurya slept with smile on his birthday night.

***

Anokhi who was sitting in the class the next day was bit nervous to face Shaurya as she was not sure how he will behave with her after last night. Though she know he was happy when he left, she was not sure whether he will face the angry shaurya today. After few minutes she sat straight on the bench as Shaurya entered the class and started taking the notes once he started his lecture. The entire lecture went smoothly and shaurya behaved indifferently with her which made her sigh in relief. Once the lecture was over she smiled brightly seeing shaurya writing with the pen she gifted him and after few seconds shaurya saw her looking at him and gave her a soft smile before leaving the class.

Anokhi was not sure what changed between them after last night, but she was sure something changed and maybe the smile he gave him in the starting point of beautiful friendship filled with respect, care and understanding. With this satisfaction Anokhi left the class to the cafeteria to have some snacks with her friends planning a revenge on parth with Zoya to get back at him for the stunt he pulled on her with the snow spray.

Shaurya who walked out of the class kept the pen in his pocket and smiled remembering the happiness on her face seeing him using the pen and wondered how Anokhi finds happiness even in such small things. He know his perspective about her changed last night and now he can clearly see the kind of girl she is without the prejudice as Astha’s student and he felt happy to know finally someone understood his feelings. He can already feel a special and unique friendship forming between them and for the first time in his life, Shaurya sabherwal felt so eager to welcome this new friendship without any doubts and with complete trust.

The End

Thanks a lot for the reads and let me know your feedbacks.

Love,

Reyna.

This is soooooo cute!!!! AAAHHHH loved it!!!❤️

The end is so beautiful. Thanks for this story dear ♥️

Reyna lovely end....

❤️

Awesome updt

Loved it so much♥️

Shaurya shared his pain wid Anokhi

Nd finally a start of new frndship

So so beautiful!

Loved how you ended it on a subtle note!!!

Please do write more stuff on them❤❤