Eklavya

Chapter XXXI

Days went by way too fast than Anamika would've liked. Both Eklavya and her were walking slowly and steadily on the sidelines of this newfound road.

Eklavya was not a very expressive person. And it had irked her on numerous occasions, that he was so roundabout about his emotions, his feelings, and his over-mulled thoughts.

But she was gradually coming on terms with it. The other reason could be that he too was trying in his ways. As it reflected in his small but thoughtful gestures.

That was the extent of the change with him, other than that he was still the same Eklavya. Same smirk and the same curt jabs.

Anamika scrunched her nose, feeling a slight irritation, and then quickly put her hands on her face before loudly sneezing. She was officially sick with a cold before the finals of Eklavya's football match.

Screw her! And screw the whole damn world! Why did she have to go out the previous day? if she hadn't then she wouldn't have gotten stuck in the rain and let it soak through her clothes, seeping into her skin.

Shivangi came inside her room with a ginger and honey tea in her hands. "Here Anu! Drink this! you'll feel better." She handed the hot glass carefully in her sister's slightly cold palms.

Anamika finished the homemade cure in one go. She handed the now empty glass back to Shivangi, who caressed her face lovingly.

"How are you feeling, right now?" she asked.

"Honestly, I've seen better days," Anamika replied in a croaked voice. Due to the cold, her throat felt all sore and parched, effectively resulting in her voice twinning with that of a toad.

"I can see that," Shivangi said, pointing towards her hoarse voice. "Why are you not eating your medicines, Anu? It is only going to worsen your cold? She exclaimed with a bit of frustration.

"Because I don't like taking medicines. Just a few days and I'll be back to my original form." Anamika said pointedly, "Of course, all thanks to this ginger-lemon drink that you make for me with these loving hands."

"Oh! Enough with the flattery, you stubborn mule!" Shivangi said nonchalantly. And started to make her way out and suddenly she stopped. Swiveling around, she said, "By the way! Advay dropped by while you were asleep. He asked me to give you some packages. I'd placed it inside your wardrobe."

Well now, hearing that perked up Anamika's interest. "When did he come?" she quizzed.

"Around an hour ago or two," Shivangi replied offhandedly before leaving and shutting the wooden door with a thud.

Suddenly, it clicked and Anamika remembered what she had asked him to do. Wasting no time, she stumbled out of the sheets and ran frantically to her wardrobe. Yanking it open, she quickly located a paper bag.

"Oops! I forget about it." she clicked her tongue and hurriedly bolted her door.

Walking back to her half-opened wardrobe, where the colorful paper bag twinkled back at her. Anamika, with hitched breaths and frail, hesitant hands slowly pulled out the thing from the paper bag.

Anamika winced slightly as she bit on her chapped lips, coming out of her trance she silently stared at it, before hugging it close to her chest and basking in its scent. Feeling the warmth, for which her body and soul ached.

"Eklavya." She whispered lovingly in the silence of her room.

~*~*~*~*~

Drops of steaming hot water rolled down his lean yet muscular body. Dark locks covered the equally dark orbs, only to be pushed by Eklavya's long fingers.