Ali and Shiva ll

April 7, 2023

"You don't work at all, and all you do is just play around. People are even starting to catch your habits all around you." Aarvi said, as she looked at Ali sitting like an emperor on that rolling chair and playing with his phone. "And why were you dragging Shiva in your drama too. You didn't finish any of your projects did you?"

Hearing Aarvi's constant shouts Ali finally snapped out of his thoughts, his brain still processing the fact that she looks more pretty when she's angry.

Seeing him acting like an idiot Aarvi sighed again, and thought if she really should kick this guy out of her company. If not for the fact that they've known each other for years and had been friends since childhood, she really didn't want someone who's so lost in love around her, and would kick him away so as not to be bothered by useless thoughts and focus on her future.

Especially now when her company is about to sign the biggest deal of her career with a major company and several new investors next month.

"Why don't you take a few days off Ali, go home, visit aunty and uncle. It's been a while, right?" Aarvi said to him trying to send him away, so she can put all her focus on work without being bothered.

"No need, my mom's coming here tomorrow." Ali said, clearly seeing what she wanted but being shameless and ignoring it.

How can he go back? He made a bet with his sister that the next time he returns home he'll bring Aarvi as her sister in law with him. If he went back empty handed like this, that little devil at home would really tattoo the title of 'licking dog' on his forehead.

'It'll be too weird to be called like that every day, right?' Ali thought, and refused to let go. He was sure he could win her heart soon. Even his horoscope said that his life is about to change. 'Maybe Aarvi will finally say yes to me soon.' Thinking about this fantasy a charming smile came to his face, which only further angered Aarvi.

"You're a lost cause." Aarvi said and turned around to leave. "I'll just talk to your mom about you, and have her take you back."

Looking at her leaving back, Ali who had just gotten out of his reverie, froze again. He didn't stop staring at her back until she finally turned a corner and disappeared from his view.

'Man, she's perfect no matter which angle I see her.' He thought and closed his eyes, as his brain played the image of her figure again in his head.

Her brunette hair that cascaded down her shoulders, with delicate curls at the tips that added a touch of allure. The round glasses that framed her captivating, little brownish eyes, giving her an intelligent and cute presence. The black suit she wore over her casual blue T-shirt which merged both her casual and corporate looks. The fitting pants which covered her perfectly shaped legs, while matching with her black shoes.

Ali moved his hands in the air like an artist creating and appreciating a perfect sculpture as he imagined Aarvi perfectly.

'Damn am I acting like a pervert filled with lust.' Ali thought as he suddenly realized his actions weren't really suitable for a gentleman like him, but then he looked ahead, and saw the figure of Aarvi. He waved his hand, clearing his imagination and said to himself 'Nah, it's just love.'

"Let's just focus on some work, or if she comes back again, she'll be even more angry this time." Ali said to himself, trying to encourage his lazy self.

"It's only your love that forced me to do everything my love, otherwise why is there any need for the heir of Parker family to everything like a normal nobody." Ali said while looking at the wallpaper on his phone which held a selfie of him and Aarvi at some function. 'And you still don't see my love as worthy.'

After banging his head on the table and wasting half his brain cells trying to do all the techy stuff that gave him a headache, Ali finally closed everything and decided to play his games to relax his mind a little, when he received a message on his phone.

[Simon 23- Shiva had another panic attack a few minutes ago. It looked worse than the one last time, Larry and others wanted to tell HR about it.]

Reading the message, Ali furrowed his brow and then called the guy, Simon was someone who was working on the same floor and team as Shiva. So Ali still had some little impression of the man. - "Is he still there?" He directly asked after the call was connected.

"No, he went out immediately afterwards. About those guys telling HR _ " Simon answered and asked his question again when Ali cut him off while saying.

"I'll go check on him. Just shut those guys, and finish his work if anything's left for the day or two." He said and cut the call.

Ali picked up his phone and the car keys from the table and left the office. Since Shiva left his office after the attack he could guess that he either went to the rooftop to just be alone or outside to smoke.

But seeing how it was almost time for their shift end, he crossed the rooftop and went out. And he was right, Soon enough, outside their building he saw Shiva standing near a stall smoking a cigarette.

"So you were here. Chilling outside after ratting me out to Aarvi huh." He said as he sat near him and pulled the packet of cigarettes away from him.

"Not right now, Ali." Shiva said.

"What do you mean not now, do you know Aarvi directly stormed into my office and she was looking so pretty. Umghh I mean pretty angry." Ali started saying with a fake cough to hide his embarrassment "Do you know how hard I had to try to make her calm. She was shouting and looking so angry at me. And you know what, she was even wearing that dress that I _ "

"Not in the mood, Ali." Shiva said, staring at Ali. Interrupting his efforts of trying to change his mood or stopping whatever thoughts he was having.

"Another attack." Ali said, as he let go of trying to change the topic. Shiva just nodded his head in response as he took a big puff of cigarette and watched the smoke disappear in the air. "How many times does that make it?" Ali asked, about how many panic attacks had he gotten in just this past month now.

"8, if you count the one where you helped me yesterday." Shiva said in a serious tone. Now knowing what he could do to stop all his stress and issues.

"So what're you planning to do, if you want I can arrange for you to go and talk to your family or Shweta." Ali said as he felt helpless to help his friend.

"I told you not to talk about them in front of me.'' Shiva said to him while glaring at him, as a sudden anger and pain appeared in his eyes. Thinking about it, maybe with their help he could really be healed, and all his mental problems could really be solved. But then again, if not for them, he wouldn't have any stress in the first place to begin with.

'And besides, it's not like any of them want to help me or care about me.' Shiva thought as he shook his head with a smile and threw away the cigarette butt which was burning his fingers.

"Then just come with me. Let's go back to my house." Ali said worriedly, seeing no other option. Maybe once Shiva was in a familial environment and was away from all the work and everything else, he could help him. Or if he couldn't, then maybe his mom, or dad, or Eva could help him.

Ali's suggestion came so suddenly that Shiva was stunned for a few seconds afterwards.

Ali even forgot about his bet with Eva, or that he'd lose it if he went back like this, but he didn't care about it at that moment. If Shiva's attack was so serious this time, then a few days later when the anniversary of all his suffering came, would he suffer another major attack. What if no one is there to help him at that time, he didn't want to take a chance and risk losing his friend.

He had many friends in his life, yet most of them were either just fakes or plastic friends, or those who just wanted to get close to him to use him or his family's name. Or those who'd act good in front of him but start badmouthing and laughing at him, calling him a dog licker behind him.

Yet Shiva was one of the few people around him, who didn't have any ulterior motives for him. Ali may have stayed in the capital mainly for Aarvi, but he liked it here because he also got a good friend here too.

Seeing the worried look on Ali's face, Shiva patted his shoulder, smiled and said, "Just leave me alone for a while and I'll be fine."

"Don't worry about it too much. I still have to help you get your girl and a happy ending, remember, so just forget about it."

Shiva said to Ali, stood up and left.

Ali, who was sitting there alone kept looking at him going away, lost in his thoughts. He took out his mobile and opened the messenger app, looking at the single contact he had saved on that site.

Shweta - Call me, if he ever needs help.

Looking at the message he waited for a while, thinking if he should call her or not.

But in the end, he ignored it and closed his phone again. "Maybe he's right and everything will be over soon enough."