Chapter 5: Pyaar Ka Theorem

Next Morning – Breakfast Table

Anika entered the dining area, stretching lazily.

Anika (yawning): "Good morning, Uncle!"

Silence.

She blinked. Oh right. Shivay’s dad had left for his business trip. The only person sitting at the table was Shivay, dressed in his usual crisp clothes, eating his neatly arranged breakfast like a robot.

Anika made a face.

Anika (muttering): "Iss ladke ki life mein adventure naam ki cheez hai bhi ya nahi?"

She plopped down across from him and grabbed a toast. Shivay didn’t even look up.

Anika (smirking): "Oye Mr. Topper, kal raat ko sapne mein bhi math solve kar rahe the kya?"

Shivay finally glanced at her.

Shivay: "No. Unlike you, I don’t waste my time on useless things."

Anika (gasps dramatically): "Matlab mera existence hi useless hai?!"

Shivay (deadpan): "Tumne khud kaha, maine nahi."

Anika rolled her eyes.

Anika: "Chhaddo! Waise aaj kya hai schedule?"

Shivay wiped his mouth with a napkin and stood up.

Shivay: "Aaj tumhara test hai."

Anika (choking on her toast): "TEST?!"

Shivay smirked at her reaction.

Shivay: "Haan. Tumhe dekhna hai ki tumne kuch seekha ya nahi."

Anika clutched her head.

Anika: "Matlab ek din ki padhai se topper ban jaungi kya?"

Shivay (shrugging): "Woh toh tumhare intelligence par depend karta hai."

Anika groaned.

Anika: "Tumhe dukh nahi hota mujhe itna stress dete hue?"

Shivay: "Nope. Chalo, padhne chalte hain."

Anika sighed dramatically but followed him anyway.

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Study Room – The Ultimate Test

Shivay placed a few sheets in front of Anika and sat across from her with his arms crossed.

Shivay: "You have 30 minutes. Start."

Anika gulped. Itna pressure toh reality shows mein bhi nahi hota!

She picked up the pen and started answering. As expected, some questions confused her, and she tried stealing glances at Shivay, but the strict professor mode was on.

Shivay (sternly): "No cheating, Anika."

Anika pouted but continued.

When the time was up, Shivay took the paper and began checking. His expressions didn’t change, which made Anika even more nervous.

Anika (whispering): "Bas 2 ya 3 number aaye toh mujhe hostel bhej denge!"

After a few minutes, Shivay placed the paper on the table and looked at her.

Shivay: "Not bad."

Anika gasped.

Anika: "Kya? Matlab fail nahi hui?!"

Shivay shook his head.

Shivay: "No. Tumne 15 out of 20 score kiya."

Anika’s jaw dropped.

Anika: "Sach?! Matlab main intelligent hoon?!"

Shivay raised an eyebrow.

Shivay: "Overconfidence nahi, please."

Anika jumped up excitedly.

Anika: "Mereko bhi pehli baar lag raha hai ki shayad main padh sakti hoon!"

Shivay sighed, but secretly, he was impressed.

Shivay (thinking): "Yeh ladki expect nahi kar rahi thi ki yeh kuch seekh bhi sakti hai. But she did. Maybe she just needed the right push."

Anika beamed at him.

Anika: "Oye, Mr. Topper, tumne sahi mein mujhe padha diya! Mujhe toh tum par shaq tha!"

Shivay smirked slightly.

Shivay: "Tumhe toh har cheez pe shaq hota hai."

Anika grinned but then narrowed her eyes.

Anika: "Par ab main bhi tumse ek test loongi!"

Shivay frowned.

Shivay: "Mujhse? Kis cheez ka?"

Anika tapped her chin thoughtfully.

Anika: "Hmm… tum toh ek robot ki tarah ho. Sirf padhai, padhai, aur padhai! Kya tum pyaar ka theorem solve kar sakte ho?"

Shivay’s smirk disappeared.

Shivay: "Pyaar ka theorem?"

Anika (nodding seriously): "Haan. Tum maths samajh sakte ho, lekin tumhe pyaar ke formulas ka kuch nahi pata!"

Shivay scoffed.

Shivay: "That’s because love isn’t logical. It’s just an illusion."

Anika gasped dramatically.

Anika: "How dare you?!"

Shivay rolled his eyes.

Shivay: "Tumhare liye shayad love important hoga, but for me, it’s a waste of time."

Anika placed both hands on the table and leaned forward, smirking.

Anika: "Challenge?"

Shivay narrowed his eyes.

Shivay: "Kis cheez ka?"

Anika: "Main tumhe ek hafte ke andar yeh prove kar ke dikhaungi ki pyaar logical bhi ho sakta hai aur zaroori bhi."

Shivay let out a small laugh.

Shivay: "Tum pagal ho."

Anika: "Maybe. But ab challenge de diya, toh ab tum bhaag nahi sakte, Mr. Topper."

Shivay stared at her, realizing that she was dead serious.

And just like that, a new challenge had begun.

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To Be Continued…