Chapter 21

He brings his knuckle to tap on the Door but stops abruptly ,This had been the Fifth time He had been trying to tap Call out to her , "You Can Omkara Go Ahead ! " A voice plays on his mind . Taking a deep breath He taps this time . *Knock* *Knock*

"Maa I Am Not Hungry I wanna Sleep " Gauri whines from inside .

"Gauri It's Me ,Omkara !" , Silence prevails Standing out for More than Ten minutes , Om Sighs and turns on his heels and takes a step forward but a Creak on the Door Stops him from taking another step .

Slightly Opening Halfway She Looks at him who has his back to her . Contemplating whether to turn around or just to Walk away Omkara turns around .. She lowers her gaze to the Floor counting the number of tiles attached maybe . Om's Lips hooks up Taking a Step Forward So that He is Standing just an inch way from her He tilts his face down and blows on her ear making her tingle as a rosy tinge creeps up her neck stopping on her dimple cheeks .His Lips widens seeing the effect Hehas on her .

"Tiny Creature?" He teases playfully ..Before She could avoid a grin breaks out on her face She had missed him call her that .. Seeing her Smile He Bites his lower lip trying to stop himself From widening his smile this is What He wanted Seeing the Hurt in her eyes a Hour back He could not Sleep .

*Sneeze * *Sneeze* ,

"I Knew this" Om says worriedly seeing her Sneezing out loudly her button nose turning red

" All this is because of you " She accuses *sneeze* ,

"How ?" He asks frowning Wrapping his arm around her forearm .

"I got wet in rain because of –" He stops on his steps and turns around to Face her ..

She stops and as in reflex She shifts her gaze . His irises flickers in a different emotion .. He bores his gaze into hers and gives her smile before His hands on her forearm slip down caressing her hands and entangles them with her fingers , Giving yet another smile He turns looking to his front as They walk side by side . Her Focus not shifting from his Face That instant She Knew that there was something About that gaze of his She'll never Find in another man.

dil charkhe ki ik tu Dori
sufi iska rang, haaye
ismein jo tera khwaab piroya
neendein bani patang

Om stops his pace and turns around as to Why She stopped .to Find her Questioning Gaze .

"Come in !" He calls out to Her , She blinks her eyes twice

"You Calling Me In? , That too to your Room?" She asks as if it was a wonder .

Om nods throwing his head laughing . " I Guess I need to Bark to Get you in !" He teases. Each time She had Come to His Room He had ended up lashing out her .

"I am Not Coming!" She tells sternly and turns around on her heels to Walk back to her Room which is just to his right but Is pulled back in a Force Due to their entanglement Of their Fingers .

Her head Hits on his chest as He wraps his arms around her waist Pulling her more closer Least She falls ..She Looks up from his embrace ..

"Come" He whispers tenderly ..She shakes her head negatively ..

"Ziddi Haan?" He winks at her before She could ponder She shrieks and cups her mouth quickly least Someone walks in hearing Voice to see her Like this in his arms . Om Lets out a chuckle Her arms comes around his neck .

He Looks down at her amused "Do I have an Option ? , Least I Broke My Leg" ,

He presses his lips in a thin line trying to stop the grin that trying to break out .She hides her smile putting up a Façade that She is not enjoying being in his arms .."I Warn you Gauri you will get Hurt ! " The Brain drops in by .. The Voice does not reach her ear dreams as She moves closer placing her head on his Shoulder .

Dil bharta nahi
aankhein rajti nahi
chaahe kitna bhi dekhti jaaoon
waqt jaaye main rok na paaoon

"Drink !" He Holds the Coffee Mug Infront of her ..She widens her eyes .

"You Okay Omkara?" She asks touching his forehead with the back of her hand ..

"Why What Happened? I am Perfectly Fine " He tells confused taking her palm down entangling her fingers with his An act done unconsciously ..

"Why are you being too Sweet?" She asks him unable to hide her curiosity He had a mug of coffee for them . He takes a deep breath Even He has No answers . *Sneeze* *Sneeze* ,

"Gauri stop being Stubborn and Drink this !" He chides her thrusting the mug into her hands .. She frowns at him

"I Will Not!" and She Places the mug on the table nearby with a thud ..

"Ziddi Haan ? , Let me Show you my stubbornness !" In a swift She was on in laps on the couch ..She squirms trying to get up He tightens his hold around her .

Her Wavy tresses Falls over her Face obstructing her view for him .He swipes the Curtain tucking the strands behind her ear She stops wriggling ..She Leans onto his palm Which are placed on his cheeks Soaking in the tenderness and closes her eyes as her dimples peeks through . He leans forward as his warmth breath falls on her neck .With his thumb He brushes her cheek . She opens her eyes their moments in the rain coming past their eyes ..He tilts his head and places his lips on her cheeks and draws back it was a peck ..a wave of current rushes passes through her body as She tries to get up .

"Decide Drink here " He eyes Their position "Or" Eyeing the place the next to him He says "There" ,

Surprised of his warning She nods meekly and wets her lips to speak but her words had dried up ..Shakily She points her index finger at the Seat next to him ..

"Good!" He pats her head affectionately before taking his arms off her .

tu thoRi der aur Theher ja sohneya
tu thoRi der aur Theher ja
tu thoRi der aur Theher ja zaalima
tu thoRi der aur Theher ja...

Getting back on her feet She Looks at Fro at the Mug and him He narrows his brow in confusion ..Sliding her pinky finger around the Mug handle She takes it closer to her . Omkara signs her to sit next to him ..Twitching her lips smiling She takes two step backwards as She runs with the mug not before shouting "In your Dreams Jattadari !" .

"Shit!" Omkara mutters under his breath seeing the way She tricked him .Turning his head sideway He Looks at His Mug of Coffee Longing He wanted to Drink With her .Bringing the Mug closer to his lips He gulps down the Coffee Still looking at the entrance She would be back . Hearing Footsteps He smiles thinking She is back but Seeing Anika at the entrance his face falls but He is quick to mask it up with a small smile ..Anika walks in smiling

"I was waiting For you "She tells him She had thought He would come back looking for her .

"Sorry Ani I was not Feeling Okay and I thought you might have left by now " He says taking another sip .

"Oh I ..Shivaay..Decided to stay for tonight it is already late " She fumbles with words,

Placing the mug on the table Om stands up on his feet "Why Do You run behind him so much when He– You know ?" ,

Anika's face falls hearing him ."I ..Shivaay..! " Shivaay hugging Gauri Flashes in front of her eyes ..She sighs "I Don't know!" She presses her temple sadly ..

Om wraps his arm around her shoulders hugging her sideways "You have to Show him Anika You can be Strong in front of him !" He tells,

"I- " Anika is Cut off hearing Gauri calling out "

" Jattadari!" Gauri enters excitedly with a parcel in her hand but stops seeing Anika , Her gaze Shifts to the arm resting on Anika's Shoulder . Om looks at her briefly following her gaze He Looks at his arm and leaves the hold on Anika instantly . Seeing the parcel in her hand He frowns

"I ..Came..to ..give this ..back " She fumbles moving forward She thrusts the bag on his hand with a force and leaves the place.

"Why is She here? " Anika ask confused ..

Seeing the parcel and Anika's questioning gaze Hesays "It is nothing She took my charger so – " He trails off ..

"Charger in a big bag like this?" She asks him suspiciously eyeing the bag .

"Did you have your dinner?" Om asks changing the subject

"Yes !" She replies instantly still her gaze focused on the bag ..

"I am Sleepy Ani !" He yawns stretching his other arm ..

"Oh Okay then Goodnight! " She says and leaves the place .

Om sighs Looking at the bag ,"Why is so hard to make this Ziddi understand ?" Saying He opens the Bag ,

First time He gave her something and She had to return .He caresses The Fabric as He inhales bringing it closer to her Smells like fresh bloom of flowers just like her . He had brought her Shalwar seeing her all wet and the fabric clinging onto her like second skin driving him crazy , She had told him it wasn't needed But He cannot let anyone eye her .Dragging her to the Boutique He had forced her to change and He himself had too least She Knew what was in his mind ..Why was He acting all possessive ? He questions himself , No answer , Keeping the Shalwar in his cupboard He walks back to bed .

***

"Why? " Gauri questions herself standing infront of the mirror , "

Is He using me?" She thinks ,

They were almost about to kiss in the rain but getting back on her senses She had moved back and then after some awkward silence He had suggested to take her to a boutique and buy her a dress which She rejected but He being He brought her one Which She had told She would return anyway .

"He kisses me and then Hugs Anika if He likes her , then Why Giving me Kisses?" She talks to herself confused .

Getting no answer from her brain or heart .. She throws the nightdress frustrated and sits on the bed .."I will ignore him completely !" She makes up her mind .."But Anika likes Shivaay right ? " She questions herself as She had seen it in Anika's eyes whenever She sees Shivaay .

***

The Sunlight seeps through the curtains waking up all the souls in the Mansion . Gauri comes down to the hallway to Find everyone seated busy in their own world .She finds Meena maa setting the table Moving towards her Gauri whispers a quick good morning and asks her ,

"Why are they silent ? all three seated in the same place all though busy with their phones but Still together ! without Fighting !" Bugs Gauri .

"Tomorrow is the Death Anniversary of Their fathers !" Meena says softly ,

"All three same day?" Gauri asks her shocked

"No Omkara's father Committed Suicide !" This shocks Gauri in a haze She turns to Look at Omkara who has a frown itched and undisturbed look busy with his phone .

"Rudra's father died because of a terminal disease and Shivaay's Father Died in a Car accident , But each year all the three memorials are observed on the same day " She tells her while Gauri looks at her intently ,

" Just Now Mr.Oberoi Dropped by the Mansion with Khanna Requesting the Boys to join him in the temple Tomorrow for the memorial service But as usual each year they turned down the offer , They did not receive the required Love much from their Fathers So they Don't mourn !" Meena tells while Walking to the Kitchen with Gauri trailing behind.

Just then Gauri gets a call from Mr.Oberoi " Gauri Your Second Mission is to get them tomorrow for the Memorial Function !" Before Gauri could say anything the line goes dead .

***

Mr.Oberoi looks at Khanna who has an amused look on his Father and A Questioning gaze " I know Gauri would be able to get them She has her own ways of persuasion !"He says confidently slipping the phone into his pocket and leaves to check on the preparations going in the temple.

***

Puffing out in anger that Mr.Oberoi did not let Gauri speak She leaves the Kitchen to start her Mission #2 . First She decides to drop in by Rudra's Room who is busy jotting something .

"Am I disturbing? " She asks Rudra unsure ,

"No Come in " Rudra offers the Seat next to him .

"Will you be going there ?" She asks him unsure ..

Rudra stops writing and turns to Look at her and replies "No !" ,

"Can I know ..erm " She stutters with words unsure whether Is She poking her nose into something which does not matter to her ?.

"Gauri , My father was acknowledge as Family only after Hedied Because My Grandmother was a concubine and My Father had to hide in Shame !' She sighs making Gauri's face fall ,

She sees a picture of young boy in the arms of a man "Is that you and your Father?" Gauri asks him .

Rudra nods , "Rudra I know you have anger on Dada Right ? but Don't you want to Pay respects to your father Who gave you love? Played with you when you were young ?" She asks him .

Another sigh leaves from Rudra who looks at her intently . Without giving an answer Heleaves the place .

She decides to Drop by Omkara's Room , She sees him though the Open blind to Find him disturbed , Leaving her intention of ignoring him She walks into his room .

"Jattadari " She whispers softly .

Om looks at her Knowing why She is here before She could open her mouth He says "I have no Father , Never had or never will !" and walks out of the room .

.She opens her mouth and closes it again What Am I gonna do now? " She wonders . 

***

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