"Who was that?" Rudra's question echoed in his ears.

"Friend!" Omkara uttered. He needed answers or he'd go mad with the questions. "Why don't you carry on, I will meet you later in the room."

"O, what's up?" Rudra asked looking at the figure of the retreating girl who disappeared round the corridor.

"Rudra, go—"

"You guys are still here?" They heard Shivaay's voice as he and Anika walked towards them. Omkara looked at Rudra. "Zip it!" He said softly walking towards Shivaay.

"I need some fresh air. I will meet you all later."

"But Om, we are going for sight-seeing at four. Don't you want to rest for sometime until then?" Anika spoke up.

"I will, just need some fresh air." Saying that he walked past them. Once he turned to the right he began sprinting looking around. Where did she disappear? Looking around he walked ahead stepping out into the pool area. A lot of guests were around. His eyes scanned the area. 

And he paused, only when he saw her again. She stood by the small passageway that led to the lawn. She was all alone, her back faced towards him. His feet began moving in her direction. 

"Gauri!"

Gauri quickly rubbed her cheeks with the back of her palms, wiping away the tears that had somehow rolled down her cheek. Seeing him unexpectedly after such along time had brought back so many memories, memories that she treasured in her heart.

She took a deep breath, keeping a poker face she turned around.

"Gauri," He whispered, a small smile making it to his face. How could just seeing someone fill heart with so much happiness?

"Do you need something?"

Omkara took a moment moment get over the overwhelming feeling that sort of expanded his heart. "Why did you leave without a word?"

Gauri stared at him. She was mad, absolutely angry. He had the audacity to ask her that after never replying to her message. "I left the rent on the table."

Omkara stared at her, wordlessly for a few second before saying, "That's not the answer I want."

"I have nothing else to say to a stranger." Gauri mumbled, willing her eyes to not tear up. This was painful, oddly very painful.

"You're mad at me?" Omkara asked. Of course, she was mad at him. He had cut off all communication. But then she had done that too instead of trying to get in touch.

"No, why would I be mad at you?" She wore a tight smile.

"Gauri," He said softly, taking a step closer.

Gauri looked away momentarily and then back at him. This time she met his gaze. She didn't know what to make out of those eyes which appeared to be filled with emotions... just like when he had left her at the doorstep. Maybe he even knew he wouldn't comeback. How stupid she was to belive he'd be back!

"I should get going." She mumbled tearing her gaze away from him. She didn't know why she was feeling all this heavy, thick emotions that made her wnat to cry.

Omkara held her hand before she could leave. "Gauri, what—"

"You have no tight to ask me anything!" Gauri snapped, meeting his gaze.

Omkara could feel the heat of her anger. Weirdly, it made him feel nice. She was angry at him. She hadn't forgotten him, just like he hadn't forgotten her. She cared, still. Her face said it all.

"Why are you smiling?"

Omkara sobered up, the smile disappearing. 

"This is funny to you?" She muttered angrily.

"I am sorry," his mouth had uttered those words even before his mind had any intimation. Why was he apologizing?

"Are you now? You just left...and then... cut me off. I thought we— we were friends, real friends." Gauri sniffed. 

"Why are you crying?" Omkara mumbled softly, his hand grasping her hand, giving it a light squeeze.

"I am not crying!" Gauri muttered, pulling her hand back from his hold. "And I am done here." With that she turned and began walking down the lawn.

"Gauri, listen.. " Omkara said, following her.

"Not interested."

"I didn't how to tell you that I....that.. I... won't come back." 

"You had my number. Could drop me a message, voice-mail if calling was so hard." She muttered walking ahead.

"Why did you leave New Jersey?"

Gauri turned around sharply, causing Omkara to stop abruptly, very close to her. His gaze caressed her face. Lowering to her lips, then back to her eyes. Eyes that were angry. Those beautiful doe-shaped eyes! 

"Because... I don't owe you that answer. I don't owe you this explanation." She muttered her eyes narrowing a wee bit and she stomped her feet and made her way to the stairs.

Omkara sighed. She was being unnecessarily stubborn. Women! However, he followed her. 

"Gauri, I.."

She turned again. "I know..  you are not a people's person. You probably had to go a lot of hardships to drop a text message. To even say that you're okay." She turned again, walking ahead.

Omkara couldn't help but smile. "So, you were worried about me, is this that?" He followed her.

Once again, she turned glancing at him. This time her expression read hurt. "You can't throw...a friendship... just like that. I -- I.. think I made the wrong judgement about you. I thought you'd really stick... like a friend. That's what friends do, right? They... they be there for you. You just cast me away like I meant nothing to you." Saying that she turned and walked ahead. This time faster and more determined.

Omkara stood rooted at the spot. He had hurt her. He went guilty but it wasn't like she hadn't disappeared over night. "You left too!" He accused her. 

Agreed he was being a jerk by not answering her texts, that clearly hinted she was worried about him, his grandmother and everything. But it wasn't like he didn't keep a regular check via Shivaay's agent on her. Until one day she just left. 

Gauri had stopped and had turned to look at him. "I left only after you cut me off."

Omkara took long strides to cover the distance between them. "Where did you go?"

"Back home." Gauri answered. "It's when you go far away from home do you realize the value of home. It's when you see the real world you realize that you were in safe haven at home."

"I thought you didn't like your father."

"At least he loved me, showed up for me when I needed him, brought me up with all the comforts... I was stupid to not see that he didn't leave me." Tears sparkled in her eyes. With that she climbed up the stairs. 

Omkara perched upon the stone made step. He couldn't agree more with what Gauri had said. There was no way he could leave home again. Even though it was depressing, broken and coiled in negativity, it was home.

* * *

"Are you going to tell us?" Shivaay asked, as he stood by the window in the room that Rudra and Omkara had occupied.

"Yes, why are you simply creating so much suspense? Is she a girlfriend or a one-night-stand girl or.."

"Rudra, shut up!" Omkara muttered annoyed. "She's a friend."

"We know that much." Shivaay answered, looking out of the window at the night sky. 

Omkara too a deep breath. Shivaay already knew that something was up when he had asked for his employee's number. Although he never tried to find out. He narrated everything to his brothers from the night he met Gauri to the day he left her. 

"Why would you ignore her like that?" Rudra muttered annoyed. "Friends don't do that. If Sumo did that, I would probably chop her hair off or break those headphones that she so dearly loves."

Shivaay silently watched his brothers with a smile. "Thank God, she isn't Mallika, because if I seen zoned Mallika she'd probably walk right into my office and give me an earful in front of all my employees.

"She was hurt." Omkara said softly. 

"Obvio." Rudra muttered, annoyed at his brother.

"But she didn't tell me anything too. She just left the flat."

"What else could she do, live in a flat where she didn't have any leagal rights to do so?" Shivaay remarked.

"Why wait three months to leave?"

"Maybe she got lonely. It's hard to live alone. No one would know that better than you, O!" Rudra remarked.

"Hmm, maybe." 

"So, how do you plan to fix this?" Shivaay asked, folding his arms.

"I don't know. She doesn't seem to want to keep any friend anymore."

"And you're going to be okay with that?" Rudra asked looking at his brother shocked. "O!" 

Omkara shrugged. "I don't know what to do."

"Apologize!" Shivaay answered.

"Done that. She rejected my apology." Omkara spoke looking up at Shivaay.

"Did you tell her about Daadi?" Rudra asked softly.

"How does that help?" Omkara muttered irritated.

Shivaay took a sharp inhale, "I think Rudra makes sense. You need to tell her that you were not in the right mindspace with everything going on. She'll understand."

Omkara lowered his gaze to the bedsheet lost in deep thought. Did he really want to revive that friendship? The friendship where they had got so close that it freaked him out. A friendship where his heart was trying to cross that boundary that was forbidden. What if it all ended up hurting him? 

Home is where people you love and who love you are. Home is where you accept all the love you get and be grateful for it. Don't run away from people Omkara, you'll never find your home like that.

Daadi's words that had stuck with him for a long time, resurfaced from the dusted memories. He had found a temporary home, in New Jersey, in that small apartment, with her. Was it worth the shot? Could this be the reason why life had brought Gauri back into his life in the most unexpected way?

After a long time! I am keeping my fingers crossed, this time I am determimed to complete this book. Please keep me motivated with all your interesting comments and excitement.

Hope you enjoyed this chapter. 

-Anami!♡