Thank you for reading, voting and commenting everyone on the prologue ♥️

Thank you so much for leaving your vulnerable feedbacks and encouraging me to continue ♥️🥰😘

I'm extremely sorry for the delay, everything was going per schedule until my father made a plan on his birthday to take us out. Yes, it was his birthday on Sunday 😋.

Sorry for any error, mistakes and inconveniences 🌹.

Part 4 - A: The Past

"Yes?"

"That's great!" Rudra chirped, smiling at Gauri and glances at an confused Omkara.

"I cannot wait to tell Bhaiyya, especially Daadi who would fly on cloud nine!" He adds and rushes out, not being able to keep this news to himself.

"Gauri. . . You said yes." She looked at Omkara, who was reminding her of what she had said, feeling it slipped out by mistake.

"Yes, I know I said yes." She replied, standing up. "I couldn't say no. . ." She trailed off and walked away, leaving him in confusion with her last few words.

"She still loves me?" He asked himself, wondering if this was the reason why she couldn't say no, but he was defeated by his thoughts as somewhere deep down his heart, he assumed she doesn't like him. "Maybe she wanted to please her mother, that's why she said yes." He added, disappointing himself.

*

"That's great!" Mrs Sharma exclaimed with a wide smile, distributing the Laddo's she had kept safe. 

Anika smiled while holding it while Shivaay refused to have any. Rudra couldn't help but to grab onto four, surprising Shivaay yet making Mrs Sharma chuckle.

"Rudy!"

"What?" He plainly asked, putting one of the Laddo in his mouth and Shivaay shook his head in disbelief.

"Thank you Aunty." Anika thanked before taking a bite of the Laddo.

Omkara walked out into the hall and Mrs Sharma approached him, forwarding the box of Laddo's. He passed a small smile, grabbing the littlest amount.

"Thank you." And he put it in his mouth, swallowing him.

"Yum, where did you get these Laddo's from Aunty?" Rudra asked and put the fourth one in his mouth, finishing all of them.

"From the shop near the temple."

"Birla uncles shop?" Anika asked and Mrs Sharma nodded positively. "No wonder they tasted familiar. Shivaay, you should definitely try one, they are amazing." As Anika looked at Shivaay, she stopped talking after he had blankly stared at her, showing he's not interested and she made a face, looking back at Mrs Sharma.

"Aunty, we will tell our Daadi it's a yes and she will call you to arrange all the things." Mrs Sharma nodded at Shivaay and Omkara scanned his eyes around, hoping to spot Gauri before leaving, maybe wanting to ask her if she's being forced or not.

"Now we will take your leave." He added and Mrs Sharma nodded yet again with a smile. "Thank you for coming." She replied nicely.

"O, come." Rudra uttered, noticing him staring around. Omkara looked at him and nodded, looking at Mrs Sharma.

Anika and Shivaay has started walking towards the exit, followed by Rudra, Omkara and Mrs Sharma.

"Bye." Anika waved and walked out with Shivaay and Rudra.

Before walking out, Omkara turned around, he was caught by Mrs Sharma and to make it less awkward, he passed her a smile, turning back around and walking away.

Soon after the Oberoi's had exited from the house and Mrs Sharma closed the door, sighing a relief with a wide smile.

"Thank you God, thank you for fixing Gauri's alliance with a very well respected and reputed family." Mrs Sharma prayed while folding her hands and staring into space.

*

Gauri was sat in her room, opening a box slowly, her eyes land on the items inside it and she slowly caresses the first thing on top.

The bus had stopped and the Principal was about to fall but had managed to grab onto the seat. All of the students on the bus chuckled expect Gauri and the teachers.

"We are here!" The Principal irritatedly shouted, standing straight and glaring at the students, who close laughing their mouths.

"We're already here?" Gauri asked and the Principal looked at her, nodding his head positively. "That was quick." She whispers to herself and the Principal prepares himself for his speech.

"So students, you have to stand up and follow each other out one by one, no pushing and no hurrying. Is that clear?"

"Yes sir."

"Follow me." He uttered and headed out after the bus door was opened.

Gauri and Aaradhya stood up, deciding to get off the bus in the end as too many students were eager to get out.

Arun stops the jeep right behind the bus, while Ishana, Ravi and Om get themselves prepared to get off.

"You lot go, I'll go park this jeep." Arun says and they nod, stepping off while Arun drives away to park it.

Om, Ishana and Ravi start heading towards the other students, Ishana sees Gauri stepping off the bus and rolls her eyes.

"There's that girl." Ravi points out after spotting Gauri walking down with Aaradhya.

Om looked at her and looked away, not interested to see her at all. While Gauri stepped down, her eyes glanced around and she saw Om, in the back with Ishana and Ravi.

Not wanting to apologise, she felt like she had to just for her mother.

"Everyone, stay together and follow me to the place." The Principal ordered and the students nodded, as he lead the way, they followed and Gauri managed to walk towards Om.

"Uh. . . Listen." He stopped, turning towards her along with the whole students, who leave the Principal and the teachers walking on their own.

Gauri felt slightly awkward, feeling everyone's gazes on her and she knew she couldn't back out this time.

"I'm sorry for yesterday." She unwillingly apologised, blinking at him and he looks on, not expecting this from her.

"It's, okay." He responded and the two stare at each other for few seconds.

"Students! Why are you still here? Is there any drama going on here?" The Principal yelled, grabbing everyone's attention.

"Follow me now!" He ordered and half of the students moaned, staring to walk while Aaradhya and Gauri followed.

"Could this be her new trick?" Ishana whispered and Om shrugged. "I don't think so, it looks like she meant it." He replied and Ishana nodded while they had also started following.

After stopping at the camping area the Principal had chose, he had ordered the students to start building their own tents.

"Oye! Come here. . ." Om called and a boy walked up to him. "Build my tent for me." He said, patting his shoulder and the boy had no choice but to agree.

Om gave him his bag and the boy sighed, taking it and finding a space for him.

Gauri and Aaradhya had started building their tents and while building hers, she sees Om, Ishana and Ravi sat on the logs, chatting.

Aaradhya notices her looking at them, "They get their tents built by other students for free. Ishana shares hers with Ridhi, her cousin."

"What? They don't move their lazy bums at all?" Aaradhya shook her head negatively and Gauri rolled her eyes, continuing to build her one.

"May I ask why you rich brats are sat down? Don't you have a tent to build?"

"Sir, why waste our energy when someone's willing to do it for free? We begged them to let us do it but they said no." Ravi replied with a fake small frown.

"Who?"

"Sir, your tent is ready." The boy uttered while walking there.

"Him." Om uttered and stood up, facing the boy. "Thank you so much, I really appreciate your effort. I don't know why you find doing things for me fascinating."

The Principal looked at the boy, who was looking at Om confusingly.

Ravi signed him to leave before the Principal could question him.

"Why. . ."

"Wow! It looks amazing!" Ravi exclaimed, interrupting the Principal and the boy walked away.

Om looked at the tent along with Ishana and the Principal.

"It looks like every other tent." The Principal remarked, looking back at Ravi, giving him a look.

"To us, it will always be something new." Om sighed, touching his chest while looking at the tent lovingly.

"I don't even know why I wasted my time." The Principal sighed, giving them a look before walking away. 

Arun had finally joined them while the other students and teachers build their tent.

"Really?" Daadi happily questioned and Om nodded his head positively, feeling happy to see a smile on his Daadi's face.

"Om, thank you." Jhanvi softly thanked with a small smile and he passed a smile to her.

"Excuse me." He excused himself and walked away from the hall that was becoming joyful over the fact that Omkara was getting married.

As he opened his room door, he travelled back into the past. . .

He opened the tent zip, entering with Ravi and Arun.

"Damn, the size is big." Ravi exclaimed, glancing around.

"We can build a whole room in this." Arun says, throwing his bag in a corner.

"It's decent." Om sighs and puts his bag down, stretching his arms.

*

Gauri had entered her tent and sighed a relief, extremely tired and wanting to rest.

"Guys, you have one hour to rest. After that we will start our first activity!" The Principal informed through the megaphone while standing in the centre.

"Urghh, whyyy!" Gauri sighed, taking a seat on her sleeping bag, not up for the first activity.

"Knock knock. Can I come in?"

"Yeahh."

Aaradhya walked inside Gauri's tent with cups of tea, forwarding her one.

"Thank you." She thanked and took the cup. "No thank you or sorry in friendship!" Gauri scoffed with a small smile while Aaradhya took a seat besides her.

*

"Did she really apologise?" Arun asked and Om nodded.

"I'm surprised she did."

"I know right, I thought she was going to shout at him again when she told him to listen." Om looked at Ravi and Ravi took a sip from the beer can.

"Urghhh! Activity in an hour." Ishana sighed, walking inside the tent.

"I swear we were meant to go Goa instead, but we had to change the plan because of you." Ishana added, staring at Arun in dismay.

"It's not my fault." He retorted, putting his hands in mid air.

"Of course it was. Imagine us on the beach-chairs in Goa, relaxing and watching the sunset rather than sitting on the floor and doing activities."

"Shut up, I didn't ask you to come and help, you came yourself." Arun retorted, staring at Ravi.

"I wish I had a choice, but Om didn't give us any." Ravi answered back.

"Guys, chill. Soon after the work is done, we'll also leave."

"I wish I could say it's easy. Arun can leave cause his name isn't on the list but we can't unless Dedpasli kicks us out." Ishana reminds with a small frown, looking at the three who sigh.

"I forgot about that." Om admits, now thinking of more plans.

"We can simply walk out, what will he do? Just call our parents right, then he can. All he ever does is snakes us out and I swear he only knows how to pick the phone up and call the parents of the students he dislike." Ravi irritatedly uttered, squeezing his beer can.

"And a phone call to our parents is enough to ground us for a week." Ishana says and looks at Om, who rests his cheek on his palm, thinking deeply.

"Do something he hates so he can tell us to leave, then we leave and there will be no phone call to home either, I'm sure there won't be any services here and by the time the trip is over, he'd forget."  Om shared his idea, looking at Ishana and Ravi.

"That's a great idea." Ravi agrees while Ishana is still thinking about it. "I guess it'll work." She replied and Om curled a smirk.

*

One hour had been completed and the Principal stood in the centre yet again.

"Guys, one hour is over! Come out now and in your trainers!" He yelled through the megaphone in his hand and glanced around.

Students unwillingly walk out of their tents in their trainers, including Gauri, Aaradhya, Om, Ishana, Arun and Ravi. The Principal smiled, holding his head high proudly and stared at the students stand in front of him.

"So, the activity that we will be doing now is getting to know each other. So walk around introducing yourself to each other and find three facts about each other along with bunch of woods and sticks. All of you have exactly 10 minutes. Go!" He ordered and the students started moving around.

"Hi, my name is Gauri. I like reading, watching movies and exploring." Gauri introduced herself while facing Aaradhya.

"Hi, my name is Aaradhya, you can call me Aaru and I like exploring, listening to music and singing." Aaradhya responded and the two smiled at each other and instead of following the first task, some students pretend to meet each other but instead try finding some woods and sticks so they can get it over and done with.

"This is the perfect chance." Om whispered and they started moving around.

Aaradhya and Gauri had started walking and before they could walk any further, Aaradhya stops. "Wait for a second, I'll be back." She hurriedly says after seeing Ravi waving at her.

"Okay." Gauri completed after Aaradhya was gone, confused and clueless.

"Hi, move." She looks at another student, who walked next to her to pick the woods up. "Instead of standing here, do some work." The students rudely say and walk away while she looked at him.

"How rude!" She exclaimed to herself and moved near a tree, deciding to wait for Aaradhya.

*

10 minutes were over and there was no sign of Aaradhya, Gauri sighed and headed towards the Principal and lined up behind students. The Principal scanned his eyes around, not being able to spot Om and his troop.

"Where's the spoilt kids?" He questioned, glancing around.

"Here." He heard them and turned his face to the side, staring at Ishana, Om and Ravi walking towards them with sticks and woods.

The Principal counted them. "There's one missing." He said and Ishana decided to reply "He's not on the list."

The Principal looks at them confusingly. "Yeah, he was here to drop us off only."

"What!" The Principal exclaimed, not believing them and looks at one of the teacher. The teacher heads towards the tent to grab the list.

"You can't get away with lying because I have the list." The Principal says and glances at the teacher walking out with the list.

After the list was in his hand, he looked at him. "What's his name?"

"Arun Dhawan." Ravi revealed and the Principal started to scan the list, not being able to find Arun Dhawan's name on the list.

He sighed in displeasure, glancing away from the list while rolling his eyes.

"Okay, not place those woods right here." He directed and the three walked forward, dropping the woods where they were told.

"Now start lighting up the fire."

"What, us?"

"Yes, you three." The Principal smirked and looked at the rest "You guys take rest until the fire is up."

Om, Ishana and Ravi look at each other, shaking their heads in disbelief. Gauri glanced around to look for Aaradhya.

"I don't know how to light it up."
"Same." Ravi sighed while looking at Om.

"In movies, they rub rocks and sticks together to make fire." Ishana uttered, grabbing their attention.

"Let's try that then." Omi uttered, unwillingly bending down.

Ishana picks two sticks up and starts rubbing them together while Ravi looked at Om picking up two small rocks.

He then glanced up to see if the sun was still out but his luck wasn't on his side, the sun was on the verge of fully setting.

"You're doing it wrong." Gauri says, noticing them after walking a little forward. "The sticks won't work, try with the wood." She added, earning glares from Ravi and Ishana while simple blinks from Om.

"Those rocks are also small. . . They won't work." She added and glanced up at the sky "And the suns gone, great." She sighed, looking back at them.

"And you think we're actually going to struggle to light it up?" Om asked, blinking at her and making her confused.

"We're acting you know." Ravi took over, explaining to her.

"Turn your head to the side please." Ishana sarcastically uttered with a fake visible smile.

Gauri looked to the side, seeing the Principal watching them from a distance.

Ravi bends down, secretly pulling out a lighter while Ishana continues rubbing the stick, Om rubs the small rocks, making sure the Principal's eyes were on him so Ravi could light up the stick with a lighter.

Gauri looked back at them and saw Ravi lighting the edge of the stick that Ishana was rubbing while Om was purposely smacking the rocks together in mid air.

Soon the fire from the lighter started spreading and Ravi hid the lighter.

"It worked!" Ishana shouted, pretending to achieve something while Om dropped the rocks, turning his head to the side.

"Wow! You actually did it!" He exclaimed, acting surprised.

The Principal approached them and Ravi stood up.

"How did you manage to do it? I tried and it didn't work." He faked a disheartened sigh, throwing the two sticks he picked up.

The Principal leaned over and saw the fire spreading on the sticks. "Hmm good. Now put those pebble stones around the fire with more sticks."

"Sir, isn't it a hazard to let students around a fire that would be getting bigger and bigger?" Gauri questioned, staring at the Principal who turns towards her, remembering her face.

"Well it is but these spoilt kids need to learn that they can't buy everything for money. You were the one who was the victim of the gas attack right?" Gauri nodded at his question and he passed a smile. "They were the hands behind it."

Gauri looked at Om, who looked on and the Principal walked away.

"No it wasn't, he's lying." Ishana uttered, looking at Om.

"Was it?" She questioned, merely blinking at Om.

"Well, it was. . . Aaradhya."

"Hmmm?" Ravi, Ishana and Gauri hummed as they narrowed their eyebrows confusingly while looking at Om.

"No, not behind the gas attack. Aaradhya left you something to hear." He uttered, pulling his phone out of his pocket.

"She typed it in a hurry so I don't know what she was trying to say if there are any grammatical errors." He added, unlocking his phone and pressing on notes, making sure it was the message before passing his phone to Gauri.

'Gauri, hi it's me Aaradhya and it really is. Om isn't playing a prank neither lying. . . I, I actually ran away snd I'm so sorry for not telling you. It was a sudden plan, one minute Ravi was calling me and the other minute I was with Arun and gone. Me and Arun love each other but our families were against it, we had no other choice but to run away. Om helped us in this and coming to camping to execute this was all his plan, I would forever be so grateful to Om for helping. If Om read this then he already found out I'm snaking him, it was him behind that gas attack and take care Gauri, you're truly a wonderful soul.
Lots of love,
Aaradhya ♥️'

Gauri sighed, passing Om his phone after reading the message, which Om decided to read too.

"She left. . ." The only words that slipped out of Gauri's mouth before the Principal approached them with bunch of other students.

Om makes a face, switching his phone off and sliding it in his pocket, knowing his secret was out.

"About the gas. . ."

"It's okay." She replied, assuming he would apologise but little did she know he was planning to justify it.

"Why aren't the pebbles around and the other woods on the one that is lit up?" Ishana picked few up and threw them on instantly while Om and Ravi picked the pebble stones up from the bucket and started to place them around a circle.

"Help her." The Principal ordered a student standing besides him and she nodded, helping Ishana put the sticks inside.

"You four boys in the corner. Bring those chopped wood logs and place them around the circle, make sure there's 30 people could fit on." The Principal ordered and those four boys sighed, getting to work.

Being in charge and the boss was definitely pleasing the Principal, he knew he saved himself and the teachers from extra work as the students he disliked were being ordered, more like punished.

"Why are we doing it? We should mess it up so he can kick us out." Ravi whispered, reminding Om.

"Oh yeah." Om remembered but there was no point now as they had finished the job. "Next task is definitely not on our list." He added, standing straight with Ravi.

After the students had successfully put the logs around the fire, the Principal takes a seat first along with the teachers, later ordering the students to take a seat. Om, Ishana and Ravi tried to sneak out but the Principal caught them, making them sit besides him so he could keep an eye out. Gauri took a seat on the other side and opposite Om.

"Let's start with introducing each other and we will be going around in circle, starting from me. Of course and then these spoilt kids and so on." Everyone, including the teachers sighed, merely shaking their heads as they were not up for it.

All they wanted to do is rest and energise for tomorrow's activities and tasks.

"So hello everyone, I'm Mr D Sengupta and I'm your Principal." He gave the basic introduction anyone could ever give, now staring at Ishana.

"Hi, I'm Ishana, the student of Mr D Sengupta's college." She introduced, copying his method and he gave a smile. "You forgot to add 'a spoilt kid of a rich father' but don't worry. Next." Ishana gave him a look and The Principal looked at Om.

"Actually, you're right. I'm related to India's most richest family, the Ambani's." She proudly added, looking at the Principal.

"Do we really have to do this?"

"Yes!" He shouted with a smile, looking at Om and giving him the creeps.

"My name is Om, I'm the second brother of the richest business tycoon, Shivaay Singh Oberoi." He introduced himself, staring at the Principal, who rolls his eyes. "You. . ."

"Sir, my brothers younger than you and he's already so successful. I feel proud of him." Om added before the Principal could say anything, enraging him.

"Next!!" The Principal coldly exclaimed, feeling insulted and embarrassed to hear Om's words.

"I'm Ravi Malhotra, nephew of Manish Malhotra, a successful fashion designer in India and wait, my Dad's a businessman." Ravi says, rubbing it in the Principal's face on purpose.

"Next." He sighed irritatedly, looking away from the three.

As the students introduced themselves in a circle, it was finally the last students turn, Gauri.

"My name is Gauri." She plainly said with a smile, feeling uncomfortable with everyone looking at her.

"Anything else?" She shakes her head and the Principal nodded, looking at everyone again.

"Okay this is it, now take rest and we will meet tomorrow with thrilling activities." The students sigh a relief, instantly standing up and rushing towards their tents.

Om, Ishana and Ravi separate after giving each other handshakes, wanting to go to sleep for a bit. Gauri headed towards her tent and unzipped it.

While she was steadily entering, she hears footsteps and turns around, seeing Om and Ravi sneaking behind the trees, making her confused.

Not wanting to poke her nose, she entered her tent and zipped it, slightly feeling uncomfortable.

Om and Ravi were smoking behind the trees, blowing out a hoop with the smokes.

"This Dedpasli and his activities are as hideous as him. What the hell was that, he wasted half an hour of ours." Ravi sighed, inhaling the smoke from the Cigar.

"For real, his stupid activities are as crack as he is. They're no fun at all and we need to get out from here as soon as possible."

"Have you got a plan?" Ravi asked while looking at Om. "Not yet." Om replies, looking at Ravi.

"Think of something fast."

"I swear we would just throw balloons on his face but we can't cause we know he'd phone home, if he does then I'm being sent back to Mumbai." Om sighed, inhaling the smoke from the cigar while looking up in the sky.

**

It had been morning as the sun rises bright into the sky. The Principal and the teachers were sat on the log, drinking cup of hot teas while the students were still asleep.

"We will wake them up in five minutes, let's enjoy the tea first." The Principal says and the teachers nod, taking a sip from the tea.

Gauri yawned while stepping out of her tent, few other students also step out and stretch as soon as standing on the ground and in fresh air.

"Ahh, without me having to shout, the students are getting up." The Principal sighed with a smile and looked around.

"Grab hot drinks from that table." One of the teacher directed and the students along with Gauri slowly approached the bench.

Gauri grabs into a drink, which was not hot but cold and sighed, placing it back down. She then reaches out for the cakes kept inside a basket and takes one. She opened the packet and pulled the cake out, starting to bite on it. 

Ravi and Om sigh while they step out their tents and stretch, Ishana steps out from her tent and departs from her cousin, walking towards the drink and food section.

"Guys, get ready in 5 minutes, we will begin with the first activities." The Principal shouts after seeing nearly everyone coming out of their tents.

"We'll see about that." Ravi whispered, picking three cake packets up all for himself.

"Fat shit!" Ishana cussed while giving Ravi a look, later bending down to grab one for herself and one for Om.

"Don't eye on my food." Ravi remarked and turned, hiding the cakes.

As Om turned and inched forward, he clashes into Gauri and before she could fall back, he holds her by the waist and pulls her in order for her to stable her balance. She lifts her eyes and looks into his while he looks into hers.

They were broken out of the small charm after Ishana had broken it while calling for his name to pass him the cake, Gauri composed herself and so did Om.

"Here." Ishana says, looking at the two uncomfortably.

"Thanks." Om responds while taking the cake, passing a small smile to her.

Om then walked away with Ishana and Ravi while Gauri headed towards the cake basket again.

*

After a while, the Principal had all of the students following him in a line.

"Watch your steps and be careful. You can easily slip from the edge and into that jungle." The Principal warned while leading the way.

Everyone glanced down at the jungle, which was deep and long, they couldn't see a way out. Gauri had stopped for a bit to tie her laces that had come undone while Om, Ishana and Ravi were walking as slow as possible.

While Gauri stood up, Om tripped on a rock and fell to the side, holding onto Gauri, who looses her balance and falls down the edge with Om.

"Ahhhh!" The two scream while rolling down, stopping the Principal and the students & shocking Ravi and Ishana.

To Be Continued. . .

Up Next - Part B Of The Past
____________
Done with the fourth part, how was it? I'm sorry if you found it boring and unpleasant, I would definitely try to improve.

The past was becoming too long and it was becoming a bad idea to keep all of you waiting so I decided to split it, I hope all of you do not mind this idea :p .

Please leave your reviews and vote on this part if you liked it ❣️.

Love you all ♥️😘.

Next part will be published on Saturday✨

Please tag anyone you'd think would be interested to read this story ♥️🌸✨🌹.