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 mother switched the WiFi box off to connect the new one which didn't even work. Then I decided to publish it yesterday but it was too long to write so then in the end I was like Sunday it is and if not then eat some raw eggs and tomatoes 🙂 I hope I'm not late 😅😅

Sorry for any error, mistakes and inconveniences 🌹.

Part 4 - B: The Past

"How can they be so careless?" The Principal worriedly sighed, walking forth and back at a safe place with the other students, worried about Om and Gauri.

Ishana and Ravi were worried for Om, praying nothing bad happened to him.

"Sir, call the police!" Ravi shouted and the Principal looked at him. "Do you want his parents to sue me?"

"What do you mean? Will he stay missing?"

"No, we have informed the forest police, they have started the search and would let us know." The Principal harshly replied to Ishana, who was irritated.

"Why can't we help?" Ravi asked and the Principal sighed "You can't, we need to keep you all safe too!"

"But. . ." Before Ishana could convince him, he shows her his hand.

"Everyone, we're going back!" He ordered and Ishana & Ravi look at each other, impatient as they want Om safe and sound.

**

"Ahh!" She hissed, pulling a stick that pricked her out of her skin. The pain had become unbearable and she stares down at him, who was unconsciously laying on the floor on his stomach.

She worriedly touched him, wriggling and asking him if he was okay but hearing no response made her panic.

"Om?" She called his name and immediately checked his pulse through his wrist after picking his hand up.

She sighed a relief after finding him breathing and glanced around, hoping to spot something that could maybe help him. While looking around the quiet woods of the forest, she manages to hear something dripping and turns around, seeing a way curved in between two trees.

She stood up, feeling pain in her knee cap and began to limp, hoping to find something.

**

"Sir, please!"

"Close his mouth!" The Principal ordered and a student stuffed a cloth inside Ravi's mouth.

"Thank you for cooperating." He thanked the forest officer who nodded at him.

"To ensure everyone's safe, we will do what it takes." The forest officer responds and walks with his extra team to hunt Gauri and Om down.

Ravi, who was handcuffed inside his tent, turns towards Ishana, who was also in the same situation.

"I told you the forest police would do their job, why did you two run when I told you to stop?" The Principal asked and they rolled their eyes, not wanting to respond even tough they couldn't say a word due to the cloth stuffed in their mouth.

The plan of fooling the Principal to go help look for Om had failed as the forest officers had caught them and to ensure the wouldn't make the same mistake, they handcuffed the two inside the tent.

**

Gauri was leaning against a rock, painfully touching her knee while looking at a well in the middle of the forest. She inhales a deep breath and limps towards it, peaking inside, seeing water in it. She turned her head to the side and saw a green bucket. She thought it was easy to pick up but in reality, she couldn't even pull it. To see what was stopping her, she inches closer and finds water in there, looking on.

"If no one's here then who filled this bucket with water?" She wondered and gave a quick glance around the place.

She swallowed her spit, tilting the bucket to the side with full energy and pouring the water back in the well. She stops after lessening the amount and holds the bucket, starting to limp back towards where Om is.

After a while, she tilted the bucket and poured it on Om, who makes a movement after feeling the water gush down his face and back. Gauri bends down and shakes him.

He slowly opens his eyes, as if he was awakening himself from a deep slumber and yawned as he realised he was on the ground, he instantly tried getting up and glanced around, finding Gauri in front of him.

"Where are we?" He shockingly asks, managing his balance while standing up.

Gauri also stands up and Om looks at his wet shirt. "What did you do to me?" He continued asking and gazes at the bucket on the floor. "And where did you get that from?"

"Where am I?" He looks around and Gauri released a sigh.

"Thank god you're alive."

He arches his eyebrows confusingly, shaking his head at her. "What happened, why are we here?" He asked, now getting slightly irritated.

"All thanks to you, if you hadn't decided to fall on me then we would've been with the rest!" Gauri exclaimed, sounding annoyed and he looks on, remembering when he had slipped and fell into her, pushing her down too.

"Didn't anyone come to save us?"

"No." She rolled her eyes after responding and he continued glancing around the forest. "Someone might be coming, we can't stay missing for too long. Dedpasli must be sending someone."

Gauri creased her forehead, looking at Om "Dedpasli?"

He looked at her, realising what he had said and decided to tell her "The Principal." She gave him a look. "That's rude." She sighed back and he merely looks away.

"Besides, how will they find us? We don't even know where we are." She changed the topic and he gave it a thought.

"Let's try walking ahead to see if we can spot anything or anyone. . ."

"Umm. I don't think that's a good idea." She softly whispered, gazing in the direction the well was in.

"Why?" He confusingly asked, looking at her look in a direction.

"Cause what if they come here, then what?" She asked, looking at him and he gave her a look.

"Yeah but what if they're over there?"

"Then they would eventually come here." 

"Yeah but, what's the point in waiting here for the whole night? What if they decide to give up half way and come back tomorrow?"

She sighed, looking at him with seriousness, not wanting to argue back at all. "Look. . ."

Before she could complete, they hear footsteps and immediately gaze in the direction, seeing few people walk towards them.

"Umm, hi?" One of the man confusingly uttered, staring at them and seeing them injured.

"Hi. . ." Om trails off confused. "You're here to save us?"

"No, we're here for that bucket." Another man uttered, pointing at the bucket.

"Actually, we fell from that." Gauri says and pointed above, they looked up and then at each other.

"And you survived?"

"Yeah." Both answered the question and the men look at them.

"We're here to film a horror series, so this is our 10th episode we are shooting in this forest." The man with a cap says, surprising Gauri and Om.

"Ohh, and this buckets a part of it?" Gauri asked and they nodded at her.

"We heard some sounds so we decided to check."

"I'm glad you did, I thought we would starve here to death." Om sighed a relief while holding his stomach and Gauri gave him a look.

"What?"

"You guys can come with us until our shooting is over, then we will drop you to your place." They offered and Gauri was hesitant whereas Om agreed.

"Yeah, that will be so helpful of you." He answered and they simply smiled at him.

Gauri gave it a continuous thought, not knowing if she should trust them as this help without asking anything in return had started bothering her.

"Umm, if you don't mind then can you do a role for us?" One asked as he looked at Gauri, slowly clearing all her doubts.

"We're short on a girl, who dies in the beginning of the episode so we were wondering if you could play it. . ." The man with a cap trialled, for her to react and answer.

She knew it, there had to be something she had to do in order for them to help her. She looks down and starts thinking.

"Don't think too much, say yes." Om whispered and Gauri narrowed her eyes, looking at him. "At least they're not making you the Churail." He whispered again and this time she dropped her mouth.

"Do I look like a Churail?" She asked and he nods no. "No I didn't mean. . ." She decided to ignore him and looked at the men. "Yeah, I'll play that role."

They nodded with a smile and Om made a face while she glared at him and then started following the men.

**

After a while, Gauri and Om were sat with the whole team as they started to explain Gauri the scene. Gauri nodded each time they spoke and Om simply sipped on his tea.

"We will do this scene in the night. For now there's a hut there, go there and get changed, we will shoot the scene where you get lost in this forest and you become thirsty, then you hear sounds but your teammates stop you. . ." The Director explained and she nodded, standing up to head towards the hut.

Om had started eating the snacks, least interested in the shooting.

As Gauri entered the hut, she sees many other females inside, doing their makeup. They smile at her and she gives them an awkward smile.

She was taken behind the board to get changed and the clothes were given to her.

*

"How long have you been here for?" Om asked and the Director looks at him. "Four Days." He replies and Om nodded.

"How will you manage to get out of here?"

"You see this black cord?" The Director asked and Om nodded, looking at it. "It leads to the main road. So we will be able to find the way of we follow it." He added and Om nodded with an '0' shaped mouth.

"Ma'am please. . ." Gauri storms out of the hut while few ladies follow her inside.

The Director stands up and Om looks that way.

"I'm not doing this role." Gauri says, looking at the Director.

"What why?"

"You didn't tell me about that scene where I try to steal someone else's boyfriend and become seductive! Besides there's a camera in the changing area!" She angrily shouted at the Director, highlighting her discomfort.

"What, camera in the changing room?"

"Don't act unknown, I know you set it there, lying it's for safety but I know it's for your cheap intention!" She yelled, exposing him while he gazes around to see people looking at him.

"Look. . ."

"I don't want this role!"

"Who even gave it to you! We can get better person to play that role and what do you mean? How can you falsely accuse me? Hmmm?"

"Accusations aren't false, there is a camera in the changing area and if no one believes me then they can go see that themselves."

"But what proof is there that I put it?"

"Men like you only make excuses, plus we don't need any proof, your cheap of a face tells it all!"

"How dare you!" The Director shouted, getting angry and pushed Gauri, who stumbled back.

"How dare you!" She shouts back and slaps him across the face.

"Girls like you just want money and that's why you can stoop low and sleep with any. . ." Before he could complete, a swing across his face shuts him up.

He touched his cheek and looked up, finding Om staring at him. "Don't even think about it. . ." He warned and Gauri looked at Om, seeing him defend her.

"She's after money?" He scoffed and gazed around looking at everyone staring at them "If she was a money minded person then wouldn't she treat me like a king?" He asked, defending her.

"Why would she. . .?"

"I'm rich, richer than you think. It wouldn't take me two seconds to sue you." Om answered.

"You and rich? You don't even. . ."

"You don't need to look rich to be rich. Your heart needs to feel rich for you to be rich. If you have a poor heart then you won't get anywhere and if she's not comfortable then she isn't!" He have a warning in the end and held Gauri's hand, walking away from her.

The Director angrily huffed and watched them walk away. Gauri continuous looking at Om, freeing her hands afterwards.

"It wasn't needed but thanks." She uttered and he let out a small smile. "You're strong." He praised genuinely and she curls a small smile. "I know." She uttered and then her smile disappeared. "How will we find our way out now?"

"This black cord will help us." He answered with a smirk, looking down. Thanking his inner self for asking the Director before this had happened.

"This?"

"Yeah, the Director was saying if we follow this then we will go to the main road."

"That was easy, that means we won't even spend a night in the forest." She excitedly chirped and then looked at Om who simply nodded.

"Om, can I ask you a question?"

"Yeah."

"Why did you defend me?" She asked and he went slightly silent.

"You're a girl and we should respect them." He answered and she wasn't satisfied with that answer, she knew there was more to it but decided not to ask while he remembered how his father accused her mother of marrying him just for money and status after a fight they had.

After those words slipped out of the Directors mouth, it was as if Tej was insulting Jhanvi, which Om couldn't handle and just poured his anger out by punching the Director across the face, which he didn't regret at all.

Gauri unknowingly steps on the rock and falls to the side, before she could touch the ground.
Om holds her by the waist and looks into her eyes, which had attracted him first while she looked into his. Trying to read them.
Her eyes had slowly started opening Om's secrets he had kept locked in his heart, that are now slowly beating, he unknowingly started feeling a soft corner for Gauri. While she was seeing pain hidden behind this attitude that he gives everyone, she sensed his heartbeat and felt he has lost his laugh that he tries giving other people.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" She asked, bringing him out of his thoughts and he made her stand straight, shaking his head in response.

"I. . ." He was wordless, the same Om that had many things to cuss and joke around with has no words to answer Gauri's question. Seeing him struggle had made her smile, though she hid it before he could see, maybe not wanting to give him wrong hints that she was still unsure about.

He wasn't ready to fall in love after witnessing his parents love marriage fail and decided to not give her any wrong impressions, therefore he tried to avoid the matter.

"It's nearly night. We need to hurry." He uttered and she looked up, seeing the sun slowly set.

"True. Let's go." She agreed and the two started following the black cord.

While walking, to avoid the silence, Gauri decided to speak. "What do you like doing?"

"Umm, nothing much to be honest. I like eating, sleeping, spending time with friends and family, what about you?"

"I like spending time with family and I like studying."

"How can you like studying?"

She gave him a look while stepping over the rocks this time. "I bet you're the last minute studier."

He tried thinking of other answers but gave in. "Yeah and I still do good."

"Lucky! I have to study like a months before to get all the information in my head and then there comes people like you, who naturally know the answers and look at the book last minute to get full marks!" She complained and she smiled.

"I'm not into studies, but all I know is not to stress the brain much cause it can die on you." He replied and she rolled her eyes. "You'd obviously say that since you get good marks."

"Nah I'm serious, like a month before is okay, even months before but continuously studying day and night isn't right. Maybe once a day, that's all you need but then I rarely open the book, I do it the night before."

"Like how?"

"It's easy."

"You'd obviously say that since you can do it."

"No I'm pretty sure it's easy."

"You need to teach me."

"I will."

"You better, I will be waiting to know this technique."

"It's simple, trust me." He says and looks at her and she looks at him. "Hmm, fine, we will see." She uttered in response and nodded her head, looking away.

"Do you watch TV?"

"I used to but ever since my favourite serial was over, I rarely even turned it on, but my Maa watch's on it all the time."

"I mainly watch my stuff on YouTube."

"I use YouTube for movies and music."

"What else do we use it for?"

"Many things. You can even use it to study." She answered back and he shook his head with a smile.

Seeing Gauri limp had him concerned as he knew he was the reason behind it. She takes a deep breath while walking, trying to avoid the pain each time she increases the pace.

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. How about you?"

"I'm not asking in general. I mean you're limping. . ."

"Oh this, it's nothing. I'll be better soon."

"You're struggling to walk, do you need any help?"

"I'll manage." She says and continues walking. Om looks up, seeing the sky slowly dissolve into a darker colour and worried.

"I'm sorry." He apologised and confused her, then he picked her up, holding her tightly and shocking her.

"What the. . ."

"It's getting dark, if it gets really dark then it would be hard for us to see the cord and follow it. Please. . ." She went quiet in front of his request and he increased his speed while carrying her in his arm.

Her eyes slowly noticing him while he was busy finding his way towards the main road.

**

Ravi and Ishana tried their best to help each other open the handcuffs but failed, now as sat quietly inside the tent as the cloth was inside their mouths. They thought about all the time they spent together as a team and with Om perspectively, they weren't even sure why a sad tune was playing in their minds.

"The forest police found them!" They heard the Principal exclaim loudly and curled a smile.

"What? That's great!" The other teachers sighed a relief.

The Principal and the teachers move away from the tent and sigh. They had lied to stop Ravi and Ishana from doing anything stupid and prayed that Gauri and Om actually come back soon.

**

It was dark and Om managed to walk out of the forest and inhaled deep breath while sweating. He puts Gauri down safely and she stands on her feet, glancing at the main road.

"That. . . Was. . . Long." He says and sees a van where the cord stops. He then gazed around and sees a small place with lights, which Gauri sees too.

"There's something flashing there." Gauri points out and Om nods. "Let's go check it out." She nods and Om's words and the two head in that direction.

As they stop in front of the flashing light, they see a food place, which brightly says 'Mitran Da Dhaba' which is a Punjabi sentence meaning Roadside Food Stall Of Friends.

"Mitran Da Dhaba." Om read, understanding it as he knows Punjabi.

"Let's go inside." Gauri agreed as she thought they were going to ask for some help.

As they enter, Om takes a seat and signs Gauri to take a seat too.

"We're not here to eat, we're here to ask for help."

"No, we're here to eat."

"What? But I don't have any money. . ."

"I do." He assured and she took a seat, giving him a glare. "Do you never get full?" She asked and he looked at her. "I told you, I like eating so why are you asking?"

She rolled her eyes and looked to the side while he called the waiter over. "Paaji, can I get 2 full tandoori chicken leg piece, one paratha, one glass of lassi and one plate of chicken tikka. . ." He ordered and looked at Gauri who gave him shocked expressions. "What would you like?"

"I'm vegetarian." She annoyedly answered him and he nods at her, looking back at the waiter. "Get her one aloo paratha and one plate of sarson da saag with 2 roti's." 

The waiter nods and walks to the counter and Gauri silently looks away. A question popped in her mind and she looks back at him, who relaxes on the bench.

"Do you really have the money?" She asked and he nodded while lifting his gazes. She wasn't believing him, which he sensed and he pulled some notes out of his pocket.

"That's only 200 rupees."  He told her to wait and put his right foot on the bench, lifting his jeans and pulling out notes from his sock, putting it in front of her.

She took them and started to count. "2, 3, 4, 5, 6. . . 6+2. 800. . ." She sees him pull out more from his other sock. She takes them and continues counting, "9,10,11,12,13. Yeah, it should be enough. 1300." She was now assured and satisfied, handing him the money back.

He takes the money and slides it inside his jeans pocket. "See, you were worrying without any reason at all."

"Why do you keep so much hidden like that?" She asked and he grinned "For emergency and see, they came in handy."

"Hmm." She hummed in response and looks around, seeing loads of people eating their food along with the way the place is built. It was as if they were sitting on the field and eating due to the pictures on the wall and the fake props that were there.

After sometime, the waiter slowly placed their food down one by one from the tray and Om started eating in. Gauri was hesitant at first but seeing Om enjoy, she decided to try the dish and surprisingly, she liked it. Om was just munching on his dish while Gauri tries the aloo paratha.

**

"Ummmmmmm!" Ravi lordly moans, trying to get attention as the cloth in his mouth wouldn't move out.

Ishana had given up, knowing no one would come to untie them.

"Koooooooooooooooooo!" Ravi continued raising his voice, hoping someone will hear them and set them free.

Outside the tent, the Principal was worried as the forest officer stood in front of him.

"Our team looked in the entries forest and couldn't find them. We found some crew and cast who came to film their series and they were saying your students had a fight with the Director and left, after that there was no clue of them."

The students were disheartened with the response while the Principal was worried.

"We sent the other half of the team to investigate on the main roads, they must've gotten out of the forest." The officer continued and the Principal nodded, hoping for the best.

**

Gauri and Om were finished eating and drinking.

"This was yum." He giggled and she nodded. "Yummier!" She added excitedly.

"Idiot! You gave them the lassi that had cannabis in it!" The owner of the food place cussed the waiter as they watched Om and Gauri standing on the benches, behaving like kids.

"Nooo. Om don't crash into me." She pleases like a little child with her arms stretched as if she was a bird that was flying. Om jumps on the ground but falls over and Gauri gasps while closing her mouth.

"Ommmm!" She worriedly pouts and steps to the ground, walking towards him. "Are you okay?"

"Help! Help! I'm drowning!" He shouted, starting to wave his hands in air.

"How much cannabis did you mix into the lassi?" The waiter asked, shocked to see how high they were as they spoke.

"Give me your hand!" She exclaimed, forwarding her hands and he held onto it.

"I only put two bags, but seems like they never had lassi on holi before."  The owner answer the waiters question, surprised himself.

"Oh no, the sharks are coming!" Gauri shouts, panicking as she hallucinated sharks heading towards Om and pulled him as hard as she could. She fell over and on her back while Om fell on top of her.

The costumers gave them a look and the owners nervously looked around. "Go get chhotu and bring these two in the back. They're humiliating us and putting the customers off. The customers might think I did something to the food." The owner whispered to the waiter and he nodded, walking away to find Chhotu.

"Hehehe! Koi na ji!" He exclaimed and curved a fake smile "They're just tired." He lied and the costumers started minding their own business.

"Whenever you look at me like that, I get a weird feeling." Gauri pouts and he chuckled "Same, whenever I look into your eyes, I feel like they're magical cause they always attract me."

"Really?" She asked and he nodded with a smile. "Are my eyes magical?" He nodded again and she blushed.

The waiter finally walked there with another waiter. "Chhotu, you. . . Take them in the back." Chhotu nodded and bent down to get Om while the other one reached out for Gauri.

"No, leave me! Who are you?" Om asked, jerking himself off but Chhotu starts dragging him.

"Nooooooo! Leave me leave me!" She shouted as if someone was kidnapping them, making the Owner shocked and scared as he was afraid he'd loose costumers.

"Bachha. . . You're tired right and you wanted a place to rest?" He asked and Gauri nodded like a kid. "Then they are taking you. . ." Gauri nodded with a smile and the owner sighed a relief as she agreed to walk with them.

Straight after, they were brought into the storeroom and then the two waiters left, locking the door from outside.

"Uncle liedddd! This is not a room to rest in!" She exclaimed with a pout and started crying like a child.

"Shhh. Don't cry Gauri, we will definitely sue him. . ."

"When?" She innocently asked with a sniff and he held her by the shoulder. "Very soon." He assured and she nodded at him.

*

The owner had turned music on so that the costumers felt comfortable, soon few forest officers walked inside and glanced around, hoping to find Gauri and Om.

One of them walked towards the owner. "Have you seen two students? One boy and one girl. . . Both around 20. . ."

The owner, not realising their forest officer mistaken them for army officers and swallows his spit.

'It must be that boy and girl that are in the back. . . If tell them they're with me then these officers will put me in prison for giving them cannabis and my business would be shut. No, I can't afford that. . '

"Have you seen them?"

"Yes, they came ate and then left around an hour ago." The owner lies and the officer looked at him.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes and many costumers come here sir, I don't really have time to question them. . . All I know is that they ate and left like every other customer." He cleanly lied, making it seem realistic.

The officer nodded at him, gathering his teammates and heading out. The owner sighed a relief and Chhotu walked towards him.

"Why did you lie?"

"You shut up and get to work! I don't want this Dhaba to close under any circumstances, if the officers found out I accidentally drugged them then I would've been in jail and this place would've been closed and my grandfather's hard work would go to waste!"

"But are we going to keep them there?"

"Yes, for the night and then apologise to them in the morning and let them go without paying the bill. I'm sure they'll forgive us, who wouldn't if they get free food?" Chhotu gave it a think as the owner replied, nodding at him afterwards.

*

"I miss my Maa." Gauri frowned as she was sat on the hays along with Om.

"I miss Lucky."

"Lucky?"

"My cousin brother."

"Don't you miss your parents?"

"No!" Om coldly yet upsettingly responded.

"Why?"

"Because they don't love me. Only my Daadi, my brothers, sister, cousins, Badi-Mami and Chhoti Mami love me. That's why I like spending time with them."

"That's not true, every parents love their child."

"Well mine don't. I don't like my Dad, he always shouts at my Mum and when I take a stand for my Mum, she always shouts at me saying I'm no one to interfere, she even slapped me for that man who swears at her." He uttered his dismay and she frowned listening to him.

Seeing him upset, she leaned closer and gave him a hug, consoling him.

"I don't have a father, he passed away when I was small and ever since my Maa has raised me."

"Aww Gauri. I'm sorry I didn't know. . ." He uttered with a frown and held her hand as she patted his back.

"Life is just strange but you need to move on and I did." She says and smiles straight after.

Feeling comfortable in her embrace, he closed his eyes and she rested her cheek on his hair, hugging him as if he was her stuffed toy.

**

"How can you lie to us?" Ishana angrily asked, trying to pull on the handcuffs that were being opened as she stares at The Principal.

"They're not in the forest so that means they found their way to the city!" The Principal answers back and Ravi shakes his head in disbelief.

"But why did you lie in the first place? You haven't found them! That's the actual truth, what if they're still in the forest and you didn't look properly?"

"We looked everywhere." The Officer says, taking handcuffs off from him.

"Our team is still on search." He added and Ishana stood up, angrily looking at the Principal.

"You do realise they're still missing. . . So this will be a Police Case." Ishana threatened and the Principal looked at her.

"We will wait until 24 hours and then file a missing persons complaint but we all know they're alive and out of danger!" The Principal answered back.

"We're going." Ravi says and was about to leave but the officer stopped him.

"I'm sorry but if you got to the forest without our permission then we will have to send you to the police. . ." The officer warned and the Principal smirked.

"Sir. . . They're left from the closets safe place on the main roads. Over and out!" They hear a voice from the walkie talkie and Ravi looks at Ishana.

"See, they left from their own choice." The Principal points out Ishana looks at Ravi, not knowing what to say or how to react.

Ravi takes Ishana to the side. "What if he's gone to Goa?"

"No but he would tell us."

"Maybe he tried calling but there is no network here. . ."

"Let's wait till tomorrow morning. If he's out of the forest then he would definitely come back here or send us a message. Find network." Ishana whispered and Ravi nodded.

They looked back at the Principal, who was walking out with the teachers and the forest officers.

**

It was morning, Gauri and Om were sleeping on the hays, with Gauri's head on Om's chest. Om makes a movement, disturbing Gauri and they slowly open their eyes, feeling as if someone's pulling their brains out of their heads.

"Ahhh!" Both let out a small hiss and realised their position.

Gauri hurriedly sat up while Om slowly sat up, touching his head.

"Where are we?" He asked and she shrugged, while massaging her head.

Soon the door opens and the waiter enters with lemon juice, surprising them.

"Here, have this. You'll feel better." He offered and they grabbed onto the glass's, starting to drink from it.

Soon the owner walked in and looked at the two, who looked at them confusingly.

"Please forgive me, I'm sorry. . . I won't charge you for your food bill but please don't tell anyone we accidentally gave you cannabis lassi." He begged, doling his hands and shocking them.

"You what?"

"Please, I'm sorry." He genuinely apologised which Gauri felt.

"How could. . ."

"It's okay." She interrupted before Om could say anything.

Om looked at Gauri, who looked at him. "We understand it was an accident, since we ordered so much. . ." She taunted Om and looked back at the owner.

The owner smiled with folded hand. "Some people came looking for you guys, I hope you guys are okay?"

"Yes, we actually got lost so thats why they must be looking for us. I'm glad you didn't send us off while we were not in senses." She politely uttered and he nodded, walking out with Chhotu.

Gauri then looked at Om irritatedly. "No no, you could've ordered a whole bucket of Lassi!" She tainted, reminding him how he placed an order of another glass of Lassi after finishing his one off and ordered one for Gauri.

"Look, I didn't know they had cannabis in it." He defended himself and she looked away.

"I don't even remember what happened yesterday." She sighed, praying nothing bad happened. This was the first time she drank something intoxicating.

"I don't either but I don't think something bad happened." He assured while closing his eyes, taking a sip from the lemon juice.

"I hope so." She whispered and started swallowing the lemon juice.

**

After a while, Om and Gauri were out of the Dhaba and on the main roads again, deciding which path to take.

Soon his phone started buzzing and he slides them out of his pocket, finding his screen cracked and looked on. He answered his phone and put it against his ear.

"Yo hello Om, where are you?" Ravi asked. "I'm outside the Dhaba." Om responded and waited for Ravi to reply but after a long pause, he looks away from his phone screen and sees it switching off and angrily sighed.

"Urghhh!" Gauri looked at him being frustrated and looked around, hoping to spot a moving car.

"I'm just gunna predict, let's go left cause we came out of the forest that's on the right side." Gauri gave up and simply nodded, just wanting to either get home or get back to the camping place.

As they start walking, Gauri stops as she pain on her knee, Om stopped and turned towards her.

"Are you okay?"

She nodded. "I just want to get back home." She sighed, starting to limp while feeling pain.

He felt her wish as he wished the same, now tired of being lost.

"Ahh. . ." She was about to fall to the side but Om holds onto her, she lifts her gazes, staring into his eyes while he looked at her.

Lafzon se jo tha pare
Khaalipan ko jo bhare

He signed her to relax and slid his arm under her leg, picking her up from the ground.

Kuchh tto tha tere mere darmiyaan

He started walking while looking at her and she looked at him, wrapping one arm around his neck.

Rishte ko kya mod doon
Naata yeh abb tod doon

He looked away to control the abnormal beating of his heart while she felt his and started to hear her own heartbeat.

Ya phir yun hi chhod doon, darmiyaan
Benaam rishta woh...

She looked down, unknowing to the feeling that slowly started rising.

Benaam rishta woh, bechain karta jo
Ho naa.. sake jo bayaan, darmiyaan

He tried his best to not feel anything for her, if he wanted to feel something then that was friendship, nothing else, especially not that which makes his heart beat.

Darmiyaan Darmiyan
Darmeyaan Darmeyan
Kuchh tto tha tere-mere darmiyaan
Haaye
Darmiyaan Darmiyan
Darmeyaan Darmeyan
Kuchh tto tha tere-mere darmiyaan

Om had spotted a bus, that was exiting from the woody area and looked on. He held Gauri tightly and started running, looking at him run had made her curious and she looked to the side, seeing the bus.

The bus stopped as Ravi stepped out, looking at Om running towards them. After Ravi, it was Ishana and then the Principal.

Om slowed down and put Gauri on the floor, rushing towards the bus while Gauri took her time to follow as she knew the bus wouldn't leave her.

"Oh my goodness! We finally found you." The Principal sighed a relief, staring at both of them.

He had planned to leave the place after the incident so no other student could be in danger and that they inform the police but luckily they had found Gauri and Om. If it wasn't for Ravi, who continuously stared out of the window then Gauri and Om wouldn't have been spotted.

Ishana, Ravi and Om shared a hug while the Principal walked towards Gauri, showing more of his concern towards her.

"Are you okay?" She nodded at him after catching up.

The Principal made them sit inside the bus and safely the bus drove off back to the city.

Inside the bus, Gauri was sat on her own in the back, staring outside the windows while Om was hovered around Ravi, Ishana and some of the students. Gauri was glad she was headed home while Om was telling them what had happened. While laughing with the rest, Om looked at Gauri, which Ishana noticed and while looking at her, Om gave a thought.

He stood up and headed towards her, taking a seat near her while everyone looked at them.

"I. . ." He started trialling off and she gave him a look while blinking at him. "Want to be your friend." He uttered and forwarded his hand, she shook her head with a small smile, thinking he was going to say something else and shook his hand.

"I accept your friendship." She replied, not knowing why but she felt the urge to befriend him.

This has surprised Ishana and Ravi, but Om called them over, making them switch seats with other students and started talking narrating everything and Gauri joined.

**

All the students had successfully reached home. Om and Gauri had been thinking about what had happened and were somewhat glad they befriended each other, hoping their small feelings stay at friendship.

They had also started spending more time with each other, knowing about each other too along with Ishana and Ravi. Tough Ishana had a problem at first but she accepted Gauri as a friend and Ravi had too ever since he spoke to her. The Principal didn't like this fact but he couldn't do anything about it.

A year had passed and the four had bonded more better, sharing each other's secret but during this year, Om and Gauri had grown closer and unknowingly had started liking each other. Ishana and Ravi sensed it and tried making them two tell each other but they weren't ready to admit.

One day Om had seen Gauri another guy and started feeling a little jealous, after the guy was gone, Om started avoiding Gauri, making her feel a little hurt and then during the evening, she confronted him about his behaviour.

"What is your problem, why are you ignoring me?" She asked and he simply looks at her.

"I'm talking to you Om. Why?"

"What am I meant to do?"

"What do you mean? You're the one ignoring me so there has to be a reason."

"What reason?"

"Om. Don't be pathetic. Just say what's wrong? Did I do anything wrong?"

"No."

"Then why are you ignoring me?"

"My choice my life." He uttered and she scoffed. "Your choice is really to ignore me?"

He doesn't say anything and she angrily looks at him. "If you don't even want me with you then why am I still here, I should just probably leave." She uttered, feeling upset and turned.

Before she could walk away, he holds her hand and stops her. "I'm sorry Gauri, but I love you and you don't. I didn't wanna make it awkward for you to. . ."

She turned towards him. "I don't love you? Who said I don't? I do!" She confessed, surprising him.

"You love me?" She nods. He wasn't sure how to react or what to say. "Are you a magician?" She asked and he confusingly looks at her "No, why?"

"Because whenever I look at you, everyone else disappear." He curled a smile listening to her while she shyly lowered her gazes.

He pulled her into a hug and he hugged him back with a smile. "I love you."

"I love you too." She whispered and hugged him tighter.

They had been in a relationship for now four months and it was also nearly graduation, Gauri had told her mother about Om and her mother was excited to meet him.

"Tomorrow, I'll be waiting for you. . ." She says and he nods at her with a smile. She walked inside her house and he drives off.

As she entered, her mother walked towards her.

"Om's coming tomorrow?" Her mother asked and she nodded.

"Are you sure he loves you?"

"Maa, what type of question is this. Of course he does, that's why he's coming tomorrow to talk to you about us." She answered back and Mrs Sharma worriedly nods.

"I just hope he doesn't break your heart."

"Maa, speak positive." Gauri moaned and walked off while Mrs Sharma prayed to god.

While in her room, Gauri had messaged Om and waiting for his message. Due to the long wait, she fell asleep, leaving her phone near her face.

It was finally the next morning and Gauri woke up, excited as after Graduation, Om was going to talk to Mrs Sharma and take their relationship to the next level. She sat up and looked at her phone, no message from Om at all.

She sighed and decided to go get changed, after getting changed, she looked at her phone screen again and saw no messages. She sighed, standing in front of the mirror in a Saree and picked her handbag and phone up, heading out to college with her mother.

After reaching college, she looked around for Om but couldn't find him. She found Ishana and Ravi, who also worry her by telling her Om isn't answering their calls since yesterday. Gauri had decided not to tell her mother, trusting Om as he had promised he would come.

After the graduation ceremony, Gauri and her mother waited for Om inside the college.

"Where is he Gauri?"

"Maa, he must be coming." She swallowed her spit with a smile, though her hopes were shattering from inside as it had been more then two hours.

After waiting and waiting, they were outside the college gates and Gauri's mother looked at her.

"He's not here Gauri."

Gauri didn't want to believe it, she continued calling Om but the phone was switched off. Seeing her daughter slowly starting to break, her mother hugs her and Gauri starts crying.

"He promised Maa, he said he would come."

"He lied to you Beta. . . He used you." She says, feeling bad to break her daughter's heart.

"Maa, he said he would come." She continues crying and angrily slams her phone onto the ground.

Mrs Sharma starts to tear up and hugged her daughter tight, consoling her. "Maa he said he loves me. . ."

"Gauri, get a grip of yourself."

"Maa he would come, I know. Om is just stick somewhere, he would come." She breaks the hug and wiped her tears, reassuring herself.

"He won't come!"

"Maa he promised. My Om isn't like this, he wouldn't leave like this. He loves me Maa." Gauri in a shaky voice says while looking at her mother.

"Gauri, he's gone."

"Maa he must be coming." She says, looking at her broken phone.

She bends down and holds the pieces. "Maa he must be calling me. ."

Gauri's mother couldn't handle it and makes Gauri stand, slapping her across the face.

"Gauri, he won't come. . ." She shouts, starting to cry and Gauri falls on her knees, starting to cry again. "He won't come." Her mother cried and bent down, hugging her.

Tears slide down Gauri's eyes as she closed her them, laying down with the photo album hugged across her chest, trying to sleep. Not wanting to feel rejected, heartbroken and lonely again.

To Be Continued. . .

Up Next - The arrangements to start and Daadi extra eager to get this marriage done before Om changes his mind.
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Done with part B, how was it? I'm sorry if you found it boring and unpleasant, I would definitely try to improve.

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Love you all ♥️😘.

Next part will be published on Saturday✨

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