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Shot 06
—

She was still in disbelief and confusion as she stared at Om. 'Is he really my Om?' She asked herself, swallowing as her moist eyes examined his features. Despite not looking like her Om, she felt comfortable around him, however she was scared, what if he wasn't her Om and this is a ploy of Kaali Thakur.

"Are you. . . Really my Om?" She asked and he shook his head positively, "yes Ri. . . I am." He replied and held her hand, "I'm back for you." He added with moist eyes, staring at her with love and gratefulness.

Her heart believed him, yet her mind was battling her. She wasn't sure if she should believe him. He sensed the disbelief she was fighting, and rolled his sleeve up, moving his wrist in front of her eyes.

Her tears made their way down her cheeks as she recalled the memory.

"Surprise." He uttered, putting his wrist in front of her face and she creased her forehead, gasping after she realised.

"Om, why did you. . ."

"Because I love you." He replied and side hugged her, she smiled and shook her head negatively. "You're crazy, you don't need a tattoo of my name to prove your love. I believe you."

He hugged her tighter, "it'll still be there. . . Incase something happens to me and I suffer a memory loss, I want to remember you."

She made a face, "nothing will happen to you while I'm here."

"Right." He agreed and placed a peck on her head, "I'll be breathing as long as you are."

She sobbed and hugged him instantly, missing his embrace and warmth. "Om." She believed him and cried, hugging him tighter. "I'm sorry." She apologised in between her cries.

"Why are you sorry?" He asked, starting to sniff as tears made their way down his cheeks.

Tej parked the car and turned the engine off, glancing at the two through the rare mirror. "You two finish talking, I'm heading inside. . . I'll meet you there and tell you the full story. Please don't disappoint me by running away, I need you. . ." He unbuckled his seatbelt and opened the door, stepping out.

Leaving the two on their own, he headed inside the villa.

"Because of me you had to suffer so much."

"It wasn't your fault."

"It is." She replied and broke the hug, staring at him. "Thank you for coming back." She cried and cupped his face, placing a peck over his cheek. "I missed you."

"I missed you too." His voice cracked as he spoke, pulling her into a hug again. "Thank you for being alive." He expressed his happiness through his tears, and closed his eyes while tightening the hug.

She sniffed as she reciprocated to the hug, "It was a. . . Boy." She cried, sobbing afterwards and Om cried too, feeling overwhelmed after hearing her words.

XX

Half an hour later, standing in front of the window, staring outside at the grass and flowers, Tej recalled his son Omkara while Gauri and Om stood behind him, waiting for him to speak.

"He, he was a very sensible man. . . A very honest, hardworking and dedicated." Tej complimented in a low tone, "and I never appreciated him, I still regret trying to force him into economics and business rather than letting him do what he wanted."

"You said you gave me your sons face. . . Why?" Om wondered and Tej exhaled, heading towards the drawer and opening the first shelf. He took a photo frame and forwarded it to Om.

Om took it, staring down at it and looked on.

"I gave you the face of Omkara Singh Oberoi, who was brutally killed and coldly murdered. . ." Tej revealed and Gauri and Om glanced at him.

As Tej continued speaking, a memory from the past flashes in front of his eyes.

"What is this? Why are we uselessly wasting our time here?" Tej bitterly asked and his wife, Jhanvi stared at him.

"Tej, it's Om's graduation day today so. . ."

"Where is the graduation ceremony? All I see is him playing basketball!"

"Shhh, let me watch his game!" His mother Kalyani, who was sat besides him spoke and smacked Tej on the thigh.

Tej exhaled and rolled his eyes. "I'm out of here. . ." He stood up from the chair and soon heard a yelling.

"Papa sit down. Let me watch O's game."

Tej turned, facing his second son Rudra. "Who brought Papa here?" He sighed and Tej looked on.

"Rudra. . ." He was about to say something when he was interrupted with people behind Rudra's row, who were telling him to sit down.

"Bade Papa, sit down. People are complaining." Next time Rudra was sat Shivaay, who spoke.

Tej scoffed in disbelief and sat back down, fuming. "I can't believe I wasted my time for this."

"Bhaisa. Enjoy the game." His brother Shakti spoke from behind, leaning forward.

"What enjoy? Did he lie about his graduation ceremony today to have all of us watch his basketball game?"

"Did he tell you it was his graduation ceremony?" Next to Shakti was sat his wife, Pinky. "Oh Nos. He lieds to you."

"Pinky."

"What ji? I tells the truths."

"Look, Om Bhaiyya scored." Next to Kalyani was sat Priyanka, who pointed in the direction excitedly.

"Om! Om! Om!" Few female students cheered his name out as loud as they could.

He scored again within 2 seconds and the game ended. All his team members rush towards him and have a group hug with him.

"The winners of this game are Xaviers College!" The MC announced and everyone clapped, including Tej.

*

After a while, Om had changed his clothes and stepped outside the changing room, heading towards the bench where his family were waiting for him.

"Daadi." Om gained her attention and hugged her instantly.

"Jhanvi, if your son focused this hard on his studies then. . ."

"Come on Dad." Rudra interrupted and Om broke the hug, staring at his father. "Om is good at studies."

"Papa, at least be happy for me today. Look, I've won a gold medal and a trophy. Doesn't that give you a reason to cheer me on?"

Tej sighed, "you could've become a doctor, lawyers or even an industrialist like me." He continued his words.

"Forget Jethji. You were really good out there boy. You have a lot of female fans too." Pinky spoke as she patted Om's back and he passed her a nervous chuckle.

"We can talk about this at home too. I wasted my time for no reason, I even left my important meetings for what? Watching you play basketball." Tej was displeased and stormed off, spoiling the mood for everyone.

"Forget about him, you were amazing. I'm so proud of you." Kalyani patted his back with a proud smile.

"Are you looking to play sports in future?" Shivaay asked, distracting Om's mind from Tej.

"Yes, but for my career path, I'm leaning more into architecture cause I like sketching and drawing."

While talking, all of them started walking.

X

The next day in college, Om was sat on the bench with his friends, reading the text book in his hand.

"Om. . . Listen." His friend, Raj caught his attention and Om looked at him. "What?"

"There's this girl that I started to like. . ."

"Shut up, I like her." His other friend, Mukund interrupted, and Om glanced at both of them.

"Have some shame! She's your sister-in-law."

"No, she's your sister-in-law."

"I saw her first!" Raj exclaimed while staring at Mukund. "So?" Mukund sassily replied, continuing "if I saw your car first then would that make it mine?"

"No."

"So she isn't yours either!"

"Stop it!" Om interrupted the two, "what happened? What am I missing?"

"We like the same girl." Mukund reveal and Om sighed, "who is she?"

"Ishana."

"Who?"

"First year student. She recently came into this college." Raj revealed and Om looked at him.

"There she is." Mukund noticed and pointed out, Om and Raj cock their heads to the side, watching her walk with her friends.

His eyes fall on a girl, who tucked her hair behind her earlobe and smiled while speaking. He seemed to be mesmerised for a moment.

"Which one?"

"Purple dress." Raj uttered and Om looked on, realising he started feeling attracted to her too.

He composed himself and cleared his throat. "She won't go for you two."

Raj and Mukund were demotivated and Om stood up, grabbing his bag and starting to walk away.

*

During lunch break, Om clashed into Ishana and started talking to her.

"What is your name?"

"Om."

"Oh. I'm Ishana."

They continued talking and getting along, Mukund and Raj see this from a distance and get jealous.

XX

Few days later, Om and Ishana did interact and keep in contact however as friends only. He didn't wish to like her due to his friends liking her too. He felt as if he would betray them if he proceeded the relationship to being 'more than just friends'.

While heading towards his class, he stopped and answered his ringing phone.

"Hello?" His eyes widened and he dropped his book onto the floor and running as fast as he could.

*

He entered a house and stared at everyone mourning in shock.

"Uncle. . ." He trailed off and his eyes fell on Mukund's photo, which had the garland around it.

Mukund's father stood up and walked towards Om with gushing tears. "He killed my son. . . We are so unlucky that we can't even do his last ritual."

Raj rushed inside, standing behind Om, shocked and heartbroken.

"Where is his body?" Om asked with glassy eyes and his father cried. "With that thug."

"Why don't you file a police complaint?" Om asked and Mukund's father cried. "We did, but that beast has brought all the police force in this area. I threatened to take this to the public but he said he'll kidnap my daughter and. . ."

Om felt angry and clenched his fists as tears seep down. "Where does he live?"

The father shockingly looked at Om. "It's not as easy as it looks."

"I'll get his body no matter what."

"He would kill you too." Mukund's mother cried and stood up, walking towards Om while crying.

"I don't care, all I know right now is to get my friends body."

"Ridoy." Mukund's brother revealed his name, "he killed my brother."

Om stormed out of the house and Raj followed him.

*

Om kicked the gates open and the security guard rushed towards him.

"Who do you think you are?"

"Where is my. . ." Om stopped as his eyes fell on Mukund's body that was just laying in the garden near the dump and bins.

He grit his teeth angrily yet emotional to see his friend like that.

"Oye oye hoye. Who are you?" Few men, rowdy style with headbands on their hair walk out, staring at Om.

"Where is Ridoy!"

"Say his name with respect, you bastard!" The one in yellow headband spat on the floor, staring at Om with anger.

"Get out!" The one in the red headband walked towards him, in the process to intimidate him.

"Not until I leave with him."

"You think you can? On our watch?" He laughed, and Om had enough of his filthy attitude, punching him across the face as hard as he could.

"Ayeeee!"

"What's this ruckus about?" Everyone glanced at the door, watching Ridoy walk out with Kaali.

"Are your men that weak? My men would've taken him out a long time ago." Kaali humiliated and stared at Ridoy, who felt angry.

"Why did you kill him?" Om asked and Ridoy stared at the body.

"I'm not sure, I had fun. . . I suppose."

Om was about to erupt like a volcano full of anger and the desire to kill Ridoy.

"Kill him." Ridoy ordered his men and then charged towards Om with weapons.

Om picks the rod up near his foot and defends himself really well, trashing the men. Despite being cut few times on the arm, he still managed to fight all of them off, surprising Ridoy and Kaali.

"You're messing with the wrong guy. Remember my name, Omkara!" Om threatened with attitude and anger, holding Mukund's body and walking out.

Ridoy and Kaali watched him leave.

"Are you just letting him walk away like that?"

"He won't be able to see the sun tomorrow morning." Ridoy uttered with determination in his tone, embarrassed with Om's actions.

*

Nearly helpless yet with a tinge of hope, Mukund's family waited outside, looking out for Omkara and Raj.

"Baba. . ." Mukund's sister pointed at a direction and everyone stared in that direction, watching Om and Raj carrying Mukund's body.

The mother and father both lost control and cried as much as they could, feeling grateful.

Om placed his body down on the floor and stared at the family, who stared at him with mere gratefulness.

"Thank you so much beta. Thank you!" The father exclaimed, folding his hands while standing in front of Om.

"Let's do his last ritual."

Everyone nodded and began preparing for the last ritual.

"Despite being in Mumbai, a city, this still happens? I'm ashamed at the police. Why isn't this getting media coverage?" Raj complained as he whispered to Om.

"All the media ever does is chase celebrities that don't benefit us, I don't want to know what Anuksha Sharma does in her spare time." Om replied and sighed, watching the father complete the last rites.

"I won't leave this matter easily." Om determinedly uttered, "I will make sure he is punished." He added and stared at the fire.

*

After the last rites were completed, Om and Raj accompanied the family to the river, so that they could drown the ashes in there and let Mukund leave the world peacefully.

After completing that, Mukund's father thanked Om.

"Thank you so much."

"Who is Ridoy?" Om asked and Mukund's father frowned. "A horrendous storm."

"Why did he kill Mukund?"

"Because he spoke against the injustice we are facing. As you know, we aren't really well off, just a middle class family living in a colony full of people. Ridoy is a businessman, who uses the help of goons to terrorise us and make us leave so he could build and complex apartment for the rich. His eyes fell on our land because we have a large pond in the back. He wanted to use that and make the pond area a swimming stadium. So many people rebelled against him and got killed, we complained to the police but they were also fed money, and told us that we have illegally obtained the land. Where should we go? That is our home."

"Don't let him step all over you." Om uttered and Mukund's father looked at him. "If all of you stand together to stop him then no one can defeat all of you." 

Mukund's father exhaled, "not everyone is brave like you." He uttered and walked away.

T o B e C o n t i n u e d

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