Next morning:

I woke up super early for work. Yesterday's events were still playing in my mind as I was getting ready. Unexpectedly meeting Omkara, our awkward encounter, his car breaking down, me giving him lift, the awkward conversations at the dinner table, his stupid assumptions about me and my car, giving him a lift home. What a hectic day! My life should be made into a Bollywood movie. I mean how can a person have so much chaos in their life in just one day. Urgh I really hope I don't have to see him today. Today is the weekend which means no hospital. I volunteer at Jhanvi aunty's fashion house on the weekend because I have an interest in fashion too. I changed into some casual wear, quite different to my hospital wear as being a doctor requires me to dress smart. I get to take out my jeans and all my comfy clothes out on the weekend. Today I opted for a pair of dark blue denims with a light blue striped oversized shirt, some grey comfy shoes and a black bag with tassels and diamanté studs. Casual and chic at the same time! I applied a bit of make up and left my hair out. These few days have been super hectic and stressful for me. I'm just hoping today goes well.

I need to feel better again and not let him affect me and what better than to work at Jhanvi aunty's fashion house. The atmosphere there is lovely. I quickly finished getting ready and headed downstairs for breakfast. I greeted my parents and sat down to have my breakfast.

"Gauri, How was the dinner last night?" Mum asked me reminding me of HIM again.

"Gathiya! I mean great! It was great! Yeah! It was lovely to see Rudra after so long." I hesitantly spoke.

"And what about Om?" She questioned.

"Yeah I guess him too." I murmured.

"Gauri beta is everything all right? Like between you and Om." Mum further interrogated.

"Yes mum everything is alright like between me and Omkara. Kya hona hai hamaray beech?" I replied. I was lying I know but I couldn't possibly tell her the truth.

"I don't know beta. I feel like you were just trying to ignore seeing him all this while I mean...." Mum further addressed her doubts and worries when Dad interrupted her.

"Tanisha aap unnecessary stress lai rahe ho. They're friends, they must've had a little fight or something. Let them be. You don't take stress." Dad spoke trying to calm mum and put an end to her non stop questions.

"Exactly Maa! Papa is right, aap please stress mat lai. Aap ki beti hai naa, sab sambhaal legi." I said with a slight smile and mum smiled back. Although she still didn't look quite convinced. I carried on eating breakfast. It's true when they say your mums know you inside out. As soon as I finished my breakfast, I bid bye to Mum and Dad and headed for the fashion house. After a half an hour drive, I got to the fashion house. I greeted the receptionist Shreya with a big smile and made way towards Jhanvi aunty's cabin to wish her good morning. I walked in through the doors and spoke in an ever so cheerful voice.

"Good morning Jhanvi aunty.... oops I'll come back later." I didn't realise she was with somebody. He was sat facing his back towards me. I bit my tongue in embarrassment and turned to walk out again when Jhanvi Aunty stopped me.

"Gauri it's okay come in!" She spoke with a smile.

"Are you sure?" I asked.

"I'm sure! Come take a seat!" She pointed towards the seat next to the man and I awkwardly walked towards it. The mans probably gonna think I'm such a kid. Oh well who cares? I walked towards the chair and took a seat.

"Tumhara behaviour dekh kai koi bi believe nahi karega kai tum Doctor ho!" A familiar voice spoke taunting him. I had an idea who it was but I mentally prayed it wasn't him. I closed my eyes and turned towards the man. I peeked through one eye to see the person and one glance was enough to make both my eyes and mouth wide open.

"Tum? Yahaa?" I said in a loud voice.

"I could ask you the same question too. After all it is my mums fashion house." He spoke cleverly.

"Well it's my aunty's too!" I retreated back.

"I clearly have a bigger right over it than you!" He said with a smirk.

"Whatever! And how dare you question my behaviour!" I immediately confronted him for mocking my way of greeting.

"What else do you want me to do? Which 23 year old screams good morning like a kid? That too a doctor!" He exclaimed.

"First of all, I can wish good morning how I want to. And secondly, 24 years old! I'm 24 years old! Still stuck in the past, aren't we?" I replied with confidence. He was really starting to irritate me now.

"Guys if you've stopped your fighting then can I please talk? You're fighting like an old married couple! Mere cute bachas, I'm not going to lie but you both look adorable fighting!" Jhanvi Aunty interrupted in an attempt to stop our fight and in this attempt she put us in an awkward situation.

"Maa!" He exclaimed.

"Aunty!" I exclaimed.

"What? I'm just being honest. Anyways to answer both of your questions, Om, Gauri volunteers here on the weekends. She's always had an interest in fashion too so she likes to spend her weekends here. And Gauri, Seeing as we have now opened another fashion house, Om will be running one of the fashion houses. So I called him over today to have a look at how things are. His art degree will come into a lot of use." Jhanvi Aunty explained.

"But I thought he studied business?" It blurted out of my mouth, just like that.

"Business with arts! Shows how much you know about me." He said with a smirk and I glared at him.

"Om that's enough of jokes now. It's time to get serious! Gauri has been working with us for nearly a year, she knows everything there is to know about our fashion house. She plays a very important part in organising all our fashion shows and other events." Jhanvi Aunty spoke praising me. She's so cute.

"Okay so how does that have anything to do with me?" Om questioned.

"Om you can't handle the new fashion house by yourself. You haven't had any experience of working in the fashion industry. You need an experienced person to work with you and guide you. I'm already busy with this fashion house, I can't possibly handle another one. It'll be so stressful and don't you think your mother needs a break. So I've decided Gauri will help you out. She will be your mentor if you may call it. I understand she's only here on weekends but trust me they will be more than enough." She Just dropped a bomb on me! Is she for real? I have to work with him? Oh god what is this?

"What? Are you kidding me? Gauri and my mentor? No way! What does she know about fashion and design anyway? She's a doctor for goodness sake! She knows how to write prescriptions not draw designs and be all creative. Come on Mum be practical! We need a person with a degree in fashion and designing!" Once a gadhaa, always a gadhaa. This idiot is so discouraging.

"Hogaya? May I please speak now? Om here in this office I'm the boss first and your mum after, please don't question my decision. What have I taught you Om, to judge a book by its cover? You were never like this! Please don't judge Gauri without seeing her work. She is one of the best we have. It's a shame she's not available full time. And if you're talking about degree then you don't exactly have a degree in fashion and designing do you? Gauri does! Our company offers training to beginners and Gauri has gone through a full training. So please don't question her abilities." Jhanvi Aunty scolded him for his behaviour. Well deserved!

"Mom but please try to understand. I can't work with Gauri!" He continued whining like a kid.

"Why Om? Why can't you work with her? Jhanvi Aunty questioned.

"It's just that..." He knew he couldn't tell her the real reason. That wouldn't be possible.

"Omkara I'm not interested in working with judgemental, rude and egoistic people. But my parents have always told me to respect whatever work I do and therefore I will take this opportunity. Even if it means dealing with your crap!" I didn't really want to work with him but my heart for some reason told me to agree. Why? Is it looking for reasons to stay close to him or maybe reasons to take revenge and annoy him? I don't know but whatever is happening isn't right. Why am I agreeing to work with him? I need to stay away from him. I can't! I have to disagree to this offer. I was about to take my decision back when Jhanvi Aunty spoke.

"Great I knew Gauri wouldn't have an issue. I've planned everything out. We have a fashion show planned for next month. If we do well in that fashion show, our company will be able to collaborate with famous designers from Paris and England. We cannot miss out on this opportunity! Gauri and I have been working hard with our designers and models to ensure everything runs smoothly. The theme we were given was Indian bridesmaids. We've almost finalised all the designs for that but we have an issue. Mr Malhotra and Mr Smith, the men who gave us this opportunity have added a twist to it last minute. They want some unique bridal wear designs too because there are no bridesmaids without any brides. So Om I'm giving you this responsibility, you'll have Gauri's help and a few of our other experienced designers will be there too. We want five different designs for five different occasions. A haldi outfit, a mehndi outfit, a sangeet outfit, one for the wedding and one for the reception." Jhanvi Aunty explained everything to him. She has it all planned out, I can't possibly say no and ruin her plans. I know if I say no then Jhanvi Aunty won't force me to work with him but that would mean her entire plan for the fashion show will be ruined. I can't let that happen, I can't be that selfish!

"Mom seriously? Do I have no say in this? I mean just because Gauri is okay with working with me does not mean I am! What about my consent?" Somebody please put a dummy in his mouth. Even a child doesn't complain so much!

"Om sorry to say but you don't get a say in this. You cannot become the manager of a company just like that, even if it's your mums. You have to work hard towards it! You will be treated as an employee and not the boss until you prove yourself through this fashion show. I don't want people to think that Jhanvi Singh Oberoi gives her son special treatment. I want you to become the CEO of this company on your hard work. Our new fashion house will open in two months time, so you have two months to really prove yourself and gain as much experience as you can to run the new fashion house on your own abilities."

"Mum I understand. In fact even I don't want this position so easily. I want to work hard towards it. But why does it have to involve Gauri?"

"Mujhe yai nahi samajh ataa kai tumhaari Gauri sai kya problem hai? Give me one good reason why you shouldn't work with her. Just one reason and I'll get somebody else to work on this with you." Jhanvi Aunty spoke confidently. She's always believed in me and I truly love her for that.

"Reason? Because her and I.... I mean, urm, forget it! I'll work with her. Jhail loongaa usai!" I knew it! He couldn't possibly tell him Mum the real reason.

"Excuse me Mr Oberoi! What do you mean by jhail loongaa? I'm the one who will have to tolerate you!" I was quite all this while but that statement of his irritated me.

"Whatever!" He exclaimed.

"Right! Enough is enough. Get to work both of you!" Jhanvi Aunty exclaimed.

"Yes aunty!" I replied.

"Yes mum!" Omkara replied.

"Ma'am! It's ma'am for you Om!" She replied with a smirk.

"So if Gauri calls you Aunty that's fine but if I call you Mum that isn't?" He complained, once again!

"Gauri and I have developed a bond over this one year of her working with us. You are a new employee, Mr Omkara Singh Oberoi. It's ma'am for you!" She explained.

"Urgh! This is so annoying! You two women will drive me crazy!" He spoke as he threw his hands in the air in disbelief and me and Jhanvi Aunty simply giggled at that statement.

"Excuse me? What was that?" Jhanvi Aunty spoke after suppressing her laughter.

"Nothing Ma'am! Miss Sharma, shall we get to work then?" He spoke whilst rolling his eyes.

"Hmmmm! Let's go!" I spoke as I nodded my head. How? Just how do you manage to get yourself stuck in such awkward situations Gauri? Matlab now you'll have to spend every single weekend of this one month with him! With your ex! Who does that? Who spends so much time with their ex? You got yourself into this mess and now you'll have to deal with this. I mentally prayed for strength and patience to deal with him and his stupidity. Patience is a virtue Gauri, remember that! Remember that well my dear! Working with Omkara, bring it on! Gauri Sharma is prepared for it! Or atleast I think I am anyway. Honestly I act all courageous and pretend he doesn't affect me in his absence but the moment he comes in front of my sight I don't know what happens to me. For some reason I start to feel weak, helpless, hurt, distorted. How can one man affect me so much? How?

A/N: Chapter 7 updated! Hope you guys liked it. Sorry about the late update. Do let me know your favourite part. Don't forget to vote and comment. 😊❤️ Lots of love xxx