After mums call, I went straight home. When I got home, I saw they were ready with their suitcases packed. Honestly, why did Shivaay jiju have to book their tickets tonight itself? I'm gonna miss my parents but they totally deserve this break too. I sat down with my parents to have tea and some snacks and I then bid them bye as they left for the airport. After a few tears and hugs session, I went towards my room to pack my bags. I packed my work clothes, some casual clothes, shoes, some accessories and the rest of the essentials. I then went towards my bed and picked up my little gudiya and placed it in my suitcase too. That gudiya has been with me ever since I was a little girl. She's not just a mere doll, she is my gudiya. I cannot sleep without her. I then looked towards the Minnie Mouse toy and immediately my tears started to roll down my face. Why do I still have this toy? It was gifted to me by Omkara as a mark of our friendship. It has stayed with me since then. I've always wanted to throw it away but then my heart always stopped me. It was a mark of our friendship. We were the best of friends before we became lovers. And for the sake of that beautiful friendship I've kept this toy with me. I placed the toy in my bag and hoped that Omkara wouldn't see it. I then completed the packing and waited for Shivaay jiju to pick me up. He came around 7 and I greeted him with a smile and a hug. With the help of our workers, we made sure all the windows and doors were shut and then we locked the house. I took the keys with me and once again informed the workers that they will not need to come for a week. We then placed my luggage in the car and head off for Home. I kept staring out of the window on to the busy Mumbai roads. Shivaay jiju noticed I was lost and hence decided to confront me.

"Gauri?" He called out.

"Gauri?" He said again.

"Gauri?" This time he said it a little loudly whilst nudging my arm.

"Hmmmm." I came out of my thoughts and suddenly realised jiju had been calling me.

"Tum theek ho naa?" He questioned.

"Ji. I'm fine I guess." I replied plainly.

"Gauri I know you're not fine. I know you're worried. On the one hand your parents have gone out of town for a whole week. And on the other you're having to spend your week at the Oberoi mansion. I'm sorry about that." He genuinely apologised.

"No jiju. Please don't be. I wouldn't mind staying at the Oberoi mansion for a month. You all are my family. You, Anika jiji, Rudy, dadi, Shakti Uncle, Tej uncle, Pinky Aunty, Jhanvi aunty. You all are family so why would I mind staying at your house?"

"And Om?" He asked.

I did not reply to that. I couldn't. My eyes started to water and I looked away. Jiju didn't say anything either and carried on driving. After a few minutes, he pulled up on the side street.

"Chalo!" He said.

"Where?" I questioned.

"No questions! Just come!" He demanded.

"Okayyyyy!" I nodded my head and got out of the car. I followed him to a stall. It was a pani puri stall. My face immediately lit up.

"Pani puri!!! Oh my god jiju! Thank you!" I said whilst jumping onto him for a hug.

"You're welcome chutki! Bhaiya meri pyaari behen kai liye pani puri please. Aap banaatay rehnaa, woh khaati rahe gi." Shivaay jiju told the pani puri waalay bhaiya.

"Jiju you won't eat any?"

"Gauri you know how I am about street food. I won't be able to eat it."

"No jiju please. Just one plate please." I insisted.

"One plate! Are you crazy?" He said with slight shock.

"Okay fine how about one pani puri? Just one?" I further pleaded.

"But chutki..."

"Please, pretty please." I said making a puppy face. He can never say no to that face.

"Okay fine. But if I get ill then you'll have to treat me doctor." He said with a smirk.

"Ek pani puri khaanay sai koi bimaar nahi hota." I said with a giggle.

"If you say so doctor!" He exclaimed and we both started laughing.

We then started to eat the Pani Puris. Shivaay jiju ate a full plate because he loved them that much. I ate two plates. I wanted to eat more, pani puri was one of my comfort foods. I felt like I was eating away my sorrows. However, Shivaay jiju didn't let me eat more.

"Anika nai ghar pai khaanaa banaayaa hai! She's cooked some of your favourite dishes so please leave some space for that." He said.

"Okay jiju. Can we please get some pani puri packed for Anika jiji and Rudy?" I asked.

"Yeahhh that's a great idea!"

We got some pani puri packed for them and brought some ice cream too for later. Shivaay jiju has been an older brother to me. He has always been there for me and I couldn't be more thankful to him. He is so caring and understanding. How can someone like Omkara be his brother? As soon as we reached the Oberoi Mansion, one of the workers took my bag. I walked in with Shivaay jiju and took a seat on the sofa. Anika di came with a glass of water for us.

"Meri chutki aa gayi!" She said as she gave me a tight hug.

"Hello your husband is here too! Mujhe bhi hug kar liyaa karo!" Shivaay jiju said pretending to be upset.

"Haan pati dev, I see you every day!" Anika di said as she gave him a hug.

"Don't call me that Anika!" Shivaay jiju whined like a kid.

"I can call you what I like! Anyways Gauri I made some yummy food for you!"

"Yay I'm super excited di!"

Just then Omkara and Rudra walked in.

"Hey ri di!" He said hi fiving me.

"Hi Rudy!" I said as I hi fived back.

"Hi Gauri!" Omkara said.

"Hi!" I plainly replied.

"Kaisi ho?" He asked. Is he seriously asking me how I am after the mess he created today at the office.

"I'm good!" I said.

"And Urm How is...?" He further started to questions me when I interrupted. I was not having it today. I was not in the mood to listen to anything he had to say.

"Just quit it! Why are you acting so normal? Everybody here knows how it is like between us. So please for gods sake don't try to act normal." I said with irritation visible in my voice.

"Gauri what's wrong? I was just..." He tried to justify himself but I didn't let him.

"You were just what? Huh? Since you have come back, I have been nothing but hurt. Khush thi mai tumhare bina lekin nahi, tumse meri khushi dekhi nahi gayi." I blurted some nonsense out. I had no idea what I was saying. Maybe it wasn't me talking, maybe it's my heart talking, the same heart that has been stabbed multiple times by his sharp words.

"What the hell? It's not like that Gauri! I was just trying to..." He once again tried to explain himself but was interrupted. This time not by me but by jiju.

"Om! Please don't! Now is not the time to speak! Anika please show Gauri her room so she can freshen up." Shivaay jiju spoke trying to handle the matter.

"Yeah I will do. Gauri tu chal mere saath!" Anika di said.

"Lekin di..."

"Gauri I don't wanna hear anything else. Come on!" She said in a stern voice.

I followed di to the room. I could tell she was annoyed. What the hell happened to me? What was the need to talk to him like that in front of everyone? Urgh! Sometimes you are too much Gauri! My self talk was disturbed by the slamming of the doors. I looked towards the doors to see an angry Anika di.

"Kya thaa woh sab?" Di asked as she folded her hands across her chest.

"What?" I said trying to avoid the topic.

"Gauri stop trying to act innocent. You know exactly what I'm on about! What was the need to talk to Om like that?" Di went straight to the point. Woh gumaa phiraa kar baat karnay waalo mai sai nahi hai.

"What? Okay so he is allowed to talk to me like that but I can't talk to him in the same way? Why? Kya lagtaa hai woh mera joh mai uskay saath tameez sai baat karu? Huh?" I spoke irritatedly.

"Woh devar hai mera Gauri! He's like a younger brother to me! Just like Shivaay is more of an older brother than a jiju to you, same way Om and Rudra are more like my little brothers than devars!"

"I get it! So you are defending your devar urf little brother! But di what about your chutki? Your little sister? The one who is your blood?"

"Gauri firstly this is not about defending anyone here! And secondly, it's not necessary that only blood relations are important. There are some relationships that are more important and valuable than blood ones."

"Di... I... I can't believe you just said that! So basically you value your relationship with your devar more than your own sister! Wow!" I misunderstood what di was trying to say. But at this moment I was not in the state to differentiate between right and wrong.

"Gauri that's not what I meant! I love you more than anything in this world! You know that! You are so precious to me!" Di tried to explain herself but I don't give her a chance.

"Di I know exactly what you meant! I understand I'm causing trouble for you and your family so Mrs Oberoi I assure you I won't disturb you or your family for this one week. I would've gone back home right now but you see I promised my parents that I'll stay here. So Mrs Oberoi I'm sorry agar aap ko yaa aapki family ko meri wajah sai koi problem ho rahi hai."

"Gauri tu paagal hai kyaa! Why are you saying such stupid things? Paagal ho gayi ho kya tum?"

"Haan! Paagal ho gayi hu! I am sick and tired of my past haunting me! I am sick and tired of my feelings haunting me! You know what di, please just leave me alone for a while to fight my insecurities!" I said breaking down. I couldn't hold my tears in any longer.

"Gauri please talk it out to me. Please!" Anika di spoke reassuring me but I was in no mood to listen to anyone.

"No di! Not this time! Because for the first time I feel like my sister won't be able to understand me. She won't be able to understand my state of heart. The same sister who understood my worries, my pain, without me uttering a single word cannot see my pain today even though I'm literally shouting out what is worrying me. But it's okay. After all you have another family to take care of too. So di please, leave me alone for some time!"

"Theek hai! You don't want to listen to me then don't! Even I am sick and tired of trying to explain things to you now! Deal with it yourself!" Anika di said angrily and stormed out of the room. We were both angry right now. I stomped towards the door to close it when I saw Shivaay jiju, Rudy and Omkara. From looking at their faces, I could tell they had heard everything. But at this moment of time, I couldn't care less. So I closed the door and crashed on to the bed. My tears would not stop flowing. How could I speak to my sister like that? But then again she doesn't care about me! She cares about Omkara! But I didn't listen to everything di had to say, I just assumed everything. Why am I so impulsive? I decided to go and apologise to di straight away. I couldn't be upset with her. I couldn't. But I stopped myself. We were both very angry at the moment so it wouldn't be right to speak to her. I'll do it tomorrow. I'll have to! But it was her fault too! Urgh Gauri forget about it all. Just apologise to di tomorrow because regardless of whose fault it is, she's older than you. She has always been there for you and you were wrong to speak to her like that. So tomorrow, I have to apologise to her. I have to!

A/N: Chapter 9 updated! How was it? Do let me know your favourite part! What do you guys think, is Gauri being right in her place or is she being unreasonable and just over reacting? Do you guys understand what Anika is trying to explain to Gauri? Do let me know and don't forget to vote and comment. 😊❤️Lots of love xxx