At night
Gauri was lying in her bed thinking about whatever happened that day, how everything had changed in a day, how he re-entered her life and restarted the chaos within herself. If only she could confirm she loved him and that it was not a mere attraction, then everything would’ve been so simple!
If he hadn’t proposed me that day, would things be different between us? Would we be in contact even now? Gauri wondered.
And then, it took her back in time, when everything had started. Back to that fateful day.
12 years ago
Gauri was in her 8th grade and was one of the members of the literary club in her school. One day, there came Priyanka Singh Oberoi into their club, a 5th grader but with an amazing talent of writing. She had joined newly to the school along with her brother who was in 11th grade.
Unlike the other members of the club, Priyanka was a chatterbox, and her chatter would always trouble the other members to the core. And for some unknown reason, Priyanka took an interest in talking to Gauri.
Since the two were found to be in the same bus, Priyanka would sit with Gauri and Anika and talk to her till Gauri got down on her stop, which was a few stops after Anika’s.
On the other hand, Gauri who had been initially irritated by this young girl slowly started to like her. Then one morning, something happened, Priyanka didn’t sit with Gauri and Anika. Instead she wasn’t seen anywhere and it felt odd for both Anika and Gauri that Priyanka wasn’t sitting with them anymore.
Gauri who was sitting down with Anika in one of the seats, stood up and turned around to have another glance to check for Priyanka. But instead of Priyanka, her eyes met someone else’s gaze and their eyes locked. She could feel an unknown pull towards this guy who sat there with an expressionless face.
To her surprise, he got up from his seat and came towards her and sat on the seat behind her. For some unknown reason, Gauri could feel her heart slamming against her chest and her voice get stuck in her throat.
It was Priyanka’s brother. She had once pointed out to him and told Gauri that it was her brother, but Gauri had never really paid much attention to it.
“Hello.” He said. Gauri was still frozen in her place while Anika turned around curiously hearing an unknown voice and looked between Gauri and the new guy.
“Hello?” Anika replied unsure. Then turning to Gauri, she pulled her hand down making Gauri sit.
“You both are Anika and Gauri right?” The guy asked. “I’m Omkara, Priyanka’s brother.”
“Ohhh..so you are her brother, she always talks about you.” Anika said as she recalled Priyanka talking about her brother, “I’m Anika and this is Gauri, nice to meet you Omkara bhaiya.” Anika said pointing at her friend, still confused about her friend who spoke nothing.
“Gauri?” Anika whispered and Gauri turned to her as if realising her surroundings.
“Hello bhai-” Gauri started but was immediately interrupted by Omkara.
“No no no..” Omkara said while Gauri and Anika flinched at his sudden outburst and looked at eachother confused. “Don’t call me bhaiya, I’m not so elder to you both. You guys are in 8th right? I’m just in 11th.”
The girls looked at eachother and then back at him. “Then what do we call you?” They asked together.
“Omkara, my name.” Omkara replied casually with a shrug giving them an ‘isn’t it obvious?’ look.
Gauri turned to Anika with a frown, making sure Omkara doesn’t see it.
“But we call all 11th and 12th graders bhaiyaa and didi only.” Anika shrugged, voicing out Gauri’s thought.
“Yeah but it makes me feel too old.” Omkara replied.
“Your sister calls us di.” Gauri pointed out, “And we’re not too older than her.”
“Why do you want to call me brother so badly?” Omkara asked with a frown.
“Why do you not want us to?” Gauri asked back exasperated.
“I told you why!” Omkara pointed out shaking his head.
“But it feels disrespectful.” Gauri replied innocently.
“Are you gonna call all your colleagues bhaiya too when you get a job?” Omkara asked raising his eyebrows.
Gauri sighed in defeat.
“Anyway, I came to tell you that Prinku won’t be there today, since she has a fever.” Omkara replied with a shrug, “So don’t keep looking for her.”
Gauri calms her urge to fight him and instead she and Anika asks, “How is she?”
“She’s fine, just a little temperature.” Omkara replied, “I’ll let her know you both asked for her.” He finished with a smile.
And in that moment, Gauri could feel her breath get hitched.
What is wrong with me? She thought to herself while Anika had started a conversation up with him about the stream he chose.
“So what do you plan on pursuing, Gauri?” Omkara asked breaking her out of her thoughts. Anika turned to her with a ‘Now handle him too’ smile while Gauri mentally facepalmed.
Didn’t he have any other question to ask? Gauri thought.
“You better not ask her that.” Anika replied rolling her eyes. Gauri thanked her Shankar ji for giving her Anika, who was her saviour whenever someone tried to talk to her.
“Why?” Omkara asked curiously.
“Because she doesn’t know herself. She’s confused as of now, and well she has enough time to think about it so..” Anika trailed off.
“What do you have an interest in, Gauri?” Omkara asked and Gauri cursed him mentally for trying to talk to her.
“She likes reading.” Anika replied seeing Gauri get irritated. “Social work too, music-“
“She sings!?” Omkara asked almost immediately and Gauri flinched.
“Yes.” Anika replied.
“No.” Gauri countered glaring at Anika, making sure Omkara doesn’t see.
“I’m confused.” Omkara said trying to get a look of Gauri.
“Uh..um…She doesn’t sing.” Anika replied mouthing a sorry to Gauri because she didn’t want anyone to know about her singing, Anika was the only one who had ever heard her sing, and Gauri was rather interested in listening to music than singing.
“Okay…” Omkara replied unsure. “Now I get why my sister likes you so much, Gauri.”
For some unknown reason, Gauri felt her cheeks warm up, but her curiosity rose up and she wondered why he said that. So she asked, “What do you mean?”
“Even she likes reading. You both are in the same club, but it’s not just that that made her like you, there’s something more. I always wondered why she kept on talking about you, now I know why.”
“Why?” Gauri asked, this time looking into his eyes and she could feel his eyes spark up at the eye contact.
“Because you’re so cute and innocent. You’re really unique.”
And that was probably the first time Gauri had turned red just because someone complimented her. She stared at him wide eyed while he smiled at her. Anika too, was shocked by his words and the audacity he showed in voicing it out.
“You’re genuine.” Omkara said. “That’s why she likes you.”
Is he flirting with Gauri!? Anika wondered in shock as she gaped at him, but Omkara was so busy with Gauri that he didn’t even see Anika gaping at him.
“You haven’t even talked to me..” Gauri replied finally finding her voice that had been stuck in her throat.
Good question Ri. Anika thought as she mentally nodded her head in agreement.
“I’m a good observer.” Omkara replied. Gauri turned her head around to face the front side, trying to make sense of her racing thoughts and her rapidly increasing heartbeats. “You’re naive too.”
Was that an insult?! Anika thought.
Understanding that Gauri was probably getting uncomfortable by his talks, Anika tried to show her presence to him by clearing her throat and as if realising it, he turned his attention to Anika.
“Prinku talks a lot about you too. She loves you.” Omkara said with a nervous smile.
“I’m sure she does.” Anika replied sarcastically rolling her eyes and turned her attention back to Gauri. “What do you think?” Anika whisper-asked Gauri to which she frowned in confusion. “About him.”
“Oh.” Gauri said, realising.
“Oh?” Anika asked giving her a look as if she was mad.
“I mean.. he is weird.” Gauri replied in a whisper.
“Couldn’t agree more. I mean, look at him.” Anika said shaking his head.
“What’s wrong with me?” Omkara asked and immediately bit his tongue for letting them know he was hearing them.
Anika and Gauri looked wide eyed at eachother nervously, making sure that their seat covered their heads from his view. Both Gauri and Anika turned back and smiled nervously at him.
“She meant…um…you…are…” Gauri started but fell short of words.
“You don’t have to lie.” Omkara shrugged.
And just then the bus stopped at their school. All the children in the bus stood up from their seats to get down quickly. That whole day Gauri felt restless thinking that indirectly, she had hurt him by calling him weird and she wouldn’t leave Anika. She kept going on and on about how they should apologize to him about what they said although it was the truth.
“Fine Ri!!! We will apologize today itself okay?” Anika said exasperatedly while Gauri nodded nervously for having to talk to him again.
When they got into bus that evening, they waited for him to enter and when he finally did, they saw him going towards the back seats. So, they too changed their seats to an empty seat infront of him and both Anika and Gauri sat there while Omkara looked on a little confused. But he couldn’t hide the little smile that had made it’s way on his face.
“You say.” Gauri told Anika while Anika looked at her surprised.
“Why should I say? You say!” Anika replied.
This went on for a few minutes and finally Gauri sighed in defeat.
“Listen,” Gauri called out to get Omkara’s attention.
He looked around in confusion for a minute and then turned to her pointing a finger at himself he asked, “Me?”
“Yes.” Gauri replied nervously.
“I have a name.” Omkara replied with a sarcastic smile while Anika rolled her eyes.
“I know-“
“Are you still stuck on that being disrespectful part? Well, let me tell you, this seems more disrespectful to me.” Omkara said pointing at Gauri.
“I didn’t mean it like that.” Gauri replied nervously as she waved her hands in defense. Then taking a deep breath, she called “Omkara?”
Omkara who had for a second glanced at his window, turned his attention back to the girl infront of him and something in him felt different, like a current that just went through his body when she called him by his name. His name seemed so beautiful from her mouth.
“Omkara?” She called again getting no response from him.
“Yeah?” Omkara asked breaking out of his trance.
“We’re sorry about the morning incident. We didn’t mean to insult you or anything, so please dont take it as an insult.” Gauri said.
“Oh that’s okay.” Omkara replied with a small chuckle wondering why she was apologizing for such a small thing.
“We’re really sorry if we hurt you.” Anika added.
“It’s okay girls.” He replied rolling his eyes.
And that was the beginning of their friendship, the beginning of something new.
Present
That was the first time I had talked to him. Gauri smiled fondly at the memory, which back then had made her feel embarrassed.
Then shooing all her thoughts away, Gauri took her phone and called up Anika.
To be continued…
Today’s chapter was a little longer than usual as I wanted to write this whole flashback within one chapter. So, how was the flashback guys? Worth the wait? Let me know in the comments…Also, I’m planning to show the flashbacks in different chapters instead of showing it all in one go.
Thank you for reading!
Have a nice day!