Heyyyy everyone!!! Here is the next chapter of his first and only love!
The whole drive was a silent one. Once they had reached, Anika got out and opened the door for Gauri. When Gauri stood out, she hugged her comfortingly.
“Ri, talk it all out.”
Sensing that she wasn’t gonna say anything, Anika recalled a past incident and made Gauri recall the same.
Flashback
11 years ago
Anika and Gauri were in their 9th grade. After tution, they were standing under a tree stuck because of the heavy rainfall. Gauri was almost drenched and so was Anika. They tried to talk and not think about the freezing weather but it didn’t really work.
And then as if God had sent them help , Omkara and his friend Arjun were walking together on the other side of the street. He was in 12th grade at the time and was going back home after his tution.
Anika looked at Gauri who was already looking at Omkara talking to Arjun, and then as if Omkara sensed her presence, he quickly turned his head around and saw the two of them standing under the tree. Without wasting another minute, Omkara taking Arjun along with him, leaped to their side of the road and quickly walked up to them.
Gauri looked at him awkwardly, her heart slamming against her chest for reasons unknown to her.
Omkara made space for Gauri under the umbrella and said “Get in Gauri, you’ll catch a cold otherwise. And pleasantries later on, I’m assuming you both don’t have your umbrella and are waiting for the rain to stop so.” And then turning to Anika he finished, “Anika, Arjun will take you, you too get in with him. We’ll drop you both till the bus stand.”
Gauri was about to refuse when she saw Anika stepping under Arjun’s umbrella and thanking them. So having no other choice, Gauri too steps in with Omkara. And since he was pretty tall and a little broad, they had to stand quite close to avoid getting wet in the rain, not that Gauri wasn’t already wet enough but she didnt want to drench her books anymore.
In the whole way till the bus stand, Gauri was too occupied by the feelings her heart was causing her because of their intimacy. She had a hard time controlling her breath and her heart beats especially when he would wrap his arm around her shoulder and hold her closer under the umbrella whenever she was at a chance of getting wet. And whenever he did that, she could feel her cheeks heat up.
“Why didn’t you carry an umbrella?” He asked casually as they avoided a paddle of water on the ground.
“I forgot..and Anika’s got lost yesterday.” Gauri said with a pout, “And we didn’t think it would rain today so..”
Omkara chuckled.
Flashback ends
“I had noticed his effect on you that day too.” Anika said. “Believe it or not, he affects you. Now I can’t force you to do things, that’s your choice. But what I know is that deep down you do feel something for him. Why else will you be jealous?”
“Jealous?” Gauri asked shocked to the core by her question.
“I saw you throwing daggers at Bhavya.” Anika said in a matter of fact tone.
Gauri gaped at her shocked, “I wasn’t jealous!” She defended herself.
“Explain it then. Why were you feeling insecure?” Anika shrugged.
“Nothing like that. And why would I? Besides she’s his sister in law.”
“Gauri,” Anika called her to get her attention “I’ve been with you since the last 15 years. We’ve been friends ever since we were 10. We did our school and college together-“
“I know that! Why are you telling me all this?” Gauri asked interrupting her, confused why Anika had started talking be out all this.
“I’ve seen many guys confess their feelings to you. But you’ve never been this affected about them.” Anika said.
“They back down after I say no.” Gauri defended herself.
“What about Ajay?” Anika asked raising her eyebrows. “He was behind you for an entire year despite the fact that you rejected him. Hopefully we were in 12th then, otherwise I don’t think he had any plans of backing down.”
Anika’s words were affecting Gauri to a great extent. She was pointing out the exact things that Gauri had been trying to ignore or forget. She never had any answers to these questions, deep down she knew Omkara wasn’t just another guy. There was something…But what?
What if Anika is right…am I in love? Gauri wondered shocked by the thought.
No way is that happening! Gauri’s brain assured her.
“Gauri!” Anika called out, bringing her to reality. “Where’s my answer? Why isn’t Omkara and Ajay the same?”
“Their characters are different!” Gauri almost screamed, but then in turn asked her, “You want me to accept the alliance!?”
“I just want the best for you.” Anika replied calmly “I don’t want you to overlook your feelings for him. If I knew you had no feelings I would never push you like how I’m doing now. I can just try to show you the truth, Gauri. The final decision is always yours.” She shrugged then meeting Gauri’s eyes she says in a more serious tone “I just don’t want you to end up with the wrong person.”
Gauri immediately hugged her friend. She knew very well that Anika would never do anything unless she was sure of it.
“So you want me to accept it huh?” Gauri asked, breaking away from the hug.
“I told you the decision is yours. I don’t want you yo do anything you’re uncomfortable with. Just do what your heart desires.”
“But what if my heart doesn’t desire the same after some time?” Gauri murmmered.
“The heart knows what’s right honey!” Anika said with a smile. “Besides, arranged marriages don’t start with love, now do they?”
Gauri chuckled to that.
***
Gauri had been looking out through the window, watching the cars pass by as she thought of her life in the past one year, her life that didn’t include India.
“Diii!?!” Someone screamed in shock and Gauri turned her to face the owner of the voice, only to see Priyanka looking at her in pure surprise. “You’re back?”
Gauri smiled a little at her and asked her to sit down.
“How are you di?” Priyanka asked.
“I’m great, how are you? And how come you’re here?”
“Diii!!! I’m so happy!!! You missed out on a lot! I had tried contacting you but couldn’t get through. You wont believe what all happened!” Priyanka excalimed. “Bhaiya finally got married! I can’t belive he is finally married!! We’ve been behind him for so long! Wait I’ll show you the pictures!”
Gauri’s heart skipped a beat as Priyanka’s words entered her system. She looked on in shock as her heart broke listening to her. She could feel the heart ache all too well.
How could he give up on me so soon? Why did he never come back for me? She thought in shock.
They were in the cafeteria and Gauri had been waiting for Anika when Priyanka saw her and came towards her and dropped this big bomb. It had been a year since Gauri had left the country for her job. And now that she was back, she wanted to meet with Anika and catch up on things she missed out in this one year.
And then Priyanka stood beside her as she scrolled through his wedding photos, showing it to her and bragging on about her new sister in law. Then, she showed her a set of romantic photographs taken for the wedding, in which Omkara and his now wife were looking at eachother in a very lovely dovey way, holding eachother close, another one with their foreheads attached, then another one with Omkara holding her by the waist etc.
While Priyanka kept talking non stop in excitement, Gauri couldn’t help but feel broken and lost. She couldn’t believe that he had moved on and was now someone else’s. That he no longer belonged to her.
The thought of never being able to be with him anymore, of loosing him and her chance of a future with him was too much for her to bear and yet she couldn’t understand why she felt that way, cause she knew she wasn’t in love with him.
When had she turned so selfish, that she couldn’t be happy for him?
He was clearly happy with his newfound love and that was what she had always wanted, but now…why did she feel pain on loosing him. Was he even hers to loose?
To be continued…..
So how was this chapter? Tell me something honestly…are there too many flashbacks? Does it bore you? Also let me know what you think of this chapter😊
What do you think about the ending?
Thanks for reading!
Stay safe guys!!