Omkara had married…
As she sat there, still reeling from the shock, she couldnt help but wonder if she was like Jo from the little women? Did she really end up like her? All her life, Jo rejected Laurie’s love for her, running away from love and marriage. And when she finally decided to give them a chance, he had moved on and found love in her sister Amy.
Gauri always thought that for her it was Jo’s character that was the most relatable one, but never did she think that like Jo, she too will feel something for the man she rejected her whole life.
Hiding her pain away she tried to smile and be happy as Priyanka excitedly talked on and on. But she felt empty, as if something important had been snatched from her.
“They’ll be coming here now, don’t be sad, you too will be able to meet my pyaari bhabhi!” Priyanka announced happily while Gauri gaped at her in disbelief, they were coming here!? “Oh and here they are!” Priyanka exclaimed while a shocked Gauri followed Priyanka’s gaze only to see Omkara walking hand in hand with a girl smiling as he whispered something into her ears.
Gauri felt her heart ache as she realised that it could’ve been her instead of that girl only if she had taken action on time. Her eyes filled up seeing that he was never going to be hers anymore, that she had no right on him. That if anything, she was the third wheel between them.
“Gauri?” Omkara asked surprised and confused. “You’re back?”
“I see.” Omkara sighed as Gauri finished telling him about her stay away from the country and her coming back. Then he turned towards the woman next to him and said, “Gauri, meet the love of my life!”
Having him announce his love for this woman infront of her killed Gauri, it felt like her heart had shattered into a million pieces as she stood there trying to control her tears from falling.
******
Gauri got up from her bed panting as she held her hand out as if wanting to grab something. Frantically looking around, she realised that she was still in her room and that whatever she saw was just a dream. She sighed as she ran her hand through her face.
All that she felt in her dream seemed way too real to be just a dream..
But one thing she knew for sure now was that he was the one. This dream was way more than enough for her to decide that she wanted to be a part of his life.
And that took her back to the day when he had confessed his love for her.
Flashback
Around a year and a half after their first meet, Omkara had found the perfect chance to confess his feelings to Gauri. Anika had been absent in the bus on that particular day along with his sister and Gauri was sitting alone looking outside the window.
One thing that was different about Gauri was that she didn’t need anyone to keep her company, although he did love to watch her expressions and reactions as she talked to Anika or Priyanka – sometimes she would laugh so much that he would loose himself in it and sometimes her eyes would bulge out of her sockets- whatever it be her expressions were damn cute. However, what he had noticed about her was that she loved to be left alone to herself. She didn’t like when people gave her attention, sometimes she would sit and read a book while other times she would just stare outside the window.
Omkara got up from his seat and sat on the seat behind her. Hopefully the seat was unoccupied. He watched her stiffen for a second, then slowly turn her head back to smile at him.
He smiled back at her as he tried to calm his racing heart, he had to tell her- it was now or never. She looked at him questionigly as she expected him to speak something but Omkara just shrugged so she turned back and continued staring out the window.
But she could tell he was watching her, and she felt a little conscious under his gaze like she always did- he would keep watching her when she would talk to Anika or Priyanka, she had noticed that. At first she thought, he was watching Prinku but then soon she realised that he was watching her. Although she never understood, she decided not to think about it.
But today she could tell he was nervous. One look at him and she knew how nervous he was. But why?
“Gauri?” He called her gently and she turned her head back nodding at him to continue. “I want to tell you something…”
“Go ahead.” Gauri replied with a smile, although her instinct told her this was something serious.
“I..erm..how do I start now..?” Omkara mumbled to himself. “I’ve wanted to tell you this since a really long time, but I just never found the right time.”
‘Why is he acting like those guys in tv shows who are about to confess their love?’ Gauri wondered to herself and then mentally facepalmed for her stupid thoughts.
“I really like you Gauri.” Omkara said softly while Gauri shot her wide eyes at him. She could feel his eyes locked on hers as he continued, “I mean it Gauri, I’m not joking. I’ve been thinking about it for quite some time now but I never found the right time to tell you. But now that I had the chance, I decided I had to let you know.”
Shock was an understatement for what Gauri felt at this revelation. It felt like a huge 440 volt lightning had struck her. She almost wondered if her ears were malfunctioning cause she couldn’t believe his words!
“I really really like you..like you know what I mean right? Not some silly teenage crush, it’s stronger than that…Like love..I’m in love with you.” Omkara said still not breaking the eye contact.
Gauri sat there frozen as she gaped at him in shock and cursed Anika for missing her bus as she knew to manage every situation well, but today she was all alone without her best friend and BOOM- he came and told her he loves her!?
“I’m not fooling around. I mean what I said.” Omkara said with a very serious look and Gauri knew well that he wasn’t lying. For some reason, she could now feel her cheeks getting warm as she tried hard not to smile at such a serious situation.
Yes folks, Gauri has this one habit that she can’t change no matter what- to laugh in the most serious or unexpected situations!
Omkara watched her as different expressions entered and left her face. Her face was a whole movie in itself.
“I know you won’t agree to be in a relationship or anything and neither am I expecting you to. But still, I’d like to know what you feel. I’ll be waiting for your answer.” He said with a smile as the bus stopped at the school and Gauri turned her head around to face her front, still not able to relax her wide eyes and open mouth.
Just like that, she walked out of the bus. Omkara chuckled seeing her reaction while he also dreaded the consequence of his action- to confess his love for her.
He couldn’t help but wonder ‘Will it be the end of their friendship?‘
To be continued…..
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