Lucky (Om and Ishu) Episode 17

Hello everyone 🙂 I missed you guys a lot! 🙂 before we jump to the episode, fair warning: this one is short too. Plus, this episode is dedicated to Diyaa, Shivika, Kehkasha, Renima, Suchitra, Shubhadra, and Mrunal. Read the author’s note at the end to know more 😉
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EPISODE 17: LUCKY
SHIVAAY’S PERSPECTIVE

“Ishu, you should show Rudra the balcony. It’s quite a view, you know!” Om said, easily shocking the other two. Rudra was quicker one to understand the implication and stood up immediately. I knew he would try to get it out of me later, but he was compliant of the arrangement for now. Ishu, however, was still lost somewhere. Om touched her hand, startling her awake from her daydream. “Hmm?” she looked at all of us quizzically. It took a few more words and pointed fingers to get her to understand, but she got there eventually. When they were gone, I raised my eyebrows at Om and waited for him to begin.
“It’s not a huge thing Shivaay”, he began. Before he could ask me to not worry about it, I asked him to tell me the complete truth. He sighed and said, “Mr. Oberoi wanted me to meet this girl for an alliance, or rather, a merger!” He sounded all worked up trying to make it sound convincing, but I noticed the way he tried really hard to make an eye contact with me.
“Lying doesn’t suit you my brother.” My casual remark hit home as he hung his head and continued in a low voice. “Mr. Oberoi is hiding something. That’s nothing unusual, of course. But he’s not the only one, Shivaay. You’re behaving weird too.” My jaw dropped to the ground with his observation. Before I said anything in my defense, he cut me off. “I know you won’t tell me, but it was becoming too much for me to bear. So, I wanted a break from all the… What happened?”
My eyes were stinging and I barely held in the waterworks. I took a few long seconds to swallow the lump in my throat, and then I said, “I’m so sorry Om. I know I promised you guys that I’ll share my problems with you always. But I really can’t this time.” I reached out and held his hand, falsely reassuring him that it was going to be alright. “I’m sorry I can’t make this easier for you. But I promise you, I’ll make everything okay as soon as I can.” He only nodded in reply and we sat there quietly for some time. I would give anything to know his thoughts at that moment. Was I being a terrible brother by not telling him everything? I know he’s old enough to understand and even help, but some part of me still wanted my brother to live the rest of his life in one piece, unaffected by any negative stuff in our surroundings. In our family, that was a kind of given!

All I knew was I couldn’t bear to watch him breaking down again and keeping this information from him seems to be the best way for now. It had to come out eventually, but not now. Maybe a full minute or two had passed when Om sighed again, nodded to himself and smiled at me.
We could hear Rudra chatting away as they were coming back. Surprisingly, Ishu wasn’t saying a word. They strolled into view and I could see Ishu drifting back into her own sweet world again. I stood up and Om followed. Rudra skipped to Om’s side and in his adorable way, he said, “O, I know you’ll be back soon. But I’ll miss you. So, let’s have an O Bro moment now. Okay?” He motioned me to join them and Om theatrically obliged. Like he had a choice! Or like he would have it any other way!
I stood beside Rudra and Om threw his arms over our shoulders, forming a circle. I relished the warm support of both my brothers and then, too soon, the moment was gone. I turned back to see Ishu’s face lit up in a small smile and a faraway look in her eyes. I cleared my throat and said, “I guess we’ll be leaving now. Om, you don’t have to worry about anything. And if you need anything, just call me. Okay?”
Om nodded again and Ishu plastered a smile on her face, probably trying to reassure me that she won’t eat him up or anything! We waved and left. At the door, I turned to see the two of them standing side by side, looking at each other in an unfathomable way that felt too personal and yet strangely familiar. It was my first time seeing Om like this, so close and comfortable that he would come to her straightaway. The least I could say was that Om got lucky in having a friend like her. As for Ishu, I had no idea where any form of closeness with any member of the Oberoi family could lead her.
After all, I was only human. I could only hope for the best.

SNEAK PEEK: Some much awaited cute and cozy moments between Om and Ishu.

Fair warning: What follows is a long, tiresome, 404 words speech with no spoilers about the upcoming story! 😀
Sorry for being late guys, but it’s practically your fault. Most of you guys might not realize this, but you guys are the reason I write. I know everyone’s busy and most of my friends here are stuck with the boards, but it means a lot when you make time to at least comment a single word of your views or even send me a private message. When I first joined this site and wrote my first ff, I was hell nervous. But there were so many of you guys who motivated me and encouraged me to follow my passion for writing in this busy college life full of tests and courses and heaps of studying. When I finished ‘Precious’, most of you asked me to come back with a sequel. So, I thought I’ll be more confident with my next piece of work, but it was the exact opposite. I used to be a very quiet kind of person and I don’t express my thoughts often. Actually, I still am. But you people really changed that part of me to a great extent. That’s why it really matters to me when you put forth suggestions or appreciation.
Honestly, I was really not in the mood to continue, and I even forgot the storyline I had built up in my head. I had almost decided to focus solely on my work and studies and put this on hold for now. But I got a few messages recently. One was Kehkasha’s and the other was Renima. They really made me realize that there are people who are out there who, despite their busy schedules, are waiting for my ff. Also, special thanks to Kehkasha for writing that “even one comment” thing. Another one was Shubhadra. She asked me when I will be posting the next episode. After reading her text, I started writing this part. I also occasionally receive notifications from Mrunal who comments on my episodes, even if it’s a little late. And there’s Diyaa and Shivika who constantly remind me that just like they are an encouragement for me, I’m an encouragement for others including other beginners too. There are other people too, like Ankita, Janvi, Nia, Yashu and others. So, this long speech typed in the dead of the night was to thank all of you.
Love you all a lot, and thanks for all the encouragement and support and love. 🙂
Keep smiling and take care 🙂