Oberoi mansion, 5:40a.m.....

Omkara's pov......

Early mornings are my favourite part of the day. They are so pleasant. They never fail to give me new hope. This is the part of the day when I can keep my thoughts to myself. I can be silent for all the time I want. Nobody in my family are fans of early mornings. Usually the day in Oberoi mansion starts at 6:30 a.m.
So I think I still have enough time for myself.
Currently I am sitting on the stairs of the tree house admiring the nature infront of me. Today, I don't have the courage to step into the tree house and I think I can never dare to, again. It happens with me. I usually grow scared to those places where I get panic attacks. Not that I didn't have any panic attacks inside the mansion. But I don't have any other choice than living in this mansion.

With the memory of last panic attack, I remembered Gauri.
GAURI!!! I think there is some magic in her name. It's just a simple name. But her attitude, her charecter and most importantly her 'aura' makes it special. I really want to share my life with her. Sometimes I feel I am being too hopeful and It scares me. what if things don't go the way I want? Will I be able to bear that? I just trust God for this.

As I am lost in my thoughts, I heard someone saying
'Smile please'. Not someone but Gauri. I immediately craned my neck in her direction and I saw her click a picture of me. And then second one and then third. I am sure that in the third picture my cheeks would have been rose red. I can feel it. She then laughed and sat at the stairs, two steps below me, so that I am not uncomfortable.She then smiled at me and said,

G: Good morning Om.

O:(smiling) Morning.

G: wanna see the photos?

O: s..sure.

She held the camera towards me. The first pic is my photo when I suddenly turned to her. My look in the pic is completely shocked. Even the second pic is the same. In the third pic as expected I was blushing, with tender sunrays shining on my face and hair. True to say, she is an amazing photographer. I really like myself in these pics. I look nice and I don't seem sad. Ofcourse, all credit goes to her talent.

O: They are so nice.(confused) B..but why did you t..take my pics? You should have tt..taken pics of the S..sky. It is so n..nice today.

G: Kyun? what's wrong in taking your pictures?

O: What's so sp..special in me? Instead you sh..should have taken Bhabi's p..pictures.

G: Offo, Om! Please! You gifted me this camera. So I thought it would be fair of me to click your pic first. If you are not comfortable I can delete them.

I can sense a little bit of irritation in her voice. I think I am pestering her a lot. It's better I change the topic and divert her mind.

O: I am s..sorry. I didn't m..mean to i..r..rritate you.Sorry.

G: Hehe! It's okay. It's not you actually. It's just that I am not an early morning person.

O: Toh, you sh..should have slept. We also don't us..usually wake up early.

G: Haa, I know! But actually, I had to send some urgent e-mails to the head branch. I had woken up at 4:00a.m. I finished the task but I couldn't sleep at all. So I came out for fresh air and saw you.

O: Oh!

G: Hmm...

O: Accha! Did you sh..show Bhabi my g..gift?

G:(smiling) Haa, ofcourse! Yesterday we had a girl's night after the pool meet.

O:(smiling) We too had a boy's night.

G: Didi was all praises for you. She said she will bake your favourite brownies today.

O:That's s..so nice of her. What all did you do d..during your gg..girl's night?

G: Hmm....we shared our childhood and college memories. We talked, talked and talked and finally slept, cuddling each other.Accha! What did you guys do?

My smile dimmed with this question. True to say, last night had been stressful for three of our brothers and asusual it's regarding me. Despite Gauri's presence beside me, my thoughts went back to last night.

Previous day, 10:00 p.m.....

Rudra' s room......

(Omkara's pov)

It feels good seeing Gauri laugh frequently. At present I am over the moon because, Gauri liked my gift very much. I can sense the true happiness in her voice. All these days I felt that I need to do great things to impress Gauri.
But NO! She is a simple girl. The camera is not so expensive, atleast for her. But, she accepted it whole heartedly. Her every small action increases my love for her.

I came out of my thoughts only when Shivaay and Rudra came in. They came and sat beside me with Shivaay in the middle.

O: What happened? Both of you came together.

R: kyun nahi aa sakte?

O:(shrugging) I don't know....

R: Actually Prinku planned a girl's night.(laughing) So I thought we can have a boy's night.

O:(relieved) Oh! Both of you came together, so I thought you came to discuss something.

As I said these words, Shivaay and Rudra had this troubled look on their faces, through which I know they are going to bring up something big.

S: Hmm..so anyway three of us are here, I really need to discuss something. Om! especially with you. Actually, only you!

'Typical Shivaay' behaviour. You know, in Oberoi family everybody has a unique way of dealing with issues. Like Shivaay, he deals every single issue in his business ways. Now see, the words he used to initiate the conversation. They don't give away his intentions. Shivaay will never be the first one to express his feelings.

If it is Rudy then, he deals every matter jovially with a smile. He never gets worked up over anything. It's easy to explain anything to Rudra than to Shivaay. But still, I am more comfortable in sharing many things with Shivaay than with Rudra. Maybe due to the fact that Rudy is younger to me.

As I am dwelling in my thoughts, Shivaay's voice brought me back to this world.

S: Om! you...zoned out again.

O: Nahi! It's just that something is going on in my m...mind.

S: Hmmm.....so the thing is...., Om! counselling sessions ke baare mein kya socha hain?

O: Sochna kya hain?! I don't want to a..attend them.

S: Hey Om! Listen! why don't you think peacefully for a while? You know right! It helps.

O: Shivaay please! I don't need any help. I'm not m..mad.

S: (shocked)Who is calling you mad?

R: Listen! It's just a theraphy session. You just need to go and talk, listen, that's all! Why are you over reacting?

O: I am not over reacting. I...

S: Om, listen! You see, there are many things going on in your mind all the time. Don't you think you need to talk to someone to let them out? So you can try talking to
Dr.Bhansal, right!

O: Why do I n..need to talk to him? Who is he to me? Just because we are paying him, I can't f..force myself to speak out everything to him.

S: Then what do you want to do?Do you have any idea other than this? Because look, you can't go on like this your whole life.

O: Please Shivaay! Let's just stop this here. Now it seems like some inves..tigation rather than a disc..cussion. Sh..Shivaay! You want to know why I d..don't want to talk to Dr. Bhansal.The reason is, ......um..the thing is, he meets many people.... like me in a s..single day. I am just an another task to him. You know, I don't want anybody to treat me as an ob..obligation. Surely, I want to let out all the th..things in my mind. But, I want to sh..share them with you.
What do you think? I was just r..rape..d, I was ad..addic..ted to drugs,I was ass..aulted, that's all. NO! There is something be..beyond that. (Holding Shivaay's hands) Sh..Shivaay! Please, let's just forget this here.

By the end, I know my words are nothing less than a plea. My increased stuttering is just a proof for it. I don't know what Shivaay and Rudy understood but they let a disappointed sigh and occupied their places on the bed.
Last night, I couldn't stop my tears. I felt like my whole past moving infront of my eyes. I couldn't myself from questioning my Shivji, " why had all of those things happened to me?" Once I was sure that Shivaay and Rudy are deep in sleep, I cuddled against Shivaay and cried myself to sleep. I don't know what I would have done without these two.

Present day

(Omkara's pov)

I came back to present hearing Gauri's voice.

G: Om!....Om!

O: huh!...yeah!

G:(confused) Hmm...you...zoned out. Is everything fine?

O: Yeah..yeah! I..I am fine.

G:(smiling) Okay.

Just then Gauri's phone buzzed making her look at her phone.

G: Oh! I think I need to go. Didi is waiting for me.(smiling) Bye.

O: (smiling) Bye.

With that, Gauri left the place and I also went inside the mansion to get ready for the day. I entered into my room and found only Rudra sleeping on the bed like a log.
I can hear my phone chimming on the night stand, begging me to give it some life. I picked up my phone from the night stand only to see it has 6% charge. As I am connecting it to a charger, I saw Shivaay entering the room holding his coffee mug. After the last night's conservation, I am not able to look into his eyes. I think I overreacted.
Shivaay placed a hand on my shoulder and I want to run. No! I don' t feel disgusted by his touch. It's just, I'm embarrased. He then forwarded the cup in his hand towards me.

O: Isn't that for you?

S: No! It's normal coffee and you know I drink only black coffee.

O: Yuck! Bitter!

S: Hmmm....take this. Waise, you were thinking something!

O:(low voice) Kuch nahi.

S: Hmm...tell me what's the matter.

O:(confused) Huh?!

S: Tell me what's the matter.
I know something is going on in your mind.

O: Woh,......um.....nothing. Huh...It's just that, you know...., recently, three of us, we are di..disagreeing over many things. Even over s..small things. I don't l..like it.

S:(smiling) I know. But I don't think it's disagreement. It's just that, three of us are expressing individual opinions over things. This is different. Disagreements are like what take place between Papa and Bade papa.

O: I don't think they are different.

S: They are different. Both of these things have different consequences. Now, what took place between us yesterday is not a disagreement. Like now, both of us understood your perspective.
And you know what, we think you are right. You need to share the things in your mind with a person who you are comfortable with. So, myself and Rudy decided that we will not force you and wait until you are ready. But one thing! You once need to consult Dr.Bhansal for a checkup. I need to make sure there is no emergency.

O:(hugging Shivaay) Th..thank you. I will surely c..consult him. You know you are the b..bb..best brother in the w..world.

Just then we heard the voice of Rudra.

R: Then what about me?

I didn't know he is awake. I just wanted to tease him. So I said,

O: You are the worst!

R: Haww!! Firstly, both of you had an Obro's moment without me and then you call me the worst brother. Let me tell you, you both are the worst.

Saying this, he threw a pillow at us. But Shivaay being a swift mover escaped it while I got hit. Seeing this, Shivaay burst into laughter. I couldn't but throw back the pillow at him and this time he got hit.

R:(smirking) Accha O! What were you and Gauri didi doing alone last night?

O:(confused) Kab?

S: Buddhu! Last night both of you left from the pool together!

O: Oh! You are asking about that one?

S,R: Yeah!

O: I told you right, that I bought a Camera to gift Gauri. In the same way, she bought a b..book to gift me. So, we went to her r..room and exchanged the gifts. That's all.

S: Which book?

O: ART & FEAR: by David Bayles and Ted Orland .

S: I think this is the same book you said you lost it few months ago.

O:(smiling) y..yeah!

R:(sitting up) What did she say about the Camera?

O:(giggling) She said that she l..loved it. She felt so, so, so hap..ppy. I saw it. Her eyes were sh..shining.(blushing)And you know what, She took my p..pics through that Camera, th..this m..morn..ning.(excited) She said that, as it is me who g..gifted her that C..Camera, it's f..fair of her to take my p..pics first.

R:(mischeviously) Bhaiyya! Look someone is blushing.

O:Sh..shu..t up R..udy!

I couldn't say anything more as I felt my whole face heating up. My cheeks are warm and my palms are cold. I think Shivaay found it cute, because he hugged me immediately, followed by Rudra. They are really the best brothers in the world. They never fail to make me smile. I love them and my world is incomplete without them.
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Hey guys😁,

Here is the next chapter.....

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