Dr.Bhansal's clinic....

Gauri's pov.....

I felt myself shift uncomfortably under jiju's scritinizing stare. Okay! Not scrutinizing, but I can see they are shell shocked meeting us in this clinic. But what can I do? It is a stupid plan of Rudra to surprise Shivaay and Rudra. And my didi can never say no to her favourite dever's plans. Within no time, the three brothers reached us and jiju is the first one to question us.

S: What are you guys doing here?

We looked at each other confused and Anika didi quipped in to answer.

A: "what are you doing" matlab?!
We came to pick you up.You are already late. Didn't Rudy tell you? Kyun Rudy?

S:(confused) How did Rudy come into this? And what's going on here?

         Anika didi again tried to speak,  but Prinku intervened to clear the matter quickly.

P: Stop it Bhaiya and Bhabi! Kitna behas karte hain aap dono. Bhaiya! It's Rudy who called up Bhabi and suggested all of us have lunch together somewhere outside. We thought of surprising you. We even informed Bhavya. She will join us directly at the venue. Look! How simple it is. Let's go now. We are starving.

         She sounds so irritated. She is the first one to make a move followed by the rest. We decided to go to a nearby small restaurant. Jiju and Didi left in his car while the rest of us are currently driving in my car. Ofcourse, it's my car, so I am the one who is driving. Om is beside me in the passenger seat while Prinku and Rudra are seated in the back seat.

            I don't know why, but I  feel like I should apologize to Omkara. It feels like I have breached  his privacy. I looked at Rudy and Prinku through rear view mirror and saw them discussing something seriously scrolling through Prinku's phone. I looked at Om who is looking straight at the road. I called out his name and he immediately looked at me, slightly startled.

O: Haa! You c..called me.

G: Yeah actually...., um..the thing is....I am sorry.

O: What?! I...I mean, kyun?

          He looked genuinely surprised. Did I over think? I just gave him an awkward smile and turned my gaze back to the road.

O: Gauri! Are you f..fine? You were s..saying something.

G: Err...nothing. Just, I was thinking something.

          I didn't avert my gaze from road while talking to him. The last thing I want is to get all of us into an accident. I'm still so young. Om is still doubtful about our previous conversation. Luckily, Rudra started blabbering about something annoyed.

R: Yaar, Prinku! Who asked you to invite Bhavya for this lunch. Aren't we all enough? Always irritating.

P: Rudy, are you mad?! You are not as cool as you act. What's your problem with Bhavya?

          I can feel the fury radiating out through her. Rudra seems unaffected, as if the whole thing is normal to him. Om craned his neck to look at them, but I couldn't turn around as I am more focussed on the road. I thought the fight is over but Prinku started speaking again.

P: You know what! Now you seem like a carbon copy of Choti maa. Always thinking low of someone.

R: Now stop it Prinku! It is going a little overboard. Are you 'my' sister or her's?

         I don't know if others noticed it or not, but there is a kind of strain in his voice. Like, what he said is completely different from what he wanted to say.

P: You're right! I am 'your' sister but she is 'my' best friend. And I....

        Suddenly she stopped speaking and even Rudra didn't speak anything. I slowed down the car and slightly turned around to look at them. I just saw Om giving them a disapproving look and both of them are having guilty looks on their faces. The atmosphere is thick with tension and I decided to change it.

G: Okay guys...,  wealmost.... reached the restaurant .

           As said, we reached the parking lot of the restaurant in 5 mins. I can see Jiju and Bhabi standing at the entrance probably waiting for us. I finally found a place to park my car in the sea of cars. Though the place is small, it seems to be famous. This being a weekend only added to it. All of us got out of the car. I walked to Didi and Jiju happily.

G: Hey Didi! We are here. Did Bhavya come?

A: Yeah! She is on some work call. She will be back now.

S:(confused) Where are the others?

G:They are here.

           Saying this, I confidently turned around but found no one behind me. I turned towards Jiju and shrugged with confusion. Just as I am about to express my doubt in the form of words Didi interrupted me.

A: Gauri! Are you sure you brought them with you?

           Oh now is this a joke? Let me tell you, my Didi has a worst sense of humor.

G: Really Didi! Worst joke ever. They are not school going kids, for me to hold them by their hands and get to you. They will be somewhere here only.

             Proving my words, we saw three of them coming from the parking lot. Looking at them, nobody would say that these are the people who were quarelling  inside the car few minutes ago. They looked so calm and peaceful. Prinku is giggling at something Rudra said and Om is looking as innocent as ever. I still can't forget the disapproved look on his face back then. He looked completely different then.

           Soon Bhavya joined us and all of us went inside to fill our starving stomachs. We have occupied an extra large table and soon placed our orders. The three brothers occupied  one side of the table while we girls occupied the other side.
           It is nice actually, to have more people around me. Talking, smiling, joking around. I don't have any friends. I never felt the need to have friends. It's always just me and Didi. Today I feel like having atleast one friend whom I can truly call my own. But I wonder whom I can trust with it.

          Thinking of this, I looked at Om. He is asusual talking to his brothers. I wonder how it would be if he is my friend. Hmmm.....I can't get any idea of it! Maybe because, I know nothing about him. Then he looked at me and smiled. I smiled back. Soon our orders arrived and we started attacking them. We occasionally discussed about various things like work,shopping, food, etc.....but mostly concentrated on our food. Hmmm....seems like everybody had a tiresome day.

(End of pov.....)

Oberoi mansion, 10:20 p.m..

Omkara's room.....

Omkara's pov......

           It feels like it had been years since I last entered into my room. I am now sitting on my very own bed, leaning against the head rest. Rudra is sprawled beside me, playing a game in his mobile while Shivaay is busy in going through the weekly accounts of 'AURA'. I am currently chewing one of the strings of my black hoodie thinking about my life.
         Life has been quite uneventful recently, apart from the usual nightmares and anxiety attacks. It is not like I want to do something adventurous in my life. But sometimes it feels like I am running out of purpose to lead my life. Surely there are plenty of reasons, like....my siblings, my work, Gauri, my love for her.
            But they are not solely for me. At this moment even if I just disappear from this world, my siblings will still be there for each other, there are already  many great artists in this world and I am sure many new ones will come up later, and....'Gauri', she doesn't even know that I love her. There are many people out there who are willing to give up their life for her.
        Who am I? My absence will not affect them for a long time. I need a purpose, sole purpose, which is only meant for me.

        Now I know, my words and thoughts seem suscidal. But trust me! It's not my intention at all. I just want to divulge my mind from this bubbling nausea in my  stomach. For once in many years I tried to eat like a normal human being, ignoring the efforts of my protesting stomach. Now see where it gotme. How can I explain to my revolting stomach that I tried my level best to keep away the food. But at the dinner, my two brothers were more focussed on my plate than theirs. At that moment I felt like I have gotten two hawks in place of brothers.

        It feels like somebody has set off a ticking bomb inside me. I am just waiting for the waves of nausea to crash on me. And here, my "Oh so loving and caring" brothers are dwelling in their own world. I decided to voice out my problem finally.

O: Shivaay!

S: Hmm....

         He is still not looking up from his files. I decided to try one more time.

O: Shivaay! Hey, Rudy!

         I increased my pitch by few decibles. It worked and they looked at me.

O: I feel like puking. It's terrible.

         To make it more effective, I made actions through my face and hands, making weird sounds. Immediately Rudra scrambled away from me saying,

R: Yuck, O! Go, use the bathroom.

O: Just shut up, you buffoon!

          I looked at Shivaay helplessly. This is not fun anymore. Shivaay looked at me soothingly and I wish that look could erase my pain.

S: Om, listen! You are fine. There is nothing wrong with you. It's all in your mind. Forget everything and try to sleep.

O: I wish I could do that.

           I again started chewing the string of my hoodie, thinking of possible ways to suppress this unpleasant feeling in my stomach. I think a Lemonade will help. But who is now going to kitchen and prepare it. I am sure all the workers went back to their quarters by now. I can ask Shivaay for it, but I think Bhabi is already waiting for him and also he is very busy. So, strike it off. Maybe there is some medicine? I am....Urghh! Just then Rudra's annoying voice reached my ears.

R: Yaar, O! Stop chewing the string. It looks ugly and gross. What are you?! A three year old?

O: Oh, really! Don't you dare lecture me about maturity. If you are not able to look at me, then
get out of my room.

          My anger got best of me and I threw a pillow at him.

R: Haww! You are telling me to
get out! How can you be so inconsiderate O?! You were staying in my room all these days and I didn't even say a single word to you. Shivaay bhaiya! Dekho na!

O:Shivaay! Tell this duffer to get out of my room. I need to sleep.

S: Chalo Rudy! Even I am leaving to my room. Chal uth!

R: Yaar, wait! Let me finish this level. I will leave.

S: No! Enough of games. Now leave! I will come after giving Om his tablets.

          Saying this, he snatched Rudy's mobile from his hand, making him groan.

R: For god's sake, bhaiya! I am going to be 23 in two weeks. Tell him, O!

S: Just shut up and leave.

            Rudra sat up and left, huffing. Soon Shivaay also left after giving me my pills. Now I am all alone. I sat still for some time and tiredly retired to sleep.

After sometime.....

         I didn't even realise when I fell asleep, but now I am awake. It is totally dark around me. I can recognise that it is my room. But I don't remember turning of the lights in my room. Might be a power cut. Haa! It's really hot. I tried to get up but I am not able to do so.
      I looked around the room once again. There at the farthest corner of the room stood a man clad in black, blending in the darkness of night. Seeing him, it felt like my heart dropped in the pit of my stomach. I don't know how he came inside.
        I promised myself that I will not let out even a small sound. But I started speaking without my knowledge.

O: Kaun ho tum?

         I got no response in return. He just stood there silently. I gulped and started speaking once again.

O: Kaun ho tum? Rudy! Is this one of your silly pranks? Speak some thing.

         The man didn't say anything but started moving towards me. I think I threw my common sense in gutter last night. At this moment, my first idea should be to call out for some help. I think I am finally losing my sanity. Being busy in these thoughts, I didn't notice that the mysterious man disappeared from my room. I let out a breath of relief.

      After few minutes I felt a warm breath blowing over my neck and my shoulder. I froze in shock. The breath reeked of alcohol and cigerattes. I need not guess who is behind me. The man slowly turned me around, making me face him. The same coal black orbs, sharp nose and rough lips. I guess it will be only few minutes before my heart stops beating. After many years, I heard his voice again.

M: Hey, honey! I am back, for you and only you.

       His tone is dangerously low and his voice is very cold. By this time, I am shivering so terribly that one might think I am having a seizure.
         He suddenly lunged forward and bit my neck. It is so painful. His teeth are tearing apart my flesh. Blood is oozing out of my neck, wetting my hoodie. No not the hoodie! Only now I realised that I am naked, not even a single thread of fabric over my body. Soon blood started flowing out from various parts of my body. Even my eyes are shedding blood instead of tears. My face is looking sickeningly pale and the world started to fade. It feels like I am watching a movie. I can see everything happening to me. My eyes started drooping and I clearly heard the last words of my uncle.

S: You can never escape from me.
.
.
.
.
          And suddenly, my eyes snapped open.
...................................................................................

Hey guys😀,

Here is the next chapter.....

I think I have been a little late.

Anyways,

Read and enjoy.....

Take care and bye.....😘❤