gauri was shocked to see the man who accused her of being a thief the day before her BIRTHDAY and was now in front of her at her BIRTHDAY party. om was also shocked to see the girl who stole his wallet and was shocked to know that rishi was friends with him. 

gauri awkwardly: hi...I'm gauri.

om awkwardly: hi, I;m om.

heavy silence settled over them, thicker then the uneasy tension in the atmosphere. Unsettled eyes glanced unceremoniously around and tried to avoid catching other glances that passed by. rishi, richa and chahat sensed the tension.

rishi: om, let me introduce you to the rest of the class...well to those who are nice and not idiots.

om: ok sure.

rishi: bye ladies.

om: bye.

girls: bye.

rishi and om left as richa and chahat turned to gauri, eyebrows raised and their lips tightened. their eyes were focused on gauri who was as nervous as a mouse. due to the fact that chahat and richa were way taller than her, she felt intimidated, her heart was beating fast as richa and chahat continued giving her the dangerous death stare. finally she spoke: what happened? why are you looking at me like that?

chahat: as if you don't know.

gauri: why are you speaking riddles?

richa: why was it so awkard between you and the new boy....what's his name...oh yeah om? tell us.

gauri: he kinda accused me...of...stealing his wallet yesterday....when I didn't do it!

chahat: that's the boy you were complaining about on call yesterday?

gauri nods.

richa: one minute, why didn't I get a call?

gauri: the only call you pick up is kirin's, also your phone is always on silent mode.

richa: fair enough. so om accused you of stealing his wallet? how did that happened? tell me from the beginning.

gauri: I'll text you the story.

richa: fine.

chahat: how could have he accused you? he seems so nice.

gauri: looks can be deceiving chahat! why does he need to be here? I thought rishi was my best friend.

chahat: I will sort rishi out, now turn that frown upside down. it's your birthday!

gauri gave a small smile but that smile didn't show her dimples.

richa: that's not a smile doll. a bigger smile please. a smile where we can see those dimples.

gauri gave a bigger smile and that smile showed off her adorable dimples. chahat and richa pulled her cheeks and went to some of their friends.

meanwhile:

rishi and om were finally alone, om was on his phone trying to avoid the glare rishi was giving him. he would look up from the phone very 5 seconds only to see rishi still giving the death stare. the silence was killing him and he couldn't endure the death stare no longer...

om: stop staring at me, I can feel a heart attack on its way!

rishi: good.

om: good? oh so if I die of a heart attack, you will be happy? some sort of friend you are!!!

rishi: no, it's good because now that you are scared, you will confess everything. I've known you since we were little, my death stare makes you scared and then makes you confess the truth.

om: matlab?

rishi: are you really going to act like you know nothing? just confess the truth already!!!

om: rishi, we have been over this many times. I don't speak Latin nor can I understand the language so speak Hindi or English!

rishi rolled his eyes and said: why was everything awkard with you and gauri? don't try and sugarcoat it because everyone could see how nerve racking the tension was!!!

om: mera dost, don't be too over dramatic.

rishi: tell me the truth, do you like gauri?

om: what?! NO WAY! why would I like a thief? also love at first sight, backwass!

rishi: I'm sorry I didn't hear that correctly....THIEF?!

om: yes rishi baba, thief. remember that girl who I was complaining about non-stop yesterday?

rishi nods.

om: that's her, that's gauri. gauri stole my wallet.

rishi rolled his eyes. he knew om for a long time and he also knew gauri for a fair amount of time so he knew that gauri wouldn't even steal her brother's stuff. he placed a hand on om's shoulder and said: I know gauri well and stealing isn't her thing. maybe your wallet fell out of your pocket and she saw that happen but you didn't notice since you were already in a bad mood. so then gauri picks it up and tries to get your attention in order for you to get your wallet.

om thought for a couple of minutes then said: why do you always make me feel guilty? I feel so guilty for letting my anger out on someone I didn't even know. uff I am an idiot.

rishi: trust me I know.

om: very funny.

rishi: relax. it's better to talk to gauri later when she is not surrounded by people. ok?

om nods and then the two of them got greeted by some of rishi's friends.

meanwhile:

chahat, richa, gauri and another friend asha were talking, laughing and apple cider in their hands. just then asha pointed out: gauri, you know yash?

gauri: urgh! what about him?

asha: he is looking at you.

gauri turned her head to see yash looking at her, she felt creeped out and turned back to her friends.

gauri: who invited yash to my birthday party?!

chahat and richa looked at each other. this time it was gauri giving them the death stare. richa finally spoke up: when we were planning the party, rishi said to invite everyone so we did.

gauri: that rishi will be dead tomorrow.

asha: what's the big deal with yash? he only asked you out like 4 times.

gauri: not 4 times, 10 TIMES! everytime I said no but still he follows me about and keeps staring at me. it's creepy and I feel so unsafe.

chahat: your dad made you take kickboxing and karate so that you could beat creeps up.

gauri: when I am alone on the streets and it's dark! as much as I would love to beat yash up, I don't like being too violent.

asha: he's coming over.

gauri: urgh! kill me now!

yash: hey gauri.

gauri turned, her irritation clearly was visible on her face. she didn't lift her neck up to look at his face because she clearly didn't want to. her eyes focused on her ground.

yash: why are you looking depressed on your birthday?

gauri: why do I look depressed on my birthday? good question. why do I look depressed on the day I was born? oh that's right, because a monkey is in front of me.

yash: what monkey?

gauri: a stupid, brainless monkey who goes by the name....yash! that's you isn't it?

yash glared at her as gauri lifted her neck up, giving a small smirk and her hazel orbs darkened.

yash: you called me a monkey?

gauri: but it's the truth. you are a monkey. always following me and staring at me. it's so creepy. stop asking me out, you already know that the answer is no!

yash: you know what you are gauri?

gauri: what? tell me, I would love to know.

yash: you are a vile little cockroach who clearly is blind.

gauri: oh wow! I never knew that. 

her eyes darkened a little more. her face became rigid, jaw clamped tight, teeth grinding before she spoke again.

gauri: you are just a living proof that man can live without a brain.

chahat: gauri, stop this now...he is not worth your time. 

yash: I think you have no brain gauri. you're the kind of a woman people would use as a blueprint to build an idiot.

richa: yash, watch your mouth!

gauri: sure you aren't insulting yourself?

yash: I am sure. oh wait! I remembered something. you're the eighth, forgotten dwarf nobody knows about. 

gauri: just leave me alone you creep!

tension was building up, the music was dying out as everyone stopped their conversations and turned to watch yash and gauri's argument. om whispered to rishi: who's he?

rishi whispered back: someone who is obsessed with gauri.

yash glared at her with anger in his cruel dull eyes: you are an extremely stupid girl. aren't you?

their heated quarrel continues. it was definitely a war of words and who can hurt the other one worse. both of them were at each other throats like savage hungry dogs fighting over dominance. rishi knew that someone had to stop this before something super bad happened so he came in the middle of them and yelled: GUYS! ENOUGH! YASH, SPARE US YOUR STUPID INSULTS! GAURI, CONTROL YOUR TEMPER!

yash: shut up rishi, everyone knows that you don't belong here!

gauri looks at rishi and then at yash saying: control my temper? we'll see! 

she raised her right leg and was about to kick yash when someone gave him a tight slap. the slap was as loud as a clap and stung his face. it  had been an open-handed smack and it had left a red welt behind. rishi, gauri and everyone else looked at the person who decided to slap yash and that person was no other than om. 

yash: new kid?

om: stop trying to show that you are better than everyone else. if I was you, I would leave.

yash stayed silent and walked his way through people. the room was silent. om and gauri stared at each other whilst all eyes were on them. the silence was like a gaping void, needing to be filled with sounds, words, anything. silence clung to them like a poisonous cloud that at any moment could choke the life from them. silence seeped into their every pore, like a poison slowly paralyzing them from either speech or movement. silence hung in the air like the suspended moment before a falling glass shatters on the ground. fragments of thought, splinters of words, and droplets of silence spun into a kaleidoscopic jumble, shifted infinitesimally, and fell into an incredible new pattern.

everyone was back to completing their unfinished conversations but om and gauri looked at each other - rishi, chahat, richa and asha didn't say a word to break the silence between them this time. all they did was smile at each other then om went back to rishi and gauri went back to her friends.

rishi: did you actually slap yash?

om: I couldn't stand it when he was insulting gauri and then he decided to insult you and I snapped.

rishi: respect man.

om: thanks.

...

richa: you calm now gauri?

gauri: yeah, yeah a little calm now.

asha: need a drink?

gauri: yeah. 

chahat: I'll get it.

gauri: nahi nahi, it's fine. I'll get it.

chahat: sure?

gauri: yeah. 

she goes away from them and reaches the table where the drinks were. blinded by anger, she unknowingly picked up a shot glass and gulped it down. still blinded by anger, she picked up a shot glass one by one, gulping it down. it was 14 shot cups in total.

meanwhile:

the girls came up to rishi, om and another friend, manav.

chahat: hi guys, have you seen gauri? she went to get a drink and hasn't came back since.

rishi: no, we were here all this time.

manav: have you tried looking for her?

chahat: we did look for her.

asha: are you guys sure you haven't seen her? 

om: no, we...

he paused, his mouth wide open.

richa: what was you saying?

om: she is wearing a grey short dress right?

asha: yeah.

om: and very high heels?

chahat: yes why?

om: are you sure she went to get apple cider and not alcohol?

richa: she doesn't drink so yeah...

om: you may want to look on the dance floor.

the girls and the other boys looked at the dance floor, though there was many people dancing, they could see gauri. the fairy lights gave a bit of light to the room but it was still kinda dark so all you could seen was her high cheekbones, adorable dimples and mischievous eyes. she danced like no-one was watching.

richa: oh fuck! she drank something!

rishi: she is definitely a lightweight.

asha: since when did she drink?

manav: she must have still be angry.

rishi: true. she doesn't think straight when she is angry.

chahat: how can someone dance with those heels?

om: guys, she may be drunk but about the heels, what if she strains her ankle? also we have to get her out of here before she does something extremely stupid. 

everyone else: good idea.

om and chahat rushed to gauri who was still dancing freely and wildly.

chahat: doll, come on. let's get you out of here before you kill someone.

gauri: me? kill someone? oh yes, yash. yash...is on my...my..my kya hai....oh haan, good list.

chahat: you mean shit list?

gauri laughed and said: oh yes that, shit list. mr long hair...was also on...on..on it but he sla..slapped yash...so...so it all good.

om sarcastically: I feel honoured.

gauri turned to om, showing off her smile and the dimples. she said: you are...so handsome....like salman khan...I...I want to...to give you....you a hickey.

om: kya?

gauri: haan.

om: a hickey?

gauri: haan.

om: you are joking?

gauri laughing: maybe. maybe not.

they could see that she was struggling to keep her balance, and she knew she was struggling keep it. it was like some sort of outer body experience. her legs didn't work as she told them. neither did her hands. or her fingers. her legs gave up and she fell on om who caught her by the waist and kept his hands firm on her waist so she wouldn't wonder off. her feet on his feet, her hands were around his neck and she was giggling.

chahat: gauri, let's go.

gauri: no.

chahat sternly: gauri.

gauri: papa will kill me.

chahat: I will handle your dad. let's go.

gauri: no, my birthday party. my birthday party, I de....de....de....deserve to st...st...stay here.

chahat: gauri, please. we will go to my place first. 

gauri: to Italy? how can we go to Italy?

chahat: Italy nahi! my home! HOUSE! where I live! where did Italy come from?

gauri: so...so we are going to Italy?

chahat: nahi! bilkul nahi! MY HOUSE! 

gauri: oh your house. got it.

chahat and om rolled their eyes and they went to the others as om picked gauri up in order to walk.

chahat: me and om are going to my place. gauri will spend the night there.

richa: what about her dad? it's already 9:30. 

chahat: I will handle him. 

richa: are you taking my car? do you need my keys?

om: if you like, we can use my car. rishi, is that ok?

rishi: it's fine. richa owns me a lot of stuff so she can give me a lift home.

richa: sure why not?

she stepped on his feet.

rishi: ouch! what was that for?

richa: no reason.

asha: let us know how is she later on.

chahat: will do. 

gauri: when can we go to Italy?

rishi: Italy?

chahat: don't ask. also look after the guests and any gifts will be kept with rishi and rishi will give them to her tomorrow.

everyone nodded as om and chahat with gauri. they reached om's car and kept gauri in the back with om driving and chahat sitting in the other front seat.

om: just asking, what will your parents say?

chahat: one my parents don't give a shit about me and two my parents aren't even in this country, they are in Kenya for two more weeks so yeah!

gauri: we're going to Kenya now?

chahat: absolutely not! we are going to my home.

gauri: accha.

om: chahat, mind giving me the directions to your house?

chahat: type in '223, lokmanya tilak marg, 400002'.

om nodded as he typed the address on the satnav and listened to the woman speaking where to go.

gauri: arre, who is this woman? she bet...bet...she better not be flirting with...with....mr long hair.

satnav: now go left.

gauri: kyu?

chahat: gauri, calm down. think of something else. 

om: flirting with me? what is going on in your mind gauri?

gauri: kuch nahi. uff this car...car is so hot. 

chahat: gauri the AC is on.

gauri: then why is this car hot?

om: your mind is playing tricks with you.

gauri: how?

om: I don't know.

gauri: arre bolo na!!!! kaise?!

chahat: shh, we are playing a game now. only person allowed to speak is the satnav. if you stay silent for the journey, I'll book tickets for the zoya factor.

gauri: pakka na?

chahat: haan doll, pakka. ok so game starts now!

it was silent for the rest of the journey, gauri kept looking left and right and started shaking her right leg impatiently. finally they reached chahat's house. om got gauri out and carried her in. 

living room:

om: ok well see you at school I guess.

chahat: yeah see you.

before om could go, gauri started coughing. he turned only to find gauri running to the bathroom, chahat was chasing after her. concern washed over him and he ran into the bathroom seeing gauri trying to throw up in the toilet. chahat was rubbing her back. she turned to see om. 

om: do you need some help?

chahat: only if it's ok.

om nodded and sat next to chahat. he held gauri's hair as she started to throw up and was rubbing her back gently.

om: do me a favour and get some water and some mouthwash.

chahat: bilkul.

chahat went as gauri threw up and om kept a firm yet gentle grip on her hair and rubbing her back softly. she turned to see om, the colour was leaving her face. he gave her a small smile and she smiled back at him before feeling the urge to vomit again. chahat came back as soon as gauri was done from vomiting. om stood up but gauri was struggling to stand up. he gave her his hand and she held it tightly managing to get on her two legs.

chahat: ok gauri, do you think you can gurgle some mouthwash for me?

gauri: I...I don't know.

chahat: accha that can wait for tomorrow. now walk slowly till you reach my room.

gauri nodded and tried to walk but the alcohol didn't let her to walk independently so om helped her walk till they reached chahat's room, she sat on the bed and chahat made her slowly drink some water.

gauri: no more. 

chahat: accha fine doll.

both chahat and om noticed she was starting to shiver.

om: do you have any jackets or jumpers?

chahat: not really...I don't feel the cold so I don't buy jackets and jumpers.

om thought for a second and then took his black hoodie off.

chahat: what are you doing?

om: she can wear my hoodie, I don't mind.

gauri: so I...I am...we...wea...wearing....mr long hair....hoodie?

chahat: yes doll, you are. 

om made gauri wear the hoodie, she stood up and the hoodie reached up to her knees and the sleeves were so long for her.

gauri: yeh hoo...hood...hoodie hai...ya...ya...ya dress?

om: you are too small and the hoodie is too big. 

gauri: oh, it...it...is very soft.

om smiled and turned to chahat, saying: I have to go now, contact her parents and here is my number.

chahat copied the number down.

om: let me know how she is tomorrow.

chahat: I will. don't worry.

om: bye kitten. happy birthday once again.

gauri: kitten kyu?

om: you remind me of one. 

gauri: accha. bye mr long hair.

om ruffled her hair as she sat down on the bed and laid down on her side.

om: make sure to keep an eye on her and make sure that she is sleeping on her side because she could be at risk of vomiting while she sleeps and choking on it. keep a pillow behind her to keep them from rolling onto her back. wake her up every 5-10 minutes for the first hour and check for signs of alcohol poisoning. 

chahat: how do you know all this stuff?

om: my sister got drunk a couple of times.

chahat: accha...well I will definitely keep that in mind. see you at school.

om: see you.

gauri: bye mr long hair.

om: bye kitten.

he went to the door and drove off thinking of those moments he spent with drunk gauri. 

precap: 'thank you'

so guys, how was this? sorry for not updating in a long time. had some problems in school and I was busy with my coursework. 

moving onwards, so who is saying thank you in the next chapter?

did you all enjoy drunk gauri?

will gauri get in trouble by her family the next day?

will om and gauri cross paths again before their school starts?

target: 15+ votes and 6+ comments