"Omkaraji...," called Gauri as he dragged her into his room, his grip tight on her wrist.

"Omkaraji... stop... you are hurting me," she said struggling harder and he loosened his hold, stopping in his tracks.

"Where are you taking me? Leave my hand," she frowned at him.

One of the reasons why he wanted to take her away to the safety of his room was to buy some time to make up an answer for his behavior. The other of course, was to get her away from Karan.

"Umm... I.. sorry" he mumbled as he examined her hand and gently rubbed her reddened skin.

Gauri's heart bet rapidly as he softly blew air onto the area, her gaze fixed on his lips which formed a cute O while his eyes concentrated on the task at hand.

Did he not know the effect he had on her?

His 'Nandi' form she could tolerate, reciprocating the hate he showed her. But his softer side was what she has always been afraid of.

She tried to extricate her hand but he refused to let her go and looked straight at her, his eyes speaking an emotion he failed to put into words.

Her breath hitched and she looked away while he spoke next.

"I... uhh... want to talk to you,"

"About what?"

"Can we go to our room... I don't want to talk here in the middle of the living room."

If she noted 'our room' in his statement, she did not correct it.

"Okay," she said and he nodded before turning around and walking his way up, her hand still securely held in his.

****************************************************************************************

"You wanted to talk," she urged once in the confines of the room which held so many memories of them... both good and bad.

"Shivaay is planning to get Anika married to Vikram."

"What?" she shrieked and he sighed nodding in confirmation.

"But... why? And Anika Bhaujai?"

"She is tightly gripping on to her ego."

"Oh God... what now?"

"I don't know and that is why we need your help"

Gauri raised her eyebrows and he knew what came next.

"You want my help in your family issues?"

The jibe rightly hit his stomach but he chose not to respond to it with anything other than a head nod.

"You could have told me this in Rudy bhaiyya's room... why did you drag me here?"

"Umm... I ..."

"Hmm?"

"Anika Bhabhi said you did not want to involve yourself in..,"

"She said right but I did not say I will not help when she needs me."

"I thought I need to apologize and convince you for it."

"You have apologized enough Omkaraji... nothing is going to change things between us but I will not say no to people who ask me help," she said firmly.

Gauri couldn't help but feel guilty as she noted the pain in his eyes though he merely nodded his head.

Why do things have to be this way between them? Why couldn't he spell it loud and clear that he wanted more?

"Is that everything? or do you want to talk more"

Yes.. can you please stay away form that asshole... his heart pleaded her.

"No.. nothing else"

"Can I go now? We will think of something soon."

"Ummm...when will we meet then?" he cursed himself mentally, for sounding like a teenage guy eagerly asking his girlfriend for a date.

"Evening? I will come to Rudy bhaiyya's..."

"No... here.. I will ask him to come here too."

"Okay," she said and he nodded with a sigh.

**********************************************************************************************

The next day,

"Where is my gift?" Sahil asked Shivaay who smiled at him before rummaging his cupboard for a neatly wrapped present.

"Wow... this is huge.. what is it?"

"You can open it for yourself"

"Cool... I will show it to Omkara bhaiyya too" he said and joyfully limped out of the room .

As Shivaay watched Anika's brother exit the room, he noticed Gauri hesitantly waiting to enter through the doorway.

"Come Gauri."

She smiled at him and said, "I thought Sahil would take all your time... hope you have some left for me"

"Do you even have to ask? Come sit," he said showing the space beside him.

"Can I tie you raakhi?"

"What happened to you Gauri? Don't you think you are asking too many permissions today? You never held yourself back...not at least before me"

"Certain equations changed and I do not want to impose myself on anyone bade bhaiyya"

"What changed?"

"You know what I am talking about."

"So we are not to take names?" he asked with a smile and she sighed.

"Okay... as you wish... you may tie your Raakhi now" he said showing his hand and she smiled tying the string of love.

Shivaay gave her a warm hug before he parted and smiled at her.

"Rishtey sirf ek naa bolne se toothe nahi hai Gauri... It is not that simple" (relationships don't break with a simple no)

"Ho sakta hai bhaiyya...(it will) A no means a no... there is no other meaning to it. He does not want me and I am okay with his decision"

"Gauri... how do I explain it to you? Omkara has always..."

"Please, let us not talk of this bhaiyya... I respect you a lot and you have always showered love upon me. After everything he has done, if you still take his side I will be compelled to think that the love was not for me but it was only for your brother's wife."

"No Gauri... I never said he is not wrong... whatever reasons he had for doing what he did, he still wronged you. I am sorry for it. But by leaving him can you be happy? Can you feel whole again?"

Gauri bit back a sob but firmly answered a yes looking away from his piercing eyes.

"Do not think I cannot tell your pain Gauri... I feel it and connect to it because I know how bad it hurts when your love isn't reciprocated," he said patting her head.

"I know I hurt Anika before, but she hurt me equally... I am ready to let go of everything if only she allowed it but she doesn't speak. If she is really trying for revenge for what I did to her, she is successful," he opened his own wounds for her to reply to him.

"Bade bhaiyya... bhaujai loves you and you love her... please don't do this to yourself" Gauri said instead, wanting to change the course of the discussion.

"Really Gauri? Is love alone sufficient to continue a relationship?"

"Of course yes" she lied.

"Then why do you plan to leave my brother?"

"That is different... he doesn't love me back"

"Is that the only reason? Don't you think trust and respect is important too? Isn't that why you wanted to leave this house? Please don't lie Gauri."

"Bade bhaiyya... Anika bhaujai cannot live without you."

"Then why is she ready to marry Vikram?"

"Because she wants to see how far you would go in this war of ego... why did you decide to get her married bhaiyya?"

"I want to know how far she would go with all the draama"

"Ego will yield you nothing Bhaiyya"

Shivaay sighed closing his eyes for a moment trying to calm himself.

Why did no one understand his point?

"This is not just that Gauri... I have every right to know of the secret which is related to our separation. Don't you think so?"

Unable to answer his question, she remained silent and he continued.

"My brothers trust her... My family trusts her that she would never do anything wrong but after three months of our divorce, she comes back engaged to someone, wanting to snatch my house from me... How can she be correct?... you tell me."

"Maybe...."

"Well, I am tired of thinking about the maybe. I want answers and I am just pushing her to the limit to extract them"

"But there might be other ways bhaiyya"

"What ways? I am open for all ideas... I am sure you know about it. Will you let the secret out? Could you do that for me Gauri?"

When she kept her silence, Shivaay smiled "You see my state?... No one wants to support me... Not my brothers, not my mother and not you"

Gauri vigorously shook her head in a no.

"It is not that... I really do not have any idea why she left you bhaiyya... I..."

Shivaay took her hand and placed it on his head "Tell me the truth Gauri... Anika considers you her sister... Did she not tell anything to you?"

"I promise Bade bhaiyya. She was about to tell me when I stopped her, not wanting to involve myself more into the family issues"

"Can you help me then? You are not bound to her"

"But..."

"You help me or I am going ahead with the marriage plan."

"No... please don't..."

"Then tell me what you know... Is that Vikram really her fiance?"

Gauri sucked in a panicked breath... How will she escape him now?

"I asked you something Gauri."

Taking a deep breath, she decided to come true.
"No... he is just acting his part for her" she uttered, praying that her sister in law forgives her for the treachery.

Shivaay nodded his head "Anything else you think might help me get answers?"

"I don't know much but I think Pinky maa has something to do with it... I overheard her name when they discussed about you"

"Maa?"

"Yes.. I don't know if I am correct. Please don't...,"

"I will not come to any conclusion without testing the facts... I learnt my lesson Gauri," he assured and she nodded.

"And Gauri..."

"Hmm"

"Don't give up on my brother yet... he just needs one chance," he pleaded taking her hand in his.

When she opened her mouth clearly wanting to oppose, he added "One chance Gauri... he deserves one last chance."

Gauri sighed tiredly shaking her head in give up and Shivaay smiled before walking to his cupboard.  Not long after, he returned with a set of papers.

"Enough of the sad talk... Here, this is your Raakhi gift," he said handing them over to her while she curiously looked at the names.

"They are some good institutes where you can complete your high school," he said and she grinned, her mood lifting up instantly.

"Choose whichever one you want to join... I will make the arrangements."

"Really? I thought there will be hardly any schools for my age group... Do I have so many options?"

"Of course... You are an Oberoi," he said when he saw her smile dim.

Not wanting to dampen her mood, he decided to let the matter rest for the time being.

Pulling her to the study table which had his laptop, he briefed her about the colleges and the admission procedure.

"Thank you so much bhaiyya... Please, can you decide one college for me? I am still new to all this," she asked, showing him her best puppy eyes.

"Okay" he chuckled, flicking her nose with his finger.

"Can I take these with me? I will tell this to maa," she said and he nodded.

Gauri happily sprinted out of the room, ready to inform the news to her mother and Dandi when she saw Omkara come in the opposite direction.

As he approached her, he passed her a greeting smile. She on the otherhand, returned it with her million dollar one, before walking away and leaving him in wonder. His heart bloomed with happiness seeing her glowing like that.

"What did you give her?" he asked his brother as soon as he entered his room and Shivaay told him of his mother's wish.

"Really? Mom asked it? But why?" Omkara asked, the smile refusing to leave his face.

"May be you should ask her for yourself"

****************************************************************************************

Ummmm... how was it? Boring? Missed Rikara??

I need to set the stage before the romance right... so kindly be patient...

Please vote and comment...

Good night ... see you until next week.😇