Thanks to all for voting and commenting on the previous part. This is the same story as the previous part but in Omkara's perspective.

I ran beside the stretcher watching her helplessly scream in pain. Every time she screamed I felt as if someone was squeezing my heart. My whole life revolved around her and she was in pain because of me.

"Om!" she gasps as she clutched her stomach.

"I am here, Gauri... I am here." I tell her trying to act brave and calm. "Everything is going to be fine." I tell her.

"I am scared, Om." Gauri whispers.

"I am here, Gauri. Nothing will happen to you or our baby." I reassure her though all the while I prayed for God's mercy. Without her by my side, I couldn't even breathe.

Seeing that we reached the labor room I quickly hold her hand and kisses her on her fist, she was clutching my hand.

"I love you, Gauri. And you are going to be fine." I stood there watching as they wheeled her into the labor room.

I feel a hand on my shoulder and turns to look at the man who apart from Gauri understood the depth of my love for Gauri, Rakesh Sharma, Gauri's father and my friend.

"She is going to be fine." he tells me smiling.

"It is going to be cesarean." I tell him helplessly.

"I know... it is going to be fine. C-section means it will be over in no time." He tells me to calm me.

I nod and pray for my Gauri.

Finally, it was over and the doctor had declared that Gauri and baby were safe and sound. As I stood with our family a nurse brought our baby. Swallowing hard I walked towards the nurse, I wanted to cry in relief and laugh in joy seeing the tiny bundle on her arms. As pure happiness filled my heart completely I looked at our baby. She hands me the baby and I took my baby in my hands for the first time and suddenly everyone was with me looking at our little miracle. As I looked at the baby a happy sob escaped my throat and I laugh in joy. I think because of the noise I made the baby opened its eyes and our eyes locked for the first time, and looking into someone's eyes for the second time in my life I fell in love.

Twelve years ago my life was different. I was different. I was carefree and lived by my rules. Everyone used to bow down to me. Girls used to flock around me while the guys used to worship me. I was the college heartthrob Omkara Singh Oberoi. Every girl in college was crazy about me and I was shamelessly proud of it. It's been one month since college started and I as usual was late to reach college. I sauntered to my class ignoring all the girls eyeing me. Though I enjoyed it, I never showed it. Anyway, I walk into my class and that is the first time I saw her in my life or maybe I might have seen her before, I never remembered the girls' faces that much. I stopped as I watched her sitting in my seat.

Then I slowly walked towards her and kept looking at her, waiting for her to look up at me. She seemed to be busy reading some novel, after waiting for a minute I realized she was not going to look up. Sighing loudly I drop my books on the desk and she looks up at me in shock.

Then the strangest thing happened, she didn't ogle at me, she didn't drool, she was not a puddle at my feet. She just kept looking at me curiously. I was shocked though I didn't show it. She was waiting for me to say something!!! I was flabbergasted... here was Omkara Singh Oberoi in front of her and she was giving me curious looks! As if it was not a big deal! Maybe she is blind but then she is reading. Hmmm maybe she is short sighted or long sighted? What was that, that couldn't see up-close?

"May I help you?" she asked me curiously.

She can see me! And she is not sighing or jumping up and down that I was looking at her! What has happened to the world?

"You need something?" she asks again.

"This is my seat." I tell her.

"Oh!" she says as she grabbed her things. "Sorry, I didn't know."

She sounded disappointed. Then she looked around to find both the other back benches occupied, finally sighing she moves to the bench in front of mine and settles there.

Later the Professor came, and she was introduced to the class. Gauri Kumari Sharma, new student. So this was the first time I am meeting her. Her father got transferred to Mumbai recently hence the late joining, as if I care. What I cared about was that she was not drooling over me. Was I not looking as awesome as usual? I looked around and found two girls watching me and I smile at them and they sigh. So I was looking awesome so why was this girl behaving so unnaturally? Is she showing attitude because she was a beautiful girl? She was very beautiful but that was not going to help her if she was dressed like a behenji. So why is she showing attitude towards me? The whole day I was intrigued by her.

Evening I went to the bar to get drunk like usual. And that was when I first saw my future father-in-law, Rakesh Sharma though we didn't talk, I saw him sitting at the counter calmly drinking while I got sloshed and flirted with some girl whose name escaped my mind a second after she told me.

Next day, I had a bad hangover and I didn't go to college. I knew what would follow, every girl calling me up to check on me. As I answered each call, I did kind of wait for a call from Gauri Kumari Sharma but it strangely never came. I decided not to waste any more time on that girl, she absolutely didn't have any good taste in men.

Next day I went to college, every girl except for her and Ridhima had told me how they had missed me. Ridhima didn't do that because she was playing hard to get. She was supposed to be the college beauty and I knew she was interested in me but I strangely never felt anything for her. And I feel her beauty was highly overrated, she didn't hold a candle next to Gauri Kumari Sharma. If I found anything stranger than Gauri Kumari Sharma not running after me was that no guy seemed to run after her. She was simply the most beautiful girl I have ever seen in my life and no one seemed to notice it. Maybe it was because of the way she dressed and quietly sat in class, I thought as I sat behind her looking at her. The whole day, I waited for her to come and tell me or ask me why I didn't come to college the previous day or how she missed me but it never happened. As I watched her walk away from class after the last hour a scary thought came to me, maybe she didn't even realize that I hadn't come to college the previous day.

She was an observer, I got that observing her. I didn't have much to do during class hours so I observed her. She was studying, reading or watching people. Watching her I started picking on her subtleties, like how if she knew the answer to a question the Professor asked then she would be sitting up with her head high and if she didn't she would be intently looking at her book. When she notices something that she shouldn't be noticing, then she sits with her head down and from the corner of her eyes she watches it. I had almost laughed out loud seeing her do that the first time and I followed her gaze to find Rudra and Shivaay copying during a class test. Then the best was when the books she read if a kissing or love making scenes comes up, she quickly puts her book under her table as she quickly skipped through the parts almost too scared to read it. I knew this because I had developed a habit of reading over her shoulders when the mood strikes me.

It's been months since she has joined my class and she hasn't shown me any special attention, I have caught her looking at me but it was unfortunately just like the way she had observed all the other people around the college, nothing special. And that was bothering me mainly because day by day I was finding her all the more beautiful and watching her. Every night I decide not to bother about her anymore and the next day I walk into class the first person I look for is her. I was kind of getting used to the fact that she was as oblivious about me as I was obvious about her, the bruise to my ego was kind of fading.

Then during our second semester, Professor bald had announced about some exam and I decided to make use of this situation to remind Gauri as I had started thinking of her as that of my presence in the class. I went to him and talked loudly about missing classes during my football matches and as expected Professor bald didn't budget.

Then in a softer voice so no one hears I tell him, "Then explain to me what was taught or ask someone to help me."

Professor bald looked thoughtful for a moment as I waited for him to call Gauri and as expected he called the class topper and asked her to help me.

She looked shocked when she was told to help me. No excitement or happiness, just shock. I couldn't help but sigh loudly. I asked her to come sit with me and walked to my place. Then I sat there playing on my mobile giving her the golden opportunity to ogle at me to her heart's content while I listened to her melodious voice.

She explained beautifully and her voice was so melodious I couldn't help but be captivated and listen to every syllable that came out of her mouth. I was a little upset that she hadn't faltered not even once, why was she not getting distracted?

Slowly she started picking up speed and I realized that she was trying to explain everything quickly so she could go back to her place quickly.

"Repeat that."

"Sorry?" she says shocked.

"I said repeat what you said just now. I didn't understand that."

"You were listening?" she asks shocked.

What the heck? Did she realize that I was just trying to get her to notice me? I look up at her and asks, "Did you think that I wanted to sit next to you and that is the reason I called you here?"

"No. I thought you called me because of Professor Sinha." She quickly explains.

"I do want to pass." I tell her and she nods and get back to explaining. "What was your name again?" I ask her as I wanted to talk to her.

"Gauri Kumari Sharma."

"Hmmm" I stopped playing and watched her as she explained.

I liked how she wrote down what she was explaining and how her head was titled to the side as she tried to concentrate. Then I saw her cheeks turning pink. Was I affecting her?

"Can you stop staring? It is making me nervous." she tells me.

I simply didn't matter to her.

"Girls die to have me look at them." I just couldn't take it anymore.

"I know."

"They would consider themselves lucky if I give them five minutes of my time."

"I realize that but I am not them."

"I realize that." Before I could think I tell her that. And I realized that the reason what I have been trying to find all these months was that simple, she was different.

She looks up at me in shock and for the first time our eyes met and that moment I fell in love with her.

As she looked at my eyes and I looked at hers, I realized that I wanted to look at her eyes till the day I die and I wanted her to want to look at my eyes all her life, and I realized that I was in love with this girl. The girl who never gave me a second look was the girl I wanted to look at till I died. The realization knocked the breath out of me and I think I even stopped breathing.

Then she looks down breaking our eye lock.

I couldn't help but sigh. I look at what she was writing and I realized that she had a beautiful handwriting; I could keep looking at her writing. "I would need your notes later."

"Okay."

"Give it to me during break, I'll get it photocopied and return to you before the end of the day."

She just nods and continues explaining.

In between I kept asking her doubts and asking her to repeat something because whenever I ask her to do that, for fleeting moments she looks up at me and that was simply heaven.

That night as usual I went to the pub and I was sitting at the counter and getting drunk. As I sat there drinking the girl sitting next to me was giving me all flirty looks but I ignored her. My mind was filled with Gauri and no girl interested me anymore. After realizing that I was not interested she goes away.

I chuckle and turn to my other side to find the man I normally see every day. He was curiously looking at me. "None of this really matters... right?" I asked him.

"What exactly?" he asks me. "

"These girls and these dancing... all the flirting..."

"Depends on each one... till yesterday that was all that mattered to you but today something changed." He tells me.

I look at him amazed, "How did you know that?"

He shrugs, "I am a good observer and your question also indicated a change in your attitude."

I looked at him curiously and he continues, "I have seen you around here for months now... each day, you are with a new girl... always drinking, dancing and flirting... but today, you have been sitting here all alone... you noticed that girl but you ignored her... and then you tell me these things don't mean a thing. It clearly means that something drastic has happened."

"What do you think happened?" I ask him curiously to see if he could tell.

"I don't know, could be many things. I don't know you all that well outside this bar... so I can't say for sure. But if I am to make a guess then it would be that there is a girl in your life because normally you will be looking at all the girls but today you didn't."

"I think I am in love." I tell him smiling.

"Think? Shouldn't you know?" he asks me smiling.

"Hmmm the thing is I haven't talked to her much but I have been watching her for some time now. She is not like other girls... she is different and very beautiful."

He watches me for a while and then asks me, "Do you know her name?"

"Yes, I do. She is in my class." I tell him wondering why he was asking me that. "Why did you ask?"

"I have noticed you on many occasions trying to remember the girl's name you have been flirting with or asking her for her name. I have heard you ask the same girl her name on the same night a couple of times." he tells me.

"That doesn't make me sound all that good... huh?"

"No, it doesn't." he honestly tells me with a smile.

"Hmmm"

"But you know this girl's name that itself makes her very special and important to you."

"She is very special... I don't know why... it all started because unlike other girls she was not running after me." I tell him happy to share my feelings with someone. Being strangers, I felt a safety in opening my heart to him.

He chuckles hearing that, "your ego was hurt."

"Yes. And that she was not running after me which made me very curious about her."

"Hmmm... how is she by character?"

"She is studious, doesn't talk much, always reading or studying... and yeah she is also an observer." I tell him.

I see a different look come over his face as he smiles.

"What?"

"Your girl is like my daughter."

"Really?" I ask him smiling.

"Yes..."

"Okay... she is a nice girl... got a kind heart and doesn't keep grudges." I tell him. "You know, Ridhima, she is my classmate... I heard her make some snide comments to her the other day... nothing cruel but kind of not polite comments about her dress... anyway, but then yesterday Ridhima had forgot to write an assignment and she had let Ridhima copy her assignment. She is very sweet." I tell him.

"I noticed that you didn't mention her name." he tells me and I smile at him.

"She doesn't like being center of attention or if people talks about her she gets uncomfortable. So I don't want to mention her name, that too in a bar. There is nothing in it but she might won't like it." I tell him.

"Hmm I get it."

"She is a very nice girl." I tell him.

"I know."

"How?" I ask him shocked.

"Because you already told me that before."

And I blush slightly hearing that. "I never talk about her to anyone... I don't know... and now I am talking about her, and I can't seem to stop myself."

"Your mind is full of her and you want the world to see her the way you see her and you want everyone to like her. It is normal... natural."

"Today... looking at her, I realized that I want to spend my whole life with her."

"How old are you?"

"18."

"Hmmm."

"You think it is a silly teenage crush?" I ask him.

"I don't know you well enough to say that but I do think it is a little more than a teenage crush. And I don't think it is silly... you seemed to be genuinely in love with her."

"You think so?" I ask him smiling.

"Yes." He tells me smiling.

"I'll marry her one day." I tell him.

He doesn't say anything and I ask him, "You don't think I am good enough for her?"

"I don't know her, so I don't know" he replies evasively.

"You said your daughter is like her so if it was your daughter would you have agreed?"

He remains thoughtful for a moment and then says, "I doubt it as I have seen you at your worst here."

I chuckle hearing that, "I like you. You are an honest man."

He smiles at me and checking his watch he says, "It's time for me to go. Nice talking to you. Will see you around."

"Definitely. You are my new friend." I tell him grinning and he smiles in reply.

Next day, I woke up earlier than usual because I couldn't wait to get to college. I wanted to see Gauri. I hurriedly get ready and run downstairs to find my parents having breakfast. They look at me in surprise.

"Good morning Dad, Mom!" I wish them as I sit down for breakfast.

"You are going somewhere?" Mom asks me frowning.

"College." I reply.

She breaks out into a smile, "College?"

"Yeah."

"Is there something happening there today?" Dad asks me.

"Not that I know of, why?"

"No... you are going on time." he tells me and I shrug.

Normally my mother has to beg me to go to college. I simply smile at their surprise and hurry to college.

The moment I stepped into my class I realized my mistake, every single one of my classmates except for of course Gauri was wondering why I was early. I just shrugged in reply and decided that I will not come early again and make anyone suspicious. I didn't care about people talking about me but I cared about what Gauri felt. Ever since I realized that I am in love with her, she has become priority, even above me.

I hung around with Rudra and Shivaay at the head of the class chatting as I waited for her to come. This was the first time that I was earlier than her and I kind of found a joy in waiting for her, an anticipation and excitement. Then finally she walks in as quietly as ever and walked to her seat. I watched her from the corner of my eyes as I knew someone would be always watching me and if anyone finds out about my feelings for Gauri then people would start noticing her and she is going to be uncomfortable and there was an unexplained joy in knowing that I was the only one who truly realized how utterly beautiful my Gauri is. I waited impatiently for the bell to ring then I can go and sit behind her and look at her to my heart's content.

I realized that looking at Gauri after falling in love with her gave a whole new set of feelings - a sense of love brimming in my heart, a sense of peace, a sense of belonging and a sense of yearning. I sat there watching every small gesture she made, I wondered what she was thinking and I tried to answer my own questions. I felt closer to her as I tried to understand how her mind worked.

Time flew as I watched her and I found myself wishing that the day not end. That day also I went to the bar and poured my heart out to my new friend and he was a good listener and answered me honestly on everything which made me like him all the more.

Like how he had noticed my parents also noticed that girls no more came to visit me or call me at home unnecessarily. Now that I know I belong solely to Gauri I knew my limits and I kept my flirting to a minimum so no one gets suspicious and I also had an image to protect but I made sure nothing got physical. Now that I was going regularly to college and there were no unnecessary girls in my life, my parents were happy though my drinking habits still upset them. I didn't really think much about my drinking habits, I liked it so I continued with it.

Two months later, after the weekend on a Monday, I hadn't seen Gauri for two days and I was walking to my class trying to slow down my phase as I didn't want anyone to think that I am in a hurry. So, I was sauntering trying to guess what color dress Gauri was going to wear today, she looked exceptionally beautiful in pink though all the colors suited her pink was somehow the best. I felt someone hold my hand and pull me to a class.

I frown as I see Ridhima standing in front of me with a flirty smile.

"Ridhima."

"Hey Om,..."

"What is it?" I ask her as I looked around the empty class.

"Why are you ignoring me, Om?"

"Ignoring you? I am not ignoring you." I tell her frowning.

"You are... you seem so distant."

"I don't know what you are talking about." I tell her as I turned to go, I have wasted enough time on Ridhima, I needed to see my Gauri.

She suddenly holds my hand and I turn to her and she pulls me towards her.

"If I didn't know better, I would think you are no longer interested in me." she says as she pressed herself up against me.

I felt alien in my body.

She runs her finger over the side of my face and I step back wherever she was touching me I felt the skin coil. I felt disgusted.

She leans up to kiss me and I push her away in anger, "You are my friend and that is the only reason I am going to forget this happened." I furiously turn around and walk away ignoring her calling out to me.

I felt disgusted and sick. I felt dirty. Wherever she had touched those parts felt cancerous. If I was not so desperate to see my Gauri then I would have gone home and took a shower. The more I thought of it the more I got furious and the more dirty I felt. I stepped into the class and looked at her. She was looking around and finally her eyes turned to mine and we looked at each other for a second. Noticing that I caught her looking at me she hesitantly smiles and suddenly I felt clean, it was the strangest thing but I felt pure.

"She made me feel pure." I tell him. "No one has ever made me feel that way."

He smiles at me. "It is not her, it is you." He tells me.

"Me? No... it was her. I was feeling so dirty and she made feel so clean." I explain again.

"I understand, Ridhima made you feel dirty and she made you feel pure. Both the times it was you, not either of them." He tells me then he continues, "It was because of the strong feelings you have for this girl. You believe that only she has the right to touch you and Ridhima touching you made you disgusted because of your feelings for her. She smiles at you and you felt clean again, that is again because of your feelings for her. She is your anchor and ablution. Your love for her made you feel like that both the times."

"I don't know." I tell him shrugging and smiles, "I would like to believe it is because of her."

"Wouldn't you?" he chuckles and I gulp down my drink.

Things were going smoothly then came the most difficult phase of my life. Summer holidays and I was living in hell. I couldn't see Gauri for two whole months and I was miserable. The only person I could share my problems would not meet me till night and the days were torturous.

"I'll die if I have to go on one more day without her." I tell him sadly, I was already drunk.

"Why haven't you ever told her about your feelings?"

"She doesn't date and all."

"But this is not like dating, right? You love her and want to marry her. Maybe it is time you let her know how you feel about her."

"If she says no?" I ask him in fear.

"She is not going to say yes so soon... but you have to convince her of your love." He tells me. "Once she realizes your love for her is true then she is going to accept you. Maybe she won't be your girlfriend but with your family and her family's consent she might agree to marry you when you both are ready."

"I'll tell her that I love her." I decided.

Then the rest of the holidays I planned on how to tell her about my feelings and how to go about it.

I gesture to the bartender to refill my glass.

"You love her a lot, right?"

"You have doubts?" I ask him chuckling.

He laughs.

"You are the only one in this world who knows what I feel for her."

"I know you are deeply in love with her." he tells me.

"Then why did you ask me?"

"I was wondering what she would think about your drinking habits." He tells me thoughtfully.

That got me thinking, I never thought about what Gauri would feel about my drinking. I realized that she wouldn't appreciate it.

"I have never seen you walk out of here in your senses." He tells me. "If you didn't watch it, you could end up being an addict."

He warns me and I immediately rubbished the thought in my mind.

"I have seen that happen, you think you can control it but when it starts controlling you, you'll never know."

I look at him as I thought of what he was saying.

"Right now, you can control it but very soon you are going to be in a stage where you can't go on without it. Every day you drive home drunk and you have heard of the dangers of drunken driving."

So far luckily I never had an accident and somewhere I was confident that I will not have one as I was confident that I will not be an alcoholic.

Then he threw the trump card, "You want to give her all the happiness in the world and tell me how can you do that if you are not alive or not in your senses?"

I look at him in shock.

"How would she feel if every night you come home drunk or when she realizes that she married an alcoholic?"

"She would be miserable." I tell him in horror.

"Yes, you could be the very reason for her misery also." He tells me and I look at the drink in front of me and I realized that I had to choose. Alcohol or My Gauri, and it was not even much of a choice, I realized as I pushed the drink away from me. I feel him patting on my back. I turn to look at him and he was smiling affectionately at me.

"Thank you, Uncle." I tell him smiling.

"Just looking out for the girl who is so much like my daughter." He tells me smiling.

"Now I like you all the more for looking out for her." I tell him happily.

"It feels nice to realize that true love still exists in this world, Om."

"You know my name?" I ask him shocked. The fact that he was a stranger to me was what had made me open my heart to him but he knew my name.

"Of course... even before we started talking I knew your name, Om... Omkara."

"How?"

"I have heard you on the phone talking to your mother, friends and the girls here." he explains.

"Hmmm... my name is Omkara Singh Oberoi... my friends call me Om."

"So, I should call you Om or Omkara?"

"You can call me, Om. Since you already called me that." I tell him smiling. "And your name?"

"Rakesh."

"Rakesh." I say his name to get familiar with it. "I don't think I'll see you tomorrow." I tell him.

"You won't be coming?"

"I quit." I tell him smiling proudly.

Finally our college reopened and I went to college both happy and nervous, today I was going to tell her that I love her. I knew she wouldn't reciprocate my feelings so soon but then I was not going to give up on her, even if I wanted to, I couldn't. I walked to class and as per my plan I asked out loudly making sure of not looking at her, "Who is Gauri Kumari Sharma?

"Me." she replies as she looked at me confused.

"You have parked your cycle in my parking spot. Come and move it." I tell her and walk off before she can tell me that she doesn't have a cycle or others interfere.

I walked out of the class and I realized that she was still sitting there and I went back in.

"Why are you still sitting? Come! My car is blocking the other cars." Saying that I hurried out again.

She hurried after me trying to stop me. I acted as if I didn't hear her and walked towards the deserted area of the college. Finally I reach my destination and slow down so she can catch up to me.

"I have no cycle. It might be someone else's."

I stop and I look at her and she tried to explain while I marveled at getting her undivided attention.

"I come by bus."

I take a step towards her and she quickly move back but I kept moving forward and she kept going backwards till she hit the wall, right where I wanted her. I keep my hands on both sides of her; making sure I didn't touch her because she won't like it and I respected her too much to do something that she was not comfortable with.

I lean down towards her ears and I gently whisper "I love you."

She turns to look at me in shock and I quickly move back because I simply didn't want our first kiss to be an accident and she will be scandalized. She continued to stare at me.

"I love you." I repeat again in a louder voice and she stopped breathing as she stared at me in shock.

Her eyes were locked on mine but her head was slightly turning to both sides as if she was looking for someone. I wonder who could she possible look for and then it struck me, she might think it was a prank. "I am serious. I have never been more serious in my life." I tell her with all the love in my heart.

Her eyes go wide. She again looked at my eyes and then I saw her face turn into shock as she realized that I was telling the truth, I don't know how she realized it but she did. That I knew.

"Whatever I do, it becomes news here and I know you don't like being the center of attention. So I'm giving you my word that no one will find out about us." I tell her and she looks at me in even more shock and I could practically hear her brains screaming. "I meant if and when you say yes." I amend.

"I know you, Gauri. You are not like those girls who are always hanging around with me. I won't touch you, Gauri. I promise you that I will not touch you till you become my wife." I promise her. "Unless of course you fall down I have to catch you or something on those lines." I tell her chuckling while she continue to gape at me.

"And yes you'll be my wife. I can't live without you and I won't give you up for anyone."

She looks at me her eyes going wider and wider. I could see her confusion and I understand it is very difficult for her to understand why I love her. As far as she is concerned we haven't interacted and we led two different lives in two different worlds.

"I know you. I have been watching you. Do you know what sheer hell life was these two months when I couldn't see you? I wouldn't have told you about my feelings anytime now because you are simply not that type of a girl who would date a guy but these two months..." I shudder and say, "I can't go on like that. I love you, Gauri Kumari Sharma."

She continued to stare at me I just couldn't help it and I lean down to kiss her.

Seeing that she moves back and I stop realizing what I was going to do.

"All I can think about now is to kiss you but I won't. I respect you a lot and I won't disgrace you in any way."

She looks at me shocked and confused, somehow I knew what she was thinking. How could I, the college dude be in love with her, Gauri Kumari Sharma an ordinary girl but she was not ordinary to me.

"You are not just an ordinary girl."

She gasps as I realized that I was right.

I kind of liked that I could understand her thought process.

"You are the most beautiful girl I've seen... the purest... looking at you makes me feel so pure."

The bell rings and I move back to give her way. "Go." I tell her and she immediately starts to walk away then I noticed her slowing down as she looked here and there.

She was looking around the place and at once I knew what she was thinking.

"I couldn't tell you all this in class and if I call you out then everyone are going to wonder why I called you out and you would have been the center of attention which you would not be comfortable with. So I lied."

I walked in a while later and I looked at her and she quickly looks down. I couldn't help but chuckle as I walk past her hearing me she looks at me and I wink at her. She quickly looks down making me fall in love with her all the more.

I sit down on my place and I lean towards her and gently whispers to her. "I would be needing an answer, Gauri and I won't take no for an answer."

She was nervous throughout the class. I could see that she was not paying attention she kept clutching her pen and was fidgeting. She was still rattled about my declaration and I was happy because for the first time I knew only I was in her thoughts. Knowing that she was thinking about me was making me want to kiss her and I just couldn't sit there behind her controlling myself. So when the bell rang I quickly walked out with some girls following me.

I couldn't take anymore of Ridhima's flirting and I walked back into the class to see it empty. That time I got a message from Rudra asking me to come to canteen. I walk towards the canteen.

"Hey! Gauri is treating us." Shivaay tells me excited.

"Why?" I asked hiding my shock.

"She got a new cycle." Rudra tells me.

Oh God! Because of me she has to give a treat. Why didn't I think of that?

"Did you all place your order?"

"Yup."

"Okay, then I'll go tell her what I want." Saying that I walked towards her to the counter.

"You didn't invite me for your treat, Gauri" I tell her in a sad tone though I was feeling so happy, relieved and mischievous that I no longer had to hide my feelings from her.

"I'll have a strawberry ice cream." I tell her and she continues to stare at me, I knew she blamed me for the mess she is in. I turn to canteen guy and nod. He hurries to get my ice cream.

Once the guy gives me the ice-cream I see her taking her purse to pay him I quickly put the money on the counter and the guy quickly takes it to bring me the balance. She turns to me in shock.

"You don't have to treat for a cycle you don't even own. Between you and me, it is my treat. I told the love of my life that I love her, and isn't that something to celebrate about?" I ask her smiling at her beautiful face.

Then I saw a flicker in her eyes, was that interest? I couldn't tell for sure.

Before anyone noticed that I was spending too much time with her I decided to go. Taking the balance I turn to walk away and I hear her sigh, I look back to see her about to take the heavy tray laden with everyone's food. She starts to leave the tray on the counter expecting me to carry it for her. I so wanted to carry it for her... like a primary school boy I wanted to carry her books for her but I realized regretfully that I couldn't.

With a regretful smile I tell her, "I would have loved nothing more than to help you carry that but if I do that, then people are going to start noticing us and you won't want that. Sorry, Gauri."

We were chatting and eating as I could see that Gauri was trying her best to not look at me and I couldn't just hold my joy in. Finally. from the corner of my eyes I saw her looking at two girls. She was back to her observations I mentally chuckled.

"Can I taste your ice cream, Om?" I hear Ridhima asking in cute tone.

"Sure." I reply because I was not a rude guy.

Ridhima took a spoon of my ice cream and ate. Then she asks me in overly sweet tone, "Do you want to taste mine?"

I see her taking a spoonful of chocolate ice cream and bringing it towards my lips.

"Not my flavor, Ridhima." I simply lie to her because I simply didn't want to use the spoon that she used, that was something intimate and that kind of intimacy I wanted to share only with Gauri.

I push my ice cream also away from me on the table as I didn't want to have that because Ridhima used that spoon too. I could feel Gauri's gaze on me as she looked at me "sharing" ice-cream with Ridhima while I had my hand over Rachna's chair. Then I see her shrug in disgust, and it simply hurt me.

Next hour I walked into my class and as expected she was in her seat, as I walked past her I knew she knew I was there but she didn't look at me. That also hurt me.

Very soon the lecture starts and I lean on my seat and whisper to her. "They are my friends." She stops writing but didn't turn back to look at me. "They are just like my guy friends. They don't mean more than that to me. I'm not going to stop talking to the girls because I love you. If you want I would do it but then I won't be doing it with happiness."

She slightly turns back and look at me.

"So, do you want me to stop talking to them?" I ask her because if she didn't want me to do it then I knew I wouldn't. Nothing was more important than her.

As if in a daze, she shakes her head in no. and I just couldn't help but smile at her and then she smiled back at me making my heart skip a beat.

One day I was sitting behind her as usual when I sniffed in her fragrance, it was different. It was not bad but not as good as her normal ones. She always smelled floral, this was woody.

"I prefer your old perfume. This is not that great." I whisper to her.

She doesn't look back at me but I knew she was listening to me. She had sat up slightly and I could tell that she had stopped breathing, she was still.

"This smells woody, and I know you are more into floral. So, was it a gift?" she slightly nods. "Hmmm... I prefer your taste." I tell her and that time I notice Ridhima turning to look at me and I looked past her acting as if I am lost in thoughts.

Next day I walked to class in anticipation because if she had reverted to her old perfume then it means that I mean something to her and if she didn't that means... well I need to try harder.

The moment I walked past her I sniffed in and it was her old perfume and I couldn't help the smile that broke out my face. I waited impatiently for Professor Potbelly to start class so everyone's attention would be elsewhere. The moment class started I whispered to her, "Smelling good, Gauri."

Couple of months later, I was walking past a class room when I heard Ridhima's voice. "Om, can you come in here please?"

I walk inside frowning; she had tried to get close to me twice after that time.

"What is it? Don't even try to touch me." I tell her in a warning tone.

"Stop acting as if you don't want me, Om." Ridhima tells me as she walked towards me.

"I am not acting. I don't want you." I tell her getting angrier by the second.

She keeps her hand on my chest and then she tries to run her finger through the opening between the second and third buttons of my shirt. I grab her hand and pushes it away.

"Stay in your limits, Ridhima!" I scream at her, I have never been so angry in my life.

"Why Om? Why do you keep running away from me? Don't you want me?" Ridhima asks me in a half desperate, half sad tone.

"How many times have I told you that you are nothing more than a friend to me? If you forget that once more, then you won't even be my friend anymore." I just didn't want to look at her face anymore.

If I didn't fear that me ignoring the college beauty would cause talks and raises people's curiosity I would have ignored her. I turn to walk out and sees Gauri at the door. I stood there looking at her in shock wondering what she saw. I knew it would hurt her to see me with another girl, hell it hurt me that she saw me with another girl.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Ridhima asks her as she marched outside. "Don't you have anything better to do than spy on us?"

My blood started boiling as I saw Ridhima screaming at MY GAURI! I wanted to grab her face and drag it on the floor and I realized with a sigh that I couldn't do that. I can never stand up for Gauri without grabbing attention to her and if I do that I might lose my Gauri.

"You don't have to take your anger out on her. If you are angry with me then deal with me, and stop acting like a bully." I tell her as I stepped outside the class and ignoring her I turn to Gauri. "Where are you going?" I ask her as dispassionately as I could.

"Class."

"Then get going." I order her and she walks away.

I saw the hurt in her eyes and I couldn't stay away. "Don't bother me ever again!" I warn Ridhima and I walk towards class in a faster phase though not running so I could catch up with Gauri.

"Sorry, Gauri." I tell her as I looked here and there, everywhere except her. "Because of me Ridhima behaved so badly with you. Trust me I wanted to teach her a lesson but then I couldn't fight with anyone for you like that. Then they will start wondering why I care so much about you... you understand, right?" I nervously ask her.

I didn't want her to be hurt, I knew she trusted me but I didn't want her upset.

"Gauri?" I call her name when she doesn't reply and then she nods and I start smiling happily. "Ridhima is just crazy. She is been trying to throw herself at me for some time but nothing is going to happen." I told her the truth.

"I trust you." She gently tells me.

"I trust you." I tell her and she quickly looks at me in shock.

"I don't even talk to other guys." She tells me and continue to walk.

"That is not what I meant."

"Then?"

"I meant, I trust you to trust me." I tell her.

Then I was simply tired. Gauri was not giving me an answer while Ridhima and other girls were trying to get close to me. It was frustrating knowing that every other girl wanted to be with me when I didn't know whether the girl I loved the most wanted me or not.

"So, Gauri, when are you going to say yes to me?" the moment the question left my lips I knew she had started blushing. "I am growing tired of this." I tell her in a warning tone "I am starting to regret the promises I made. That, of not touching you and that, we will be a secret. But if you don't say yes quickly enough then Gauri I'm going to break my promise and start seducing you."

She quickly turn back to look at me in shock but I just walked past her without looking at her and threatening her "You have a week."

Then two days later, finally I got her answer. I was playing on my mobile all the while watching Gauri from the corner of my eyes. Rudra and Shivaay come to me asking me to go clubbing. I knew Gauri was listening, she had started listening on my conversations. I didn't mind that, I kind of liked it that she was showing interest in matters concerning me.

I send Rudra and Shivaay away saying that I didn't want to go clubbing. Once they leave I notice Gauri leaning back on the chair pressing up against the bench and I smile realizing that for the first time she was taking the initiative to talk to me. I lean on my desk towards her and prompt her "Yes?"

She quickly turn to me in shock and I grin at her she looked downright shocked.

"You were going to say..."

She quickly turns around looking straight ahead. "You can go for clubbing." She whispers.

"You think I am not going because I feel you won't like it?" I ask her but before she could say anything I continue. "I was going a little out of control. Coming home always drunk and someone I met at the pub, you can say he is my friend, because he is the only person I discussed about you, anyway he got me thinking about the high chances of me becoming an alcoholic, and I realized that you might won't like it if I come home drunk every day after marriage, and I decided to quit before I became an addict." I explain to her and somehow, I could feel the joy emanating from her, and I knew if she was ever going to admit her love to me then it was going to be this moment. "Yes, I quit for you. Now, your concern for me, should I take that as a yes?"

She gives me side glance and start blushing and smiling at once. That was all I needed. I never expected the words from her, because I knew she would be too shy to say it.

"Gauri..." she turns back to look at me properly and I happily smile at her, "I love you too."

And she blushes even more making me curse myself for promising her not to touch her before wedding. If I could go back and change that promise I would, because I could give my life to kiss her now.

Since I was scared people might get suspicious if I tried to get her number, I never asked anyone for her number. So finally, I took her number from her and she shyly gave me her number. Every digit she uttered with that blushing smile I fell in love with her more. I wanted to hear her say the words. Maybe I will ask her when I call her tonight.

That night I called up Gauri for the first time. At first, she was a little shy but then she started talking to me. I wondered whether this was the eternal bliss that people talked about, because that was what I felt talking to Gauri knowing that she was only mine.

"How and when did you start noticing me?" she asks me.

Finally, I chuckled, she has been dying to ask me that for months now. I knew this was in her mind but some mischief in me was stopping me from answering. Maybe it was the joy in knowing that ever since I met her, I have noticed her and no one knew about it, not even Rakesh Uncle, I never told him that it had happened over the first meeting. I decided that, that was something I was not going to share with anyone. A secret I am going to hold on to, even from Gauri and Rakesh Uncle. I checked the time and it was time for me to go to the bar.

"Gauri, I have to go somewhere. I'll call you when I get back. Is that fine?"

"Okay... where are you going?" I tell her where I am headed and then I tell her, "I love you." And I could feel her smiling with her signature blush creeping up her cheeks.

Not touching her was one hell of a torture.

I was about to leave when I saw Mom.

"Mom, I am just going out. I might be late." I inform her.

"Where are you going, Om?" she asks worried.

"To meet a friend. What happened, Mom?"

"You are not going to drink, right?" she asks me worried.

I smile at her, "I quit, mom."

She smiles at me. "I know but I just got worried."

"I won't start again." I promise her.

"Thank you."

"You should thank Gauri for that and one of my friend." I tell her smiling.

"Gauri?" Mom asks me curiously.

I sit next to her and say, "You always ask me, right? How I changed? How I started going to college regularly, how there are no more girls in my life and how I stopped drinking."

She smiles at me, "I kept telling Tej, it was a girl but he didn't believe me."

I chuckle, "Gauri... Gauri Kumari Sharma."

"When will I get to meet her?" she asks me smiling.

"I'll bring her home one day. Not very soon because only today she said yes to me and if I tell her that you want to meet her, she might freak out. Don't tell Dad... we'll surprise him and Gauri." I tell her excitedly.

"Okay. But now you tell me all about her." Mom tells me excitedly.

I could see that Mom already loved Gauri, after all it was Gauri who got her wayward son in line. "I'll but now I have to go somewhere." I tell her.

I went to the bar counter looking for him and found him in his usual spot. Somethings never change.

"Hello Uncle!" I wish him cheerfully.

"Om? What are you doing here?" he asks me worried.

"I came to meet you." I tell him.

He starts smiling, "for a moment I got scared that you started again."

"No... no... I quit for her, I won't start again." I tell him smiling as I took the seat next to him. I order a Pepsi and turns to him. "She said yes."

"She did?" Uncle asks smiling happily.

"I did wonder what had happened between you two." He tells me.

"She loves me too." I tell him and proceed to tell him what all had happened ever since I stopped visiting this bar. Starting from my proposal to my conversation with Mom.

"So, you told your mother too?"

"Yes." I tell him smiling.

"Good." He says as he finished his drink and starts to pay.

"You done?" I ask him.

"Yup. Second peg. I drink two pegs a day." He tells me smiling. "Not one more or less."

"Why?"

"If I drink more than that then my wife and daughter will catch me. They don't like it and they don't know that I drink." He explains.

"Why do you do it if your wife doesn't like it?" I ask him curiously, I could never do something Gauri didn't like.

"After a stressful day, this is how I unwind." He tells me and I nod.

I was not going to judge him. "Don't worry uncle, your secret is safe with me... I will never tell your wife or your daughter your secret."

"As if you are going to meet them." He laughs.

"Why? You won't come for our wedding... granted it will be like some 10years later, but won't you come?" I ask him upset, he was the one person who knew everything about our love and if he didn't come to our wedding it would feel incomplete.

"Ah... that I'll come." He tells me smiling.

"I expect you to be there." I tell him in a warning tone.

Then I start to leave when he gently calls me, "Om..."

"Yes uncle."

"There is something I have been meaning to tell you for a while. I kind of regretted never telling you."

"What, Uncle?" I ask him with a curious smile.

"Remember, you once asked if it is my daughter would I agree to her marriage with you?"

"You said no." I chuckle.

"Well, if my daughter finds a boy exactly like you and if he loves her the way you love your girl then I would be only too happy to marry her off to him."

"Om..." she gently whispers as she held my hand waking up.

"Gauri, you fine?" I ask her as I sat next to her smiling.

"Yes. Where is the baby?" she asks me.

"In the nursery."

"I want to see."

"Okay." I tell her and hurry to the nursery.

By the time I got back she was sitting up with the help of my mother and mother-in-law. I walk towards her carrying her baby and sit next to her and hand over our baby to her. I watch as she gently took the baby cooing lovingly.

"Are you upset?" she asks me smiling.

"I should have known it." I tell her smiling, "I love you too much to deny you anything."

She chuckles rolling her eyes. "So, what name had you thought of?" I asked her since I was adamant on a girl and had only thought of girl names while she wanted a boy and had thought of boy names.

"Omi Singh Oberoi , so everyone can call him Om Jr." she tells me chuckling making me laugh happily.

I lean closer to her and we both gently call him, "Omi."

He continued to sleep making us chuckle.

"Gauri..." she looks at me with so much love in her eyes that my eyes filled up for a second, and I tell her, "I love him."

Because even though I know she wouldn't think otherwise, I wanted her to know that, as I was really obsessed on having a baby girl.

"I know you do, Om just like how you know that I would love our daughter. Our children are the symbol of our love and how can we not love them?" she whispers to me.

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- Lazy