*The next day, at the mehendi*

[Gauri was sat in the centre while the rest of the family began celebrations for the mehendi.

Everyone was present.

Except for Om.

As Gauri looked around the hall, for Om, Anika noticed the disturbed look on her face and went to talk to Shivaay.]

Anika: Shivaay, mujhe aapse baat Karni hai

Shivaay: Haan bolo, Kya baat hai?

Anika: Pata nahi Kyun, Lekin pichle 2-3 dino se, Gauri mujhe bahut Khoyi khoyi si lag rahi hai

Shivaay: Kya matlab?

Anika: Gauri ka Chehra dekhiye, woh khush Kyun nahi lag rahi?

Shivaay : Yeh tumhaara vehem hai, Anika, she's probably nervous.

Anika: Accha? Toh phir Om kaha hai? Gauri se baat Kyun nahi Kar Raha?

Shivaay: Om ka isse Kya Lena Dena?

Anika: Arre hai! Bilqul hai! Gauri Om ke sabse zyaada kareeb hai, Shivaay

Shivaay: Om ko kuch nahi Hua hai, woh bass...

Anika: Shivaay, aap puri duniya ka pappu bana sakte hai, mera nahi! Main jaanti Hoon ki kuch baat hai, jo aap mujhse chupa rahe hai

Shivaay: Anika...Om...Om Gauri se pyaar karta hai

Anika: Kya? Yeh aapko kaise pata?

Shivaay: Om ne mujhe bataaya, Anika...Woh...woh bahut hurt hai

Anika: Kya isliye woh mehendi mein nahi aaya?

Shivaay: Shaayad, Maine Rudy ko bheja hai, woh Om ko laata hi hoga. Arre, Gauri tumhe bula rahi hai, Jaao

[Anika rushed to Gauri's side, hoping that she was okay.]

Anika: Haan Gauri, bolo, sab theek?

Gauri: Didi, Omkara ji nahi aaye?

Anika: Om...Haan, woh aa raha hoga, tum tab Tak mehendi lagwaao

Gauri: Ji, Lekin---

Mehendi woman: Didi, mehendi lagaana shuru karoon?

Anika: Arre Haan bhai! Mehendi ekdum kamaal ki honi chahiye! Theek hai?

Mehendi woman: Ji, bilqul!

[As the woman began applying mehendi, Gauri's mind was somewhere else.

All she could think of was Om.

Where was Om? Why wasn't he present?

She was so dazed that she didn't even realise the woman was asking her a question.]

Woman: Naam kiska likhna hai?

Gauri: (Lost) Omkara ji...P-Pata Kya hua hai unhe achaanak se, mera dil bechain hota jaa raha hai...

Woman: Kya? Omkara? Didi, bataayie na!

Gauri: Kya hai! Hum bahut pareshaan hai, aapko nazar nahi aa raha?

Woman: Woh naam likhna hai Kya?

Gauri: (Irritated) Haan! Jo likhna hai, likho!

Woman: Ajeeb aurat hai!

[While her mehendi was being applied, Gauri's eyes instantly darted towards the stairs when she saw Om walk down.

He finally came!

She immediately got up and rushed to him, with a wide smile on her face, while he looked at her in dismay.]

Gauri: Aap aa gaye! Hume pata tha! Pata tha!

Om: Haan, aa gaya

Gauri: Aapko pata hai humne---

Om: Vikram kaha hai?

Gauri: Vikram? Yahi kahi honge, Kyun?

Om: Vikram mehendi mein hissa Kyun nahi le raha?

Gauri: Hume ka pata?

Om: Tumhaari shaadi 5 dinn mein Ho rahi hai, yaad hai na?

Gauri: Baar baar yaad dilaane ki koshish nahi hai! Accha ee dekhiye, humaari mehendi!

[Om's eyes fell on her hands, and he looked at her in shock.

What the hell was she thinking?]

Om: Kya hai yeh?!

Gauri: Arre Accha hi Toh...hey bhagwaan!

['Omkara' was written clearly in Hindi and Gauri looked at her hands in horror!

Immediately, Om grabbed Gauri's hand and took her behind the wall, furious.]

Om: (Angry) Kya Ho gaya hai tumhe?! Tumhaara dimaag Toh theek hai?! Arre meri izzat ki kadar karti Ho bhi ya nahi?!

Gauri: (Shocked) H-Hume Pata nahi tha...hum ee pehli baar---

Om: Tumhaara problem Kya hai?! Kyun problems badha rahi Ho? Pehle woh card, Aur ab mehendi!

[Om grabbed tissues and furiously began removing his name off her hands, while Gauri looked at him confused.

Why was he so angry?

Why was nothing going right for her?

She pushed his hand away before running upstairs to the bathroom, and rubbing his name off with water. As she did, she burst into tears.

She had never felt so frustrated before.

What annoyed her was that she didn't even know why she was angry. She didn't even know why she felt so confused.

She looked at her Engagement ring and Om's words kept playing at the back of her mind.

"Tumhaari shaadi 5 dinn mein Ho rahi hai, yaad hai na?"

In 3 days, she'd become his Wife.

She saw the door open and slowly Vikram walked in, before crouching and sitting besides Gauri, trying to understand why she was crying.]

Vikram: Gauri...Kya hua? Tum ro Kyun rahi Ho?

Gauri: (Wiping her tears) K-Kuch nahi...

[His eyes fell on her mehendi, and he glared his eyes when he saw 'Omkara' written, but he decided to not mention it.

He would handle it, his own way.]

Vikram: Tumhe pata hai na tum mujhe tum rote hue acchi nahi lagti?

Gauri: H-Haan bass...shaadi 5 dinn mein hai Aur...

Vikram: 5 dinn? Arre main Bataana bhool gaya...shaadi parso hai

Gauri: (Shocked) K-Kya? Parso? Vikram lekin---

Vikram: Arre sab kuch taiyaar hi Toh hai! Shaadi parso Ho ya 5 dinn baad, Kya farak padta hai?

Gauri: Vikram kuch zyaada Jaldi nahi hai?

Vikram: Nahi Toh! Kyun, tumhaare shaadi se pehle Aur shauk pure karne hai Kya?

Gauri: (Confused) Kya matlab?

Vikram: Arre mazaak Kar raha Hoon! Tum mood theek karo, main neeche intezaar kar raha hoon

[After Vikram left, Gauri quickly wiped her tears and headed down, where Vikram was stood in front of the family.

He turned and looked at her and put his hand out, before guiding Gauri downstairs.]

Vikram: Toh ladies and gentlemen, main yeh announce karne jaa raha Hoon ki Gauri Aur meri shaadi 5 dinn baad nahi, balki parso hogi!

[Gauri's eyes immediately turned towards Om, who tried his best to look indifferent but the hurt in his eyes was clearly visible.

Shivaay and Rudra, on the other hand, looked at each other in confusion.

Why was Vikram in such a hurry?]

Shivaay: Itni Jaldi? Kyun?

Vikram: Bhaiyya, shaadi kal Ho ya parso, hone waali hai na! Isliye! Gauri bhi yehi chahti hai! Kyun, Gauri?

Gauri: J-Ji...

Dadi: Main panditji ko bula Leti Hoon phir!

[As the family dispersed, Gauri saw Om rush into his room, and she felt pain as she saw him.

Why did Gauri feel like she wasn't ready to marry Vikram?

Or was this just her mind?]

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As you guys can Guess, this book is sort of going to end soon!!! (1-2 chapters more)

Thank you for reading!! Please vote if you liked it!

ALSOOO

Please please pleaseee check out my new story 'Fitoor' which I'll start soon (after this is over) it's a completely new story with a completely new cast and it has Sajal ali and Harshad Chopra as the leads 💓💓 I've always thought they'd make a sizzling pair so I decided to give it a try with this!

Thank youuu 💓💓💓