"I don't like sharing.. I cannot and I will not share you even with my demonics. "

~•~•~•~•~

'O!!', was Rudra's first reaction.

Gauri looked back and forth for sometime, confused. They seemed as if they would bury each other six feet under just by glaring.

'D.. Do you know each other?', Gauri asked appalled.

Rudra stood shielding her from Omkara. Taking her left hand in a iron grip he said looking at her, 'You don't need to know that Ri.'

But poor Rudra could feel the hardness pressing at his left palm. Holding her hand in air he stared at the ring in her ring finger, mouth agape.

'Y.. You got engaged?', Rudra's eyes eyes dilated in horror, 'don't tell me its him!'

'Okay then, its not him!', Gauri shrugged nonchalantly.

'Whaaaat!!', Rudra dropped her hand as hot iron.

'O!! How could you do this?', Rudra bursted out.

'What's the commotion that's disturbing my Ri?', A man in his early thirties entered the scene, dressed in humble button-up shirt and dress pants, with neatly gelled hair. He was a bit short and his fair skin was complemented with blue-green irises.

No, not Shivaay too, that was the ultimatum for Omkara's last thread of sanity.

'Wow! Wow! Just wow!! I never thought you are able to seduce two people together! A married man too got captured!!', Omkara clapped again.

'Shut up Om!!', A lady of his age went straight and grabbed him by collar, 'the girl whom you are labelling as a whore, is my own little sister', her nostril was flared as the wheatish skin of her face was reddened in rage, her waist length straight raven black hair was sweeping lightly over her face.

'Anika', Omkara stood there dumbstruck. Gauri!! My Jaan?? How can she -??

'Guys', Richa butted in, 'why am I getting terrifying vibes??'

'Richa, I think you should check upon the ceremony, I guess we need some privacy here', Shivaay suggested.

'I guess it would be right Bro. Come Gauri!', Richa held Gauri's hand.

'She is not going anywhere!!', Omkara pulled her away by her other forearm.

'I.. I should go!', Richa ran away for dear life, but not before shooting a worried look at Gauri.

Gauri nodded at her assuring.

'So? A whore huh?', Shivaay's bluish green irises were now surrounded by reds.

Omkara looked away stubbornly crossing his hands over his chest.

'Excuse me!! You guys are talking about me, and nobody has realised the necessity to tell me that how the hell do you guys know him??', Gauri was now super irritated.

'Chutki..', Anika hesitated a bit, 'he is the brother-you-cannot-talk-about-in-law of mine', she bowed her head down, her lips pressed in a thin line.

'Now, this is a nasty surprise', Gauri made a poker face, 'you didn't ever tell me that you are the filthy rich Oberois. That means my Sis got married to the business tycoon SSO, my buddy is a freaking Oberoi!! And foolish me, I thought you guys a nice family living in Dehra. So, that was just a setup huh??', her hurt face stabbed their heart with guilt.

'I shouldn't have met you Ru', she turned away and started to walk towards the swarms of buzzing students, looking at the Oberoi brothers in awe.

'Ri! Ri wait!', Rudra ran towards her and held her hand.

'I'm sorry. I should have told you about O', Rudra bowed his head down, 'then you could have taken much precautions.'

'Oh really?', she looked at Omkara in pure hatred, 'judging by your psycho brother's behaviour, he would have gotten me anyways.'

'I should have sent Khanna with you when you left for Bareilly', Shivaay regretted his loss of attention.

'Khanna? Why him?', Gauri wasn't able to find any clue.

'Ri, Khanna is not our servant. He is actually our bodyguard', Shivaay held Gauri's shoulders, 'we didn't lie to you. I really came here for my job. But not as the manager of 'Oberoi Inn', as the owner of Oberoi Inn. That bungalow is actually rented from one of my business associates. Ri, we did all these just to hide you from Om, we didn't let you know about the elder Oberois, that Rudra and I are cousin actually, Om is Rudra's sibling.' Shivaay exhaled deeply looking at Gauri with pleading eyes.

'But how did you get to Om?', Anika questioned.

'My Mom, Uncle, Aunty.. Sold me!', her voice shook, broken emotions clogging her voice chords.

'O!! Now you are buying girls for your..', Rudra was seething in hatred, ' when will you learn that all girls are not same??'

Gauri looked at them through her misty eyes, her very well known Big Bro, Sis, Ru, her long lost family.. Now bickering over her, they all seemed very distant to her just in one moment.. Like strangers.

*****

'All set?', asked Big Bro once we were done keeping the baskets in the dickey of his Honda city.

'Yes Bro! Yaay..! Let's go!!', Ru jumped in the backseat.

'Stop bouncing like a frog.. Over excited Rudyboy!!', I settled beside him in the backseat.

Big Bro revved the engine.

It was a sunny day. We stopped by a lake at the outskirts of Dehra, situated at a bit higher point of the mountain.

I and Sis set the sitting arrangements, while Big Bro set up the portable barbeque.

After sometime, we all became busy in ourselves. I ran behind the small white butterflies, while Ru ran behind me to make sure I don't fall in the lake.

From the corner of my eye, I could see Big Bro hugging Sis sitting beside her. Sis also laid her head on his chest, Big Bro kissed her temple.

Ahem!ahem! I looked away. They are so cute together.

Unmindful, I stumbled upon a small rock and rolled over the grassy clough to settled abruptly near the lake. Soft grass beneath me, tickled my neck, back, hands, palms of my feet, and I giggled like a little girl.

Ru, who wanted to grab my hand to prevent me from falling, himself tripped on the same rock, and landed beside me.

Both of us looked up at bright blue sky, small, light, white clouds lazily floating over the blue background, like some fluffy pieces of disheveled cotton balls, white butterflies flying a little over our head, resting occasionally at the small flowers around us.. Ah! This is what peace feels like.

Me and Ru looked at each other. A pregnant silence followed, and both of us bursted in laughter.

Suddenly, I took a long grass and started tickling him. He roared in laughter. I got up and ran away. He followed me to catch me. He was a fast runner. He grabbed me soon, holding me up by waist, he started twirling us round, both of us threw our head back laughing, our laughter echoing through the valley and Big Bro and Sis looked at us in admiration.

*****

Rudra's voice yanked her back to reality, 'O, I met her through a dare. Chubby dared me to take a random new girl for date. I met Ri and she agreed. We became friends and almost after three months from that day we got to know that Ri and Bhabi are sisters. She is my best friend O. And ..'

'And remember Om, I don't know what you did with her till date, but from now on, if I see even a hairline scratch on her, I warn you my brother, you will end up in your own basement cellar, with your own personal whores', Shivaay chewed every word menacingly, giving Omkara a warning glare.

Gauri sighed. They were not the Big Bro, Sis and Rudra she knew so well. They all became as distant as the twinkling stars of the galaxies light years away, and all happened in just one moment.

So, Ru and Ri are best friends. Now, what will Omkara do??

Things are getting really complicated.. 🙄🙄

Guessing game starts.. 😋

Happy reading!
With love,
Sarani.