Dil Bole Rikara: Rikara Shots Collection

The Wrong Prom Date (3)

He wasn't above underhanded tricks and he was sure that if he could get away with it, he would burn down the whole Oberoi house. With the people who resided inside it.

Yet as he looked at Gauri sleeping peacefully on his office couch, he wondered out loud, "Was this all worth it?"

He wanted revenge, thirsted for it. But when Ritesh had offered the easiest way out to him, he had refused. Why? Because he pitied her.

Pitied how her love was always directed at the wrong guy. Pitied how she thought that the Oberois loved her.

Oberois didn't know how to love.

And they probably never will. Not if he had a say in it.

And yet she made pitying her that much harder. With her tongue that only breathed fire around him, with her eyes that glowered in his direction and with those beautiful hands that had poked a hole into his heart today.

She was temptation. She was addiction. She was the sweet high that he had chased for far too long. And yet she was wrong. So very wrong for an addict like him.

He picked up his suit blazer, ready to leave her here. But as if his legs had a mind of their own, he was back to sitting beside her on the couch.

Pity. That's what is was.

He told himself.

Fool. That's what he was.

His brain reminded him.

*****

Gauri woke up to a splitting headache. She was wrapped in her favourite blanket, sleeping with her arms wrapped around her favourite pillow in her room.

Something about the familiar setting seemed distrubing.

Why was she home?

Wasn't she supposed to be elsewhere?

As she twisted and turned to the other side, memories of last night came crashing with a force. Dancing with strangers, drowning in wine and of course letting herself take another dose of drugs. She had been no stranger to rave parties. She had attended a few when she was fresh out of school and exploring her newfound freedom and million dollar bank account. She had tried smoking, vaping, a hash brownie or two and even a little bit of Coke. And yet as soon as she was found at one of the rave parties by Shivaay, who had made a disgusted face as he asked her if she smoked, she had quit. Because she was far too addicted to Shivaay to let drugs ruin her chances with him. She had adopted his hate for substance ever since.

And yet one sign of abandonment, one meeting between her father and Omkaara and she hadn't thought twice before buying a pack of meth. Meth. She had steered clear of that even during her rebellious teenage years when she had experimented.

Her head pumped like an artery inside was about to burst when the last part of last night's conversation came back to her.

She had revealed her plans to Omkaara

Utterly dumb and impulsive plans, but plans with a little hope of success nonetheless.

She got out of bed quickly, scampering to get ready. She had to catch her father before he left for office. She had to catch him before Omkaara did.

***
She had barely caught the door when her father had been about to leave the house.

"Dad! Can we talk?"

Ritesh turned to her surprised. This was not something that happened often. Gauri initiating conversation without causing trouble first.

"Is this about the fact that Omkaara sneaked in to put you to bed?" Ritesh crossed his arms as they stood in the empty hall. Their servants were told to go into other parts of the house.