Gauri looked around the classroom to find a place for herself. Amongst the class of various age groups, she found a seat empty beside a girl who seemed to be close to her age.
She walked timidly and reached the girl's side to smile sweetly.
"Can I sit here?"
"I don't own the institute," came the reply.
As the girl turned her head away, Gauri frowned but sat in the seat she choose.
"Don't mind her, she is a bit off," a friendly voice sounded from behind her and Gauri turned to look at a woman who seemed to be in her mid-thirties pleasantly smiling at her.
"Make yourself comfortable, the class will start in sometime and the professor is strict," said the lady.
Returning a warm smile, Gauri nodded and gave a glance to the arrogant girl beside her.
"My name is Mithila," said the woman extending a hand.
Gauri slightly shifted in her place so that she could give a proper handshake.
"Gauri."
"I know," she replied making her look in question.
"Arjun sir told us," she clarified.
"Oh."
"Me and Himani like him so much," she added.
"Himani?"
Mithila gestured towards the girl beside her and Gauri raised an eyebrow.
"Is it her name?" she asked in a whisper and Mithila grinned.
"Isn't today the starting of the college? How do you guys know each other before and even about Arjun sir?"
"We joined last year but we could not clear our exams. Though my husband is supportive, I had my children to take care of. Himani on the other hand..." she stopped getting a glare from the said girl.
"Well, she will tell it when she knows you."
Gauri who was seeing the rapport between the two silently nodded her head in understanding.
Why did the girl not like her?.. she couldn't help but wonder.
"It is not your fault really, she isn't that open to new people," Mithila reasoned but she could note the hesitation.
Gauri was about to say something when the rest of the class stood up to greet the teacher of their first lecture. Letting the matter rest for then, she stood up in respect for the professor before he asked them to settle down and started the lesson for the day.
*************************************************************************
Gauri sat in silence as Arjun ordered his lunch in their college canteen.
"How did your classes go? Getting along with your classmates?" he asked noting the lost look on her face.
She looked up to stare at him for a second before she nodded and faked a smile.
Arjun raised an eyebrow.
"Any problem?"
"Nothing."
"Okay, lets eat then?" he asked and she nodded.
"You said you will tell me about Mehar?"
"Oh that," Arjun said with a smile as he put the first spoon of food into his mouth.
"Hmm," she said taking her first bite.
"Mehar was our college's queen bee and like everybody, I had a crush on her."
"Hmm hmm."
"She on the other hand was interested in the poetic Omkara while your husband was oblivious to the attention he received form the girl. I was his close friend at that time and she used to hang out with us."
Gauri sighed out in relief as the former continued.
"Since I was his friend, she asked me tips on how to impress him and I got jealous. I told her a lie and that got circulated in the classroom. Since it came from me, people believed it was true and Omkara took it seriously. He never gave me a chance to explain and I was stupid to loose him for a girl who didn't have common sense."
"He doesn't like lies," she said and he scoffed.
"Come on Gauri, we were teens then and it was just a small lie to get my crush. After all these years, he cannot hold that grudge against me right?"
"What did you lie about?"
"Umm, nothing big," he brushed it off.
"Then tell me."
"I...uhh... can we skip it?"
"Now you are making me curious."
"You won't let it go, will you?"
Gauri shook her head in a no.
Arjun grinned at her before he let it out, "I told her that he was gay."
She widened her eyes at him for a few seconds taking in his words, before she burst out laughing.
As they were sitting in the canteen, a few heads turned in their direction. Some curious students stared at them while the rest got back to their earlier activities.
Arjun smiled as she calmed down.
"See, such a childish lie and your husband got stuck on it."
"You were so mean. Didn't you have anything else to lie about?"
"I don't know, I was a terrible liar back then I guess. That was what I could come up with when she was going to propose him."
"You said that he wasn't interested in her. He would have said a no anyways."
"Well, I cannot sit idle and watch my crush propose my best friend. I was about to tell him that I did such a thing but you know how girls keep secrets. Mehar told her best friend and asked her not to tell anyone. So obviously, the entire college knew about it by the next day."
"Oh poor Omkaraji, he must have been humiliated."
"I promise I never felt that guilty in my life ever. I sincerely apologized to him time and again but .."
"You should have thought about the consequences Arjun sir," she said with a smile and he shrugged.
"Tell him that I am still repenting it."
Gauri smiled and nodded her head.
"Is there anything I can do for you? He might forgive me if I help you out with your studies."
The earlier hesitation left her and she told him her concern.
"The lectures are being taken in English and I had a hard time trying to understand them today."
"Oh, but you cleared your English exam right? In the admission test."
"I mugged the basics and bade bhaiyya guided me through the questionnaire. I still have a problem in understanding when people talk fast. You saw how nervous I got that day."
"No problem, I can help you with that. English is my major," he said with a smile.
"But you cannot give me special attention during the class. People might..."
"I will take some time in explaining things to you Gauri. I will have to do that after college hours not during usual lectures. We can meet up in the library."
"Still, people might talk..."
"Talk about what? You came here to learn Gauri; these things shouldn't matter to you. I am a married man and people know that I love my wife way too much. My name here is taken with respect. There won't be any rumors and even if there will be, I am sure Om will never believe them."
As he could see her still in hesitation, he firmly said, "One of the qualities I liked in him back then was his respect towards women. He is supporting you to achieve your dreams. Do you think he will not understand you when you take help to get there?"
Gauri thought about the statement for a bit long before she smiled at her professor.
"Great, when you don't understand your lecturers, take the notes of any of your classmates and come to me. I will explain it to you that day itself."
"Thank oo so much sir."
"It is thank 'you' Gauri."
It took a few times before she uttered it rightly getting appreciation from the mentor.
Sitting far away from them, Himani silently tolerated the exchange as Mithila rebuked her.
"Stop it Himani, Arjun sir doesn't owe you anything."
"I loved him."
"He is a married man."
"Yeah, so I hate her."
"Shut up. Gauri is a sweet girl."
"I don't care," said the latter, before getting up from her seat and leaving the place.
*********************************************************************************
"Shivaay, I am done with my work, I will pick up Gauri for today," Omkara talked to his brother on phone.
"Cool, I will head home then, Anika has been eating my head to take her to a movie today."
Omkara chuckled as his brother continued.
"I asked her to stay in the college garden after she finished her classes as she is not allowed a phone inside the campus."
"Yeah, she told me about that rule in the morning and I felt it absurd. How will you communicate if she needs us."
"Well, 'she will be safe with us Mr. Oberoi', is what the headmistress said when I asked her the same," Shivaay said in a mocking tone.
"The college is trying to maintain some sort of discipline apparently."
"Anyways, garden is the place you search for her first," Omkara heard his brother say as he stooped his vehicle in front of the college.
Muttering a bye, the husband walked out of the car and into the campus.
Upon reaching the destined place, he looked around in search of his wife. Not finding her, he looked into his watch to note that he was early by a few minutes. Deciding to wait, he sat on a bench nearby when he heard a squeal.
Turning around, he looked at a girl around the age of ten running towards him with a glare.
Curious, he waited for her to reach him and tell him in all arrogance.
"That is my bench."
Omkara smiled at the chubby girl and asked nicely, "Okay, can I sit on it for some time?"
"No," she stressed. "This is where we wait for my mom to come every day."
"Oh, I have to wait for my wife too. Will you be a sweet girl and offer.."
"No," the girl yelled making him raise an eyebrow.
"Diya is that the way to talk?" Omkara heard a scolding tone.
"Sorry, she is being rude to you," Mithila apologized.
"No issues, she is just a small girl."
"I am not small, dad said I am a big girl. I have a baby brother," Diya retorted.
"Diya!"
"It is okay really," he tried to stop the scolding session.
"Apologize now," Mithila passed an order to her child who tried to pout.
"That wont work," she glared at her daughter.
Diya looked at the long haired man who was the reason why her mother got angry on her.
Why should she give up her bench for him and when asked for the same, get scolded?
"I am waiting," she heard her mother's voice warn again.
"Sorry," she mumbled looking down to the ground.
"It is okay Diya, I am sorry too for trying to sit on your bench," Omkara said kneeling down to her height.
This time the little girl looked at him with a questioning frown.
"You are sorry?"
"Yes, when you are wrong even if it is unintentional, you need to apologize," he said and the girl smiled.
"You are good," she appreciated, getting a chuckle from her mother who was watching the exchange.
"I am Omkara," he introduced himself giving her a hand which she shook vigorously.
"I am Diya. Diya Agarwal, daughter of Priyank Agarwal."
"Nice to meet you Diya."
"I am Mithila Agarwal," the girl heard her mother say.
Omkara stood to his height and greeted the woman with a formal smile.
"You said that you are to wait for your wife. Where is she?" Diya asked looking around.
"Oh, wife. Is she a new joining?" Mithila asked him and he nodded.
"She must be in my class then. What is her name?"
Omkara was about to answer when he heard a couple's laughter. Mithila who turned in the direction pleasantly smiled as she gushed.
"They look adorable together, don't they? That is our professor Arjun and his wife Gauri."
"What?"
"She is a new joining too, let us see if she knows your wife."
"Excuse me," Mithila heard the growl from him before he marched towards the couple.
**************************************************************************
Arjun was the first to notice Omkara walking to them, anger written all over his face.
"Umm, did you ask your husband to pick you up?" he asked her.
"Omkara ji? But bade bhaiyya said he was coming."
"Om is here and for some reason he seems very angry," he said and gestured her to look in his direction.
Gauri withheld a gasp as she saw her angry Nandi reach her.
"Hi Om," Arjun greeted and was conveniently ignored.
"Shall we go?" he asked his wife and without hearing an answer, took her hand and turned around.
"Gauri?" Mithila called her.
"Umm, hi Mithila ji."
"Who is he?" she asked with a frown, looking at the way he was dragging her.
"I am Omkara Singh Oberoi and she is my wife, Gauri Omkara Singh Oberoi," he answered her and without another word walked past them taking his confused wife along.
*********************************************************************************
It was a little after six but the sky was cloudy, making the evening turn dark, much sooner than it usually would.
Gauri worriedly looked at her husband who has been driving the car from the past half an hour as if they were being chased by a group of gangsters with loaded guns, ready to fire at them.
He did not utter a word after he pushed her into the passenger seat and got to the steering. Thinking it to be wise, she sat calmly and prayed to her favorite deity to make them reach home safely before they kill someone or someone kills them.
A bike passed before them taking a wrong turn and Omkara veered the vehicle to the side, to prevent a collision. As the car was about to lift off the road, Gauri screamed closing her eyes but her husband was fast enough to re-route and pull on the breaks avoiding the accident.
Once the vision cleared to him, he turned to his side to see his scared wife.
"Are you okay?" he asked in concern, his heart still beating fast.
Gauri nodded taking long breaths as he removed his seat belt and turned towards her. Worriedly removing her palms from her face he caressed her cheeks.
"I am so sorry," he said watching the fear filled eyes.
She hugged him tight and he reciprocated pulling her close to him.
"I am sorry Gauri," he said again kissing her temple.
She mumbled an okay, not ready to leave him yet.
Few comforting moments later, she pushed him away and asked.
"W...What happened back in the college?"
He stared at her in guilt before he explained the happenings.
"I have no idea how she misunderstood but I never said that Arjun sir is my husband," she clarified and he nodded.
"I...I don't know what came over me. I..." he stuttered, shaking his head and she sighed.
"Itna gussa kyun karte ho aap. You just had to ask me and I would have clarified to you and Mithila ji. Shankar ji ka naam rakh diya to humesha teesri aankh kholna zaruuri hai kya?" she scolded him and he rubbed his face closing his eyes.
"I was joking when I told you that I will not take your name as my husband Omkara ji. I would never..."
"I know, I am sorry Gauri."
She sighed and cupped his face looking into his concerned eyes. Brining his face to her level, she gently pecked his lips. Omkara smiled in relief before he lifted her off the seat. Pulling her onto his lap, he took her lips into a passionate kiss.
In no time, the kiss got heated and his hands started to wander through her body.
"Shh," Gauri stopped him and pulled away, giving a gentle scolding.
"We are in the middle of a road."
"You started it," he reminded as he removed her stopping hand from his chest and leaned towards her again.
"It was just a peck," she mumbled looking into his eyes.
"You know I wont stop with one," he whispered before brushing their lips again.
"You have only two working modes Omkaraji. One is your Nandi mode and the other is this insatiable husband mode," she said as he kissed her cheek.
"You forgot my artist mode," he mumbled kissing the corner of her lips.
"Urghh, first get us home safely," she groaned in impatience as he peppered kisses across her jaw.
Grinning, he pulled away and placed her back on her seat. Tucking her seatbelt first and then his, he started the car with a whistle.
"Remember to keep up your promise," he passed her a wink as the head lights turned on.
Gauri blushed and looked away, unable to hold his heated gaze while he smiled and restarted their ride back home hopeful of a love filled night.
******************************************************************************************