Rikara Scribblings by Savina

The Trial Honeymoon : Part 15

Omkara lay wide awake in his bed, staring at the ceiling. On Tej's order, Riddhima had shifted to Om's room to stay with him. He looked at her sleeping form next to him. For some reason, he felt his heart ache with guilt and pain. Irrational as the thought was, he felt like he'd given Gauri's place to Riddhima, and not the other way round. Irked with his own thoughts, he rose from the bed, and walked to the cabinet to pour him a glass of wine. Walking into the open balcony, he felt the icy winds of Manali bite into his skin, making him shiver slightly. He recalled the way Gauri had looked at him that evening; the guilt ate him up. What was he to do? He couldn't break his father's heart who'd been his support ever since he was a child; he had no choice but to break the heart of the one woman whom he loved; the only woman who loved him for who he was. He closed his eyes in regret; what was done could not be undone. He had to pay the price of bringing tears in an innocent woman's eyes; he had to live with the curse of pushing love away.

Omkara felt a pair of hands wrap around his waist from behind. He smiled slowly. "Gauri..." he whispered. And then, his eyes flew open in realization, and he turned around to look at her. "The name is Riddhima... Not Gauri..." she said, in a dry tone as she pulled away from him.

Omkara looked at her in an apologetic manner, "I'm sorry... I didn't..." "It's okay, Omkara. It's not like I've had to deal with rumours of your affairs for the first time now, is it?" Riddhima asked with a small smile. Omkara looked at the floor. Yes, there had been many rumours of various linkups of different women with Omkara earlier. But this time, it was no rumour; and it was no passing affair. This time, it was true; what he felt for Gauri was stronger, much stronger than what he had ever felt for anyone.

Omkara was about to justify himself when she said, "Yes, I know that she tried to seduce you, Om. And that you even fell for her schemes. Uncle Tej told me everything. But I'm glad that at the end of the day, Riddhima Gupta, is known as the future Mrs. Omkara Singh Oberoi. Not anyone else. The rest of the women are just outsiders in our relationship. Right Om?" Riddhima held his hands in hers and looked at him. With a hesitant smile, Omkara nodded in agreement.

He had ended it all with Gauri. Of course, what they shared within those four walls would always be special to him. But he had killed all those emotions what she felt for him in a mere second; a glimpse of her dead, cold eyes had spoken volumes. And one could only mourn for the dead, not hope for them to be revived and come back. He could only cherish the moments he shared with the one he loved. Not hope for anything beyond it.

Riddhima stepped closer to Omkara, and cupped his face. "You do know I love you, right?" Omkara didn't reply, but stared at her. Riddhima's smile dimmed a bit, "Om, I know that even if you agreed to marry me, you aren't in love with me. I don't see that spark in your eyes. But I have faith in you, in us. We'll work out. I will give my best to this relationship." Omkara nodded in acknowledgement, and tried to move away from her as he began to feel slightly uncomfortable. She didn't loosen her grip on his cheeks. Making him look into her eyes, she said, "No relationship works with efforts from only one side, Om. You may not feel anything for me right now, but I at least need to know if you would try to make us work. You will, right?" Omkara nodded, while lost in thoughts. Riddhima leaned closer to him and pressed her lips against his mouth.

Omkara froze; he neither pulled away, nor responded to the kiss. This was not the first time it had happened. He had frozen even when she'd kissed him last night in the lobby when they were just back from the airport. Riddhima pulled away; the hurt expression of not getting a response to the kiss was evident on her face. But she smiled, and before Omkara could say anything, she said, "Well, at least you didn't push me away! That's enough hope for me for us to work out well." Saying this, she patted her cheek, not before telling him to come to bed soon. The moment she left, Omkara released a breath that he didn't know he was holding back. A few minutes later, he walked into the room, and slept on the edge of his side of the bed, with a maximum distance between him and his fiance. He needed to catch up on his sleep, since they had a flight to Mumbai next morning. Omkara sighed; tomorrow morning he would leave this place forever, and hopefully, the unpleasant memories too would be left behind.