"Its final Gauri, you are spending the holidays with us." Shivaay declared.
"What!" Gauri and Om sot of shouted.
Gauri was just surprised by the open invitation; while Om was surprised about how his 'not so interested in strangers' of a brother had thought of inviting Gauri in family celebrations in just their first meet.
"Is there a problem?" Shivaay asked.
"No, it's just that how can I come, just barge in on your family celebration?" said Gauri looking questionable.
"You wouldn't exactly be barging in; I mean he just gave you an open invitation." Rudra confirmed.
Gauri just nodded and then they cleaned up the kitchen and everything.
Later:
After sitting and chatting with Om's family, when Gauri was about to leave, Om came from behind.
"Hey, you forgot your keys." He came hurriedly.
"Thanks, can we talk?" Gauri asked concerned.
"Yeah, sure. Everything alright?" Om said as he stepped out of the apartment closing the door behind him.
"Are you sure you are okay with me in your family celebrations, I mean today too it was supposed to be you and your family, instead it became you, your family + Gauri, so..." Gauri looked down and said this to Om in a hurry.
Om lifted Gauri's fallen chin with his index finger and looked at her in a funny way.
"What happened to my best friend? The one who is laughing and does not think a lot about things, and listens to her heart, the one who was with me inside, with my family? If they had not wanted you in there, they would have made it pretty clear. They did it with my previous girlfriend, but they seem to like this one." Om said trying to make Gauri understand and then realized what he had just said.
"What did you just say? About the girlfriend part?" Gauri asked Om hesitantly.
"Uh, uh, nothing. Do you want ice cream?" Om asked Gauri, scratching the back of his neck.
"Hmm, let me think" Gauri made a cute thinking face changing the topic and taking Om out of that awkward moment.
"No. Om I am glad you think of me as a best friend. I will always try to honor it." Gauri told Om rubbing his arm.
"Well you do qualify as my only best friend." Om said with a chuckle and they both had a friendly hug, which felt warm and safe for each other.
They broke the hug and said goodbye.
"Hey, don't miss breakfast tomorrow." Om said as she nodded her head in acceptance before going inside her door.
5 minutes later:
Om heard a knock on the door, it was Gauri.
"Hey, everything alright? Is something wrong?" Om asked full of concern, he looked behind Gauri to see in her apartment if something was wrong.
"No, nothing is wrong. I just came to ask how you guys were sleeping. I mean you have only one bedroom free since the other is filled with paintings." She told Om.
Gauri then entered the apartment and saw Anika and Shivaay putting mattress on the couch.
"Bhaiyya, Di; you both can sleep at my place. I have an extra bedroom, why sleep here on the couch?" She asked them.
S: "No, it's alright. We are used to sleeping on the couch."
G: "Come on bhaiyya, lie to someone else. I have given you the respect of my elder brother, now bear with me and fulfil my wishes. I am a pretty stubborn sister." She said with a wink to which Shivaay responded with a side hug.
