When We Fell Again...

Silent Darkness

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OS: Silent Darkness

2 weeks later

Om was buried in a bucket load of paper work after the leave he had taken when the phone rang to his office. The sound of it startled Om as it broke through the quietude and made him jump in surprise. He hadn't expected it and neither did the dozen other co-workers who looked up at the sound of the ring. He took a sip from his fifth cup of coffee, yawned lazily and winced at the Caller ID. That woman calls everyday, he mused shaking his head. He sighed and let the phone ring for about 5 more seconds before picking up the receiver and attending the call.

"Om?"

The sound of Annika's voice sounded strained through the outdated phone reciever and he furrowed his eyebrows trying to make sense of what she said. But, it sound like all gibberish.

"Is he okay?"

"Ya, he just woke up from last night's surgery and he has been asking for you."

Om closed his eyes relieved. Shivaay was going to be okay. Shivaay was going to be okay. He let the cold realization of that wash over him before he opened his eyes and half-concentrated on the rest of Annika's blabbering.

"Om, I know I sound irritating, but you really need to talk to her."

Om sighed again, but this time into the receiver. After a momentary pause, he repeated the same answer he had given Annika every other time.

"Not yet."

"Why not, Om? You know how broken up she is about how you are ignoring her. It wasn't her fault, it was mine. I told her not to tell anyone. Shivaay told us not to tell anyone. Go yell at him instead of taking it out on my best friend."

"Annika, I'm not taking it out on her. I - just-"

"What?"

"I trusted her and she hid things."

"bu-"

"I know. I understand why, but I need time." he whispered into the phone. "Can you give me that?"

"How much time?" Annika asked.

Wow, she does not back down, Om thought. A smile lingered on his lips as he cherished the strong loyalty that she had for a certain someone.

"Don't call me until day after tomorrow."

He waited for a few minutes and heard her breathing heavily into the phone.

"Fine."

And the receiver went down into silence as he hung up and put his head in his hands.

_________________________________________________________

Gauri was having a bad day...and that was an understatement. She had been having a bad day ever since Om walked out of the hospital without her and without a backward glance. She knew she was to blame for most of it. She hadn't told him anything about Shivaay's surgery or about the risks that his friend was undertaking alone. She hadn't even told him when he asked. Sure, she was doing it for Shivaay, but she still couldn't help but feel a little responsible for bringing this on herself.

For the first time in life, she had actually gotten to know her crush and had fallen in love with him and in a second, he had been pushed away from her. She hadn't even properly celebrated finding her first love when it turned its back on her and walked away.