Unsteady | ✓

Chapter 13 : Broken

Every time he opened his mouth Gauri got angrier. She tried hitting him as hard as she could. Her hand hurt but she didn't stop. He deserved every bit of it. 

It wasn't the hard blows of her tiny hands but her pent up frustration and anger in thise doe shaped eyes that hurt Omkara. He stood their staring at her. It was like a volcano was erupting right before him. It seemed as though she had been possessed by some maniac spirit. He could hear her sobs grow louder now. 

He held her wrists and pulled her to himself. His arms instantly wrapping around her tiny frame. She sobbed louder trying to wriggle out of his embrace. He just held on tighter resting his chin on her head. Her sobs didn't stop. Her face felt warm against his cold chest. He held on tighter. He felt oddly at peace in the storm. He couldn't remember the last time he felt so good by simply hugging someone. 

Her movements had dies down. Omkara could only imagine how much he had hurt her. But there was this strange moment of realization. It wasn't late, was it? For them to fix things?

Gauri had forgotten how it felt to be in someone's protective embrace. His staring arms almost crushed her into him, but she felt good. She needed this. This solace that she had missed out on for a long time now. Tears wouldn't stop. A part of her still loved him, while majority of her hated him. How would she survive with those contrasting parts of herself always at war?

She stepped away pushing him with all her might. His hands were wrapped around her arms not letting her part away. She raised her gaze to look at him. "Leave me,"

"Leave me!" She exclaimed louder this time, staring right into his eyes vehemently.

Omkara had never seen her like that. She was fierce, like a tigress. "You need me, Gauri!" He said softly, relaxing his grip over her arms. 

"I don't!" Gauri seethed without batting her eyelids. 

He simply stared right back at her. "I am not holding you." His voice was soft. 

Gauri blinked and glanced down at her hands that had fisted the sleeves of his tshirt. Where as his hands were not even touching her. Her gaze swiftly ascended up to his eyes.

She pulled her hands away and turned around swiftly walking into the church. The hall was unusually quiet, perhaps the sudden heavy rain was the reason. She slipped into the second last row and settled on the wooden bench. Once again tears began blurring her vision. 

She heard heavy footsteps then the squeak of the wooden bench. Her gaze went aside to see that he had seated himself on the same bench, putting a little distance between them.

"I haven't been to a church since the last time... when we went together." He revealed looking ahead at the fancy altar  beyond which was a huge wooden cross.

Gauri wiped her tears. She didn't want him to know she still wasted tears on him. 

"Don't talk!" She muttered looking ahead.

Omkara glanced at her. 

"Don't look at me!" She murmured looking the other side.

"Shall I stop breathing?"

Her head jolted to look at him. Their eyes met. Gauri didn't know why in those fleeting moments when his eyes were fixed on her she felt vulnerable like never before. She got off the bench and walked out. She didn't care if the skies were threatening to collide with the ground.

He caught up with her in time, stopping her from stepping outside the church's shelter. "Gauri, it's pouring heavily!" As though to support his argument the sound of a roaring thunder ate up the rhythmic sound of rain drops striking against surfaces.