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Author's Note: There's a new character in this story, hopefully you grow to care for her as well! The first chapter is mainly with regards to her & a certain long-haired Oberoi. She's to have pretty entertaining chemistry with Anika, and even more so Shivaay with regards to the forced marriage/divorce issue. So stick around for that if you're interested
DO NOT COPY THIS POST AS THIS IS EXCLUSIVE TO INDIA FORUMS
xoxo,
-Kriti ❤️
Perspective
Chapter 1: The Perks of Being a Wallflower
***
Excerpt from Chapter 2: A Tale of Two Hickeys
***
I think that was way more than a short excerpt, but hopefully you saw that Meera-Omkara (Omeera? MeeKara?) is not going to be just the smooth/content equation that you saw in the first chapter. They're quite alike, but also very different.
I don't want to give to much away about Meera and would much rather you all just discover from the writing what she's like. But to give you an idea, I came up with her when I decided I wanted to explore more than just the saintly figure of Omkara we have portrayed for us on the show. I believe there is so much more to him, and as amazing as he, he has flaws and needs introspection like the other two Oberois do. And finally I wanted him to meet someone who wasn't going to revere him like everyone else seems to do after they're taken aback by his kindness.
Additionally, I'm calling bullshit on the fact that Omkara doesn't feel deeply attracted to anything apart from his work. While his attraction to Meera in a more conventional sense (that is, physical) will eventually arise, I think he's the kind of guy who's interest can supremely be peeked by substance and defiance. Especially from someone who technically is from the same school of thought that he is, but doesn't hold him in the same regard as the rest.
A challenge was keeping Omkara's characterization a constant, yet still not painting him to be a saint. It's been quite enjoyable.
Hope you liked it so far, let me know your thoughts on the FF/Omkara/and anything I discussed above. Also let me know if you want PMs for this,
She hated this. Absolutely loathed it.
Oh and by 'this' she meant the spectacle that privileged families threw every so often to maintain (read: display) their well-being (read: wealth) to their equally vain, one-dimensional, and fickle upper class 'friends.'
A spectacle you might hear referred to as a 'party'.
She didn't exactly believe being 'well-bred' (as the insufferable Shivaay Singh Oberoi, a close acquaintance of her brother, put it) inherently made a person ingenuine. She hardly blamed people for things that lay beyond and outside of their control.
Resting her tired form against a rather plain wall at the very end of the ostentatious banquet hall, she observed a few aunties who were exchanging pleasantries faker than the smiles plastered on their faces--if that was possible, that is.
Reverting to her earlier thoughts, she pondered...but it couldn't simply be a coincidence that the frailest and most mediocre semblances of relationships existed overwhelmingly within the top tier.
Of course, she couldn't deny being born an heiress, she seemingly had little to complain about. Which is also why she never bothered refuting her family's accusations of being ungrateful, despite of course being extremely aware of her privilege. And that was because alongside possessing an enviable sense of humor, Meera, was also a realest.
Despite her longing for at least one warm and genuine relationship in her life, she did not delude herself into thinking her tragedy was the centerfold of all human adversities. If there's one thing she's learned in her 27 years of existence, it's that everyone has issues. Everyone.
Everyone has a battle to fight, heck even the fake-pleasantry-aunties probably have some (probably single-toned) issue that keeps them up at night. It doesn't dictate one any special treatment or consideration. Not even herself.
Which is why she dealt with her 'tanhai', as freelance poets would put, by amusing herself with what was available. Which also why she chooses to be such a wallflower. Not only does she get a kick out of overtly rebelling from what is expected of her as an heiress, but how else does one get to appreciate the surplus of eccentric characters one finds at such upper class parties?
She still had her eye on the group of aunties, humoring herself with imaginative dialogue when a figure slightly taller than herself stepped into her frame of vision and blocked her view.
After about three seconds, she realized it wasn't a momentary obstruction and instead of readjusting her position, lightly tapped the man from behind.
The man, with eyes reflecting a familiar weariness and hair that had been carelessly grown (though evidently well looked after), turned. Originally bemused and even slightly irritated, he ended up taking a longer glance than expected, catching her eyes doing the same. But before she could explain why she'd demanded his attention, he surprised her with a knowing smirk and then,
"Oh pardon me, I didn't know the show had more viewers," he simply stated, moving back to join her on the wall.
"Sorry?"
"The show," he nudged his head forward, pointing to the now even larger group of aunties she had been observing.
Recognizing the fellow wallflower with something short of a smile, she simply nodded before leaning back onto the plain white wall. He was surprised it didn't take her a few more redundant questions to realize what he meant. Or rather his recognition of what she meant.
Omkara wasn't the most social Oberoi, by instinct rather than by choice, unlike his older brother Shivaay. But he seemed to appreciate the comfortable silence he and the stranger beside him seemed to share, quite obviously too preoccupied with the entertaining sight before them for any conversation. Well not complete stranger, he corrected himself. Her face looked vaguely familiar, probably because (as was evident from her presence at the party), they belonged to the same social circle.
He won't lie, it was quite...refreshing to see someone as detached & amused as him, in position that makes it almost impossible.
"What do you think they're talking about?" she began an unexpected conversation, though her eyes were still rather diligently focused ahead of her.
"Well the conversation's been going on for a while, so I doubt they're still on pleasantries," he noted.
"I'd say its good old fashioned gossip," she examined how piqued their interests are.
"Oh my Mrs. Mehra, did you hear about the most recent elopement of Sakshi's eldest son with their maid!" he jested, in a high pitched voice.
She finally allowed him a smile, "Of course Mrs. Singhania, however I believe it was the driver's daughter was it not?"
She heard a hearty rumble of laughter, "Either way, how LS!" he mimicked the theatrics and the hand gestures.
"I tell you Mrs. Mehra, it's all to be blamed on this new-age and liberal thinking, I mean how blind 'in love' do you have to be to not even notice the uncertainty that lies in these lower class bloodlines!" she exclaimed with what was becoming more of a rant than a mutual gag.
After a moment of silence, he raised his glass impressed with how fully she understood the 'pureblood' and 'bloodline' hypocrisy.
"To?" she asked.
"To resisting the herd and it's mentality," he answered, without hesitation.
"To resistance," she simplified as she raised her glass to join him, finally turning to her side and giving him her full attention.
On any other occasion, she honestly wouldn't have bothered, but she decided she was bored (and intrigued, lest she admit it) enough for introductions. "I'm Meera, by the way."
He noted, appreciatively, how her introduction lacked a surname.
"Omkara," he brought his hand forward for a shake.
Storming down the stairs, it took all her strength to keep her eyes on the steps and not roll them furiously instead.
And here she'd been thinking she might actually have found someone like herself! Well the joke was on her, for they couldn't be any more different!
"I asked you a question," he uncharacteristically reached for her wrist, "What exactly are you trying to imply!?"
Exasperated she stopped in defeat, and he immediately let go. Anything beyond this point would be his fault. She tried walking out of this heated argument, she tried sparing both of them, but fine. Fine.
If he so desperately wanted an answer, an answer he shall receive!
"That you, Mr. Omkara Singh Oberoi," she turned around not giving a damn where her hair flew, "Are perhaps the biggest hypocrite that I've ever met! Far worse in my opinion than those damn aunties because at least they don't pretend to be any better than what they actually are."
Now Omkara wasn't exactly known for his temper. But it was no doubt that he was, at the end of the day, regardless of how much he fought it, Tej Oberoi's son. And the anger that now breathed life in his voice stood testimony to that.
"If you expect me to stand here silently in the wake of your misjudged allegations, then you'd be greatly mistaken," he looked deadpan into her eyes.
"Misjudged?" she couldn't help but snicker, "You really can't tell can you? I blame the excess reverence you seem to be subjected to, by almost everyone you meet. Appears to me the great and righteous Omkara Singh Oberoi was too busy assigning the world labels of 'black' and 'white' to notice the deep grey that lies within himself," she answered without retreating back even a single inch in defeat.
I don't want to give to much away about Meera and would much rather you all just discover from the writing what she's like. But to give you an idea, I came up with her when I decided I wanted to explore more than just the saintly figure of Omkara we have portrayed for us on the show. I believe there is so much more to him, and as amazing as he, he has flaws and needs introspection like the other two Oberois do. And finally I wanted him to meet someone who wasn't going to revere him like everyone else seems to do after they're taken aback by his kindness.
Additionally, I'm calling bullshit on the fact that Omkara doesn't feel deeply attracted to anything apart from his work. While his attraction to Meera in a more conventional sense (that is, physical) will eventually arise, I think he's the kind of guy who's interest can supremely be peeked by substance and defiance. Especially from someone who technically is from the same school of thought that he is, but doesn't hold him in the same regard as the rest.
A challenge was keeping Omkara's characterization a constant, yet still not painting him to be a saint. It's been quite enjoyable.
Hope you liked it so far, let me know your thoughts on the FF/Omkara/and anything I discussed above. Also let me know if you want PMs for this,
Thanks! Xoxo,
-Kriti ❤️
-Kriti ❤️
Mr And Mrs Parshuram
Dr Aarambhi
Indian Premier League
