RiKara SS - Pretty Little Liars - interlude pg 13 (11/5/17) - Page 5

This is dedicated to Chulbul, who is kinda cute right? I hope you find this enjoyable.

Chapter 3

To sneak in

Angel - he called her, just before passing out. Sandwiched between the rotten ground and the man she had been following, Gauri tired to catch her breath. For a moment she was frantic that he would suicide and now, strangely she found her mind blank. No one had called her that in the last decade. The name released a stream of memories she was surprised to find intact.

Snap out of it, she told herself firmly. She wanted Omkara Singh Oberoi and now he was here - half dead and lying atop her - yes - but still, wasn't this the chance she had been waiting for sitting in that upturned rustic bucket for couple of hours? Her research had told her he would be here that evening and she couldn't help but feel a tad bit of pride in her own resources. At least she had a solid shot at her plan now.

Poking his side, she rolled his unconscious body off her own and wiping her hands on her jeans got to her feet. The shadows had deepened well into the night by then and she could not examine him without kneeling at his side and brushing that - freaking - mane off his face. He was deadly pale, the dark purplish rings under his eyes were prominent against that complexion. He looked starved, over - worked and weary, a man who had seen trouble worth an era in a matter of few months. Was he ill in some way or was it simply the depression coming to haunt him? Or guilt, as his muttering had suggested?

A distant police siren broke her reverie. Trust a spoiled prince to put you in trouble! Gauri was not interested in visiting the police station with the couple of drug dealers downstairs and seemingly overdosed OSO at tow. Which meant only one thing, it was time to get out of there.

She had always been stronger than she seemed, still with that marvelous track record of hers - of fifteen times carrying a drunk Digs to his apartment - Omkara was not easy to handle. She was knocked out of breath by the time they reached his car. Dragging him further towards where she had parked hers, was strictly out of the question. Instead she heaved him against the car and checked his pockets.

"Where's the key man?" She muttered to herself.

"I'm sorry Shivay," he replied incoherently and collapsed against her, his head resting on her shoulder.

"Jeez," she said investing the opportunity to dig her hand into the side pocket of his jacket. "Has Shivay ever mentioned what a nuance you are? Probably yes, that's why you chased him out huh?"

"I'm responsible for everything - I'm hurting everyone -" he breathed next to her ear.

"Yeah," she rolled her eyes still searching. "Now if I don't get the key, you'll be responsible for landing both of us in jail too! Yep, got it!" She snatched the keys finally and managed to get him inside. He granted, as she shoved him into the passenger seat and rounded the car, to get behind the wheel.

Turning the ignition Gauri gave him a look.
"Omkara Singh Oberoi, you better be worth all the effect I'm putting up for you."

**

That chair was too comfortable and the air conditioner irritatingly well maintained, the lights were lavish and the entire office made her suffocate. Gauri felt like a child, caught by the principal, waiting for the same, in his office, wondering whether her parents will be called. She did not like the look the man gave her; not one bit. There was something reptilian lurking behind those glassy eyes and it made his otherwise polite looking almost saint like face look untrustworthy.

At least he did not know, she was she; Gauri Kumari Sharma the Real TV reporter.

Digs had said once that this roaming the streets dressed like a boy would get her in trouble, but he forgot to mention it can also land her in the ultra luxurious office of Shakti Oberoi. Perhaps saving Omkara Singh Oberoi had not been the brightest idea. She flattered her hair with a nervous hand, stealthily checking if the wig was properly in place.

For a fact it had messed up with her mind. His condition looked bad, whatever the media and gossips suggested, he was not enjoying his new found glory and that was a certainty. Gauri briefly wondered if he was alright, what might be happening to him inside that too huge house, was there anyone to take care of him? Would he be medicated? And then she caught herself, she could not get emotionally involved with her job, that was the last thing she wanted. Pity had a place of its own and that was surely not beside curiosity she had for revealing his secret. Sympathizing with OSO could cost her, her job.

The door opened with a snap and she swallowed as the reptilian eyed man entered the room, tossing some folder into the table she was sitting at. She propped up to her feet and tried to keep her eyes on the carpeted floor - the extra large glasses she wore slid down her nose annoyingly.

"Sorry I forgot your name," Shakti took his seat behind the polished desk and gestured her to sit down. Gauri collapsed to the offered seat and slid her glasses back up.

"I didn't give you one - Mr. Oberoi," she added after a thought.

"Secretive," noted Shakti. "May I know why you were following Omkara?"

"I wasn't following him!" She snapped defensively. "I walked on him, trying to kill himself." She blew air through the corner of her mouth trying to look insulted. "Is this what I'm gonna get for saving his life?"

"What could a boy of your age doing in a place like that?" Shakti said, his brows narrowing, genuinely curious.

"My age? What do you mean my age?"

"Surely," the older man gestured vaguely at her. "You're not too old are you?"

"I'm old enough," she huffed. "and I - I was there for some work." The man did not look convinced so she decided to add some spice to the story. "I was told to deliver - something - and promised a hefty sum" she shrugged. "I was doing just that."

"And why don't I believe you?"

"Look, in case you don't want to reward me or anything, I should just get going." She stood up, lifted her cap in a farewell gesture. "Salam Mr. Oberoi!"

She almost made it to the door before the man spoke again.

"I can't just let you go now can I?" She turned slowly, raising an eyebrow. "Tell me boy - with - no - name, what do you know about Omkara? How do you knew to bring him to me, when nobody knows we work together?"

Crap! She mentally slapped herself. Did the man doubt her from the beginning. True, everyone in the city thought the family had split apart. Shakti and Omkara's strange connection had been something unearthed by her. The wheels of her brain turning faster than ever before, she tapped the carpeted floor with her toes.

"He was muttering your name didn't he?" She said the first thing that came to her mind. "Said you were - ah - right about something - then something about - a secret - then - Shivay - and -"

Shakti held out a hand to stop her, his jaw clenched.

"So you heard all that?" His tone was dangerously low. For a moment Gauri imagined he might say then you can't live anymore or something along the lines. The man seemed to be sharing that thought. She took an involuntary step backwards and gulped, the hand she kept behind her back reaching out for the door knob.

"Look Mr. Oberoi, aap ke razz aap hi jaane, I don't care what they are. My job here is done so I'd better leave now. You don't get paid to wander around you know." She ended her speech with a sheepish smile and her hand curled around the door knob.

"No, wait." His tone was still dangerous. "You've done a very good job, you should be rewarded ah - " he left the sentence hanging for her name.

"Chulbul," she said, tilting her head. She could see a bit of a large poster of Dabang outside those huge windows.

"Umm - yes - Chulbul," Shakti continued deciding to dismiss the strange name for the time being. "So I was thinking of offering you a job, after all you don't have to roam those dangerous places for money anymore."

"A job?" She croaked. "What kind of a job?"

"Nothing serious or dangerous, just do what you did today."

"What pull people up from that dirty terrace?"

"No! Keep an eye out for Omkara, you know sort of like a body guard."

"I think you'd need someone with a bit larger body for that sir," she suggested innocently. "I mean what can I do -"

"No, I've decided already. You'll work for him like an assistant. I need someone who can be with him 24/7 so today doesn't repeat itself."

"Umm -"

"You will be with him every minute of the day and report to me of everything he does. Most importantly, you will not let him harm himself in anyway. Is that understood Chulbul?"

Gauri was silent. What the hell was happening here? She was trying to spy on this man and now his uncle was offering to pay her for the same? The only glitch was she had to keep this Chulbul act together, after all, Shakti Oberoi wouldn't offer this chance to a Real TV reporter right?

"Bolo Chulbul, will you work for me?"

"I think you got yourself a deal sir," she smiled a little too brightly and muttered to herself. "Teri life toh set hai Gauri!"

**

Your views are welcome!

Thanks for reading!

Sorry for any disappointments.

Love,

Sakura