Zindagi na milegi dobara- SwaLak & RagSan ff (Intro and Chap 1)

Story introduction:

In this ff gadodia family (shekhar, somi, swara, ragini) shifts to Chennai (as am familiar only with this place) due to shekhar’s work. Ragini is elder to swara (they are blood sisters). They rejoin in an arts college in 3^rd and 2^nd year respectively. Ragini is doing her bachelor degree in English and swara is doing her bachelor degree in political science. And as usual ragini is traditional and swara is modern. It’s been 2 months that they have shifted to the new place and kind of adjusted to the new place and environment.

Chapter 1

It was a fine Saturday evening.

Ragini: “swara did u see my dvd collections box?”

Swara: “no di, I didn’t” and was trying to sneak away from the room with the dvd rack behind her back.

R: “where did I keep it? Hmmm even yesterday I saw it here!! “to herself.

In the process of sneaking away swara unknowingly dashed against the door and hit her foot badly.

R: “swara cant u be more careful?” and turned back.

She saw that swara was hiding something behind her back. She guessed what it might be. She made a face at swara.

R: “is it the DVD rack that u are hiding behind ur back?”

S: “not at all” and started running.

R: “swara, stop! U badmash!”

S: “no, I will not! If I stop, you will make me sit through the torture for 3 hours”.

Both were running around the entire house. Shekhar and somi already knew the end result of this chasing  that they chose not to interfere and were smiling watching their kids. Eddie was also running along with them.( eddie is their pet dog)

R: “what?? Torture? Swara it is called as romantic comedy and not torture”.

S: “di, to me it’s a torture”.

R: “okay… if you are not going to watch the film with me today then I will not watch the horror movie next week with u”

S: “ahh hhh…di u always find a way to make me say yes. Just wait, I will make sure that I will get the best and most horrific horror film for us to watch, so that you will not be able sleep for a week! Grrrr..” and rolled her eyes.

R: “we can talk about next week story next week. 😉 Okay I will give you an option to choose, lets watch classics…kuch kuch hota hai or ddlj?”

“Hmmm… both are srk movies. She liked kkhh a little more than ddlj” swara thought to herself.

S: “kuch kuch hota hai”.

The credits started rolling.

S: “di we both know all the dialogues in the film by heart. Do we really need to watch this? “and tried to slip away.

R: “swara don’t even try! Sit… I know u” and she winked and laughed at swara which earned her a smack from swara.

The problem with swara watching these films were: These kinds of films made her cry at least one time during the movie no matter how many times she had watched it. Rags made fun of it. So she avoided watching sentimental movies with anyone else. She preferred horror movies to this coz it saves her from embarrassment. Ragini had to be an exception to her habit of this. Ragini loved to watch romantic comedy movies. She had a collection of films which she watched whenever she felt like watching. She hates to watch a film alone!

After 3 hours…

S: “di, do u actually believe in love??” wiping the tears from her eyes.

R: “hmmm… actually I do… and u?”

At that time somi called them for dinner which put an end to their conversation. They four of them had dinner together. Both ragini and swara were unusually quiet pondering over something in their mind.

Swara was relieved that she didn’t answer the question. Actually she didn’t know whether she even believed in it or not. She was so unsure of it. It was good to see in movies. The feel was great, but will it be the same in real?? She didn’t even want to think about it. She always believed and thought that she could never become so crazy about one particular person. The thought was itself funny to her. Her mom’s laughter brought her back to senses.

Ragini was also thinking about the same question as swara in her mind. She always dreamt of falling in love but she wanted it to happen after marriage becoz she hated complications and drama in real life. She had seen enough films to know what would happen if she fell in love with someone. Her parents’ life was a good example to make her think like this. It had almost taken half their lives make their

parents accept their marriage. To her love after marriage was more consistent. Her father’s voice brought her back to senses.

[Author’s note: does everything happen according to our choices? No. our fate and destiny decides it all and change our course of life. We can never be sure of what will happen in the future. Let’s see what the future holds for both swara and ragini.]

***

Swara was running along a passageway. It was slightly dark. Some people were chasing her. She was running out of breath. Her instinct told her to hide, but there was no proper place to hide. So she had to run again. “It would be great if someone could come and help me, Not someone but him. But nobody knew where she was.” Were her thoughts. She was already in verge of tears. She was trying to be strong but this thought made the tears leak a little. Her phone was also dead. At that time she got cornered by people chasing her. When she felt that that was the end, she heard a noise of a car which was speeding through their way. When it stopped he hurried out of the car. Even though it was dark she could figure out that it was him. Her heart was jumping in joy. He really came for her. he had brought some other people also with him. Seeing this the people who were chasing her ran away. He was relieved to see her alright. She couldn’t stop smiling and crying at that same time. He came towards her hurriedly and pulled her into a tight embrace. The warmth of his embrace assured her that she was safe in his hands. He said “I am sorry that I am late”.

At this point swara woke up from her dream. She was shivering slightly. She couldn’t believe that it was all dream. It felt so real. The warmth, the hug.. it gave a light flutter in her stomach. It felt so real. She couldn’t remember the face of the person from her dream. She couldn’t sleep anymore. “y did I have a dream like this?? Ahhh!! May be it is the after effect of watching the film” she tried to calm herself down. It was 5’o clock in the morning. She went and stood in the balcony watching the rising sun. Even that beautiful sight couldn’t take the dream out of her mind. She waited till 6’o clock. She went downstairs and found her mother in the kitchen. After informing her she went outside for a ride in her bicycle to clear her mind.

The fresh air was feeling great. She loved cycling. This always helped her to clear her thoughts, but today it was also not helping her. Her mom asked her to get a milk packet on her way home. It was almost 7’o clock. She bought it in the nearby grocery and pedaled to her home. At that time a bike hit her from the side, causing her to lose balance and fall to the ground.

Laksh was already running late for the match. They had changed the venue. It was a football match. It was an unofficial match between the two rival groups of their college. Everything was decided between them by a football match. Today was one such day. They had to win no matter what. It was the unofficial first match of their season. Whoever wins the first will have an upper hand.  He was asking for directions from omi, when he felt like he was lost.

L: “omi, How much will it take for me to reach there?”

O: “still five more mins lucky. Okay have u reached the end of David George Street?

L: “Am going to. Should I take a left or right?”

O: “take a right and come straight. You will find the ground at the end of the street. Sorry yaar, it’s not right, take left.”

Laksh was about to take right. When omi told to take left he tried to turn left as such cursing him on the phone. In the process he did not see the cycle proceeding that way. His sudden movement hit the cycle causing the girl riding the cycle to fall down. “woah! Looks like am going to be late for the match!” he thought to himself. He got down from the bike to see if that girl was alright. “if the situation becomes worse I ll blame it on her and escape”. He thought to himself. He had to reach the ground in another 4 mins.

Swara was annoyed that she had fell down. The preoccupied thoughts in her mind made her more angry. As she fell with force, the milk cover fell with a thud and bust open. That’s it she was going to get scoldings from her mom. It was like she was going to take out anger on a stranger. She found that she had got a bruise in her ankle. She straightened herself and lifted the cycle. She turned to see who had hit her. when she saw him she couldn’t get her words out. He was also staring at her.

(bgm: raabta)

It was like almost 20 seconds passed away like this. The church gong brought them back to senses.

L: “hey are u alright?”

S: “cant u drive properly? Did u have ur eyes at the back of ur head?”

L: “it was a mistake. I didn’t mean to hit you. Okay. I was trying to take right”

S: “for that u should have put on the indicator atleast”

It was getting late, if he didn’t go now he will not be in 1^st half of the match.

Laksh could afford lose anymore second there. So he started his bike. He knew it that the girl was alright. So he left the place.

L: “am in a hurry and have to go now”

Swara was really annoyed. Before she could say anything the guy left the place just like that. She couldn’t stop from shouting at him. He didn’t even say a sorry to her. It infuriated her. “stupid, useless and mannerless idiot. Have a bad day”. She didn’t know why she said that but she felt less angry after tat. Now the milk packet was spoiled she had buy another one. her leg was also paining. May be she had twisted it. “ahhhh!! The day is getting worser.” The moment she saw him she felt something. She couldn’t exactly figure it out. Anyways she didn’t want to think abt it.” I wish I would never see the loser again.”

Laksh reached the ground in another 3 mins but the matched had started. They had started it  5 mins earlier. So he was out and can enter only in the second half. They were terribly losing. If they lost, half of the blame would be on him. He was already feeling irritated and then remembered the girl yelling at him to have a bad day!! he entered the game in the 2^nd half. He was a forward striker. The opponents were too good after the holidays. The score board was 2-0. in the last five mins of the game he scored a goal. But still it meant that they were going to lose the game. In the end they lost it. He felt bad. He was totally in a bad mood. He felt that the girl whom he had met earlier was the reason. He wanted to blame someone and he blamed it on her words and her.

***

S: “ r u not yet ready ? di its our first day at our new college. We can’t be late”

R: “abhi aayi”

S: “papa, you are also coming with us right?”

Sk(shekhar): “yes beta. It will be correct if we leave the home by now”

S: “haan papa, di has also come. Lets leave. Bye ma, bye eddie”

R: “ eddie bye. Di will be back in the eve okay. Bye ma”

Sm(sharmistha):” both of u have a great day at college. Bye”

***

At the college:

Sk: “thank u sir. Then I will leave now. Please take care of my girls. They are new to this city.”

Principal: “don’t worry. We will take care of them. Thank u sir”

Shekhar got on his feet, ready to leave. Had a swift word with his daughters and left the place.

Principal: “which one of you is in 2^nd year?”

S: “I am in 2^nd year b.sc political science.”

Principal:” okay dear. You will be having your classes in the 1^st floor of the 3^rd block from here. And ragini u are in 3^rd year BA English literature right?

Ragini nodded at him.

P: “your classes are taking place in the 2^nd block ground floor. And the respective professors over there will guide you both.  If u girls have any problem you can feel free to approach me.”

Ragini and swara thanked him and left the place.

R: “bye swara. I am bit afraid. Hope everything goes well “

S: “don’t worry di. Everything will be alright. Bye. See u in the break”.

Swara reached her class and her professor gave her a warm welcome and introduced her to the class. The professor introduced herself as nilasha.

N: “ your name is swara gadodia rgt? Hope u have a good time. Do u know the regional language?”

S: “no mam. I don’t speak that language.  Its been only two months that I have been here.”

N:  “Okay dear no problem, our class representative knows hindi. He will help u out if u ever have any problem.”  And asked where he was.

“good morning mam.”

N: “yeah he has come. Ms. Swara, this is laksh. He is the class representative. He will help you if u have any problem and laksh this is swara, our new transfer student.”

To her astonishment it was the same guy she had met the other day!

Laksh stopped in his tracks when he saw who the girl was!

“oh my god!” this was both of their thoughts.

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(To be continued…)