“What was that?” Sujata looked up as she heard noise of cracking glass. Ragini who was also looking in the direction got worried. “Maa I will check” said Ragini stopping Sujata. She nods her head. Ragini started walking towards the room worried. She squeezed her hands helplessly. She was unaware how will Sanskar react now. She reached the room and stood near the door and felt nervous. She opened the door slowly and the scenario made her frown. Sanskar was breaking everything which reached his hand. His face was covered with sweat and tears made way from his eyes. Her heart flinched looking at his condition. She entered the room without wasting a second. “Sanskar” she called out but there was no response from his side. He wiped his face and continued throwing the things. “San… Ahhhhh” Ragini screamed as she stepped on a glass piece and winced in pain holding her leg. Her scream made it’s way directly to his heart. Her pain was something which made him forget everything every time. He looked at her as she was bending and holding her leg and blood was oozing out of her feet. “Ragini” he approached her swiftly. He knelt in front of her and she held his shoulder for the support. He looked at her hand which was on his shoulder. As she pressed his shoulder it made her pain felt by him. A tear tripped out of his eye and his eyebrows shrank. He looked at her painfully and lifted her and walked to the bed. He made her sit on it and knelt again in front of her. He held her feet and looked at the wound worried. He turned to the side table and took the first aid box. He wiped his face with both the hands and started applying the ointment and tied the band aid across the wound.
Ragini caressed his hair as he was lost curing her wound. He sensed her hand and held it and burst out into a bitter cry. She couldn’t tolerate it more. Her heart pained to hear his cry which pierced directly into her heart. She held his head and dragged him to a hug placing his head on her bosom. He cried more. He cried his heart out holding her. Tears flew from her eyes like there was no end to it. “I’m sorry Ragini… I’m really sorry” said he breathing between his sobs. “Shhhh” said Ragini as she dragged him out of the hug. She wiped his face and kissed his forehead and he closed his eyes. “No Sorry and No thank you in friendship Khajoor. Forgot oh what?” asked she smiling through her tears. He nodded his head suppressing his cry and smiling through his tears. She touched her forehead with his. He slowly slid down and placed his head on her lap and she looked at him painfully. Life had lot of challenges for them but their relation was all above everything. Their friendship was of that standard.
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“Maa can we get Ragu back now?” asked Vikky when they were sitting after the dinner. Sumi and Swara looked at him confused. “I heard whatever you spoke to Sanskar” his words sent a fear down the spine. “Did he hear everything?” Swara worried. “I know Ragu did for saving Shona’s life. And this marriage has no meaning. Can we get her back?” asked he. Swara and Sumi sighed as they realize that he has not heard their complete conversation. “Marriage is marriage Vikky. Ladoo is married now. We can’t break it just like that” said Sumi. “But maa” he was interrupted by Sumi who said “Vikky I know you are worried for her and we are also equally worried. But have faith. Everything happens for a reason. Though this marriage is forceful still it’s a marriage. Give them time, who knows they might be made for each other” Vikram nods his head uninterested and walks to his room. Swara and Sumi watch in his direction. “I though he heard everything. It’s too dangerous maa we have to shift our discussion place to Rohan’s house” said Swara worried and Sumi nodded her head.
“What didn’t I hear?” Vikram looks at them suspiciously when he came back to take his phone and stood there hearing them.
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“Sanskar” Sujata shakes Sanskar who was lost looking into the infinity while they were sitting across the dining table. He came out of his trance and looked at her. Sujata looked at him worried. His eyes showed pain an immense pain. “Are you okay?” asked she caressing his hair. He weakly smiled at her and continued his dinner. Sujatha looked at Ragini and signed her asking what happened to him. She assured her she will handle and smiled. Sujatha nodded her head in approval.
“AJ. Stop playing with the food” said Ragini when she found Adarsh playing with the spoon. “Ragu it’s boring” said he pouting. Ragini looked at him confused. “AJ it is food not some movie that you are saying boring” said she. “Unless mumma makes fun of Sanky; food is boring” said he and chuckled. Sanskar’s lips curved into a small smile. Ragini observed it. “Okay let us play mom and Sanky” said Ragini excited. “I’m mom and you are Sanky” said Ragini. “No I’m mom. I want to be smart not dumbo like Sanky” said Adarsh pouting. “Okay fine I will become dumb Sanky and you become smart mom” said she. He nodded his head biting his lower lip. “Mom what is this?” asked Ragini acting like Sanskar. “This is why I told you to eat carr carr” Adarsh struggled to remember. “Carrots” completed Sujata. “Haa wahi. See you lost your eyesight at this young age. Can’t you see it’s idly” said Adarsh acting like Sujata. Ragini glared him acting like Sanskar. And all burst out laughing. Sanskar laughed hard holding his stomach. Ragini smiled looking at his laugh which made her heart flutter with joy. An unknown joy to watch him forgetting his pain though momentarily. She knew he needed time and she was determined to get him back to normal. Heart breaks are not easy to handle. Not when you have guilt also to tackle with it. He needed someone. And she was ready to be that someone.
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“Swara you don’t have any problem with this right?” asked Sanskar when he met her after their families spoke about their marriage. “No Sanskar. I…” she was interrupted by Ragini who spoke “Why will she have any problem she is getting married to the most eligible bachelor of Mumbai Mr. Sanskar Maheshwari” Sanskar blushed looking at her and caressed his neck. “Oye Hoye Khajur gets shy also” said Ragini. “Oye Ghonchu ruk” said he and chased her out of the room.
At present Sanskar smiled sarcastically at his fate. “Didn’t I give her enough chances? Why she has to build my expectations when she had nothing of that sort in her mind. I like a fool believed that she also loved me. And I was so angry on Ragini that she separated us where as we were never together” he thought as he folded his lips to control his cry. His heart was flooding with emotions. And it looked like it swept away his soul completely.
Ragini entered the room after arranging the kitchen. She found Sanskar standing in the balcony and looking at the sky. She walked to balcony and stood at the entrance. “Ragini?” he said without turning and signed her to come. She smiled and walked to him and stood beside him. He was still staring the sky. “How you know?” asked she. “Do I need to give you the answer every time?” asked he. She smiled and looked at the sky. “From the time we met for the first time in London you recognize my anklet’s chiming sound every time so accurately I just wonder how” said she. “I have no answer for this but I can never forget that melody ever” said he. “Melody?” asked she confused. He smiled still looking at the sky. “I don’t know how to tell you. I don’t want you to misunderstand me” he thought within himself. “Nothing” said he. “But” said she. “Don’t ask me now please” said he holding her hand. She paused and became silent. He looked at his hand which was pressing her hand against the railing. He remembered how he hurt her on her first day. He dragged his hand back with a jerk. “What happened?” asked she but he did not turn to her side. She sighed and held him from his shoulder and turned him. He was staring ground. She held his chin and lifted his head. His eyes were filled with water and tear flood was about to bust. “Sanskar” she gasped nearing him and tears developed in her eyes also.
“I was so blind in my revenge I hurt you so much Ragini. So much. I did not even considered you as a human being. I…” he was interrupted by Ragini who placed her finger on his lips. It made him numb. He stood looking at her and at last the tears left his eyes and made their way through his cheeks. She hugged him encircling her hands around his stomach and placed her head on his chest. “We are still friends if you have forgotten Mr. Ghajni Maheshwari. And we will always be” said she in a cracking voice. He looked up to control his emotions and held her head and patted it. “We will be always” he repeated. She smiled in his embrace.
She caressed his hair as he lied on the bed. He closed his eyes and tried sleeping at last fell asleep. Ragini walked to her side of bed and lied smiling and closed her eyes. He needed her like he needed oxygen. Ragini was forgetting her main intention to enter his life and his pain was melting her rock heart.
“She has to move out of this attachment before she glues herself so hard that she cannot come out of it” Rohan spoke to someone over the phone. “Okay let us wait” said he as he disconnected the call.
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“Ragini Poha” screamed Sanskar sitting on the chair as he came to the dining table. “Wah like Adi even my second son has become fan of your Poha?” asked Sujata looking at Ragini who was serving Sanskar with Poha. She smiled at Sujatha. “Ha she cooks so nice” said Sanskar without realizing. “What do you mean I cook bad?” asked Sujata holding her waist and glaring him. “Suji at last you realized it” said Ram and Sanskar choked hearing it. Ragini approached him swiftly and made him drink water. He looked at her and was lost in concerned fill face. Sujata looked at them and smiled. Her gaze then shifted to Ram. She twisted her lips and walked inside the kitchen. “Today I have to sleep in the hall only” Ram said worried. Everyone burst out laughing. “Waise Dadu how many times in a week you sleep in the hall?” asked Piyu. “Every second day” said Adarsh and laughed. “Was that funny?” asked Ram as he looked at his sons who were mocking him. “Ragu beta someday throw your husband also outside. Badi hasi aa rahi hai Sanky ko” said he teasing Sanskar. Sanskar and Ragini looked at each other embarrassed. “Your husband” Sanskar’s lips curved into a small smile remembering Ram’s word.
“Ragini my bag” screamed Sanskar. “She is your wife Sanskar. What and all she will do? Go get yourself” said Sujata. “No maa that’s okay” said Ragini who descended down the stairs with the bag. “Your wife” Ragini smiled a bit remembering Sujata’s words. An unknown joy and feeling crept her heart making it jump. She handed the bag to Sanskar. They both had a eyelock. “Chachu come fast I missed my school bus” said Piyu dragging him. He stumbled and walked looking back at her. She gave him a weak smile. He held Piyu’s hand in his left hand along with the bag and waved his right hand at her saying a soft bye. Her smile widened and she lifted her right hand and waved at him and watched him disappearing.
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“Ragu.” called Adarsh showing his toy and asking her to fix. She got up from her place and walked to him smiling. She tried fixing but it did not happen. She felt someone holding the toy with her hand and she found Sanskar sitting beside her. She jerked her hands away and tucked her hair behind her ear as his gaze made her nervous. Sanskar fixed the toy and Adarsh clapped his hands happy and hugged Sanskar. Who smiled and looked at Ragini who was looking away nervous. Vikram smiled looking at them. Ragini sensed someone standing at the door. She lifted her head and found Vikram. “Vikky bhai” she gasped and got up from her place and ran to him. She stopped when she neared him. And her tearful face became emotionless as past surfaced in her mind.
It was the next day when Ragini was married to Sanskar. Vikram had come to meet her and confront. “Why did you do this Ragu. Why?” said he holding Ragini. “Vikky bhai” she was about to say but controlled her urge to share her worry to her brother. “Because I love him” said she and looked down. “Oh wow like mom like daughter. You did exactly what your mom did. You proved whatever we do the gandagi(evilness) in the blood can’t be taken out. You proved you are just our half sister. We were fools that even after your mom did so much with us we accepted you as our sister kindheartedly. That’s our upbringing and whatever you did was your upbringing” said he showing his finger. “Vikky she is your sister. Mind your language” said Sujata who came there. “No…. She is nobody to me. She is dead for me” he stormed out from there. Ragini suppressed her urge to cry and stared blank in the direction he disappeared.
“Won’t you forgive your stupid bro?” asked he folding his hands. “Bhai” said Ragini and covered him in her embrace and both of them sobbed and he patted her head. Sujata smiled looking at them. She knew how much Ragini missed her family. She would be the happiest person if Ragini reconciled with her family.
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“Ragini” said Sanskar when Ragini lied on the bed beside him. He was staring the ceiling. Ragini turned and looked at him and said “Hmmm?” “Why is love so painful?” asked he as a tear dropped from his eye. Ragini held his and turned him to her side and wiped his tears. “Not only Love all the emotions are painful” said she. “See when you feel happy beyond limits you will cry right, that’s the pain. When you get angry beyond limit tears flow from your eyes. When you laugh more also tears fall out of your eyes. So everything in our life all the emotions are linked to pain and tears. It’s just the phase. You have passed everything so you will pass this also” said she and caressed his cheek. “And sometimes we feel we love someone but we have to analyze ourselves is it attraction or love. We sometimes misunderstand our feelings” she said smiling. “How to differentiate?” he asked. Ragini dragged her hand back and placed it under her head and smiled. “Attraction is like you feel it every day and may be around number of people. But love is a feeling which you feel for the first time. It may look like attraction but you won’t feel that way around anyone other than that particular person” said she. “So confusing” said he annoyed. She chuckled. “Don’t worry Khajur when you will fall in love you will come to know” said she and turned. “Where Ghonchu now. I’m married to you and I can’t even try my luck anywhere” said he. The smile on her face disappeared quickly. She felt a stinging pain in her heart. “Don’t worry I will be out of your life soon” said she and closed her eyes painfully. Sanskar turned her furiously and looked at her angry. “Dare you even thought about it” said he. Ragini looked at him confused. His eyes turned painful. “Don’t go away from me please” he pleaded. “Why Sanskar? When this marriage has no meaning then better it breaks. Don’t hold on to it” said she jerking his hand and turned. “I can’t live without you” said he in a cracking voice. His pain god squeezed her heart. She turned immediately and hugged him. He sobbed holding her and dragged her close to him. “Why are you not letting me go?” asked she in a cracking voice. “I don’t know” said he and kissed her hair. She closed her eyes painful. “I crossed my limit. Now how will I detach myself from him. How? Do I need to detach myself?” she asked herself. “I love you Sanskar. And I will fill your life with love for how much ever days I will be in your life. I will” said she in her mind. Yes she fell in love with him finally. She tried controlling her emotions and feelings from developing but it is said Love cannot be per-planned so it did not worked like how she planned. Not at all. Her heart had overtook her brain. Now what will she do? She cannot confess her love. And she cannot let him suffer also. The path she chose was becoming harder as the time passed.
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A/N: Wanna know what will happen in next chappy. Let me think. Haaa. More confusions and lots and lots of love. I know you might feel I’m going off the track but this was necessary for the situation to relax your brain and prepare you for the shocks. Do let me know how are you finding the story and any suggestions. Love you all and thanks a ton for your support and comments and of course immense love.