Here is the last chapter:
Ragini just sat in her place when the intercom ringed. “Arghhh” she closed her eyes annoyed then picked the call. “Hello” she spoke and waited for the person from the other end to speak. “Ragini? Finally you have reached office. You know your boss has asked five times from the time he has entered the office” said Mahi.
“Why he likes odd number is it?” she asked annoyed and Mahi did not understood the question. “I will check with him Mahi. And I had informed him that I will be late today” she said and Mahi’s expressions changed from confused to normal. “He is the boss and he can have short term memory loss problem” said Mahi.
“I know that” Ragini placed the receiver and looked at Laksh’s cabin. He wasn’t there. “Let him be back to his cabin. I don’t know with whom he will be flirting this early morning” she nodded her head and placed her bag inside the locker and turned her system ON.
She took the water bottle and gulped the water. “Damn this summer” she said after placing the bottle on the table. “Oh you hate summer also?” she looked up to find Karan. “Yeah like you love sweating so much and the odor your underarms will smell. It is not less than any Italic perfume right?” Ragini gave him a grin mocking.
“Italy is not famous for perfumes girl France is” Karan rolled his eyes. “But for you Italy perfumes are enough” said Ragini and turned to her system. “Listen” “Listening” she said looking at her system. “Arghhh” he gritted his teeth. “That’s even a word? Sorry I don’t understand Tarzan language” she said not looking at him.
“Before I break my head for even initiating talk with you and forget the work Laksh sir gave me let me inform you. Laksh sir told his very close friend is coming to meet him tomorrow. As soon as they arrive you have to make arrangements for their welcome” said Karan.
“So am I supposed to do a mujra for their welcome?” she asked with null expression still staring the monitor. Karan looked at her in disbelief. “No you have to do Salsa..” she heard a bit different voice this time. Laksh was standing in front of her desk and Karan gulped in scared. Ragini did not care to look up.
“So tell your boss to do that and why not belly dance? His belly twists so well” Karan widened his eyes and looked at her feeling pity.
“Oh really Ragini you know my belly twists well?” Laksh asked. “Arrey tu nai be khajur….” she looked up and her lips were forming a pout as she stopped in midway. She quickly changed her expression and gave him a sheepish smile.
Karan signed ‘you are gone today’ Laksh stood there crossing his arms. “Oh actually” she struggled and stood up. “What?” asked he raising his one eye brow.
“I mean I did not expect you to be here. I thought you will be flirting around…” she bit her tongue closing her eyes.
Those two demons again appeared on Laksh’s either side with violins. ‘not again’ he cursed in his mind when they started playing the music.
“Khoya khoya chand… Khula aasman…ankho me saari raath Jayegi tum ko bhi kaise neend ayegi….” he was lost in the music. She opened her eyes to look at him and he landed back in the real world and those two demons disappeared.
“Khoya…” he stopped himself and closed his eyes. “I mean come to my cabin now” said he walking to his cabin. “Khoya?” Ragini looked confused. “Arrey he wanted to say Khova I think” said Karan. “And why will he ask me khova? Do I look like any Halwayi?” asked she and Karan shrugged his shoulders.
She nodded her head and walked to Laksh’s cabin where he was moving his chair sideways. “What fun in playing with the chair. Obviously Bekar log koi kaam thodi hota hai inke pass other than irritating their employees” Ragini spoke under her breath and walked to him wearing her seriousness on the face.
Laksh dictated her a mail which she noted down in her note pad and stood up to walk but her dupatta was stuck in the chair. “Sir” said Ragini. “What?” asked Laksh looking into a file. “Leave” said she. “What leave? Ragini don’t tell me you want leave” said he annoyed but not looking up.
Ragini turned furious and found her dupatta stuck to the chair. She glanced at Laksh who was busy staring his file. She stretched her lips and released her dupatta and walked out without uttering a word.
She sat in her place and hit her forehead with her hand and turned to look at Laksh who was staring his file. She closed her eyes remembering her childish act and felt embarrassed. She nuzzled her nose and continued her work.
It was a long day as Laksh was looking after the arrangements for his friend’s welcome. Ragini was not spared for a minute also. It had crossed the office time when finally everything was finished. “Phew” Ragini sat on her chair tired.
“Finally” she said gulping down the water. She found Laksh who was instructing Karan with something. And the music hit her ear drums “Munda kukkad kamal daa.” she spit the water as the water entered the wrong pipe.
Laksh heard the noise and looked at his right where Ragini was struggling. “Ragini” he worried and approached her and patted her head to relax her. “Are you okay?” asked he and after she relaxed she nodded her head wiping her face.
“You spoiled the desk Ragini” Karan spoke looking at the messed desk. Laksh glared him and Karan withdraw himself from saying anything further. He called the peon to clean the mess. Luckily there were no files on the desk.
“Okay thank you guys” Laksh thanked Ragini and Karan who helped him. “And now time to go. Karan drop Ragini” said Laksh and Karan looked at him blankly. “Sir actually I go in a total opposite direction so…” he said hesitant. “It’s okay sir I will manage” said Ragini.
“No Ragini wait. What if she stays in opposite direction Karan. Don’t you know how bad it is for a girl to go alone at this time? As a colleague you should help her at this time. Forget she is colleague but as a human you should help her” said Laksh and Karan stood pouting.
“But sir I will be late to home” said Karan pleading. “Okay fine go” said Laksh. “I’m sorry you have no other way” he looked at Ragini apologetically. “It’s okay sir I will manage” she walked to her desk and picked up her bag. “I meant you don’t have a choice you have to tolerate my company till home. I will drop you” he said bending his head.
Ragini chuckled even though she was worried that she had to go alone. “I don’t think you will mind that” Laksh said winking at her. She rolled her eyes and walked behind him.
Laksh was driving the car and Ragini was staring at the street lights outside. She smiled looking at the night which was beautiful. “So Ms. Ragini why there is no surname in your name?” he asked and she still looked outside.
“If I knew” said Ragini and he cocked his eye brows in confusion. “Um hm. Don’t want to get cozy with your boss?” asked he and she nodded her head and turned to him.
“You girls are strange. You think every guy in the world is a jerk. Just because he behaves a bit friendly with you” said he shrugging his shoulders. “If I thought you are a jerk then I would have pushed you out of the moving car” she glared him.
She turned her face away. “Okay okay. Cool down” he said and she closed her eyes. “So boyfriend?” he asked turning the steering wheel. She jerked to the force and fell on his shoulder as she was not wearing the seat belt. He bit his cheeks inside when Ragini sat straightening herself.
“Waise I know you like to fall on my shoulders. But still babes it is dangerous. I told you then only na. Wear the seat belt” he said looking at the road and patting his fingers on the steering wheel. Ragini twitched her lips and wore the seat belt.
“I don’t have better place in the world to fall like gutter or some valley that I will like to fall on your shoulder?” she said annoyed. “Seriously you are comparing my? Mr Lakshya Maheswari’s shoulder to khayi or gutter?” asked he annoyed.
“Yeah I don’t joke when it is about my likes” she tucked her hair strand behind her ear and he looked at her through the mirror. She rolled her eyes feeling his gaze and turned other side.
“Stop the car. I will walk from here” said Ragini and Laksh stopped the car with a jerk. “Why?” asked he getting down from the car and walking behind her.
“You are unnecessarily staring me and I don’t like it” she said annoyed. “Have you lost it? Like was I staring you lustfully?” asked he holding his waist. Ragini looked away and walked from there. “Fine be happy Ms. Chuyi Muyi” said he and walked to his car.
He neared his car and stood holding the door. “Damn” he cursed himself banging the door and ran in the direction Ragini walked. And locked the car with his key remote.
Ragini had walked a bit further in an empty road which was creepy. She felt a hand on her shoulder and turned and slapped the person without seeing his face.
“Owe girl” Laksh held his paining cheek. He adjusted his jaw. Ragini looked at him apologetically. “Why do you have assumption disease? You think I will misbehave with you or take advantage of you?” asked he.
“You keep flirting with everyone so it is obvious…” she said pouting. “Why is it so obvious? I just flirt with girls okay. There is a huge difference between flirting and misbehaving” said he and walked with her.
“For me both are same” said Ragini. Laksh rolled his eyes. “Madam I’m not any rapist okay” said he and she twisted her lips. “Who knows you might turn out one day” said Ragini. “See Ragini now you are crossing the limits. I flirt with girls. I don’t disagree. I like girls and what bad if I flirt with them when they also like it? I’m not forcing anyone right?” asked he spreading his arms in air.
“I compliment them and make them smile. You know they have numerous problem when they are out of the office. Like personal problems and many other things. But if I also be the sadu boss and waste that time they spend in the office what’s the point? Let them be happy in office at least” said he and Ragini did not respond.
“And I don’t flirt with girls who dislike it. I make sure I’m not hurting someone with my flirting” he said nodding his head. ‘I agree I initially had lust for you but now I don’t know why I don’t want to hurt you’ he thought in his mind looking at her.
“I know you will never be convinced with my logic but then I don’t have better explanation than this. Appreciating even a simple girl that she is beautiful isn’t crime when what you see is not outer beauty but their soul” he said and somewhere it touched Ragini’s heart.
“We reached. Thank you” said Ragini stopping at the orphanage gate. “You stay here?” asked he and she nodded her head and walked inside giving him a formal smile.
He read the board and then his eyes fell on Ragini who was walking facing her back. “Why there is no surname in your name?” his question replayed and his heart pained now knowing the reason.
“Ragini” he called. Ragini stopped her steps and turned to look at him. He did not knew he should ask her sorry or not.
“Um actually” he stopped and she looked at him confused. “Good night” said he and left out a breath to relax his galloping heart. She smiled still confused. “Good night” she smiled walking to the orphanage.
He felt weak and his shoulders collapsed. “Damn yaar Laksh you had to make her sad always” he kicked his leg in air and walked to his car.
Ragini sat beside Akshat narrating him what and all happened whole day after they finished dinner. Akshat was listening to her and was smiling looking at the ground.
“Sun na popu” she turned to find Akshat sleeping. She caressed his hair and got up to walk. “Ragu. Judging people wrong” she stopped hearing him. She remembered her conversation with Laksh and a smile crept on her lips. She walked from there nodding her head.
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