Here is the last chapter :
Ragini was on the terrace after the dinner when her phone buzzed. Her smile widened looking at the caller name. “Dadi” she chirped happy placing the mobile near her ear.
“Lado. How are you? I miss you so much bacha” said Dadi and Ragini controlled her tears. “Hmm. Dadi I’m all good. And I miss you too” said she and wiped the tear at the corner of her eye.
“You are crying?” Ragini’s shoulders fell as her Dadi’s care touched her heart.
“Um. No” she said and tried hard not to let that cry out of her throat.
“You started hiding things from me?” her Dadi’s voice cracked and she closed her eyes. “Acha Dadi tell me how did you punish Dadu today?” she avoided the topic. “Do I look like some torture machine to you?” Dadi whined.
Ragini chuckled. “That’s what Dadu calls you” she laughed through her tears. “Haaw. Let him come back from his walk I will show him what a torture machine can do” Dadi fumed and Ragini burst out laughing.
“Waise when are you coming back?” asked Dadi to which Ragini’s face fell.
“I will be coming tomorrow Dadi. Swara has settled here more easily far from my expectations. Nothing left here to hold on to” she said looking at the sky.
“Okay Dadi. After I reach tomorrow we will talk” said Ragini and disconnected the call. She kept staring the sky and the cool breeze caressed her face gently.
“Sometimes you have to hold on to yourself” she heard a voice and turned left to find Sanskar who was standing holding the railing.
Her eyebrows knitted in confusion. “When it doesn’t serve any purpose. Better to stay still” she turned her gaze to the sky.
“Why doesn’t it serve any purpose? Don’t try to be Mother Teresa Ragini. You have to be selfish at times. Just leave everything behind and think about yourself” he said turning to her.
She smiled and nodded her head. “I’m just trying to be Ragini not anyone else” she looked up at the sky.
“You are just trying to be as selfless you can be. And that will destroy the real Ragini” he said looking at the sky. “All this has no core Sanskar” she said looking down.
“Why?” he asked and she had no answer but a tear skipped her eye. “Look at me” he dragged her holding her shoulders and she stood facing him.
“Just because Laksh rejected you, don’t consider yourself worthless” he said as her sadness was pricking his heart’s wall. “That’s the fact Sanskar I’m not worth of anything” she said looking into his eyes and her eyes filled with tears.
“When will you understand the fact that your life is your own. Nobody is responsible for it. If you keep that in your mind then trust me nobody will hurt you” he said calmly.
“I’m now used to this Sanskar. I’m used to all this. Rejections. Heart breaks disappointments” she looked down. “And there your life doesn’t stop. You should be ready to face even more. Face as many problems you can face. But don’t give up” he said cupping her face.
“I wish it was as easy as it looked” her tears flew out of her eye. “It is more easier than it looks. Just close your eyes and remember the dearest person of your life smiling at you. All your paths will be easy. Easier than you ever thought” he said as he leaned to touch her forehead with his.
She closed her eyes and found her mother smiling at her. “Maa” she whispered painfully and Sanskar felt his heart squeezing looking at her pain.
He let her stay in her mother’s memories and drifted away from her. “Thank you” Ragini opened her eyes giving him a sweet smile.
“And you look less than a chudail with that cute smile” said he and she gave him a death glare. “You are hopeless” she said rolling her eyes..
“I know and I’m irresistible” he smirked at her. She walked from there not wanting to entertain his flirting.
“Ragini” she stopped her steps hearing his voice. Suddenly his voice was making her shiver for an unknown reason.
“Are you really going tomorrow?” she turned to look at him. The emotion is in his eyes momentarily sent her heart flying.
Knitting her eyebrows in confusion she brushed off her thoughts. “Like why will I stay here? I came here so that Swara gets comfortable staying here. She is all okay now. So It’s obvious I should leave” she shrugged her shoulders.
She studied his face and found a slight shift in the glow of his eyes. “Um” he stretched his lips forming a thin line and continued staring the ground.
She nodded her head and walked to her room. Sanskar turned to the sky and stood watching the twinkling stars which reflected in his eyes.
His hands squeezed the railing and he closed his eyes. He did not knew why suddenly he felt hollow inside him. He had to keep her away from him but then he could not keep her really away.
Inside his stomach there formed a knot. He did not knew why it felt that way. The cool breeze did not do any soothing this time.
***.***
Ragini was all ready with her luggage and stood at the hallway. “I will miss you Lado” Swara hugged her and Ragini reciprocated it. She touched the elder’s feet and took blessings.
“Come” Laksh held her bag and walked towards the door. “Ragini” she heard Sanskar’s voice and all turned hearing him.
“Um. Laksh I will drop her” he said grabbing the bag and placing the envelop in his hand inside the pocket. Laksh looked at him confused. “Okay Bro” said Laksh giving them way.
He felt it weird. Sanskar’s sudden behavioral change confused him. He brushed his thoughts walking to his room.
Ragini walked behind Sanskar. He held the car door open for her and she sat inside it. Placing her luggage in the back seat he walked to the driving seat.
“Wear the seat belts” he said her igniting the engine. She pulled the seat belt but struggled to buckle it. “What is it with you and seat belts?” he nodded his head. Holding her hand he pressed the knuckle of it inside the socket and it fixed perfect.
“Thanks” she smiled at him. “Mention not” said he and ignited the engine again and drove off. “Kulfi Kulfi” Ragini screeched happy looking at a kulfi stall at the corner of the road. “Sanskar stop na” she shook him. He missed his balance and stopped the car abruptly. “Have you lost the screw to your mind?” asked he looking at her horrified.
“No I never had a screw” she said blowing air on her nails. “Now I see how you are so brainless” said he giving a nod.
“Very funny” she faked a toothy grin at him. “I want Kulfi” she pouted like a small kid. “Um fine. Be here. I will get it” said he unbuckling his seat belt. Carefully closing the car door he walked to the kulfi vendor. After paying the vendor he was walking holding the kulfis in his hand when he saw a man stopping his bike near his car.
He was wearing a hood on his head. Sanskar got alerted and rushed to the car. “Who the hell are you?” Sanskar placed the kulfis on the car and held the person’s collar.
“What is wrong with you dude?” the person asked him looking through his goggles which were pitch black.
Ragini heard the screams and found Sanskar holding someone’s collar and threatening. “Sanskar” she screamed but he was not listening. She unbuckled the seat belt and walked to him.
“Sanskar leave him” she dragged him away. “Have you lost it. I got a call so parked it near your car. I had no intention to steal it man” the biker gave an annoyed look and drove off from there.
Caressing his forehead Sanskar sighed deeply. “Are you okay?” Ragini asked holding his elbow. He dragged her in a warm hug and she was surprised due to this.
“Sanskar” she spoke softly. “Um” he hummed. “Kulfi is melting” she whispered.
“You are hopeless” he dragged her out of the hug and looked at her. She gave him a confused look.
“Take your kulfi and please spare my heart every time it jumps out of the cage because of you” Ragini grabbed the kulfi and stopped placing it on her lips and looked up at him.
Her one eye brow raised and he closed his eyes cursing himself. “I mean. It’s too hot here. Eat it fast we have to reach your home also” he sat inside the car avoiding the topic leaving Ragini confused.
After another 15 to 20 minutes they reached Badi. Ragini stepped out of the car and picked her luggage from the back seat.
“Um Ragini” he stopped her and took out the envelope from his pocket. She took it and looked at it confused.
“Oh no no I’m not giving you any love letter. Why do we have parrots then” she looked at him annoyed. “For imitating. Pigeons are used to send letters Fuddu Maheshwari” she gave him annoyed look.
“Oh so those white birds are called pigeons? I thought they are parrots” he smiled at her. “Are you in your sarcasm senses today? You are behaving strange” she analyzed him.
“Um. No. I mean yes. I’m in my sarcasm senses only. Be at office tomorrow at 9” he turned to the car. “What?” asked she confused.
“Damn” Sanskar rolled his eyes. “That’s your appointment letter girl and you will be joining my company from tomorrow” said he giving her ‘Now you understood’ look. “Oh” she said.
“What oh?” asked he. “Oh is oh. Like it’s used when you want to express that you understood it finally” she said and he looked at her waving his hands in air.
“Come on you got a job in Karma Industries and what reaction are you giving just a “Oh”” he said annoyed. “Then what you want me to do? As if it is some tata birla company” said she rolling her eyes.
“Huh” he let out a deep sigh controlling his anger. “You know you are so ungrateful” he pointed at her. “I know” she shrugged her shoulders proudly.
“Fine” said he walking to the driver seat and banged the door after seating himself and buckling the seat belt.
“Sanskar” she bent to the car door walking towards him.
“What?” asked he not looking at her. She kissed his cheek and his eyes went wide and he froze in his place.
His heart took a hard leap and he felt breathless suddenly when her soft lips landed on his hard cheek. It tickled his senses but made him numb at the same time. He was unable to react.
Her lips curved up looking at him so lost in his own world.
His heart beat raised when he heard her chuckling. Her ear rings were dangling and shining against the sunlight.
Her giggle made him lose himself more in the moment. And he just blinked his eyes looking at her. “Hello” she shook him. “Um” he landed back to the real world. “What was this?” asked he softly rubbing his cheek looking at her.
“Like you don’t know” she stood straight. He unbuckled his seat belt and stood out dragging her holding her elbow. She looked into his eyes which felt deep and she felt herself drowning in them.
“Um” she swallowed hard trying to gather the words. He leaned and kissed her cheek and she closed her eyes clutching his shirt.
“Tit for tat” he smirked releasing her. Getting inside his car again he drove off. While his eyes fixed on the rear mirror he saw Ragini rubbing her cheek and her cheeks turning red. He blushed and caressed his neck.
“Lado” she landed back in the world hearing her Dadi’s voice. “Dadi” she smiled widely hugging her. Her heart was fluttering still.
Dadi took her inside when she was still processing her thoughts about the recent happenings.
Dida and Sumi did not looked pleasant with Ragini’s arrival. Shekar and Dadaji welcomed her warmly. She composed herself though she was hurt due to their behaviors.
She knew she cannot change their mindset. So avoided it thinking someday their heart will melt and they will understand her.
She walked to her room in the night after the dinner. She was unpacking her luggage. She held the envelope Sanskar handed her. She took out the letter and smirked looking at his signature at the end of the letterhead.
“And the game starts now Mr.Sanskar Maheshwari. Count your days till I expose you” she smirked.
“I know I’m doing it in a wrong way but to protect the innocents I have to do it” she said folding the letter and lied back on her bed.
***.***
Sanskar was working on his laptop. Something was bothering him. “Why am I so restless?” he rubbed his temple. “I can’t just let you stay out of my sight and expect you to be safe Ragini. It is even more difficult now” he looked up thinking.
He dialed Ragini’s number. His heart beat raised when the ring just went on. “Why isn’t she picking the call?” he whispered.
Ragini who walked out of the washroom picked the call. “He…” “Where the hell were you? Couldn’t you pick the damn phone?” he let out his frustration. Sujata stood with the milk glass at the door hearing him.
“I was…” “You know what? it is waste talking to you.” he again interrupted her. “Then why the hell did you call me dammit. Keep the phone” she disconnected the call annoyed.
“Damn” he cursed throwing the phone and sat holding his paining head. “Sanskar” Sujata entered and handed him a milk glass. He gulped it without his usual annoyance.
“Are you okay beta?” asked she and he placed his head in her lap. “I don’t know maa” he said confused. She smiled caressing his hair gently.
She looked at his phone which was unlocked still. She slowly picked it and checked the last dialed number. Her eyes went wide looking at the name. She threw his phone away as he moved a bit. She continued caressing his hair and kissed the side of it. He smiled with his closed eyes.