Hold My Hand in The Rain: A RagLak One Shot!!
Ragini’s POV:
“Laksh…Laksh…Where have you got me now…and its so dark here, what is this and where are you Laksh?” I tried moving around that dark place where Laksh got me moving my hands in front of me in the dark so as to not hit something, I tried hard to remove the cloth on my eyes…I couldn’t.
“Ragini, I am here only, don’t worry, I have a surprise for you…” I heard a pleasant happy voice of Laksh from behind…I was confused, was it some tape-recorder playing because I could not spot him anywhere with my hands.
“ Ragini, stop your assumptions…I am here only, no Tape recorder…” I could hear him giggling.
“Laksh…You know, you are mad…You woke me up at 12 in the night, tied a cloth on my eyes and got me somewhere in your car…atleast tell me where we are…” I said turning to the side from where I heard the voice.
“ And you , you are double mad you know…You know I got you here , still you thought I played a tape recorder…” I could still hear him giggling…I laughed at myself, was this guy a mind reader or could he read only my mind?
“ Laksh…but why are we here and…and can you please tell me where are we?”I questioned still laughing.
“That, you’ll get to know after you do as I say…” Laksh almost hugged me from behind…Oh God…was he behind me…This cloth…I am not able to see anything. As I felt his arms making a circle round my belly…I could feel his arms touching mine… He pulled me close, gently rubbing my arm. Despite the heaviness in my stomach, it fluttered at the feeling of my body pressed against his.
“ So…wha…what I have to D…do??” I questioned stammering…he made me go week in my knees though it wasn’t always so but now…things have changed, situations have changed, I remembered the time we were best friends, yes we were childhood friends, Best wale…I have full account of everything he did from childhood, wrong or right…The number of girlfriends he had, the number of times he did something hiding from Papa and Mumma…I mean Durgaprasad Uncle and Annapurna Aunty..everything…What? You want to know those…Sorry…I can’t share because he knows all such stuff about me too na…aur waise bhi…How can I ditch him in friendship? I am already doing so in Love.
“ Ok, I am removing the cloth on your eyes and here’s a packet kept for you in this room, I am going out, change your dress and come in the car outside…don’t dare search for where you are…today’s my day…It’s my birthday na…”Laksh said in a go as he left me from behind and came in front, I took a deep breath…Laksh.
“ You liar, today’s not your birthday…I know it’s on 1st August…” I said as he was removing the cloth.
“ And whats today Ragu?” He questioned as I faced him now…he had removed the cloth.
“1st August…”I hit my head saying the word while I looked at him tensed…he’s gonna get angry for sure.
He stared at me angrily…then suddenly giggled, “Everything Maaf today but only if you quickly get ready and come out…” He ran out, I took a deep breath and then moved my eyeballs round the place…it was a room…rather a hotel room; its cleanliness told me that.
“ Ragu , don’t take ages…” I heard him shout from outside while I hit my head. I moved my eyes towards the bed and to the open packet kept there, it had a suit, rather Anarkali one, I could guess it easily at one glance, it was yellow in colour with silver work at many places, A smiled climbed up my lips automatically as I picked it up to open it, I opened the cover and took it out, A deeper glance at it made me see its silver borders which made the already beautiful suit have a much better finishing…the silver on it shined like stones ready to ignite anything around them with light.
“Beautiful…when did my Lucky started having such an amazing fashion sense…” I had this strange habit of talking to myself, crazy me.
“Rag…” I ran inside the washroom before I could hear him complete.
Dressing up in the Anarkali I came out adjusting the Dupatta on my neck in the way I liked it , round my neck. Standing in front of the full sized mirror in the room, I looked at myself to see if everything was perfect, then realizing the incompleteness in the look , I looked at the gold Jhumkas I was wearing, they didn’t go well with the dress, I removed them and as I lowered my eyes to place them on the table, I found a box with glass lid , two Silver earning shinning from within.
“ Laksh…” I am going to go more crazy by his such sweetness, still I smiled and wore them, they completely complimented the look.
“R…” I am going to reach him before he completes…I ran out slamming the door before me.
**
Laksh’s POV:
“Raa—ggg—Uuu” I started speaking and ended up taking a minute to complete the four letters…this girl was looking that enthralling when she came out, adorned in the yellow Anarkali and silver earrings which I brought for her, she looked an Angel-a Fairy-A Princess-A Goddess, Alright…I just don’t have the perfect word to praise her beauty, she was that beautiful.
“Lucky..” Ragu smiled waving her hands in front of my eyes. “ Now who is late?” She asked while I glared at her, is it my fault that she was looking so breathtaking Beauty.
“I know I am beautiful but not more than Sheena na…” She spoke up reminding me my own lines…I used to tease her a lot back then.
“Sheena is beautiful…because she is a human…You are to my Angel right?” Was I being chessy , no na…thats what she replied to me hearing it and then straight away went and sat in the back seat.
“ I am not driver Ragu…” I said while she smirked, “ Become one for your angel…” I laughed.
“First I’ll tie this on your eyes and then we’ll talk…”I said as I went on the backseat and started tying the cloth around her eyes.
“ Not again…why? It’s your birthday…not mine…”
“But it’s special for both of us and now stay quite…” I literally ordered and then sat back in front seat smiling. I started the car, the engine caught pace and here we are driving to our destination with me being my Wife’s driver…I hope you didn’t thought us as Girlfriend-Boyfriend.
Ragini’s POV:
I sat in the car with the cloth on my eyes, I could not see anything, just feel the cool breeze from outside, Laksh had left the window open, I loved that he did. As I sat there with almost nothing in my mind, My thoughts drifted to my story, rather our Story, My and Laksh’s story which is not really supposed to have a happy ending.
We both are husband-Wife, married 4 months ago, otherwise we were childhood crazy friends, Papa-Mumma and Papa-Ma were friends , you know my house is just next to Laksh’s…I mean My and Laksh’s house, We used to play together in childhood, our friendship grew like this, so strong that we considered each other as Soulmates, destined to be friends forever, we didn’t really had any thoughts about marriage, We both were flirty, smart and moreover not so Love believing individuals, Thats why we enjoyed life…fully. And then came the dreadful day for both of us,
our parents started showing us people for marriage, we couldn’t marry, we both didn’t believe in it but how to explain this to parents? Thats how we took out the best solution, act like falling in love and Marry each other, no ties of relationship, live like friends after marriage and enjoy life. I know it was a horrible idea, marrying your Best Friend but we did and our Parents couldn’t had been happier, The marriage that was supposed to take place by 2018 happened in 2017, so bad was our fate but never mind, we enjoyed fooling our parents and living with each other as best friends…but then something happened or rather Jealousy happened that changed my life. That day had been the worst day of my life, I started feeling jealous of Laksh’s girlfriends, only I know how I felt at that time, My friends used to tell me side effects of Love, this was one out of them, Did I fell for Laksh? The question haunted me but it was true, I soon realized it trying my level best to not to make Laksh realize it. “We won’t interfere into each other’s life and Love…No chance..As it doesn’t exist…” That was the deal between us, it seemed to break.
“Ragini…”Laksh called me by my full name distracting me.
Laksh’s POV:
“Where do you get lost haan??” I questioned Ragini as I had called her several times now not to get any reply, I am sure she was talking to herself , her crazy habit…That I too caught.
“What??” She asked with an irked voice, she was thinking something she enjoyed thinking about.
“I thought you were getting bored so let’s talk…” I was calm enough to expect a calm reply, I didn’t got one.
“No, Now I’ll talk to you only if I like your surprise…” She said with the same tone, You’ll like it for sure bacha.
“Ok…”I said. I started paying my attention back to the road, as I moved my eyes here and there, I saw her through the mirror in the car, Her eyes tied with the cloth and her bubble turned mouth was looking as cute as…Ok I won’t compare, I can’t yaar. As I looked towards her face, thoughts of our childhood friendship took control of my mind, We used to tease each other a lot in childhood, well we are still in our childhood. Well, I want to confess something, I am in love with Ragini, Ragu, My bacha…yes, I know I wasn’t supposed to fall in Love, I wasn’t but yet how could you control yourself from falling in Love with a beautiful…Not to praise her beauty, she is much more than beautiful, she is sweet, caring , Dabang, Mischievous, Notorious, Angry Young Girl and what not..I knew it from childhood, maybe I even loved her from childhood, only to never realize it until after our so called Love Marriage…well what I was speaking for was how could you control yourself from falling in Love with such a girl after living day and night with her for 4 months, well I am human na, unlike her who is an Angel.
I looked in front as I saw my destination, time flied talking to myself.
I parked the car at a corner and came out, opening the back door, I held Ragu’s hand who was visibly confused as I held her hand, I think she fell asleep, typical Ragu.
“We reached?” She questioned moving her other hand around, I held that one too from my other hand.
“Yes , we did…”I smiled as she came out holding my hands.
“So can you please remove this cloth now??”Ragini questioned while I looked at her with widened eyes for a complete of 30 seconds, realizing she couldn’t see me, I hit my head with my hand, that was my usual way of showing my anger to her but how could she see me from under the cloth?
“No, I am taking you na, come with me…”I started moving holding her hand as delicately as someone holds the petals of flowers, her hands were softer than petals though.
**
Ragini’s POV:
As we moved , Laksh’s hand in mine, I felt like holding his hand always, the feeling filled me with something I couldn’t explain in mere words, his hands in mine gave me a feeling of warmth, of belonging, of affection, of care…Of Love.
He stopped at a point as he left my hand, I still felt that feeling, his hands had the magic to stay with me forever even after he leaves my hands, I just wish he doesn’t feel any such magic, he shouldn’t.
“Ok, Ok…Ragu…something will happen at the count of 3…”Laksh said taking deep breaths as I heard his footsteps moving back.
“1…
2….
3….”
The numbers rang in the silent environment along with his footsteps , with increased sound of each new number.
As I heard the word 3, someone opened the cloth from my eyes as I felt something shower on me from atop, I looked up only to find Rose petals falling down only on me, I looked around at the place as I saw myself standing in a shed, white curtains with reddish touch along with all sorts of flowers decorated the poles of the shed, A smile climbed up my lips as I kept turning around being exposed to a new beauty at all angles, as my gaze turned to the left side, I saw a lake’s glimpse, I felt like I had seen it before, the showers of the petals continued on my way as I moved towards left only to find the lake clearer to me, at one instance, I realized, it was the Sukhana Lake.
The lake along which I spend all my childhood, it was not just a lake for me but a memory bank, before shifting to Mumbai we lived in Mohali but we left Mohali after my Grandparents death in an accident, Baba said that Mohali haunted him after that accident, its each corner reminded him of the enormous pain this city gave him and so we shifted to Mumbai when I was around 10 meeting my Laksh…My Best Friend or should I say…Love there.
“So how’s my surprise Angel??”Laksh asked from back as he kept his hand on my eyes, I was holding the railing of the shed, I smiled as I held his hand and replied, “Lovely…But how did you know it was my dream to come here…to Chandigarh, to the place of my birth again??” I lowered his hands and turned to face him questioning.
“Why should I tell??”He looked into my eyes mischievously.
“Laksh…I am not talking to you…”I turned to the other side folding my arms around my chest and making a bubble of my face.
“Bacha…”Laksh came in front of me facing me but holding the railings of shed from his hands, I was facing the lake. I turned to the other side again.
“Ok, I found it in your diary…”Laksh came in front of me and said in one breath closing his eyes, I couldn’t have been more shocked.
“Laksh, You read my diary??”I held his shoulders; he opened his eyes and looked at me confused, at my worried face, confused.
“Yes, Sorry Ragu…I just came across it and so couldn’t resist the temptation to read, I read your whole wishlist about visiting Mohali and Chandigarh and different places here, I have planned to fulfil them all…” He said smiling as he held back my shoulders, a lone tear moved in my eye, I couldn’t keep it back.
“Laksh, I want it back…”I said leaving his shoulders and raising my hand in a demanding way, I was still carrying that expression.
“Ahan…You can’t hide anything from me now, I read it whole…”He told me while I looked at him realizing my heart to be pounding faster with each word from his mouth.
“Whole??”I looked deep into his eyes while he nodded looking back into my eyes deeply, he hadn’t noticed that tear, he was still smiling.
“Laksh…Please return it to me…”I said moving my hand towards him again, he left my shoulders and turned to the other side, “Ragu, I’ll return to it once I fulfil all your wishes, Promise, for the time lets enjoy…Its my birthday…”He was still smiling, tears were escaping my eyelids from behind him, he turned in an instant as I wiped the tears before he saw them.
“Ragu, were you crying??”He held my shoulders again, concern for me shinning in his eyes.
“No, no…Laksh, Tears were escaping my…My eyes…of happ…happiness….”I couldn’t help but stammer at some words while Laksh smiled. “Laksh…I need my diary back today itself…”I said caressing his cheeks while he nodded still smiling, I felt my world broken in pieces as I thought the reason for this smile…me…Why Me??
“So let’s have a stroll on Sukhana first, it is calling us and then the Boat riding…If I am not wrong…”Laksh beamed like an excited child, I smiled while tears fell from my eyes, in the Pretext of being of happiness, they reflected the deep hurricanes inside me, I don’t know when these will shut, might be any coming moment. Laksh held my hand in his both hands as we walked out of the shed, petals falling on us all over again, the warmth for me returned, the smiling face did, I was back to normal , the soothing feeling holding his hand gave me, I caressed them as we walked along the banks of Sukhana ,it was 7:00 in the morning, very less people were around, I took deep breaths taking in the wonderful atmosphere that I craved for from my childhood and Laksh…for whom I’ll crave for the rest of my life.
I was with 2 things that I was destined to crave for , to cry for, to feel once, to enjoy once and then leave forever.
**
Laksh’s POV:
We were in the boat now , I and Ragu both were pedalling it, it was just 5 minutes since we were doing it, I was already tired, I wonder how she did it every alternate day in childhood.
“Laksh…I want to tell you something…”I heard her say from my side while I looked towards her, towards her eyes, they were still wet with tears, Ragu told me they were of happiness, I wondered why I felt they weren’t.
“Thank You…”She smiled genuinely, I could feel the happiness within her from her words, it’s just a start Ragu, the main surprise is still left.
“Mention not but can we go back now, I am tired…it’s already 10 minutes…”I said acting as if breathing heavily while she laughed and nodded.
“Uncle…”She continued laughing, her earrings moving, their ringing sound creating a new feeling inside me.
“Don’t call me that…”I said as I made a bubble of my face, I was trying to resist the feeling…the feeling of Love…wait, Only for now haan.
Ragu continued laughing while I glared at her now, she laughed more seeing my angry face, she always told me I looked funny with an angry face, I know I don’t…afterall I am so smart.
‘”Ragu…”I made a cute innocent puppy face now, I was really tired.
“Ok…”She smiled.
“Love you…”I said unknowingly as she started pedalling back to the boat stand, as I said the words she suddenly turned her eyes to me, her eyes seemed to water up again ,I could feel something in them, some hidden feeling some hidden pain, I kept staring in them, in those two wide oceans.
Suddenly, she turned her eyes to face the lake again, “Laksh…Love doesn’t exist…”She said casually while I laughed slowly at the realization of the drastic change in me, I didn’t cared to say anything in return…My next few surprises will say it all.
**
We reached the boat stand and came out as Ragu had a content smile on her lips, I smiled realizing she was happy. I held her hand unanimously as I started walking towards the car, I truly wanted to feel the happiness of walking at the banks of lake with your Love, unlike the casual stroll we had before the boat ride, I knew she won’t mind.
“I hope I am not supposed to tie that cloth now…” Ragu said as she opened car’s front door.
“No , but tell me what was next in your wish list…”I smiled as I opened the front door of car from my side.
“You should be knowing, afterall you have my diary…”Ragu said with a bit of sternness in her voice as she was adjusting the seat belt.
“Ragu…This way…”I said as I tried correcting the seat belt, she had wore it the wrong way, it had a slack.
“Laksh…I’ll do it…”Ragu slightly pushed me.
“Ok, Ok, I am sorry…” I said going back to the steering, a bit confused at her behaviour.
“No, You are not forgotten…I realized now, you were trying to touch me…” She said glaring at me while I widened my eyes, I stared at her shocked.
She laughed, “You are mad…”She continued laughing.
“But I really thought you would say ‘Mein Kya Pagal Hun Jo Tumhe Touch Karne Ki Koshish Karunga…Bandariya Ko…’ You have changed…”She continue laughing.
Yes I have changed, In you Love.
“By the way, We’ll go to Rock Garden next and then Terrace Garden and then Rose Garden…” I said remembering her list.
“Garden tour or what…”She again laughed, she came into complete mood of laughing today.
“Your wishlist order and then we’ll go on a long drive to all road’s, We can go to any place of your interest also if you want…” I said mapping it all.
“These all are places of my interest only Laksh…”Ragu passed a sweet smile to me now while I started the car.
“Na…They are of my interest because they are of my Lo…I mean my best friend’s interest….” I stuck out my tongue at her while driving while she hit my head slightly with a ‘You’ll Never Improve’ Look.
**
Ragini’s POV:
Laksh…I don’t know why he is doing all this for me, for my smile, I was already in love with him, now does he want me to go crazy for him or what? Oh God…He doesn’t even know that I love him then why he is doing it for me on his birthday, Why? I am getting so much of love when I know it can’t last for long, even if it does, I won’t last long enough to cherish this love.
**
“It is so beautiful…like someone made it with all its heart, with all care at the slightest of details, with all Love…”Laksh distracted me from my thoughts as I was walking mindlessly round the Rock Garden remembering my childhood moments with it.
“Off Course, everything in this world is made with Love, Love doesn’t need to be only between two people of opposite gender na…” I smiled looking towards him, he laughed back.
“Love doesn’t exist na…”He said while I bit my tongue and hit my head and closed my eyes.
“Maddy you…”He touched my nose while my eyes were closed and ran away.
“Laksh…”I ran behind him opening my eyes angrily, it reminded me of our Holi, we used to run like crazily behind each other to apply colour to each other, his first aim always used to be my nose, I don’t know why…
I was running behind him as I felt tired, “Laksh…Laksh…Laksh…”I shouted breathing heavily as we reached a completely new corner of Rock Garden.
Laksh stopped as he turned, he saw me standing , breathing heavily, my hands on my knees.
“Ragu…”He came back running while I held his ears as soon as he reached me and started laughing.
“I love fooling you…”I continued laughing.
“Liar…You are actually tired, I can see it…”He got his ear free and held my hand supporting me, I looked towards him, You can understand the pain behind my laughing face, How…Why?
We continued walking, he holding me to support me…he made me sit and himself sat next to me.
“You called me Uncle, you have become an Aunty…” He laughed.
I also laughed, “I am not tired…”I was adamant.
“You are…now tell me what you’ll eat??”
“No… Cheese Patty…” Laksh nodded and stood up to bring one for me.
**
Laksh’s POV:
I got up and brought a Cheese Patty for my Cheese Patty, she took it from me and started eating.
“Me…”I looked towards her sweetly.
“ You could have brought 2…”Ragu was irritated.
“Sharing is caring….”I raised my eyebrows while she smiled, picked up the Patty brought it in front of my mouth, Wow…she’ll make me eat, I opened my mouth, getting the Patty near my face she changed its direction and herself ate it.
“Machchar Guss Jayega…”Ragu laughed while I stared at her with my mouth wide open…This Girl…How I fell for her?
“Aww….”She smiled as she inserted the Patty in my open mouth, smiling…Now I know how.
**
Then we took the swings there, First Ragu sat and I moved the ride and then I sat and she did, I felt like losing myself in the air , to this air, to God…To Thank him for giving me my Ragu.
**
Soon we left the Rock Garden after enjoying the brilliantly made scenario completely, Ragu was for sure enjoying , so was I. We entered our car and made way to Terrace Garden, it was simple off course but beautiful in its own way and so was the Rose Garden, today I understood something that Mumma told me long back , ‘Try to find beauty in the tiniest of things, you’ll get the world’s biggest Happiness.’
The sun was setting now as I looked towards my watch, 6 p.m., Time flied with her, We were off for our long drive on Mohali-Chandigarh road now…Night was setting in , My new day too.
“Laksh, I am really sorry, I completely forgot about your birthday, I couldn’t even gift you something, infact you gave me such a beautiful surprise…”I heard Ragu say from my side.
“Arey Ragu…No Problem, your smile is my biggest gift..”I truly meant what I said.
“But still, I have a gift…This…”Ragu said as she kept a rose in front of my eyes, Red Rose…Symbolising Love na?
“Ragu…I am driving…”
“Opps….I am sorry…”She took back the rose.
“You plucked it from Rose Garden?” I said with a bit of strict tone.
“Am I mad, A child was selling it outside so I took it…” Ragini smiled at me.
“…For another child…”She laughed.
“Ragu…”I smiled at her innocence.
“Acha , where we should go…” I asked excited.
“Wherever you want…”
“Ok, I am stopping the car here…”I pulled the brake as I said so.
“But why…Laksh you can take the Rose later also…the weather is changing, it might rain…”Ragu said worried.
“Ragu…I want that only, your last wish was na to drench in the rain on Chandigarh’s road…I specifically chose today’s date for my surprise because it is sure to rain here today…” I smiled while Ragu looked towards me with a strange tenderness in her eyes, she opened the car’s door and went out.
I too came out as I parked the car at a corner of the road.
“Acha , it’s still time to rain so tell me now how much you liked my surprise, I mean what you liked, what you didn’t, everything…” I said as I walked towards her, she was standing at a corner of the empty road, I was in the middle.
“It was good Laksh…I…I loved it…”She said as I was still walking.
“Not like that , tell me nicely, elaborately…” I held her from behind.
“Laksh…it was good, what else to say…now do you expect me to say I Love you to you for this surprise…”She turned and with an irritated tone, replied.
“Ok, I know you won’t say I love for this but should I say?” I smiled turning to other side smiling
“What??”She questioned…her voice heavy.
“Wahi…I love You…” I turned to face her , still smiling, I lowered my eyelashes.
“Yes Ragu, I know I said I didn’t believe in this…this feeling but when this feeling touches us na, we can’t help but get into it, completely, fall in Love completely, I wanted to say this since days but waited for the right moment, I wanted to say it in rain, in your favourite element of nature but I couldn’t wait longer to tell you that…I Love You…I Love You…” I tried to hug her, she was staring at me as she pushed me away.
“Are you mad Laksh??”She questioned as I was pushed backward, balancing myself I stared at her.
“We promised each other, we won’t ever fall in Love…”
“But I did, I did Ragu…I Love you and I know even you love me…”I tried holding her shoulders, she didn’t let me.
“Who Told you this, I don’t love you, who told you this??” She looked deep into my eyes which were watering up now.
“Your eyes…Your eyes say a lot, they told me that you Love me…you do…”I held her shoulders by force this time, she tried freeing them.
“I don’t love you Laksh, if you do, It’s your problem, live with your problem…”She jerked my hands away.
“You disgraced our friendship, I just wanted to tell you one thing, infact I wanted to tell you this since long, Laksh, I got a Job Proposal in a prestigious firm of Australia, I am going there and I’ll settle there forever, You believe in this feeling of Love na, then fall for someone else but leave me please…”She said as she joined her hands in front of me, drops of Rain started pouring down slowly and slowly as tears of sorrow started pouring down my eyes faster and faster.
“Ragu…Offer, you didn’t got any offer…Wait, you got an offer 2 years ago and you rejected it because you wanted to live with your Parents…the Company said they’ll wait for you…isn’t it the same offer…” I questioned, she lowered her eyelashes.
“Yes, I am taking that offer now…I have to think about my currier now…” Her eyes reflected something completely different from what her words reflected.
“What about me , Mumma, Papa…Maa , Bauji….Our Marriage??”
“Divorce, I know they’ll be angry with me for sometime but they’ll understand I am sure…we’ll explain them how we lied that we loved each other…..”Ragu stopped, Rainfall increased.
“But I fell for you…I love you…Won’t that be a lie now…”I questioned.
“No, because I don’t love you…it’s your fault; we’ll tell them the truth…” Ragu turned her face, she suddenly turned again.
“Laksh, You need some time, some alone time, I’ll go back by Taxi…Happy Birthday again…”She again turned to go; the rain I thought would bind us forever was separating us more…forever.
“Ragu…”I called from back with dried tears, she turned.
“Your Diary…”I took out the diary from my shirt’s pocket, taking it out from close to my heart and giving it to my heart beat, she seemed to stir up as she quickly came running back. Coming close to me , I don’t know what happened, might be she tripped on her own because of running, she was about to fall down, “Ragu…”I moved ahead to hold her ,I couldn’t… I myself fell in the process, she on top of me ,she placed her hand below my head.
“Ahh…”She screamed as my head hit her hand pushing it to hit the road further, she closed her eyes.
Drops of tears escaped her eyes but her face was already wet even before these tears came out, it might have been difficult for me to distinguish between tears and rain but I don’t know how , I could understand, they were tears.
“Ragu…” I said as I tried to hold her hand, she didn’t let me as she hurried to get up, I looked towards her worried face, her worried eyes, she was tensed, did she really not love me…Did my heart lie to me or did I only lie to my Heart?
She was standing up now, she hurried to pick up her diary which was fallen on a side, I wish I was that Diary…she loved it so much. As I stood up myself, I looked towards her and now towards the sky from where drops of rain were falling in a complete mood to laugh at my plight or were they crying with me, I’ll go with the 1st one…it gives more satisfaction to feel that it is laughing at me.
My eyes suddenly not able to take the rain drops more shifted to look towards the road where I spotted a white paper shinning on the black road, it had something written with a water-proof pen, the drops of rain couldn’t smudge it, Ragu was walking away on the empty road slowly and slowly , far away from me.
I don’t know what happened, why I did it, who told me to do it but I…I just picked up that paper and started reading it, I think I was a fool to waste my time reading a piece of paper while my love was going far away from me, I still did.
“Diary…
I know, no dear na but from today, I think I shouldn’t say dear to you because if I do that na, you’ll get connected to me further, You can’t because I have just a few more months left with myself, I know you’ll be confused but I wanted to tell you something, something important…you know I have Cancer…Yes I got to know it today only, when I got dizzy today na in home, I went to get it checked on Mumma’s insistence, I got to know it then…I know this might be the funniest way somebody confessed on having this deadly disease but what to do…Mujhe Toh Pehli Bar Hi Hua Hai Na…I know you might be feeling like laughing on me, yesterday only I confessed that I love my husband and today, I have Cancer, it’s funny…Very Funny…I feel like my life is funny but what can I do now…Only lie , only and only lie, I even lied to Mumma today, I won’t be able to confess my love…How can I, How can I leave my new found love in the grieve of losing me, I won’t be able to…I won’t be able to…I would go far away from him, very far away, just the way this page will go far away from you because I can’t let this , this page to be with you…I can’t even let this secret get close to anybody, I can’t go away from them leaving them in tears…If I have to go, I’ll go making them smile, not with a cry…certainly not with one…
Ragini…”
The last word hit me as hard as I might just be hit by the deadliest of hurricanes, Ragini…Ragu.
She was still walking away as I ran to her, I held her hand from behind as she turned almost shivering, her face was wet, I knew this page fell from her diary, from the very diary that was with me since so much time, why I didn’t got it before.
“Laksh, what are you doing, I told you need some alone time, so do I” She jerked my hand again while I grasped it again.
“Not this time, I’ll not leave your hand this time, never…This time I have held it to never leave it again…”She again tried jerking my hands , I didn’t let her this time.
“Are you mad Laksh? What are you doing?”She was still trying.
“Yes, Mad in your Love…and so are in my Love….”
“You still won’t improve, I told you once , I told you twice, I’ll tell you thousand more times , I don’t Love you…I don’t Love you…I don’t…”She shouted at the top of her voice, she was still trying.
“Then what is this?”I held the paper out to her, her eyes widened as she saw it, she tried grasping it from her other hand, I raised it high.
“You have Cancer…Thats why you wanted to leave me and go to Australia, Thats why You so calledly don’t love me…Ragu, you only used to say na, we should be selfish because we should think about our self, we should…how you changed so much, so much…you want to selflessly leave me…for me…Why, I know people Love selfless people but I…I love my selfish Ragu more, who thinks about herself too…infact more than others…” I was speaking as she kept her other hand on my lips.
“Laksh…I know I preached about being selfish but that was until I fell in Love…until I fell in Love with you…Yes I love you, I love you a lot but this Love has no future, I am on 2nd stage of cancer, changes of my survival are very less, very very less…I can’t live more but you have your whole life in front of you….we are two edges of a river which can never meet , never ever…”Her eyes spoke of her pain much more than her lips did, I lowered her land from my hand.
“And do you think I’ll be able to live without you…the day I fell for you, I promised myself, I’ll live with you and die with you…either both of us will live or none will…”
“Laksh, please don’t say like that, I have nothing left with myself, you have everything…”
‘And my everything is you…”I hugged her tightly.
“And what after I die…You’ll also kill yourself, like those Love struck Ashique..do you think I’ll be happy with it, my soul will be at rest with it??”
“And who told you you’ll die…”
“My Medical reports…”Ragu pushed me away.
“Mumma once told me in childhood Ragu, Savitri fought with Yamraj to save her Love…Can’t I fight with this Cancer??” I looked into her eyes, she in mine.
“Laksh…I can’t…I can’t…” Ragu turned her face away.
“It’s my birthday today, give me this gift , this small gift to fight for you…to fight for my Love, If you are with me…I am sure I am going to win like the cycling competitions I used to win in childhood with your support…Please Ragu…Please…” I held her hand turning her to face me.
“If you believe , then I believe…but if your belief went wrong na Laksh…you’ll be hurt the most, the most…”She hugged me tightly as I caressed the back of her head.
“It won’t…I promise it won’t, I won’t let it…I would become the Savitri for my Love only if my Love is with me…” I hugged her more tightly.
Ragini’s POV:
We broke the hug after I don’t know how much time, rain was still pouring down, though in a subtle way now, I don’t know if I did right, if I did right but I only know that everything happens for a reason, might be this tour to my hometown was also for a reason , for a reason to give me my Love, I don’t know if I’ll be alive after some days but I know if God let Laksh know the truth, he did it for a reason, I never believed in love, never in its power but now I want to believe in it , put all my beliefs in its power…might be I’ll get the bests of results possible.
“I…I wanted to say something Laksh…”
Laksh looked up towards me with raised eyebrows.
“Will you Hold My Hand…In this Rain??”It was a new addition to my wishlist since I fell in Love.
Laksh smiled among his tears while I bit my lower lip , he held my hand , tightly…never to leave it…not until death.
**
Love Melts Mountains…braves the ravages of time but never lets itself fail…it will fight with the biggest power of world but will still win because nothing in this world is as pure as this feeling.