Heyy guyss!! Another chapter update….you should know by now that I am probably not gonna update the whole week that’s why filling the space by doing it now haha….I am just joking okay. I might update you never know.
Hope you guys like this…do let me know your views.
Have fun reading!
Recap: Devya’s songs mishap, Navya’s secret hidden in a frame. Ragini sees Piya drunken. Laksh is locked out of his house and Sanskaar refuses to help. Ritik tries to stop Ragini from going to the farm but can’t. They plan for ice cream later that day. Ragini comes across Yuvi, who falls for her at first sight.
Ch.8:
“Shivu! Dada! Helloo! I am home, come on we have to go out guys.” Ragu excitedly yells as she enters the house.
“Yeah, yeah coming Mishti” Shivanya said. Hearing that name gave Ragu a little jerk remembering how her brother always called her Mishti. Not anymore though. She gave a big smile to Shivu who said,
“Ritik just pulled in the driveway, lets go.”
Ritik and Shivanya sat in the front while Ragini relaxed in the back thinking of everything that was on her mind. “So where are we going?” She asked them.
“It’s a surprise” Ritik replied with a smile looking at her through the mirror.
In a while, they pulled up to a small garden with rusted monkey bars, small kiddish slides, and red and yellow swings. Seeing it made Ragini’s eyes moist and she gave off a chuckle remembering the old days. This was the park her parents used to bring them every Sunday.
Even the screen saver of her phone was from this place only. The picture where Ritik was holding her purple little purse as she played with her doll. Ragini ran her hands on the cold metal monkey bars and remembered how her father always held her up to them so she didn’t fall.
She hated monkey bars but her brother loved them and her dad always said “You need to become strong bacha” to get her on. Ragu then went to the swings nearby and a tear escaped her eyes thinking of how she always fought with Ritik on who their mom would push on the swings first. She always used to get jealous of her Dada because her mom was on his side. But Ragu had her dad too, her hero.
Ragini felt a hand on her back push her and she quickly looked back to see Shivanya pushing her on the swing as Ritik took their pictures. Ragini felt as if she was back to being a 6 year old again.
All 3 of them sat on the swings looking at the Sun set down. “Let’s go guys, there’s one more place I want to show you.” Ritik said holding Shivu’s hand and was about to grab Ragu’s too but she got up and ran to the slides and said,
“One last time”
They nodded and she came sliding down the little plastic slide with her hands in the air like a kid.
After 20 minutes of driving, they came across a brightly lit place, crowded with people and stalls with all kinds of music. Ragini looked to Ritik with questioning look as if to ask “what is this?”
“The local Durga mela, remember we came here once when you were 8?” Ragini still looked at him without a clue. Ritik then took off his suit, passing it to Shivanya, and opened the sleeve buttons of his right arm, folding it up to reveal a deep gash on the side.
Ragini looked at it, the scar was like a 5 inch line diagonal to his wrist, right next to the heart-like birth mark near his palm, the one that Ragu had as well. The day flashed in her mind when they both had come here with their parents.
It was dreadful. Ragu was jumping around in excitement seeing the colors when she was grabbed suddenly by someone. They tried to tie her up but she heard Ritik’s voice screaming at those who caught her. He was hitting them with his tiny hands and scratched the man who was covering Ragini’s mouth.
Another man caught him from the back but Ritik bit him and a quick slash from a knife landed on his arm. He screamed in pain and soon enough people surrounded them seeing the bleeding kid on the ground. The men left them alone, and their parents rushed Ritik to the hospital.
Ragini came back to reality and looked at Ritik who was smiling, even she gave a smile through her tears.
“You cry too much darling.” Shivanya said to Ragu wiping her tears off.
“Come on, lets go now, lets have some fun.” She dragged them both to a near by puppet show which they enjoyed eagerly. Ragini’s eyes fell on an ice cart a few feet away and walked up to it without the other 2 noticing.
Shivanya looked to the side and realized Ragu was not there, she panicked but then saw her standing at a distance. She took Ritik’s hand and dragged him to the cart.
“Next time take us with you.” Shivanya said to Ragu who turned to them with a puppy face.
“No” Ritik said quickly.
“Pleaseeee Dada” Ragini pleaded. She knew he would say no, that’s why she was ready to emotionally blackmail him with her sad puppy face.
“No means no” He said again. Now even Shivanya joined Ragini in her efforts to convince him.
“This is not safe to eat. And Ragini you are not used to such street food so its a no.”
“Pleasee Dada, I promise I wouldn’t fall sick. I have missed Ice Pops so much, can I pleaseee have 1?” she stubbornly asked with folded hands. Ritik finally gave in after 5 minutes of discussion and they all ended up having one.
As they were eating Ragini’s face lit up like stars looking into the sky. “FERRIS WHEEL!”
She grabbed Shivu and ran to the place where it was, Ritik followed them both. He looked up and knew what exactly was going to happen. “Let’s go Ragu, we will sit on this”
Shivanya shot piercing looks at him which made Ritik laugh making her more angry. Ragini observed them both and waited for an answer.
Ritik leaned over to Shivanya and whispered “Tell her. Say that her so called brave and strong bhabhi is scared of this little ride.”
“Come Ragu, lets sit.” Shivanya said totally ignoring Ritik. He followed them to the Ferris Wheel seats with a grin. He knew Shivanya had a big fear of heights, probably her only fear. She sat in the middle with Ritik to the left and Ragini on right.
As soon as the ride started Shivanya shrieked and burrowed her face into Ritik’s suit hugging him with eyes closed tightly. Ragini smirked seeing them like that and gave a thumbs up to Ritik who smiled widely. For the whole ride Shivanya stayed stuck to Ritik who was lost in her.
Scene Shift:
“Are you sure she’s here bhai?”
“Yeah Sanskaar, Badi Ma said she went there only with her friends. Get her home before papa gets here or we all will be in trouble.”
“Ok. I will let you know when I find her.” Sanskaar said before cutting the call.
“Where the hell am I supposed to search for her in this crowded place?” He said to himself with disgust looking around the mela.
“Once I find you, you are in big trouble Uttu.”
Sanskaar walked around looking at every girl who seemed to be his sister’s height. He looked forward and saw a known face, “Shivanya Dixit here?” He thought to himself.
Sanskaar scanned the place around her to see if he would see the girl, the new addition to Dixit family. “There she is” He moved closer to them eyeing Ragini who selected bangles from the stall unaware of the storm approaching her.
Shivanya now had her back to Ragini as she looked at the beautiful handcrafted clay pots in the neighboring stall.
“Hi” Sanskaar said huskily leaning to her right shoulder almost resting his chin on it. The bangles fell from Ragini’s hand hearing the voice so close to her. A sudden ball of mass formed in her stomach and she felt herself weaken. Not again!
“Remember me?” Sanskaar was about to slip his hand on her waist but she escaped to the side and now stood facing him. She saw Shivanya’s back but couldn’t find the voice to even say her name.
“Calm down girl. I am just here to say hi. By the way you look really beautiful in white.” He said dreamily, knowing that she’d get worked up by his words.
“Friends?” He forwarded his hand for her but she was just staring at it. There were no tears this time but she was tensed beyond anything.
“Did you not understand once? We told you, stay away from us.” Shivanya said pushing his hand away from Ragu. “Leave before Ritik gets here” She said with a stern voice.
“Alright, alright. I will back off.” Sanskaar said throwing his hands in the air and walking backward. He stole a glance at Ragini and winked at her with a smirk leaving her flustered.
“Let’s go Mishti”
Ragini got herself back together and acted like everything was normal. She couldn’t risk letting Ritik know about this or she would definitely be forced to go back to Jaipur.
“Why are we leaving so early?” Ritik questioned.
“Woh, ice cream shop agar bandh hogaya toh hamara plan flop ho jayega. Aur mujhe ice cream aaj hi khana hai” Shivanya made an excuse.
“Ohho, someone loves ice cream so much haan? Think of me someday too.” Ritik said flirtatiously. Shivanya slapped Ritik playfully while Ragini laughed at their antics.
Scene Shift: Dev’s Car, 8:30pm
“Devji don’t you think you should call the hospital once. Apki Nina ki tabiyat kaisi hai woh toh jaan lijiye.” Navya adviced him. But he was in no mood to take her advice today. He was frustrated by all this, looked like he had been in the car for years. He couldn’t wait to get out of it now.
“Her name is just Nina. And call me SIR”
“Hum kya kare, adat nahi hai na kisiko sir kehne ki. Hum toh professors ko bhi aise hi bulate the, its a way of showing respect.”
“What backward place had you been living in till now?” Dev taunted her but she simply smiled at it and said,
“Ek kaam karte hai, hum apko MR kehke pukar the hai. Ummm, Mr.Dev? Lekin usually MR toh last name ke saath associate hota hai na? Arre, humne toh apse pucha hi nahi apka pura naam. Office mein bhi kahi nazar nahi aya.” Navya almost banged her head on the dashboard because of the sudden brakes.
“Dev. That’s it.”
“Acha thik hai. Hum apko Mr.Dev hi kahenge, lekin hume apna naam toh bataye. I have traveled all the way from Mumbai to Kolkata with you but I don’t even know your name. I should know at least that much about my boss.” She replied with a “duh” look on her face.
Dev got out of the car and opened her door, pulling her out of the car and pushing her on the road.
“Devji” Navya tried to question but Dev gave her a cold glance and without saying anything drove off. Navya ran behind the car yelling at him to stop but no use. He turned a deaf ear to her as his face turned red thinking of his name.
His only identity was Dev.
Navya cried heavily as she stopped running behind the car. She didn’t have more stamina. “What do I do?” She looked at the phone in her hand helplessly. She didn’t even have any contacts or knew people in this area. She saw some light coming closer and quickly hid behind a tree. As the car approached she heard loud music blasting in it.
“Should I ask for help?” No, she couldn’t risk it in this unknown place. She wiped her tears and stood behind the tree. He wasn’t so harsh to leave her all alone here. “He would come back for sure.” She thought and rubbed her hands together feeling the sudden cold.
There was something amiss. She didn’t hear the clinging sound she usually did when her hands moved. She looked at her wrist horrified. “My bracelet!” Navya came out from behind the tree and searched the road like a mad man for her bracelet. She ran back to the start where Dev had pushed her and finally saw the sparkling golden chain with a heart attached to it that had a “G” carved in it.
“Thank you hanuman ji” Navya went to pick it up and just then a strong light blinded her eyes. Navya covered the bracelet with her hand seeing the car tire almost run it over but it stopped in the nick of time or her hand would have been crushed instead.
“Are you okay?” Ragini worriedly asked the girl who almost got hit with their car. Navya just gave her a nod.
Precap: Ragu takes Navya along with them, Dev regrets leaving her alone and goes back but can’t find her. His car breaks down and he has to take the help of a travel bus (new entries). He breaks the frame unknowingly.
EL FIN!
This is a pretty quick read, am I right?? I added a bit of Ragsan scenes in it as well…Hope you guys are liking this ff. Criticism is welcome guys, let me know how I can improve 🙂 See you all soon…
-Ruch <3