Ragini was shocked and scared to see her dadi moving towards the cupboard where Laksh was hiding. She was about to open but Ragini came in between and gave a confused look while asking “What’s going on here?”
Her dadi moved away from her making Ragini sigh in relief. A person from the group replied what Dida told them. Ragini gave them a surprised look and said “Thief? That too in my room!? No! Not possible! I am sure about it.”
“We will make sure of it after checking that cupboard!” said Dadi without looking at Ragini. Ragini gulped and said “If that’s what you want, I will check it and you guys check in other corners.”
Everyone once again gone to check while Ragini slowly opened the cupboard making sure no one is watching her. When she opened it, she saw Laksh looking at her with someone-had-caught-me!
But when he founds that it was Ragini he sighed in relief and gave her a fake angry face and turned his head towards other side. Ragini narrowed her eyes at him and threw a shawl on him. Laksh was shocked and was about to say something but she closed the door and turned around trying hard to hide her smile. When she turned around the color drained from her face on seeing her Dadi already looking at her with narrowed eyes.
“Is anyone there?” asked Dadi with stern face.
“N-no” Ragini stuttered and muttered slowly.
Dadi glared at her cupboard and said “That old lady had pranked everyone! Let me teach her a lesson.”
With that she walked outside and everyone followed her. Ragini immediately locked the door and merged her back with it sighing in relief. Laksh who heard the locking of door, slowly peeked outside making sure no one is inside. Once he was sure, he came outside and saw Ragini near the door with closed eyes. Outside they heard Dida and Dadi having Tom and Jerry fight but they were least worried about it.
Ragini sighed and opened her eyes to only to see Laksh already looking at her with narrowed eyes. She too narrowed her eyes at him and said “See! Because of you, I initiated a fight between Dadi and Dida.”
“Like, you have never done it before!” Laksh blurted the words unknowingly while rolling his eyes. Ragini took a sharp breath. Her now changing heart becomes hurt to hear these words… that too from Laksh. Without her own knowledge, her eyes welled up in hurt and shame. She no longer could look at him. Her head bowed down in shame for what all she had done in past. And for the first time she regrets what all she had done in past! When Laksh gets to know what he had said, he regrets it… but it’s too late. Seeing her feeling hurt and disgust on herself made him to feel vulnerable and knowing he himself is the reason behind it made him feel angry on himself and disgusted for saying those words and hurting her.
He took a step forward to touch her shoulder but she took a step back still looking at the ground. Tears escaped through her eye lashes and falls on the ground. Her each and every tear were like an arrow to his already bleeding heart. He felt himself getting tears in his eyes. He ignored those tears and said in a wounded tone “Ragini… I am…”
But he got interrupted by Ragini saying in a soft tone “You don’t have to! After all that’s the truth and we know that truth is bitter. That’s ok. You don’t need to feel sorry. I will be alright soon…” like this she blurted looking somewhere but not at him. Laksh became worried and tried to touch her but a knock on her room’s door stopped him. Ragini came out from her dazed world and then looked at Laksh then at the door. She signed him to hide under the bed. He didn’t protest this time and did like she asked him. Ragini wiped her tears and took a deep breath and opened her door only to receive her Dadi with an unpleasant look on her face. She entered the room before Ragini could say anything and moved towards her bed. Ragini became shock and ran towards her and over took her before she could reach the bed. Dadi looked at Ragini with raised brows while Ragini nervously asked “What now dadi ma?”
“I came to sleep with you tonight. I don’t want to leave you alone here.” She said sternly and without looking at her. Ragini feels happy that her dadi still cares for her but she doesn’t want to have her in the same room where Laksh was hiding under her bed. So she said softly “No! I can manage. Please you don’t stress yourself. If something happens, I will immediately call you. Now you go and sleep in your room.” She said convincingly and softly pulled her out of her room. Her dadi looked at Ragini, to which she gave a big smile like everything is fine. So her dadi went away. Ragini sighed and came inside her room and locked it.
She called Laksh’s name making him to come outside. He again tried to speak “Ragini…I didn’t mean it…I just…” But Ragini interrupted him by saying “Laksh, stay here tonight. People were still looking for that ‘thief’. If you go out now, then it will result in unnecessary problems. So now sleep on the bed and tomorrow you can go by early morning.” With that she moved away from him and took a pillow and bed sheet for her and placed them on the floor. Laksh felt hurt seeing her not listening to him. When he saw her going to sleep on the floor, he frowned and immediately grabbed her arm and turned her towards him. She looked at him confusingly. Her eyes were like dried flower, though it looks sad they were still reflecting some warmth for him. His heart breaks seeing her still looking at him with love.
He moved his eyes away from her and then said stubbornly “If at all you are going to sleep on the floor, then I would also sleep there only.” “But…” She tried to say something but Laksh interrupted her by saying “The bed is large enough to accommodate two people. Now if you don’t sleep in bed then I am going outside now and won’t care about the consequences.” He said and walked towards the door but Ragini stopped him by saying “Okay!” He smiled and turned towards her but she was already on the bed at one corner and her back was facing him. His smile fades away. He moved towards the bed and lay on the other corner while facing her back.
There was a thick tension between them. He wanted to break it but she doesn’t want to. She is afraid that if it breaks then she would also break along with it. But he is afraid that if it didn’t break then their already messed relationship will break.
Night passed and a new day came. Ragini was sleeping in fetal position like wanting someone to protect her from the demons and evils while Laksh was close behind her almost like covering her and protecting her from all her fears and nightmares. Ragini slowly opened her eyes feeling the sudden brightness in her room. She straightened up and looked behind her and that’s when she noticed that he was so close to her. It’s the second time to see him this close. His face looked so calm and innocence flared from his sleeping form. His messed hair added a new beauty to him. His slightly opened made her chuckle lightly. She adored him and a thought crossed her mind ‘Our child will also look cute like him.’ That’s when she came back to reality. Her eyes slightly welled up thinking that ‘There is no chance for US then how can I think about a child?’ She moved away and rubbed her eyes to clear her mind. She looked at the time and became shock. It showed 8 am which means everyone will be already awake by that time.
She immediately moved towards him and shook his arms to wake him. But it looks like he was having a deep slumber as she couldn’t wake him up. She vigorously shook him while shouting his name in his ear making sure that it won’t be heard outside. Laksh whined and frowned and hugged his pillow more tightly and tried to sleep more. Ragini slapped her forehead and muttered “Oh god! What am I going to do with him? Please Laksh…wake up! We are going to be caught. Wake up Laksh!” She again tried and this time his reaction was different. He grabbed her wrist and pulled her on top of him. She was shocked by his reaction and looked at him with wide eyes and rosy cheeks. Laksh slowly opened his eyes. Seeing her on top of him and that too with a cute blush on her cheeks made him smile sweetly and muttered “What a wonderful sight!” His morning face along with his heart robbing smile and hearing his morning hoarse voice made her to feel that she is the luckiest girl in the universe. Her heart was beating like it was running in a marathon while her cheeks were already burning due to blushing.
She cleared her throat and slowly pulled away from his embrace. She tucked her hair behind her ear in nervousness while he was observing her each and every action with curious and admiring eyes. She then realized their situation and immediately turned towards him and said urgently “Laksh, it’s already 8 am. Everyone will be wide awake at this time. Now what to do? How will you go out?” She asked in panic while he looked calm and relaxed and said “Maybe I should spend another night here.” Her eyes widen and looked at him with disbelief while he winked at her. She slapped his arm and said “It’s serious Laksh!” Laksh whined and looked at her while thinking a plan to go outside.
Laksh hurt Ragini, his already complicated life is now more complicated. Will he able to get Ragini’s forgiveness wholeheartedly? Will Laksh manage to get outside of Baadi? What if he was caught? Can anyone imagine it? Does anyone miss our Arjun? What will happen next?
Keep smiling! Stay happy! Love you all!