Raglak OS: Teri Yaad Saath Hai

Hello peeps, Bela here. Okay. So I came upon Akaashi, anonymous and Fouzarshi requesting me to come back with an ff. Arrey baba, bola na ki no ff? But then I love my readers so I decided to write an OS. YAY????

So this is a Raglak OS titled Teri Yaad Saath Hai. So, start reading………….

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“Okay fine! We will go. Happy?”

“I don’t want your half hearted pity, Lakshya. Go to hell!”

“Seriously Swara, what is your damned problem? First you were angry that we weren’t going and now when I told you that I was willing to go, you are still upset! What am I to do?”

Swara stood in front of me with her arms crossed in front of her chest, her eyes red. I was in a similar position. We were in our living room.

Swara and I have been engaged for about three months now. We have been good friends since childhood. Now, we were about to be married. I loved Swara but let us just say, we had compatibility issues.

“It won’t work you know. Just running away!” She said. I huffed in indignation and went out of the house. Even though I know that it won’t solve anything, at least it will give me some relief.

I drove through the familiar streets and reached my spot. The place where I go to when I wish to be alone. And like everyday, I saw her sitting there, guitar in hand, looking out towards the sea.

I sat beside her and pulled out my cigarette. As I was about to light it, I heard her speaking.

“Smoking is injurious to health.”

I snorted. “Thanks for the disclaimer ma’am. I don’t need it though. I am not a habitual smoker.”

“You never get to know when these things become a habit. And when you realise, they have ingrained themselves in you. It becomes your need. And then………..”

She started strumming the guitar softly. She was in an orange sari today. Designer, of course. Her long black hair was blowing backwards as she started humming softly.

A voice, far off and distant, came to my ears.

“Lakshya, put that thing away! You know na, I don’t like people who smoke!”

My eyes started becoming misty. I threw the bud away and looked at HER.

Whenever I come here, I find her sitting on this spot, faithfully, with her guitar. The moments of companionship and meaningful silence between us help me in calming my nerves. I guess the best thing about her is that she listens. Not hears, but ACTUALLY listens. She doesn’t sympathise like everyone else does. She just lets me cry, gives me advice and then, bids me goodbye. With a smile on her face. That beautiful smile.

“So what happened today?” She asked me as she continued playing the guitar.

“Swara.” I replied. She stopped playing abruptly.

“Why did she happen? You love her!”

“Loving her doesn’t amount to following her whims and fancies, you know!”

She smiled at that. “And was there anyone in your life whose whims and fancies you always listened to?”

Again, my mind recalled those moments. Her tinkling laugh echoed through my head as her words came.

“You spoil me silly by always fulfilling my wishes!”

God! What the hell is wrong with me? I hate it when this voice comes to me. I don’t know who it belongs to. I have no idea who she was. Yet, for the past six months, I hear her voice randomly.

I shrugged. “I almost always listen to my cousin Uttara and my mother. I try and fulfil all their wishes!”

“Because they are your family. Now, even Swara is going to be your family. So what is wrong in fulfilling her wishes?” she asked sensibly.

Now the catch is that I do not know her name. This woman. Even though I have been meeting her for almost six months, I don’t know who she is. I have never told anyone that I meet her and when I do think about her, I refer to her as ‘Miss Mysterious’. I have tried to enquire about her but as I said before, she listens. She hardly speaks, except when she is giving me advice. She is truly mysterious!

We were silent for a few minutes. She had resumed playing her guitar. After a while, I spoke again. “Swara wants to move back to Mumbai. From where we hail. But I don’t want to. Somehow, I have fallen in love with Kolkata. I don’t want to leave this place.”

We have been living in Kolkata for years now. However, I have no memories of being here for so long. I met with an accident six months back and my memories were wiped off. So, I only remember the past six months here. I like this place. It is quiet, the people are so lovely, and then…………Miss Mysterious is here. I sneaked a glance at her and found her sitting with a smile on her face.

“If your work is done here, then what harm is it in going back?” She asked. I sighed audibly.

“You need to think about what YOU want. Take some time and think. And by think, I mean ACTUALLY think! Not confuse yourself as you are prone to do!” She said sternly. I nodded and stood up.

“Thanks, Miss……….”

“Mysterious? I know you call me that.”

I was stumped. How the devil does she know EVERYTHING?

“One day, I will tell you. I will tell you who I am and how is it that I know everything. But only when the time is right.”

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“Where were you?”

“I was relaxing.”

“I didn’t ask you what you were doing. I asked you, WHERE were you?”

I stared at Swara. By her tone, I knew that she knew where I had been. Yet, fighting about it didn’t seem to be sensible.

“Sunset Point.”

Swara nodded. She came towards me and hugged me tightly. I hugged her back. And yet again, that voice came.

“I love you.”

I smiled and replied an ‘I love you’. Swara pulled away and blushed. “I love you too Lakshya.”

The smile on my face vanished. Oh my God! What is wrong with me? Who did I say that to? Swara or……………HER?

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“Lakshya went there again. That place where she used to meet him. I don’t want to lose him Maa. Not again. Not when I am so close to gaining him!” I said as I sobbed. Maa pacified me that this time, no one would come between us. I nodded and soothed by her words, I disconnected the call.

I looked at the photo frame kept on the table. Lucky and I were smiling widely at the camera and he had his arm wrapped lazily around my shoulders. This picture was, in a way, our last happiest picture together. Because just moments after this picture had been clicked, SHE had entered our lives. Ragini Gadodia.

Beautiful, brave, kind Ragini Gadodia. Her long black hair, her large brown eyes, her rosy pink lips, her full creamy cheeks, her buttery skin, everything about her screamed perfection. Lakshya had been taken with her instantly. Soon, he was drifting apart from me and in this process, breaking my heart which I had unwittingly given to him.

Not that it had been her fault. Or even his. It was only after Lakshya fell for her that I realised that I had fallen for Lakshya. That had been painful. I couldn’t think straight, I couldn’t sleep and I couldn’t live properly.

“Swara, may I ask something?” Lakshya asked me. I nodded.

“These two years, while we were here, what all happened in our lives?”

I stiffened. This was the one question I dreaded the most. Because I was NOT going to tell Lakshya about Ragini. Ever. I would not lose him again to that wretched poor underdog.

“You know na Lucky. I told you. It was all normal. You used to go to office, work, then we would sometimes go out and party. That’s it.”

Lakshya somehow looked unconvinced. I smiled tightly. He gave a small smile back. I pulled him into my arms and kissed his neck sensuously while he gave light feather kisses along my nape. I closed my eyes in pleasure and anticipation and pushed aside all thoughts of the crafty Ragini Gadodia in my mind.

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“Yes. Yes, right. No, not from here, from the next turn. Baba, who made you a driver, haan? You don’t even know the way to the airport!” Swara said to Driver Kaka. We both sat back as our car sped through the roads.

We were going to pick up my mother from the airport. It had been decided that we would stay in Kolkata for a few more months. Maa was coming to help Swara with the wedding shopping.

“Kaka Radio on karo. Purani Jeans is going to start. Some old songs will be played.” Swara said. Kaka turned on the radio. The song started playing.

Lag Jaa Gale, Ke Phir Ye
Haseen Raat ho na ho……..
Shayad phir, iss janam mein
Mulaqaat ho na ho………

Hearing the song, a vision flashed in mind. A man and a woman were dancing in each other’s arms in the rain. The woman was laughing happily while the man was looking at her. They twirled and danced through the narrow stone street. The woman was singing.

Lag Jaa Gale…………….

I came back to earth with a jerk when I felt Swara clasp my arm contentedly and smile at me. However, I was sweating.

This is the first time I have seen an image of her. Earlier, I could only hear her voice. This was the first time that an image accompanied the voice. But it was faceless.

“Lucky, you’re okay, right?” Swara’s concerned filled voice reached my ears. But somehow, I couldn’t feel her. My eyes were closing as darkness engulfed me. Another image came to my mind. The same man led that woman to a place while she was blindfolded. As soon as he removed her blindfold, the woman saw a lot of gifts. She squealed in happiness. “For you, my jaan!” The man said in a deep soft voice.

And this image was the last thing I saw before I succumbed to the darkness that was slowly engulfing me.

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“You people aren’t telling me something. Maa, I have gone mad. For about six months, I have been hearing voices. Voice of a woman. She tells me what to do, what not to do, she is in my conscience. And I know, that it has got something to do with my past. With those two years that I have forgotten. I swear Maa. I saw an image of a man and a woman dancing. And I am dead sure that the man was me.” I screamed. Maa had a heartbroken look on her face while Swara had tears in her eyes. She came forward and cupped my face.

“Lucky, you are being paranoid. There was nothing. It must have been a dream. Or wishful thinking. Nothing happened in those two years. Get it? NOTHING HAPPENED IN THOSE TWO YEARS!” Swara screamed. Seeing her bloodshot eyes and the glint in them, for the first time in the twenty four years that I have known her, I knew that I couldn’t believe her. She was lying. I looked at Maa who also nodded.

I stood up suddenly and before anyone could do anything, I rushed out. I went back to my spot. And as usual, SHE was sitting there, in a soft pink chiffon sari with white lace, strumming the guitar.

She is always there before I am and never leaves till I have left. This has ensured that I never get to know where she comes from. She is an enigma. A total mystery.

I stomped my way towards her and sat down with a huff. No one amongst us said anything. She looked ahead with that smile playing on her lips while I looked at her.

She is beautiful. She has long black hair, large brown eyes, rosy pink lips, full creamy cheeks and smooth, buttery skin. Her smile was her best feature though.

“Aur aaj Kya hua?” She asked fondly. I felt like a five year old whose mother asks him everyday, ‘So beta, what happened at school today?’

“Swara and Maa are hiding something. Something to do with those two years.” I said. She continued smiling serenely.

“Hmm……..those two mysterious years which you don’t remember. To be honest, I think that…………”

“All of my problem’s solution lies in what happened in these two years. Yes. Right.”

She looked at me, a bit surprised. I was lost in how deep her eyes were. So brown, so gold, so beautiful. And yet again, a voice came to my head. But this time, it was a male voice. My own voice.

“Your eyes ignite in me a love unknown to the human race.”

I snapped back to reality. Her eyes were misty. A lone tear rolled down her cheek. I felt a strange urge to capture that tear. I raised my hand and was about to touch her cheek but she moved her face away.

“The key to your peace of mind lies not in your past Lakshya. It lies in how swiftly you are able to forget that you have a past that you have forgotten.” She said as she looked out.

Her words struck me. Yes. She is right. I was dwelling on my lost past a bit too much. It was as if I was obsessed.

“Forget your forgotten past and focus on your future. The future you are building with Swara. She loves you, you love her. You have everything that a man wants- money, power, a successful business, a beautiful and loving fiancée and most importantly, a hope for the future. Then why are you ruining it all just to dig out your past?” She asked. As I pondered over her words, the woman’s voice came to my mind again.

“Why have you come back Lakshya? You have everything, while I have nothing. Why are you here?”

I stood up abruptly. “I…….I….think I should leave. Maa and Swara must be getting worried, I left in a hurry and in an abrupt manner. Bye.”

She tilted her head a little and smiled and then started playing her guitar again. I walked away, not looking back. Had I done so, I would have noticed her take out a single red rose and pluck a petal, sobbing all the while.

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Just one petal more. Just one. And then, it would be all over.

“You know, he has started recalling. It won’t be long before he recalls everything and comes back one last time. Are you prepared? We would leave as soon as you complete your task.” Maa said to me as she stroked my hair gently. I placed my head on her lap and fingered the rose which now had just one petal left.

Each time he came, I plucked one petal. Meaning, one meeting less. In these six months, he has come a lot of times and each time, I have faithfully helped him and plucked a petal. And now, there is only one left.

“I wish his agony lessens soon Maa. He doesn’t deserve to be trapped in this mess. He is an innocent soul who just knew how to love. And love he did.” I said as I closed my eyes.

“He will remember. And when he does, it falls on YOU to make him understand. It falls on you to make him realise that his life is precious. He needs not waste it on what happened, he needs to direct it towards what can happen. You can do it, right?” She asked me.

A tear rolled down my eye as I nodded. “I would do anything to ensure his happiness Maa. That is the only reason why I returned.”

Maa smiled and kissed my forehead affectionately. I smiled and closed my eyes, wondering how long it will be before Lakshya Maheshwari realises the presence of a Ragini Gadodia in his life.

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“Lucky, you won’t go to that place. No means no! I don’t want you to go there. Even Aunty agrees. Right aunty?” Swara said as she looked at Maa. Maa nodded gravely.

I clenched my fist in anger. What was wrong NOW? What is wrong with going to a Baadi filled with poor people? That too when you are going for charity work?

To be honest, I am sick and tired of this constant meddling that these ladies do in my life. Even though I know that they mean well, but combined with the fact that I know that they are hiding stuff from me, I feel really frustrated. Sometimes, I just want to leave them all and go away. Far. Where no one is able to find me. Where no one can dictate to me what I have to do. Somewhere peaceful.

“And then that place…………it is unsafe. There are a lot of gangsters and rogues there. You are taking your security, but please, can you just ditch the risk?” Swara was still babbling.

“Fine. Tell me what happened in those two years. I will not go.” I said to her. She stopped abruptly and looked at me unbelievingly. I looked at Maa and she had panic etched on her face.

These reactions were what convinced me that something was being hidden from me. Something important. I tried finding about my life but that didn’t seem to lead me anywhere. They were my only hope.

“What is this madness Lakshya? Haan? How many times do Swara and I have to tell you that NOTHING happened in those two years. You think we are lying?” Maa shrieked. I turned to her.

“You want to know what I think? I think you ALL are liars! You all are deliberately trying to come in between my determination to know of what happened! You are stopping me, God knows why! But it won’t work Maa. It won’t. I WILL find out.” I screamed.

“Why is it so important to you Lakshya? Even if something did happen, why is it necessary to find it out? Don’t you trust us? Don’t you trust us to know what is good for you?” Maa asked me in a heartbroken voice.

Tears came to my eyes. “I see images Maa. I hear voices. Of a girl. I can’t see her face but I have seen myself with her a lot of times. It is maddening Maa. I feel RESTLESS. I feel worried and I am unable to concentrate on anything. It is always on my mind. I need to know Maa, if I want to live my life peacefully ever again. I need a closure.” I replied.

Swara spoke. “Nothing happened Lakshya. I don’t think it was anything. You made a friend but now she doesn’t live here.”

I looked at her eyes and found that they weren’t really meeting mine. She was lying. Plain and simple. I felt rage bubble up inside me. Does my comfort and peace of mind mean nothing to her?

I took my keys and ran out of the house, determined to get some solitude and the answers to the various questions I have in my mind. I sped my car to the now very familiar Sunset Point. It was midnight. I went to my usual spot at the cliff that faced the sea. And I found her there.

She was in a pristine white sari, her long hair blowing back due to the gentle wind. The moonlight created an aura of peace, serenity and loveliness about her which was infinitely appealing. I felt drawn to her as my feet worked on their own to reach closer to her. She spoke without turning.

“So you are here again. Good. Tonight is the last time I would be meeting you. I am leaving this place.”

A strange pain clenched my heart. I felt betrayed. She was the only person who kept me sane through this insanity all these months. I needed her. I needed her advice, her calmness, the peace she gave and her small smile which made me sure that everything was going to be alright. She was my only friend now. Only true friend.

“We will play a game today Lakshya. You ask me questions. I will reply in Yes, No or Irrelevant. Ask meaningful questions, the questions which you have had in your mind for so long. But beware, I cannot say beyond a word. Done?” she asked.

Interesting. Of course she knew. She knew everything. And she was willing to help me get my answers on my own. Fantastic! I nodded eagerly and sat beside her.

“What is your name?”

She raised an eyebrow. I recalled the rules and bit my tongue. Okay. I will try again.

“Are all these saris designer?”

“Irrelevant.”

Oh damn! What is wrong with me? Is this even a question to be asked?

“Um……do you know the woman whose voice I hear and who I see?”

“Yes.”

My heart leapt. I smiled and eagerly shot the next question.

“Were you close to her?”

“Yes.”

“Did I meet her in between those two years?”

“Yes.”

“Was she important to me?”

“Yes.”

I frowned. If she was important to me, then why were Maa and Swara not telling me about her? Unless…………..

“Were we in love with each other?”

“Yes!”

“Was she………..not of my class?”

“Yes.”

That is it. It was established that I fell in love with someone poor and obviously Swara and Mom didn’t like it. Which was why they were avoiding this topic. Is this a reason why Swara didn’t want me to go to the Baadi?

“Did she live in the Kaali Baadi?”

“Yes.”

I grew excited. “Does she still live there?”

“No.”

My heart sank. I felt acute disappointment. For a while, I couldn’t find any suitable question. While I was racking my brain, she waited patiently, strumming her guitar.

“Were my parents against our relationship?”

“Yes.”

“Do you know where she is now?”

“Yes.”

I grinned widely. She knew! She could lead me to her. Yes!

“Can you take me to her?”

“No.”

The excitement I had in me deflated. Why? Why couldn’t she arrange for us to meet?

“Please?”

“No.”

“You cannot deny me the chance to meet the woman I love, you know. You said you would help me. I have already solved the mystery myself. I just want to meet her once.” I said to her. She didn’t reply, just continued smiling in her crooked, beautiful way. In any other situation, I would have been entranced, but I was too angry and hyper. I wanted to meet my love!

“Game over. Congratulations, at least you made some headway. The rest of the story would be better known to you if you try harder. Try. Think. And by think, I mean, THINK. FOCUS.” she said in a hollow voice.

I closed my eyes. The image of I and my love dancing in each other’s arms came. Her laugh echoed through my mind. ‘I love you’, ‘I hate people who smoke’ and other such words came to my ears. My head started paining.

I opened my eyes and looked at her. She was strumming her guitar silently. I begged her to tell me herself. She refused. I stood up in anger.

“You are no better than Maa and Swara. Even they had been playing with my feelings and hiding stuff from me, you did the same. I was willing to forgive you because you were willing to help. But you are just enjoying my pain. You aren’t helping, even though you promised. I am leaving. Goodbye and have a great life!” I said in anger as I turned around. I had hardly gone a few steps when a sweet, painful voice reached my ears. She was singing.

Lag Jaa Gale, Ke Phir Ye
Haseen Raat Ho Na Ho……….
Shayad Phir Iss Janam Mein
Mulaqaat Ho Na Ho…………….

I froze. That voice. It was the same. It was HER voice. The voice that I had been hearing for the past six months. Goosebumps crawled on my skin. I felt cold and exposed. A sudden chaos of voices and images swam in my mind. I closed my eyes as they took over.

“My name is Ragini Gadodia.”

“Haha haha. You are so funny!”

“I live in the Kaali Baadi with my mother. My father left us when my mother was pregnant.”

“Why are you here Lakshya?”

“I love you too.”

The same image of us dancing came to my mind. But this time, it was clear. The face of the woman was visible. It was HER. Miss Mysterious. Ragini.

Another image came to my mind. I was giving her a lot of gifts. Each gift had designer saris in them. The saris that I have always seen her wearing for the past six months.

And then, came one final image. Ragini was dressed in a pristine white sari. We were on a cliff, hugging each other tightly.

“Let us run away and get married Ragini. My parents are refusing to acknowledge our relation.” I said to her. She wept bitterly and shook her head.

“Your parents are right. You are a well bred man. Their only son. What wrong are they asking if they wish for you to marry a better girl, someone of your social standing? Admit it, we both knew this relation was doomed, right from the start. Don’t worry Lakshya. I will always love you. And about our unborn baby, don’t worry. I will give birth to it. I will rear it up. I will tell him or her about you, about us.” Ragini replied.

“No, no, no, no, NO! Please Ragini. You think I would be able to live without you and our child? No. I won’t be able to. Please, let us just go away from here. Far away. Where no one will be able to locate us. We will make a world of our own.” I said desperately. Ragini shook her head. She stepped back and pushed me away but tripping on a stone which was behind her, she slipped and fell down the cliff.

I rushed over and caught her arm. She was dangling in the air. She looked up and our eyes met. “I won’t let anything happen to you Ragini.” I said as I tried pulling her up.

Ragini had tears in her eyes. With great effort, I pulled her up and laid her head on my lap. The area between her legs was bleeding heavily. We both knew what this meant.

“It is gone. It went away. See, even God doesn’t want us to be together.” Ragini whispered weakly. She was anaemic. Losing blood was proving dangerous for her. I tried to pick her up to take her to a hospital but she resisted. I begged and pleaded with her but she refused. Finally, I sat on the ground and clutched her close to me. I was crying madly while she was sobbing.

“Next time, I would come as an NRI. And then, you would have to work very hard to win me. I won’t agree so easily as I did this time. I will also speak English. Ekdum fatafat. You won’t even understand what I am saying!” She said. I smiled at her through my tears, requesting her one last time to get help. She shook her head.

“I always knew we couldn’t be together. But that didn’t stop me from loving you. I don’t want to live without you Lakshya. It is better if I die. I don’t have the strength like my mother, to live alone and face the world’s taunts. And I don’t have the strength to see you with someone else.” She said.

“But dying is wrong! Just giving up, it is absolutely wrong!” I cried out as I held her closer to me. Ragini gave a sad smile.

“Death comes to everyone. I agree that I am calling it myself and I am giving up but that is the best option. Death may be wrong, Lakshya, but it is the easiest thing I can do right now. And after living my whole life with so many hardships, I think I deserve to die as easily as I can.” She said softly. I cried harder. Despite my most optimistic thinking, I knew she wouldn’t survive. She had lost too much blood and more importantly, she had lost the will to live.

“Won’t you give your love this freedom Lakshya? Allow me to die peacefully Lakshya. Please.”

I nodded to her through my tears. She smiled softly and with great strength, muttered an ‘I love you’ to me. I replied with an ‘I love you too’. She held my hand and started singing softly.

Lag Jaa Gale, Ke Phir Ye
Haseen Raat Ho Na Ho………………..

She looked at me and gestured me to speak. I joined her in singing the next two lines. We sang the whole song together once.

Lag Jaa Gale, Ke Phir Ye
Haseen Raat Ho Na Ho……….

Silence. She wasn’t singing anymore. I looked down at her and found her large eyes looking at me, expressionless and hollow. I broke down and held her closer to my heart, crying for her to come back. After a few minutes, I gathered the strength and started singing.

Shayad Phir Iss Janam Mein
Mulaqaat Ho Na Ho.

Lag Jaa Gale………………

I continued singing my love’s favourite song for God knows how long, slowly rocking her gently in my arms as I sang.

***

I opened my eyes and tears rolled down my cheeks. I turned slowly and saw my love Ragini standing before me, her white sari stained with blood below her stomach. She was smiling softly.

“Ragini!” I whispered brokenly.

“You lost your mental stability after that night. You were in a mental asylum for a year before they tried to give you a shock therapy to revive you. You gained back your mind but the memories of the past two years were wiped off.” She said softly.

“Take me with you. Please. See, I didn’t even remember you, yet I found it so hard to live. Our hearts are connected Ragini.”

“My heart stopped beating two and a half years ago Lakshya. Yours is still beating. You are living while I am dead.”

“I cannot live like this Ragini. Swara is my friend, not my love. She will never be able to take your place in my heart. I will never be able to give her the love which I have given to you.”

“She isn’t taking my place Lakshya. She already has her own place in your heart. You have to move on. I had requested you to release me, free me. Yet, you didn’t. I have stayed in this world and wandered alone, with only the ghost of my dead mother beside me. I have waited for you to release me. I will continue to my afterlife only after you get settled. I won’t be happy till you are. Please Lakshya. You have a life. You have parents, a friend like Swara, work, everything. Don’t just leave it all for me. I never wanted to separate you from your life. Don’t make me guilty of that sin.” She said.

My mind was in a turmoil. I wanted to be with Ragini. Love was all that I needed. Yet………………..

“Yet you have a responsibility towards others. You have duties to fulfill. Don’t run away like I did. I became selfish and see, what it led to. Don’t make history repeat itself. Can you imagine the pain your parents would feel? Swara? Just because I love you doesn’t mean that no one else does. Swara has tried so hard to make your life easy and comfortable. She has worked so hard. Don’t break her heart Lakshya. Please.” She implored to me.

I looked at her. It would take just a few steps and a jump for me to join her. And yet, it would just take me a turn to go back to my life. If I join Ragini, we would leave. If I go back, I would be joining my family. I saw my loved ones’ faces. Could I leave them alone?

I couldn’t. Ragini was right. Even if I loved her, I could turn my back to my parents, to Swara. They have a right on my life as much as I do. I looked at Ragini to tell her about my decision but it seemed that she already knew. She was smiling at me proudly.

“I will keep on loving you, you know. And I will definitely return as the NRI. And I have decided, I will have red hair.” She said.

I smiled at her and widened my eyes in mock horror. She giggled gleefully. She produced a rose which had only one petal left. She plucked that petal and sighed seeing the stick.

“And……..all meetings done. Our last one is completed. You remember this rose? You gave it to me, saying that it would live as long as we are together? It has died now. I am going.” She said wistfully.

Tears came to my eyes. Ragini waved her hand and stepped back. A blinding white light started engulfing her. She mouthed ‘I love you Lakshya’ as the light consumed her. And then, she was gone.

I fell to the ground, crying my heart out. I recalled all our memories together, our promises, our dreams, our hopes for the future. Her glowing face when she told me about her pregnancy, my reaction to it, our parting, her death. I cried for hours. As the first rays of the sun came up, I saw her guitar lying on the ground. I smiled through my tears and picked it up, stroking it fondly.

“I love this guitar. I got it from a branded showroom. 80% discount! Still cost me a few thousand rupees, but it is so beautiful na?”

The memory made me smile. I picked up the guitar and took it with me as I walked back to my car, taking the step towards my life. The life that I had to live. The life that my love Ragini had granted me. As I drove through the lanes, I smiled as I hummed softly under my breath.

Lag Jaa Gale………………….

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Phew……….this one was an emotional mess! You would ask me why I didn’t name the story Lag Jaa Gale? Arrey because we have had an overdose of it in the story itself! And plus, the title Teri Yaad Saath Hai suits better. Now, no more stories, okay? Let me study! I have pre- Boards. Okay? Understood?

But do comment and tell me how you liked my last story on this site. With this, I sign off. Pakka Waala this time.??