Episode 28:What all can a smile hide?
After some laughter and teasing time we took another Auto, this time to reach our destination.
“What we’ll eat for dinner?” Swara asked while sitting in the auto while I looked at her strictly.

“Swara…Dinner afterwards, first clothes now, We have to do a lot of shopping and its already late…Clothes shop might just get closed for today, restaurants won’t…”I said sternly looking at her while she nodded looking at me like a sweet innocent child.
Her innocence, I say.

**
” So what type of dresses do you usually wear? I mean suits, jeans top…anything else?” I questioned Swara as we were walking towards the various stores at a few seconds walk from the main road where the auto dropped us.
“I usually wear suits so…” Swara paused as she scanned the various stores in front of us one by one.
“…How about that one?” She pointed towards a store at right as I being completely unaware of girls shopping nodded, Hey did I forgot to share, I never had a girlfriend.
**
A small smile climbed up Ragini’s till now gloomy face as she read the words, She smiled as she turned to her right to look at SM sitting concentrating on front road, She wanted to believe SM when he said that this wasn’t his Love story but then, so many things happened…the publisher…No, SM’s own words that he didn’t got his love made her believe the opposite, This was his own Love story…Swara was real, this Jolly, happy go lucky Sanskar who never had a girlfriend before and fell in love with a runaway bride was real, But then what happened that changed him so much? Did anything even happen or was she assuming things? Maybe, SM did loose his Love but this story was fictional? But then why she felt otherwise? What happened to Swara if she actually existed? Did she leave Sanskar, Did she never fall for him? Or did everything happen perfectly to Sanskar-Swara’s story only to give a sad, Imperfect ending? So many questions clustered her mind…She knew a few had answers which she’ll get in the book but what about beyond? The book could tell her Sanskar’s story…Swara’s story…but not SM’s or was Sanskar’s story very much SM’s? She wondered, sadly that was all she could do. Asking SM was never an option: he would either show his rudeness and be strict to her or lie like he did in the book’s acknowledgement, He lied…He was imperfect just like his Swara who too lied, how imperfect they both were…maybe thats what made them perfect together.


Wondering about the Publisher, she feared how she could ever question SM on that…since if the incident ever comes out…The truth that she knew that SM knew that she loved him will also come out and she had no idea what would happen after that…She feared, she feared the unknown consequences of it and so another question got added to her long list of question, ‘What did SM think about her Love?’ Did he ever thought anything about it? Or did he dismissed it as a childish infatuation? What if he believed her when she said that she loves him? He didn’t throw her out of her office post that… Does that mean he doesn’t mind her love? That she stands a chance? But he was
rude to her…’like always’ she thought as she remembered what all Tina had said to her about SM’s strict nature. The smile on Ragini’s lips widened as she returned to the thought she just had, He doesn’t mind her Love…She stands a chance…
“Unhon, Unhon…” SM coughed as he just realized Ragini’s eyes on himself distracting her from her chain of thoughts, Her smile faded as she looked down.

Moving her eyes back on the book, Ragini was about to continue reading when a thought striked her mind, Raising her eyes back to look at SM, she remarked, ” Swara is a beautiful character, her flaws, they don’t make her imperfect but more than perfect…”
As if feeling life again, SM replied without thinking, ” Yes, She was more than perfect…” He was cut in the middle by Ragini, ” I am sorry to interrupt Sir but ‘Was?’ I mean she is a novel character, someone who would remain forever…Isn’t she immortal?”

Taken aback for a moment suddenly at her words, SM composed himself and faking a smile said, ” Well, if they die in the novel, then? Guess you haven’t read the complete book yet…”
Ragini understood the hidden meaning of his words but more than that the girl understood the hidden feelings, Swara was real…She had to be real, The shock…The fake smile on SM’s face gauranteed it.
Nodding, she turned her face towards the window.
**
“Hospital…” SM remarked as he halted the car in the hospital’s parking.
Turning her face towards SM, Ragini nodded as quickly placing the book and bunny in her bag, she opened the door of the car and got out.
” Ouch…” A small sound escaped her lips as Ragini’s wounded right arm happened to touched the car’s door.
” Careful…” SM who just got out of the car said , he was about to run towards her when realizing that he had to he strict, he paused in his steps.
Ragini nodded as she procedded towards the hospital.
**
” The bruishes on the arms led to some bleeding but nothing major…minor injuries, they’ll cure in some days, I’ll write pain killers and antiseptics. Anything else?” Mrs Reema, the doctor spoke while writing something on a piece of paper, She had just examined and bandaged Ragini’s injured arms.
” Umm…” Ragini thought for a while if she should talk about the sudden rising stomach ache at the time of the accident but then realizing that it couldn’t have been because of the fall (since she didn’t fall on her stomach) , She let it go.
“Nothing doctor, Thanks.” Ragini said as SM turned to look at her.
” Sure?” SM questioned as he remisced Tina’s words about some internal injury.
” Yes.” Ragini feigned an innocent smile as SM nodded and she and SM left the doctor’s cabin.
” Thanks Sir for the help.” Speaking Ragini was about to turn when SM spoke.
” I’ll drop you to your hom…”
” No thanks Sir,I’ll go by walking from here, its a 5 minutes walk from here and between I like walking.” Ragini cut SM in the middle with the same smile as before as she procedded to go, She had wished to meet him for all the time in her life that she remembered yet today, She just didn’t wanted to face him anymore…she just wanted to stay alone for sometime to collect her thoughts.

Raising his hand, SM was about to stop her…But the strict , stern man image reemerged and he pulled his hand back…She wasn’t special, she wasn’t but her love for him made her different from others for sure.
**
” So, How was Madam’s first day?” Nikita, who hadn’t called Ragini even once in office so as to not disturb her working questioned with excitement immediately as she opened the door to Ragini, She had specially come to Ragini’s home before Raginj to welcome her.
“Atleast let me come in first, then ask your questions…” Ragini replied coming in with a plastered smile.
In her own thoughts and being happy for her friend’s happiness, Nikita didn’t notice the fakeness in Ragini’s smile and nodding started questioning again holding Ragini’s shoulders, ” Chalo, Now you came inside, Now tell me…How does he look? Is he handsome? I mean he is always hiding from camaras…You know I have full doubts that he doesn’t look good but you being yourself would say he is very handsome, one in hundred, blah blah blah….right? So leave that question, Tell me how was the day, what is his nature…I am sure Jaise bhi ho you are gonna say he is sweet…” Holding Ragini’s shoulders Nikita kept questioning Ragini and answering herself when Ragini finally cut her.
” If you had to answer yourself then you could have just spoken all this to my photo, Why you took tension to come here.” Biting her tongue Nikita gave Ragini one of her cutest smiles lowering her eyes as Ragini laughed seeing her antics, this time genuinly.

Looking down, Nikita’s eyes went on Ragini’s bunny peeping out her bag, her eyes shone with excitement seeing it as she took it out from Ragini’s bag, ” Acha sorry na but tell me who is this cutie supposed to be?”
” Bunny…I got him out of the window in rain yesterday, By the way I am happy I atleast got to answer this question of yours.” Ragini spoke teasingly as she laughed.
” I said na sorry…Now I won’t interfer, now answer my other questions.” Nikita spoke while tickling the bunny, her attention completely on the bunny, she failed to notice the change in Ragini’s happy expressions on hearing this.
“It was a nice day yaar, SM is also very nice…he is strict though but very handsome of course.” Ragini answer all questions of Nikita as briefly as she could, uniterested.
Hearing Ragini’s completely uniterested voice, Nikita finally raised her eyes to look at Ragini’s face, ” What happened to you? Itni uninterested while talking about SM? You are my Ragini only, right? Or are you are someone else?” Nikita spoke as Ragini made a face at her comment.
“Nikita…He was very rude to me.” Ragini again answered briefly as well as hiding a lot of other vital information from Nikita, she knew completely lieing to Nikita wasn’t possible and she didn’t want to tell her everything so she choose the midway.
“Oh, itni si baat…I knew it,All these rich people are arrogant…Tu hi nahi manti, I am just happy iss bar tune uski arrogance ka bhi reason nahi dhundh liya.” Nikita answered casually as a small faded smile appeared on Ragini’s face, She wanted to answer this but she didn’t, He had a reason for everything , his rudeness also had reason, she somewhere knew it but not completely and Ragini preferred to research completely before coming on conclusion, of course SM was not a thing to research on but he was her everything and so she would know everything about him, she decided that very moment.
” Ok, Your thoughts, now atleast let me sit…” Ragini spoke as she moved towards the sofa. Seeing Ragini’s smile, Nikita gave her a look and proceeded behind her when seeing Ragini place her handbag on the sofa, her eyes unknowingly went on her arm and with it on the bandages there.
” Yeh Kya Hua?” Nikita almost screamed as she immediately placed the bunny on the sofa and got hold of Ragini’s arm.
Hearing her scream, Ragini’s mother Mrs. Sharmishta Rane, who had been in the kitchen all this while to let the friends talk came running outside, ” What happened?” She asked, concern written all over her face.
” Aunty, just see what she has done to her arm…” Nikita said still holding Ragini’s arm as she looked at Ragini with a mixture of anger and concern.
” Its nothing yaar…Actually I was just coming back on Vespa with a colleague and we got into a small accident, Its nothing, even doctor said it’ll cure soon.” Ragini answered calmly before her mother could say anything.
“What sort of a colleague do you have? Why you took lift from her? Couldn’t you take an auto? You don’t need to do any internship. Just leave it.” Sharmishta said angry and tensed as she caressed Ragini’s face.
” Maa, Why are you overacting…I told you na its nothing, sachi and I am not planning to leave this internship…No way.” Knowing her mother’s overconcern, Ragini tried to change the topic by behaving like a typical stubborn kiddo.
” You won’t ever listen to me, right? Ok, but just take care from now, last chance or else you’ll leave the job, Ok?” Sharmishta raised her hand in a way of expecting a promise while Ragini nodded and gave her hand in Sharmishta’s with a sweet smile, ” Ok, promise.”
” Good, Now eat something, You didn’t take lunch as well, Nikita you too eat.” Mrs. Sharmishta said while procedding towards the kitchen.
” Ok Aunty…” Nikita said beginning to sit on the sofa with the bunny while Ragini stared at her.
“Are you angry with me?” Ragini asked as she sat next to Nikita.
Turning slightly towards Ragini, Nikita said with a sweet smile, ” Arey Nahi Baba, Its just that I end up caring a lot for you…Even I don’t know why, so got angry at something that wasn’t even your fault, Acha leave it now, tell me everything else…like what happened from the start, what you did , What is your basic job and everything else…” Nikita questioned , her voice changing to excitement when starting with her questions while Ragini smiled and nodded.
Ragini told Nikita everything about the day, about Tina though omitting about her first encounter with SM as publisher and other details about her ‘Love’ for SM. In between Mrs. Sharmishta brought snacks for them and herself and all the three chatted about Ragini’s new job and everything else, the girls simultaneously playing with the bunny and feeding it a carrot, Ragini forgot all her questions in this happy conversation.

**
It was 8 in the evening when Ragini finally entered back her room with her handbag and the bunny. Leaving the bunny down to play, she placed her handbag at the side table and went to change in her nightsuit.
Coming out of the washroom, Ragini sat comfortably on her bed, in no time the sleep deprived girl fell asleep.

**
Around an hour later, a knock at the door woke up Ragini ho answered in sleep.
” Maa, I am not hungry…Let me sleep.” Hearing Ragini, Mrs. Sharmishta smiled from the other side of the door as she replied , ” Ok.” and left.
**
A/N: So long time…I am sorry, Just that studies…I know an explanation for this can’t really be given but can only say I really couldn’t do anything else, I am sorry…about this part, I know it didn’t come out well, wrote a story art after years so guess it did had an
effect, still hope you all like it, if you
did and managed to forgive me,
please consider liking and commenting. Link to previous Parts