Peaceful. That was how she felt that evening. She had the best sleep that night.

The smell of lilies still lingered in her room, soothing her down even as Sanskaar's promise to stay away calmed her nerves. His adamance worried her. His ability to sometimes almost see through her, bothered her. It brought forward all her fears of betrayal, even when something in his eyes told her the word didn't seem right for him.

When Ragini hopped down the stairs the next morning, her eyes landed on the masculine frame of her father. She kept forward and hugged him tight. 'You are back!' she chirped.

Her father pulled her hand away, frowning. 'But I am mad at you.'

Ragini looked around her family as she sat down next to him. Her mom was quietly serving her father his breakfast. Her Nani and Maya, who had turned up early, were focusing on their plates. Ragini turned to look at her father. 'What did I do?'

'Why didn't you tell me someone was bothering you? Sending flowers?'

Ragini felt her heart race. 'What? Who is bothering me?' she blurted quickly. 'And those flowers. Someone made a mistake.'

'Hmmm. 15,000 rupees worth mistake,' Uday grumbled. 'Right!'

'No one is bothering me, Papa.'

Uday trained his eyes on her. Ragini fidgeted in her chair. She hated lying to her father. But he was really protective of her and if he found out about Sanskaar ...

'I will be the judge of it.' He looked at his wife. 'I am going to hire a private detective. There cannot have been too many people who bought pink oriental lilies worth 15,000 in the city.'

'Papa, you are making too much out of it. It is a case of wrong delivery.'

'Except the flower shops says they made the right delivery. I checked,' came her mother's prim reply.

Ragini wrung her fingers under the table. Stupid Sanskaar! This was getting really bad.

'When I find that spoilt rich brat, I am going to have him beat up,' Uday declared.

'Papa!' Ragini shot out of her chair. 'You will do nothing of this sort. Let this go.'

'What! Never! Some idiot bothers my princess and I let it go. Not happening!' Uday announced.

'Papa!'

'Why are you defending this person so much? Is there something you want to tell me?' Uday asked narrowing his eyes as he eyed his daughter.

'I am not defending anyone. I just ...' Ragini waved her hands trying to find the right words, 'I just don't want you involved in something illegal. My Papa is not a goon to beat someone up.'

'So you don't know this person then, right?'

'Papa!' Ragini groaned and stomped away from their quickly before he had a chance to dig further. Sanskaar! The idiot was turning her into a liar. But if she didn't lie, he would end up beaten black and blue for his antics.

May be it would serve him right.

Except some part of Ragini didn't want it.

***

Ragini sat in her bed, her knees curled up close to herself. She wanted to forget Sanskaar completed or even that she had met him. And yet, something or the other kept happening dragging him right back.

Maya had annoyed her all of last afternoon over him before she found some peace back home in the evening. Now her Papa was on his case. If that wasn't enough, her best friend was sitting right next to her moping and throwing pitying expression at her.

'What?' Ragini asked annoyed.

'Why did you hide the truth from uncle if he doesn't mean anything to you?'

'Just because he doesn't mean anything to me doesn't mean I want to see him beat up. Have you forgotten how protective Papa can be?'

'Are you sure it is just that and nothing else?'

'What else could there be?'

'Are you telling me you didn't miss him since he walked away?' Maya asked leaning forward on the bed.

'No.'

'Liar!'

'I am not lying.'

'If you don't miss him and don't care about him, why are you still holding on to the flowers that he sent?' Maya asked. 'And don't give me the crap about innocent flowers. Not even Sanskaar bought it from what you told me.'

'Sanskaar?'

Ragini's head snapped around to see her Nani at the door. Her pulse raced. Her breath caught in her throat. 'Who?' she croaked.

'Who is this Sanskaar?'

'Nobody,' Ragini said sitting up straight and throwing a warning look at Maya.

Her nani huffed. 'You know I am not too old just yet. You can tell me if there is someone.'

'There is no one, Nani. And Maya was talking about Sanskaar as in manners,' Ragini fibbed eying Maya.

'Hmm. And here I thought you had seen the light of the day.'

Maya giggled.

'Nani!' Ragini said feeling scandalised. Her family was too much sometimes.

'Don't worry you will find someone. Besides you don't want someone who just spends money on you and not his time.' Nani said sitting down graciously on the bed, eyeing the flowers, 'Boys these days don't know anything about love. In our days, boys would spend days outside the girl's balcony just to catch a glimpse of her. Now all they know is to spend money and buy gifts.'

Ragini bit her lip to stop herself from speaking. A part of her wanted to tell her Nani that Sanskaar didn't mind spending time on her, putting his work aside. But she held back. It would only make her Nani push more towards him.

'Nani, what if a guy spends time on a girl in today's age. Puts all of his work aside for her?' Maya asked. Ragini shot her a look. 'Would you think he is dedicated to her or would you call him unemployed?'

Nani eyed Maya closely, 'Have you met someone Maya?'

'I am just asking generally,' Maya said, glancing at Ragini from the side of her eye.

Ragini narrowed her eyes at Maya, but did cut in.

'They have stopped making boys like that now,' Nani said and looked at Ragini. Ragini quickly schooled her expression. 'Isn't that correct, Ragini?'

***

She was back. Back in the same room. That dreaded room. She would never forget it. Not the dull yellow brocade wallpaper. Not the ornate mirror. Nor the intricately crafted dresser.

But what was different this time was the girl.

Ragini was no longer stuck in the body of the other girl. Now it was her in that room. In that chair. In that wedding trousseau.

Her eyes froze as they caught her own face in the mirror. Her heart raced. What was she doing here? She shouldn't be here! Not in the girl's place. Not in the dying girl's place. She had to get out of her.

And yet, she couldn't move. It was as if her mind wasn't in her control. She stayed put in the chair. Ignorant of the turmoil of her mind.

Before she could shake herself out of it, her eyes fell on the table in front of her. The temple platter started back at her. Fear shot through her even as her eyes stayed stuck on the marigolds in the plate and the prasad that was staring back at her. The poisoned prasad.

'Did you miss me?' a voice called from behind her.

Her eyes looked into the mirror and found the eyes of the person standing behind.

Sanskaar.

Her breath came in short gasps. What was he doing here?

'Did you miss me?' he asked again, a warm smile gracing his lips.

Ragini could not speak. Not even to ask him why he was there. In her dream. In her nightmare. Her horrible nightmare.

Ragini watched Sanskaar walk closer, through the mirror, until he stood behind her. She could smell his perfume now. Spicy and earthy.

'You have been thinking about me, haven't you?' he asked.

Ragini just stared back in his eyes, unsure of what was going on. Desperate for the nightmare to end. She didn't want Sanskaar there. Not in that nightmare.

'You went to the temple? Is that for me?' he asked, eyeing the platter.

Before she could do anything, he grabbed the prasad and ate it.

Dread spread through her, the way she had experienced the poison spread through the girl.

No!

'Sanskaar!'

Thanks for reading. Hope you are still enjoying the story.

I have changed Diya to Ragini now. I like this better. The past will be someone else. But the story is the same.

Do share your thoughts and comments. And do hit the like button. Let me know if this is a story that is still worth continuing to write.