Namaskaram 🙏

Date of Update: 19.01.2023

*****

She wore a red kurthi with her white jeans, left her hair open, as usual a bindi in the middle of her brows. She walked down the road to reach her office as decided holding her bag smiling lightly for the new beginning she is going to do. Leaving all the past behind, deciding to have a fresh start thinking just about her without anybody’s interference in her life. She felt excited, scared, conscious and ambitious. She read the board 'AZs Events’. She took deep breathe before entering into the office. As soon as she entered, the whole place looked empty. She was confused of the empty place.

“Did I reach too early?” She whispered to herself.

She looked around to find the wall clock which is showing 8:55. She checked her watch to see it’s 9:10 already.

“But I think I am not too early! Just twenty minutes. And also this clock works slow.” She thought.

She looked around again to find something high so that she can climb it. She took a stool that is present there.

“May be because of this slow clock people come late! We used to do in school like this. Like the time of our school clock is ten minutes fast so we used to go early so that the school gate doesn’t get closed and get punished saying we are late though their clock was wrong!” Ragini whispered so much to herself while placing the stool exactly under the clock so that she can adjust it.

The clock stood in the midway of the threshold of the another room and this hall. If a person has to come or go to the another room he has to pass through this place and go. The door for the room also opens towards outside from the other room. So basically the person has to push the door from the other room to open the door to enter into this hall.

Ragini stood on stool and got busy in correcting the time. On the other side Sanskar entered the same hall from the entrance looking into his phone. From another side somebody who was inside the room opened the door making it hit the stool Ragini is standing. Ragini lost the balance and THUD!

Sanskar fell on the ground on his back as he felt some huge thing fell on his front. He screamed in pain. Ragini fell on her back on his front making him scream in pain while she is safe with no injuries.

“Ahh! Who the hell is this!” Sanskar screamed pushing the person not very hard though but just to make sure the person is away from him.

Ragini was shocked to the hell about the fall that she didn’t realise that she actually fell on someone until he pushed her. The person who opened the door ran from there seeing Sanskar’s angry face. Ragini got up and looked at him while Sanskar also got up cursing the person who fell on him. He looked above after making sure all his bones are fine only to get shocked.

“Ragini?” he whispered.

She just kept staring him in shock. He thought he was actually dreaming and slowly moved his hand towards her face and poked her nose. Ragini was surprised by his action but definitely came out of shock.

“Sorry!” she murmured and was about to move towards the stool again ignoring him.

“Hey!” he called her holding her hand with excited smile on his face.

She stopped and looked at him.

“What are you doing here? Why are you here? How are you here?” he asked all at a time.

“Sorry?” she asked.

“Huh!” he said.

“You forgot me?” He asked confused seeing her looking at him like a stranger.

“Do I know you?” she asked.

“Helloooo! You are kidding right? Me Sanskar Maheshwari! Your sister’s ex husband! Your ex husband’s brother. Now you remember?” he asked.

“Ex! I am done of my past! I have moved on from my past! Now Mr. Sanskar Maheshwari you are none but a stranger to me.” She said and moved from there entering into the room after getting permission from AdiYa, after opening the door.

“Stranger?” he thought and smiled sadly.

He sighed and went inside the room to see Zoya and Aditya talking to her. He just stood there staring at her smiling face. She is answering for every question Zoya and Aditya are asking. He smiled lightly.

She wore a jeans pants! He thought.

She looked super cute! He thought.

Ahhh! That smile! It can kill me every second! He thought.

Dude! You are lucky! He thought suddenly.

Nobody! Literally nobody! Not even Kavitha has made you feel this way! He thought.

This girl had made me forget Kavitha and made me fall in love with her in the first instance only! Then how do you think you would feel when she is around? He thought.

She called me stranger! He thought sadly.

She wants to move on! He thought.

She can move on with me! He thought grinning.

“Sanskar!” he heard a loud call of his name from Zoya.

He immediately looked at Zoya taking his eyes away from Ragini. Ragini is just looking at Zoya. She least bothered him.

“Haan Zoya!” he responded but still looked at Ragini.

“She is Ragini! She is our new recruit. Will you explain her things? Aditya and me are finalising the designs.” Zoya asked.

“Me?” he asked.

“Did you change your name?” Aditya asked sarcastically.

Ragini controlled her chuckle as she felt it funny.

“Yeah! I mean no! I mean yes I will explain things to her. Anyways what should I explain?” he spoke confused and also in a confusing manner.

“You go home!” Zoya said glaring him.

“Arey! Why? No I am fine. I will explain! Ragini come!” He said and moved close to Ragini and also held her hand to pull her along with him.

Ragini took her hand away from him glaring him. He looked sad and went asking her to follow him. Ragini followed him with neutral expression.

“I hope he doesn’t get the topic of past again. It wasn’t easy for me to come here. It is not easy for me to not to remember those all things staying in front of him. Zoya and Aditya are very good. They told he is their friend and he is helping them in their work. Means he will be there always around. Please Kanha ji help me  to stay strong. I don’t want to go back or think about my past.” Ragini just spoke everything to herself while walking behind Sanskar.

Sanskar entered the room opposite to the AdiYa’s room and sat in his chair. He started explaining her about her work but everything he spoke just staring straight into her eyes. She is in organising department. She would be the head for the events that would be organised by them. She would be monitoring and telling people about their work. She would also deal with many other things. He is explaining things when her phone rang.

“Miss. Stranger! Don’t you know you should put your phone on silent mode when you are at work?” he taunted her.

She glared him which he returned back with equally strong glare. She made her phone silent and looked at him.

“Tell me my work Mr. Stranger!” she said glaring him.

“I am done in saying everything. Now you can go ask for your desk from the receptionist. Please don’t do the works that are not related to you and don’t break bones of your seniors like you did few minutes ago!” he said angrily and left from there.

Ragini huffed equally and left to know about her desk.

“I am not going to talk to him except if it is work related. Only colleagues that also those kind of colleagues who doesn’t like each other.” She murmured sitting at her desk.

“Oye what happened?” Aditya asked looking at his irritated and annoyed face.

“Don’t even ask! She just called me Stranger! She said she doesn’t know me! She is so mean! So mean that even the mother in law of that show wasn’t that mean to her daughter in law!” Sanskar spoke.

“What?” Zoya asked confused.

“Arey you both won’t understand. Leave it. I will only deal with that Miss. Stranger!” he huffed and left from there too.

“Can’t you just once, once inform me that she is coming to Mumbai. You were giving all the updates right? Then why the hell not this one?” he asked irritated as Swara took the phone call.

She was surprised when she got his call suddenly after one whole month. But when she heard him she was shocked.

“You are in Mumbai?” she asked shocked.

“YES!” he screamed.

“Where did you find her in that huge city?” she asked.

“She works at the place I work!” he said sighing.

“Wowww! Just wowww! Should I get excited? Or should I get sad?” Swara spoke.

“Why would you get sad?” he asked frowning.

“I didn’t tell you because I thought she is going for good and let me keep it a secret from you for few days as I know you would run behind her if you get to know that she is going alone there. So now she can’t stay away from all the things for atleast few days. So I am sad.” Swara said.

“You know what your logic is the most illogical logic I have heard in the world. And for your information your sister just called me Stranger!” he said irritated.

“New Love Story!” Swara chuckled.

“You think she would even let me near her?” he asked rolling his eyes.

“As if you are going to stay away. You are going to become a love sick puppy for sure. Got the chance. She is alone. Completely alone. Your brain will not let you to leave her alone. You are going to haunt her like a ghost till she fell in love with you and she has to. She so much needs someone who would love her and mend her heart. So let’s get out of the irritated mood Mr. Stranger?” Swara spoke.

“Yeayy! Don’t call me that! It has copy rights to only to my Miss. Stranger!” he said smiling.

“Oh! Already possessive!” she said teasingly but tears roll down her eyes which she wiped off smiling.

“Yeah! Anyways bye!” he said bye and cut the call not even letting her say bye back.

“Ragu atleast I hope you get the true love. Just don’t let him go. Please!” Swara whispered to Ragini’s photo which she had as wallpaper along with her photo.

She wiped off her face and went back to her practise.

Sanskar walked out of his cabin and looked at Ragini who is looking at a file while a person is explaining her something.

“Miss. Stranger soon going to be Mrs. Wifey! I Love You! And I swear you are going to fall for me no matter what! Let’s move on together!” he spoke to himself smiling a little.

****

“So how was your first day?” Swara asked in video call.

“Good except for one thing!” she whispered all the words except for the word 'Good' making sure those aren’t audible to Swara.

“Is there any network problem. I can’t hear!” Swara spoke loud to make sure Ragini could hear.

“I said good Swara!” Ragini said.

“Oh! I thought you said more!” Swara said shrugging.

Ragini just nodded.

“Say something. Why are you silent?” Swara asked.

“There is nothing to say. Oh yeah may be tomorrow will be the first event I am going to attend. I am happy and excited!” she said with normal face.

“Does anybody express their happiness and excitement like this?” Swara asked rolling her eyes.

“I do!” Ragini shrugged.

‘Not My Ragu would do like that!’ Swara thought.

She sighed.

“Acha bye! I am sleepy!” Ragini said.

Swara bid her good night and cut the call. Ragini fell on the bed and sighed as she remembered the morning incident.

“Why should you have to come in front of me yaar Sanskar? Now I will remember everything every time I see you. We both know that you are also cause for my miseries. I don’t want to hurt you since you aren’t the sole reason. You were my best friend and I wouldn’t want to hurt you with my words since I am not angry at you even after everything.” Ragini spoke to herself staring the ceiling.

She sighed and turned sideways to get some sleep. She drifted to sleep.

****

Sanskar is not able to sleep. He didn’t ask Swara about where Ragini is living. He wants to know about it just to assure himself that she is staying at safe place. He is moving all sides on the bed without sleeping. He suddenly got up from the bed and rushed out of his room. He started knocking AdiYa’s room door continuously.

“What is it yaar?” Zoya asked leaning to the door with closed eyes.

“I need details of Ragini NOW!” he says.

“Go and check in the laptop which is on the table. Why are you disturbing our happy sleep?” Zoya asked irritated and closed the door.

Sanskar already ignored her question and went away from there even before she completes her question. He just opened the laptop and found out the address. He sighed in relief finding the area. He just wanted to see her once. He least bothered about the fact that he wouldn’t be able to meet her and just took his bike keys. He started his bike and was just riding it towards Ragini’s house. He got down at the apartment and was going inside as if he is going to his palace just to get stopped by watchman.

“Who are you?” watchman asked.

“Umm… I came to meet Ragini!” Sanskar said.

“Flat no. 108?” he asked.

Sanskar nodded as he got to know about her flat number through the address she mentioned in her details. It’s the company’s policy to know proper details of the person working at their office. So it was easy for him about her house.

“What’s your name?” watchman asked.

“San…Sanskar!” Sanskar said with hesitation.

“Let me check with Madam!” watchman took his phone to dial to Ragini.

Sanskar was stuck. He knows she must be sleeping and he doesn’t want to disturb her. Also he knows she will call him Stranger again. He sighed stopping watchman.

“No bhayya leave. She must be sleeping. I just need a help from you. Would you mind doing it?” Sanskar asked.

Watchman frowned. He felt suspicious.

“Bhayya please don’t give that suspicious look. I am not going to harass her or something. I am here for her safety only. I just want to watch her safety. Please!” Sanskar spoke trying to convince the watchman.

Watchman nodded still not completely sure to trust Sanskar or not.

“Bhayya this is my number. You just need to inform me when she starts to office and when she comes back from office. I am just trying to ensure that she is back home safe. Trust me!” Sanskar spoke still trying to convince the watchman as he understood he didn’t trust him completely.

Watchman got convinced a bit.

“And please don’t tell Ragini about this. She will kill me with raw hands!” Sanskar commented.

Watchman frowned again.

“Bhayya she is angry on me. I am her friend trust me. Wait let me show you pictures.” Sanskar said thinking of only this way to convince him.

He showed the pictures where both are laughing giving hi-fi to each other. Watchman got convinced. Sanskar sighed in relief finally convincing the watchman.

“Thank You bhayya!” he said happily and left assuring that the watchman saved his phone number in his phone properly while he saved watchman’s number in his phone.

He smiled all the while he went back home.

****

Thank You for reading.

With Love
Dharani (Dhaరणि)