Catch me if you can

Ragini lied on the bed, eyes closed rewinding the incident that had taken place just a few hours ago. She wasn't able to comprehend. Why did she even utter that back?

Not that she wasn't sure of how she felt, but was Laksh really worth it?

Was he worth giving a try? He had once hurt her even though she still has no idea but then why would she trust him with her heart? All of a sudden?

He was supposed to be a stranger a normal stranger who didn't apparently mean anything to her just a few weeks back, and today. She confessed that she loved him?

After the kiss, she had escaped to her room real quick not even glancing back. She thought Laksh would take this as a sign of a realisation, her realising her mistake of kissing him back.

She had locked herself the entire morning, it was 5 pm now and she really had to eat something.

Her stomach grumbled loudly asking her for the same, but her mind again started thinking of what Laksh was thinking right now?

Had he accepeted the fact that Ragini didn't mean the kiss or was he still holing on to her confession?

And then like a lightning struck and she realised she hadn't told Laksh about her suspicion. Her suspect.

She quicklu bolted out the room, stumbling on her way. As soon as she got out she saw Laksh on the sofa asleep. It appeared that he was waiting for her not that there was a proof to prove that but Ragini felt it.

And then the guilt hit her heart like arrows, how cruel had she acted? Who in their right means just leaves after uttering the most important words in someone's life?

Love wasn't a small thing and there was a reason she had said I love you and not I like you.

Like and love though meant affection towards a person but both were poles apart.

Like, is a means to assure the person that you have certain feelings for him but love? It was beyond way beyond. Love meant that you were certain so certain about what you felt.

She decided to let him sleep but she couldn't actually, she had to tell him.

Finish off their mission as she was clear about the theif. It had been infront of them but she couldn't just make out.

"Laksh," she softly said trying to wake him up.

Laksh's eyes quickly opened as if he was waiting for this moment. His eyes light up as he realised Ragini was there.

"I wanted to talk to you," Ragini said and Laksh smiled clearly assuming the topic wrong.

"I wanted to talk too," Laksh replied with the brightest smile.

"I guess I find the person. The one behind the theft. We should actually catch him, our mission would be over sooner than thought." Ragini told and thats how Laksh's smile dropped.

His eyes showed how hurt he was, after what happened in the morning Ragini was still hell bent on finishing this mission.

He had consoled himself telling that maybe she just wanted to complete the work first and then talk about their relation.

He gave a small smile asking her to continue.

*****

"Its kind of shady here, did you see everybody here was either smoking or drinking or fighting or shouting.

"Laksh, we are on the bad side of the slum area, this is bound to happen here." I corrected Laksh as we walked towards the address we had.

We both were dressed in the simplest of attire- I wore a saree, a plain one while Laksh was in a kurta and pajama.

I had told him all about my suspicion and we decided to give it a try who knew we might reach the conclusion.

The only thing that was not well was how Laksh behaved, he didn't do anything different but his actions now were a little more happy?

He didn't shy away from holding my hand as we walked, here where I felt extremely conscious about the fact, he wasn't bothered.

"Ragu, thats the chawl, isn't it?" Laksh asked as I moved my gaze towards the chawl he pointed.

I nodded checking the address on my phone and we went towards the hut quickly.

As we neared the house, it was all silent. Only a strange sound came from inside as Laksh and I shared an eye contact.

We both mutually went towards the window and tried to peek in through the small gap of the curtain.

Gold, lockers, and small small valuable things were all placed inside in a heap. There was no one around it, suddenly footsteps were heard and Laksh and I quickly moved back without seeing the culprit.

"You were right, its him."

"I was pretty sure, do you think we should barge in?"

"Thats the only best thing cause if we knock he wouldn't open the door if all those are just lying openely."

"I agree,"

"So you think we should break it?" I suggest.

"Baccha, leave that to me," he said and winked while my mouth opened to retort and give him a huge lecture on equality and how he was wrong in underestimating my strength but by that time he had already pushed the door open.

Sexist.

"Baccha, are you coming in or not?"

"Idiot." I muttered as I followed him.

"Laksh, where is the man?"

"Memsaab, I am under the door!" A voice squeaked and I looked down on the door (broken) where I was standing. I quickly jumped off and helped Laksh to pick the door up.

We put the door back to its postion only difference it was off his hinges now.

"So Mr, watchman, ready to confess your crimes?" Laksh smirked as we looked at the watchman- dressed in a undervest and a half pant lying on the floor.

The watchman, the one who had given me the notice, the one who had come today to check about the theft, the same watchman.

"Meine-" he started.

"See, We know - you know, why waste time right?" Get up and tell us why? You were supposed to be the one whom the soceity member trusted with their safety and you were misusing their trust? Breaking it?" I told clearly disgusted by the fact.

"I wasn't the only one behind this. I was told to do so, that person told me to mix sedatives in people's drinks. Thats the only thing I did. And today he will come and collect the materials also. He only gives me a little amount rest is with him only," the watchman confessed as we shared worried glances.

"Who?"

"The secretary."

•••

"Yes dad, yes we have statements. Yes." I spoke to dad as the police was here to arrest both the watchman and the secretary.

The secretary was a middle aged man and already had police cases registered against him, he was a criminal living in the cooperative soceity.

Laksh and I did a little research on him before we entered his house with a gun and with our id's.

He was a psycho and was mentally unstable.

Seeing this, he was decided to be sent to the mental hospital after which he would live in jail.

The watchman for helping the psycho was given two years of jail.

Noone apart from the secretary and watchman knew about our identities and even now the police had not mentioned about the involvment of the agents as ordered by the director.

"Baapre, yeh tha jiske kaaran choriya hui," we heard murmers.

"Acha hua pakde gaye, finally we are safe."

We smiled at the statement and mentally patted our backs. No matter how small or unimportant the case was it did do something good for others I was contended with that.

"Ragu, I'll just come back in a second." Laksh quicklu said as he handed me his wallet and phone and keys.

I decided to hear what the police was talking while the time my phone rang.

"Laksh, we are coming with her. We know where you live at this moment. She has waited a lot Laksh and now she deserves it. You said wait, she waited. Now were not hearing any of your protests. The marriage is fixed for the next month. We are coming."

••••

Heylo!'

So how was it?

One more chapter!'

And then the epilogue!

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Love!,
Meethi