Back with the 17th OS.

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Scene created / Idea credit : Sweety444444

Moving on... 💃💃💃

"Words in double quotes." - Talking

'Words in single quotes.' - Thoughts

Timeline - When Laksh and Ragini are to be engaged for the second time.

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In Your Shoes

Laksh gasped as he felt cold water on his face.

"Serves you right!" chided Annapurna. "A young boy sleeping so late like a berojgar person."

"Maa...it's Sunday!" Laksh whined. "And just when I was having a wonderful dream!"

"About?"

"We were a rich family. Father owned our big company named Maheshwari Enterprise. And I had a lover named...named...I forgot, but it started with R. But I loved her sister Swara-ow! Stop hitting me."

"The only thing your father owns is that old Maheshwari croaking frog!"

"Maa, it's called an Ambassador car."

"Whatever! Stop daydreaming and get ready. We're going to Ragini's today. They called us for lunch."

At her name, Laksh jumped up and rushed to get ready.

Yeah, he was smitten with Ragini ever since his parents showed him her picture as his to-be-bride. However, Ragini refused him. However, Laksh paid it no mind and concentrated on the present.

She had accepted him again. And he was the happiest man alive!

#Gadodia Mansion, 2pm#

Laksh sat down beside his parents, trying hard not to gap at the place. It always filled him with awe at how luxurious the place was. However, none of its beauty or riches mattered to him as much as Ragini. Seeing her no where amidst the family members, he frowned.

"Um...Where's Ragini?"

"Aww Jiju, can't stay without a glimpse of her, eh?" giggled Swara, Ragini's younger sister.

Laksh rubbed the back of his head with a blush. "I-Its..."

"Oho Swara! Stop teasing him." Ragini's mother, Shramishtha teased. "She's in the garden. She told me she'll be here shortly though."

Laksh didn't know if it was his imagination, but Shramishtha seemed to grit out the words. 'Is something wrong? Ragini can be too stubborn at times. Maybe she did something to upset them. Better not give them more reasons to be angry on her.'

"It's okay." Laksh got up. "I would like to see her garden myself. I'll go get her."

"That would be good." Shekhar nodded and asked a servant to show him the way.

#Garden#

"Here it is Sir." with a bow, the servant left the place.

Laksh hummed as he walked forward into the beautiful garden. 'Ah! It's amidst tall sunflowers is where Ragini is I bet.' with a smile, Laksh walked forward. He was basically skipping in his steps out of excitement to meet her.

Laksh finally found her, stroking the petals of a sunflower.

"Ra-" however, his voice was drowned by a louder voice calling her.

"Ragu!"

At once Ragini's head jerked to the side. From where he stood, Laksh could only see half of Ragini's face. However, her wide smile was unmistakable.

'That was definitely a male voice. How could he call her by her nickname when even I'm not allowed?!' Laksh thought with a pout.

As he hid and watched, he saw a guy come and stand before her with a smile. He was good looking, Laksh noted. 'Maybe he is a friend? Or cousin perhaps?' his doubts were crushed when he saw Ragini surge forward and pull him into a hug. 'Calm down Laksh. Friends and family hug all the time. You mustn't misunderstand! But...but that guy's hands are a little too low on her back to be termed as a 'friendly hug'!'

Laksh controlled himself from panicking as best as possible.

"I'm so glad you're here Sanskar."

The one called Sanskar sighed. "Ragini, we can't keep meeting this."

Ragini broke the hug and glared. "Why not?! Just because our families are against us, doesn't mean we'll listen. We love each other!"

The sound of a gasp made their heads turn in that direction.

It was Ragini's turn to gasp. "Lucky?!"

Laksh stood there like a frozen statue. His world turned upside down with what he heard.

'She...she loves him. But she agreed to marry me? How could she cheat on me? You know how much I love you Ragini. And yet...Ragini, how could you do this to me?!' Laksh balled his hands into fists and glared at Sanskar. "You. Leave right now!"

"Hey, look man! I di-"

"Shall I call her parents?"

"Sanskar leave...please." Ragini pleaded, not willing to cause a scene. "I'll call you later."

Laksh watched with withheld fury as she hugged him goodbye.

Ragini turned to him with a sigh once they were alone. "I can see you've got questions."

"What about how you were cheating on me?!"

Ragini flinched and looked down. "I never wanted things to turn out this way. Infact, I wanted to tell you the truth from the start."

"Then why didn't you?!"

"Because I couldn't hurt my parents. I love them so much!" Ragini cried out. "So I thought I'll agree to their proposal. But request them 2 months time before marriage. In that time, I was sure I can convince them that Sanskar is a suitable guy for me."

Laksh let out a humorless chuckle. "Did you even stop to think that I'll be heartbroken...again?" he whispered the last word painfully.

"I'm sorry Lucky. You're a great friend but..." she came closer and placed a hand on his arm. "But I love Sanskar. Besides, your love for me is just an obsession. It'll go. You'll find better girls than me."

Laksh moved away from her. "Obsession? That's what you think of my love?!" Laksh sneered and turned away to hide his tears. "You know, I love you so much that if you came to me and told me the truth, I would have helped you convince your parents to accept Sanskar, even if it killed me on the inside. But you never understood my love."

"I'm sorry, but..."

"But your parents' and Sanskar are all that matter to you right? That's why you never gave me a second thought. My happiness could be sacrificed in order to get your own. You would make everything easy for yourself, and leave me to suffer?"

"It's not like that La-"

"Then what is it like?!" Laksh screamed, turning to look back with red eyes filled with hurt and anger.

Suddenly, Ragini began singing.

"It's a big, big world...
And it's easy to get lost in it..."

"Stop it Ragini."

"You've always been my..."

"RAGINI!"

Ragini started shouting. "WE CAN GO NOWHERE BUT UP!"

Laksh's eyes snapped open as he fell off the bed. He heard his phone's ringtone.

*NOWHERE BUT UP WOAH-OH-OH!*

Laksh received it immediately. "Hello?!"

"We're you sleeping?! Aishhhhh! Everyone's waiting for you downstairs. Don't be late for your engagement with Ragini!"

Laksh swallowed hard. "I'll be right there Adarsh bhai."

Laksh cut the call and sighed. Now he remembered.

He had locked himself up in his room and fell asleep. He didn't want to get engaged with Ragini. He loved Swara!

But now, after the dream, he couldn't help but feel guilty.

Laksh raised a shaky hand to touch where his heart was. He could still feel the pain of his heart break. 'Just like I broke Ragini's. If I break the engagement today, she'll be hurt...again.'

He couldn't find it in him to hate the dream Ragini. After all, it wasn't it what he was doing? Sacrificing the real Ragini's happiness and dreams without a thought to fulfill his own? Wasn't he being the same selfish person?

He understood both did and were doing it for their family. But now, after living in Ragini's shoes, he knew how wrong it was.

Laksh sighed and finally made his decision.

Later...

Ragini shyly looked at Laksh who sat beside her as the families chatted. However, her smile dimmed when she noticed his sad downcast gaze.

She noticed his grin at Adarsh, but it disappeared when Adarsh turned away.

'Isn't he happy?' making up her mind, Ragini placed a hand on his. "Is something wrong Laksh?"

As Laksh looked at her innocent face, he couldn't help but feel at ease.

Yes, he finally decided to be selfless and do something that would bring happiness for his family, as well as Ragini. He sacrificed his feelings for Swara. It hurt him, but at least he didn't feel like a abominable jerk.

"Laksh listen. If you're really now happy with this engagement, then tell me. I'll..." Ragini sighed painfully. "I'll break it."

Laksh was shocked beyond words. The devotion that Ragini's eyes was same as his dream self. He loved her dream version just as much as this Ragini loved him...enough to even let go if it meant the others' happiness.

Laksh smiled...a genuine one."I'm okay."

"You're really okay with it?"

'Your love for me is love in its pure form. I'll be a fool to deny it!' Laksh nodded. "I won't lie. I only like you as a friend. But I want to like you as something more. Can you help me with that?"

Ragini couldn't help but smile back. "I can. And I will!"

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Hope you like it Sweety444444. 🤗

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~ 🌹 Mona🌹