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"Words in double quotes" - Talking

'Words in single quotes' - Thoughts

Chapter 13 - Tiffs

She watched as her feet took her forward, one after the other. She could care less where she was going, as her mind was preoccupied with what Durgaprasad had told her.

A past that was forgotten, but was impacting the lives of many. His words echoed in her mind clear as day.

"This is a lie I told to keep my sons...both of them, Sanskar and Laksh, safe. And I would do it over and over again if it means their safety. And please Ragini, do not tell this to either of them."

'A lie, even if Bade Papa told it for them, isn't right. No matter how many accept it, a lie would never become the truth.' Ragini thought in her mind. "If only he didn't ask me to keep quiet about it. I could reveal it to Sanskar. It would stop hi-woah!"

Ragini's eyes widened as she felt herself go out of balance. What made it more life threatening was the fact that she was at the edge of the stairs. Time seemed to move in a slow motion as her thoughts rushed in a lightening speed.

One thought was constant.

'Is this my doom?'

However, she felt a hand on her waist which pulled her back.

"Gotcha!"

Ragini at once turned and hugged the person out of fear and gratitude. She was shaking like a leaf with tears leaking out of her eyes. Her breaths came out in short pants as she still felt the tremors from what was about to happen. "T-thank...thank you."

She felt hands encircle her. "Thank you for being okay. I thought...I thought I almost lost you." she felt his chest rumble as he uttered those words. He too seemed to be shaking.

Suddenly, Ragini realized who's voice it was and immediately pushed away from him. "Laksh."

"Are you okay?"

She looked down and nodded. "Ye-yes."

As she stared back into his eyes, she felt like she couldn't look away. His intense gaze seemed to pull her in.

No matter how much Ragini wanted to think of it as a delusion, she knew the fear she saw in his eyes couldn't be faked.

The fear for her safety.

The worry and fear that she saw in his eyes was something that made her heart feel warm. 'No! I must not let it sway me. Not again!' she looked away, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. As she watched the stairs leading downstairs, she could not help but swallow hard and shiver.

She just had a close encounter with death. If it wasn't for Laksh...

"What we're you thinking? Can't you see where you are going? What in the world Ragini?!" Laksh shouted in anger.

"I...I was thinking about something an-"

"What could be so important that you didn't notice you were about to fall towards your doom!?"

"Laksh, I'm sorry okay? I'll be more careful next time. It was a one time mistake I won't repeat."

"A one time mistake that would have cost you your life!"

"I didn't mean for it to happen!" Ragini defended.

"If you don't know how to walk the stairs, then don't come up!"

Ragini grit her teeth in anger and embarrassment. "I said I'm sorry, didn't I?"

"Sorry doesn't pay the bills! What if you fell? Your sorry won't reverse the effects!"

"Stop treating me like a child. So what if I was careless this time around. Sometimes stuff like that happens. I'm human after all!" she countered back.

"Such ignorance and irresponsible behavior. I can't believe it! You're acting like those air headed bimbos." Laksh snarled. 'What if I lost you? What if I never got to tell you truly...how much I love you? Don't you realize how important you are?!'

Ragini didn't notice his hands still shaking in fear for her. All the words he was hurling at her only served to make her more angry. "It's my life! I'll live as I want! So what if I was acting like them? Maybe I was thinking about diamonds and shopping like them. Maybe I was thinking about boys like them! What's it to you?!"

"Boys? So you were thinking about some guy, huh?" Laksh taunted, clearly pissed off. Jealousy combined with anger was a dangerous mix. "Where was that guy now when you needed him, huh? I bet he's nothing but a coward and a cheat."

"Shut it! I can go and date anyone I want according to my choice. You don't put your nose in it!"

"Like you would know what's it like to go on dates. You've been only confined to the kitchen and those behenji type clothes all your life! Like a smart guy would date you." he sneered feeling victorious. However, he realized his mistake a little bit too late. He let his jealousy cloud his judgement. "Ragini I di-"

"Enough. You said it at last! That's what you think of me, don't you?"

"I crossed a line in my anger. I'm sorry. I...I didn't mean to." Laksh apologized. 'I shouldn't have said that. Why do I always end up making things worse!?'

"Whatever Laksh! It's good to know what you actually think of me." saying those words, Ragini turned and stormed down the stairs. She angrily rubbed away at her eyes, refusing to shed tears because of him.

"Shit!" Laksh didn't miss her glossy eyes, or the drop of tear that left her eye as she turned. "Ragini! Ragini wait! Ragini!" he chased after her down the stairs.

Ragini refused to slow down for him. Tears of frustration and sadness leaked from her eyes with each step.

As they stepped in to the front lawn outside the house, they didn't notice the people there.

Laksh almost had caught up-to Ragini. "Ragini stop! Ragi-"

"Laksh!"

Laksh flinched as he recognized that annoying voice. "Oh, hey Swara."

"There's Laksh. You finally found him. I'll leave now, alright?" Sujata left the place with a wave.

"Go away Laksh. Besides, Swara wants to speak to you." Ragini muttered in annoyance.

Ragini noticed Sanskar from the corner of her eyes. 'I won't exactly tell him what Bade Papa said, but...but I'm sure there is a some way for me to make him see the truth! There's gotta be!'

"It's good Chachi left. Now I can be close to you without any one to hide from." Swara giggled, clinging her arm around Laksh's. "Aren't we the sweetest couple, Ragu?"

Ragini, however, didn't have any interest in her idle chatter. "I guess." she mumbled, looking off towards where Sanskar and Sujata were chatting. 'More like plotting.'

#With Sanskar#

"What did you want to speak to me about Maa?"

"I think I have a solution to our problems. One where Ragini won't be a threat to us anymore."

Sanskar raised an eyebrow at her suggestion. "I'm listening." he flinched suddenly. 'Why does it feel like someone is digging holes into the back of my head.' As he looked back, he noticed Ragini glaring their way. 'Ah. Wild bird.' he turned to smirk at her.

#With Ragini#

She grit her teeth as she noticed Sanskar's smirk.

"Ragu? Ragini!"

"Huh? What is it Swara?"

"I was just pointing out how Laksh and I are twinning today."

'When will you grow up Swara?' Ragini tried to smile at her. "It's wonderful Shona."

"Ragini! Will you please listen to me?" Laksh pleaded.

"I would rather not." she turned her face the other way, only to be met with Sanskar's gaze at a distance, waving politely to mock her.

'Oh how I would love to punch him in the face. Or somewhere he would not easily forget!' Ragini thought in rage.

Laksh noticed her line of sight. 'Why is it always Sanskar who gets her attention? Why is he so important to her when she doesn't give me a moment to explain myself?! This is not fair!'

"Lak-"

"Swara let go. I need to talk to Ragini."

Swara looked taken back by his tone. 'Wow there! He never talks to me in that tone.' she glared at him. "What's wrong with you? What's with the nasty attitude?"

Laksh rolled his eyes and detached her hand from his arm. "I'm not a dog to always come and want to be patted by you. Understand that." he was too angry to fake politeness at the moment.

"Don't talk to her like that!" Ragini defended. "You think you can say anything to anyone you like?!" she shouted, her earlier anger resurfacing.

"Yes I can to it to those who are idiotic enough to not know how to walk!"

"How dare you?!"

'Haha...oh dear. Lucky just called her an idiot. She's gonna cry now. That's all she does! Time to play peacemaker and console her.' Swara placed a hand on her shoulder. "Ragu dear, he di-"

"Shut it Lucky!" in her Ragini shoved Swara's hand away unknowingly and stepped forward to point a finger at Laksh's chest. "You little arrogant, pompous, condescending, irritating, annoying, flirty jerk!"

Laksh's eyebrows scrunched up in anger and he lowered his forehead to her eye level. "You little pesky, short-tempered, ungrateful, arrogant chatterbox!"

"What did you just call me?!"

"You heard me!"

They were now butting heads as they glared each other in the eyes.

"Now, now, it's never good to fight guys. Please calm down. And Ragini, don't cry al-"

"Cry? I'm not gonna cry Swara. I'm gonna make him cry for insulting me and you."

"Ragu, forget it. Let's play nice, okay? Lucky, you as well. Wh-"

"Don't interrupt me Swara. I'm not going to back down from this ungrateful girl who doesn't even know to say a simple thanks!"

Swara felt like a third-wheel as she watched them fight. 'Even Laksh is sidelining me because of Ragini!' Swara pretended to feel faint. "Oh this heat! It's giving me a headache. Oh! Oh my!" she plopped down on the ground hoping to get their attention.

However, to her utter disappointment, they were too busy arguing to notice her. In anger, she got up and she kicked a brick. She didn't realize she put much force in the hit. She realized the error after it flew and hit Ragini on the knee.

"Ah!" Ragini cried out as she stumbled because of the hit. She would have fallen down if it wasn't for strong arms holding her up.

One of his hands was on her waist, the other was clutching her shoulder. As she looked up, she felt his piercing gaze on her.

"That's the second time I saved you. You're a magnet for trouble, aren't you?!"

As he kept looking at her with those emotions of anger, care, stubbornness and worry for her well-being, Ragini felt her heart heat up. Under his gaze, she squirmed as felt various emotions rise up. Shyness? Denial? Longing? Lust? Love? Like a teenage girl experiencing new attractions, she felt her throat go dry as he kept looking at her.

What was happening, she didn't know. All she could do was swallow the lump in her throat and hide her red face by looking down.

"Cat caught your tongue?" Laksh taunted. Ragini abruptly broke free of him and rushed inside without a word, leaving him dumbfounded. "What...what just happened?"

"Such a child! Why is she acting like a teenager in love? So immature." Swara commented. "Don't worry Lucky, she's shy like that."

'But she changed after we became best friends. She doesn't act like she used to with me. She's more outgoing an-' he blinked.

And blinked again.

A small smile broke out on his face as he recalled the way Ragini behaved just then. 'Does this mean I still have a chance? She said once that she no longer loves me, she no longer wants me. But all the signs point to one thing. She still...she still...she really does still.." Laksh smiled like a big burden had been lifted from his shoulders. "..loves me."

"Of course I do Lucky!" Swara tried to pull him into a hug.

He moved away from her and straightened up. "Sorry Swara, I got to be somewhere."

"What is more important than spending time together? I don't get it. Why do you seem to be avoiding me?! Don't you love me?"

'Right now, I wonder how I ever fell in love with you. Don't you realize there are other things beside you. You don't comprise of the entire universe.' Laksh thought in irritation. "There are more important things than you, you know.  See you later."

"But Lucky...Lucky, come back here!"

As he walked away without an explanation to her, he couldn't help the smile that broke out on his face. He felt hope bubble up in his heart.

Ragini still loved him, even if she was denying it.

'And I plan to win her back! I shall win her before the love she has for me disappears. I'll give my everything! But first...' he stepped into the house and looking determined. "Baba, I would like to have a word with you."

Durgaprasad looked up at him from the book he was reading. "Sure Laksh. Speak up."

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~ 🌹 Mona 🌹