Hhhiiiiii!

Have you all heard the song Hymn of The Weekend? I'm sure you have.

But try listening to its Pitch Remix Version. You'll fall in love with the song. 😍😍😍

Anyways, Onwards!!!

"Words in double quotes" - Talking

'Words in single quotes' - This

(Words in braces) - Telephone conversations

Chapter 5 - Princess with a Crown

Sanskar paced around in agitation in his room. "Everything is ruined. Everything is ruined Maa!" shouted Sanskar, as he threw the glass vase on the floor, breaking it into pieces.

"Sanskar, don't shout so much. They might hear you." Sujata advised. She didn't want the rest of the family to know that Sanskar was faking his madness. It would ruin their plan to take revenge on the Maheshwaris.

Sanskar gripped the table in anger, hard enough to make it creak. He took deep breaths to calm his raging mind. 'All because of that Ragini! How dare she break off her marriage?! I thought she was so blinded by her love for Laksh, that she would never let their marriage break. But she was the one who broke it! Unbelievable!'

Sanskar opened his drawer and took out a photo album. 'They are spoiling my revenge. They're spoiling my promise to you.' he spoke, gently touching Kavita's photo.

"Beta, you mu-"

"Leave me Maa. I want to be alone with my Kavita for a moment."

Sujata wanted to comfort her son, but did not oppose to his wish. She silently went out of the room.

Sanskar looked at Kavita's photo in sorrow. "Why did you have to leave me? I feel so alone in this world without you. No one seems to understand me. Nothing seems to go my way. Why? Why did you leave me all alone Kavita? Why!?" he sobbed, holding her photo close to him. The silence in the room was deafening, enough to make him feel suffocated in it.

Suddenly, he heard footsteps approaching his room. At once, he pushed the album under the bed to hide it from view. Sanskar got up on the bed and pretended to be asleep.

"Sanskar?" he heard Ragini's voice. He felt the bed dip beside him as Ragini sat on the bed. "Sanskar? You're asleep already?"

Ragini looked at his face and smiled. "Sanskar, don't lie. I know you're awake."

Sanskar gave up and opened his eyes with a glare towards her. He desperately wanted to lash out at her for breaking the marriage. All he wanted to do was grab her neck and squeeze it. However, he still needed to keep up his act of madness. 'But that doesn't mean I can't be mean to her.'

He crossed his hands in front of his chest and turned away from her. "Go away!"

"Eh? What did I do?"

'You ruined everything bitch!' He gritted his teeth in anger. "You broke the marriage with Lucky. Now you can't come visit me."

"Aww...I'm sorry I disappointed you Sanskar. But it was for the best you see." Ragini went around the bed and faced him. "Your Lucky wants to be a good adult like your Adarsh bhai. And I want to sing. Don't you want you dost to become a big singer?" She asked him in a tone one uses to talk to a child.

'Lies! All lies. Laksh is manipulating you into believing his lies. The truth is that he loves Swara! I think you're lying to the family as well to save him.' Sanskar balled his hands into fists to control his anger.

"I won't leave you Sanskar. I'll be visiting."

"Yes you will leave! You're lying! Dost, you're a liar!"

"I'm telling the truth Sanskar. Dadi will allow me to come here. And even if she doesn't, I will come to meet you, alright?" Ragini consoled him. She put forward the plate to him. "Now, let's eat, shall we?"

However, instead of taking it, Sanskar swatted her hand away, making the plate fly out if her hand and fall into pieces on the floor.

"Sanskar! What have you done!?" Ragini asked in shock.

"I don't want to eat! I won't eat!" he shouted, imitating a child.

Ragini refrained from scolding him, thinking he was acting so because of his madness. She sighed and went to pick up the pieces. Only then did she notice the broken glass pieces of the vase on the floor. 'Did Sanskar do this? He must be really upset over the broken marriage alliance.'

Ragini crouched down and began picking up the pieces.

Sanskar kept looking at her with utmost hate. From the corner of his eyes, he noticed a shard of glass lying on the floor. Seeing it, Sanskar's sinister mind started working.

Sanskar looked back at Ragini who was busy collecting the broken pieces. With stealth, he got up from the bed and picked up the glass shard.

With an evil smirk, he started walking quietly towards Ragini. 'My madness will be the excuse that will save me from your murder. Even if you don't die, I can injure you fatally and create havoc for both families.'

#Dining hall#

Swara got up from her seat and approached Laksh. "Laksh, can I talk to you for a moment?"

Laksh's face broke out into a broad smile. 'Moment? I won't mind if you want to talk to me for a year!' he nodded and got up from his seat. "Sure Swara." together, they excused themselves and left towards the corridor to talk privately.

Once alone, Laksh turned to her with a smile. "So? What did you want to talk about Swara?" he asked cheerfully, hoping she was there to tell him that she forgave him.

However, his smile disappeared on her words. "What blackmail material do you have on Ragini?"

"Eh? Swara wh-"

Swara raised a hand in front of his face. "Enough! Don't try to act so innocent. I know you very well. You must have somehow blackmailed my sister to break off the marriage. I wouldn't put it past someone like you. You would do anything to get your way!"

Laksh looked at her with sorrow, hurt evident in his eyes. "Swara, trust me. I didn't blackmail her. Believe me! I didn't do anything to force her to end this marriage. Trust me!"

"Trust? From the likes of you? Yeah, right!" Swara scoffed.

Laksh looked away, unable to look at the hate in her eyes. If anyone else had spoken the same words, it may not have impacted him that much. 'But the same words hurt more when it is from someone you care about a lot.'

#Sanskar's room#

Ragini was busy picking up the pieces when she saw something under the bed. In curiosity, she extended her hand and brought it out. 'An album? But what is it doing under the bed?'

Ragini opened it and began looking through the pictures, without knowing about Sanskar nearing her with the glass shard.

As she flipped through the pictures, Ragini noticed that it contained many pictures of Sanskar with a girl. 'This must be his girlfriend. They look so beautiful together. But where is she now? Why isn't she with him anymore?' one of the pictures had the name 'Kavita' written below it. A sudden thought struck her. 'Could it be that...that she's dead? Is that the reason why Sanskar lost his sanity? Is Kavita's death the reason?'

Her eyes softened in realization. "Poor Sanskar."

However, she wouldn't have said those words if she looked back at the same person she was taking about, ready to strike her.

'Goodbye Ragini Gadodia.' Sanskar raised the glass shard above his head and got ready to strike Ragini. He brought his hand down to stab her through the back when...

"Kavita was beautiful."

Hearing those words from her mouth made him pause. He peeped over her shoulder to see her looking at around their photos, still unaware about him about to attack her.

"You both look so happy together. Both of you look so happy in each other's arms. I...I feel sorry you both got separated. Kavita would have been perfect for you." Ragini spoke in a soft voice. She was lost talking to the picture.

Sanskar looked the photo with moist eyes. Those moments of him with Kavita were some of the best moments in life for him. Losing her was like losing his reason to live. Five years may have passed since her death. But the wound was still raw. He still longed to see her smile, he longed for her touch, he longed to hear her voice.

The glass shard fell from his hands with a 'clank' on the floor as he stood there, lifeless. He closed his eyes recalling her. 'Kavita, I miss you so much.'

Hearing the sound, Ragini looked up at him shock and confusion. "Sanskar? I thought you were sitting on the bed. When did you get here?" she noticed the glass shard near his feet. At once, she pulled him away and made him sit on the bed. "That may harm you. Don't get down from the bed until I rid this place of all the broken pieces, alright?"

However, Sanskar paid her no mind. He kept looking at the album. He slowly took it out from Ragini's hand and touched Kavita's photo. He looked up when he felt a hand on his shoulder. "You really miss the lady in the photo, don't you? Do you still remember her?"

That brought Sasnakr to the reality. He remembered that he needed to keep up the act of a mad man. "No. I don't know. Who...who is this dost? Is this your friend? And-and why am I there? Why am I there with her? Huh, dost, why?" he asked like a child.

Ragini looked at him with sympathy. 'So he doesn't know her. Poor guy, he doesn't even recognize his love. But then, how did this album get here? Maybe Sujata Maa had brought it here in hopes of making Sanskar remember the past.'

Ragini got up and took the dust-pan from the corner of the room. She collected all the gathered glass pieces on it and straightened up. "I'll go throw this out, okay Sanskar? You wait here." saying that, she turned to leave.

"Dost wait!" Ragini paused on the doorstep when she heard Sanskar shout.

"Yes Sanskar? You need anything?"

'Why? Why did you seem so genuinely sad when you saw the pictures? Kavita is a stranger to you. Yet you seemed to care. Why?' he wanted to ask. However, that would reveal his fake madness. Instead, he spoke. "Why were you crying dost? Did that photo trouble my dost? I will tear it then!" Sanskar felt terrible uttering those words. He would rather rip his own heart than rip Kabita's photo.

"No! No Sanskar, don't do it. It didn't trouble me. I was crying because you deserved to be happy with her. You're a good soul Sanskar." Ragini gave him a soft smile and left the room.

Sanskar looked down at his hands. At that moment, he felt an emotion he didn't think he had in him. It was something he hadn't felt for ages. Something he thought he could never feel again.

Guilt.

#Corridor#

'Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words can never hurt me. Yeah, right. Whoever said that proverb must have a big hypocrite!' Laksh thought to himself as he continued trying to convince Swara. " I didn't blackmail Ragini.Believe me Swara! I love you. I won't ever lie to you."

"Why should I value your love when you didn't value my sister's?"

Laksh tried to clam her down by placing a hand on her shoulder. "Sw-"

"Shut up! I don't want to hear any excuses from you anymore. Either tell me the truth about how you managed to blackmail Ragini. Or I will expose your lies in front of everyone! You're nothing but a liar! Just a cheap liar!" She accused, smacking his hand away from her shoulder.

Laksh winced at her words. Swara's words hurt him more than her when she physically hit him. "Swara, just listen to me once."

"I do-"

"Swara, Laksh didn't blackmail me." came a voice from behind them. They turned to find Ragini standing there. "I myself agreed to break off the marriage."

"But Ragini, you love him. There is no way you co-"

"I could, I can and I did Swara." Ragini walked closer to them. "Swara, I know you're trying to be there for me. It's true that the real reason for breaking the marriage is his love for you. But the decision was my own."

"Ragini, you love him so much! You expect me to believe that you're giving up your love just like that? Without hurting? Without heartbreak?!"

"I'm not that fragile Swara. Yes, I know you think that I'll break down any moment. But that's not the case anymore. Whatever heartbreak, pain, sorrow was there, it helped me grow stronger. Now, I'm past it. I'm sorry for not seeking your help, but I'm okay now. I can take care of myself. I've been broken, but I picked up each piece of meand rebuilt myself, stronger than before." she placed a hand on Swara's shoulder. "Whole life, I've acted like a maid to other's happiness. But now...now I will try to be a princess and keep my head high, so that my crown doesn't fall off."

Laksh smiled at her. He has seen her suffer too long. it was nice to see this change in her, the new and bold Ragini. 'Looks like the caterpillar finally turned into a butterfly.'

Swara looked at her sister with moist eyes. "I'm...I'm happy for you Ragini." she rubbed away her tears. "I'm glad you're okay Ragini. So very glad."

"Um...Ragini? What happened?" Laksh asked pointing at the broken glass pieces on the dust-pan she was holding.

"Oh, this? Just a little accident in Sanskar's room. Nothing much. Can you show me where the dumpster is?"

"Sure. Follow me."

Swara watched them both leave. She stood there, blinking to herself. Unexpected didn't begin to describe what she felt after witnessing the new Ragini. Her mind felt conflicted. While she was happy for her sister, she also felt a little uncomfortable with her new attitude. No matter how hard she tried to deny the feeling, she felt a little envious of Ragini, as well as a sense of fear. Fear that Ragini would overshadow her importance in everyone's lives.

#Outside#

"There it is." Laksh pointed out as he and Ragini walked upto the dumpster. He held the lid open, while Ragini dumped the pieces in it.

"Ouch!"

Laksh looked at Ragini in worry. "Are you okay?"

Ragini put pressure on her bleeding finger with her dupatta. "Its nothing Laksh. Just a small scatch."

"What?! Let me see."

"It's just a tiny li-" however, without giving her a chance to finish her sentence, Laksh forcefully grabbed her hand and looked at the injury.

"Little? Little?! Its oozing blood. Why are you so careless? You're an adult for goodness sake!" Laksh chided. He pulled her along with him towards the house. "This is not expected from you Ragini. You act so responsible and mature. Yet, you can't even drop the pieces without hurting yourself? Ridiculous!"

Fuming in anger, he took her to his room and made her sit on the bed. He walked towards the drawer and got the first aid kit for her. Laksh placed her finger on his lap and started treating the cut. "So irresponsible. I never expected such childish mistakes from you Ragini. How could you?" Laksh finished his treatment by wrapping her finger with gauze.

He sat back and looked at it, satisfied with his work. Only then did he notice that the empty dust-pan was still in Ragini's hand. At once, he snatched it from her and threw it away. He kept glaring at it. "Good-for-nothing dust-pan. Its all because of you that this happened. Stupid, idiotic pan."

In response, the dustpan remained unmoving as it was, making Laksh glare at it harder.

He heard a giggle to the side and looked at Ragini. Ragini's cheeks looked puffed and reddened, while her eyes were glittering with tears. This made Laksh's worry go over the edge. "Ragini? Ragini what's wrong?"

Ragini couldn't hold it anymore and burst out laughing. Laksh could see her eyes water from laughing so hard. "Eh? Ragini? Are you okay? Usually people feel pain when they are hurt. And here you are, laughing?"

Ragini struggled to breathe as she kept laughing. "Laksh, you...you didn't see your face. Ahahaha...!"

Laksh looked at himself in the mirror. "Eh? Everything seems fine."

Ragini calmed herself and rubbed away her tears of mirth. "Oh Laksh! It was only a simple cut. Yet, your face was like as if you saw me bleed to death. You're acting like a complete mother hen! Not to mention the fact that you're having a conversation with a dustpan."

"Well, so what?!" his response only made Ragini laugh harder. "Okay, if you keep laughing at me, I'm not talking to you anymore. Your best friend was worried for you and you're laughing at my concern?" Laksh huffed out in irritation.

Ragini chuckled and held her ears. "Okay. Okay, I'm sorry, alright? So so sorry!"

Laksh rolled his eyes. "Fine fine. I'm forgiving you this time. But be ready to face my wrath next time. I will fight you for sure!" he joked.

"Like you fought with the dust pan?" Ragini teased, a smile tugging at her lips.

"You're being ungrateful. At least you could say a little thank you to me for bandaging your wound."

Ragini raised her wounded finger and showed it to him. Laksh blushed in embarrassment as he looked at the amount of gauze he applied on it. "Laksh, this isn't how you bandage a wound. You practically used the entire gauze over this tiny cut. My finger looks like its wearing an egg-shell now." Ragini said in amusement.

Laksh tried to glare at her for making fun of his first aid skills. However, he couldn't hold his laughter either when he looked at his handy-work.

"Hey, share the joke with us as well." spoke Parineeta as she and Annapurna came towards Laksh's room hearing their laughter.

Ragini smiled at them. "Its nothing Parineeta bhabi. Just Laksh being silly."

"Hey, I'm not!" Laksh pouted.

Annapurna chuckled. "Alright you both. Ragini, we were trying to find you actually. Your family is about to leave."

"Oh. Thank you for informing Badi Maa." Ragini touched her feet and gave Parineeta a hug. "Bye everyone."

"Wait! I'll see you off." Laksh exclaimed and left with her.

Annapurna turned to Parineeta. "Did you see what I saw Parineeta?"

"Yes Maa. I still can't believe it! Laksh, as in our Lucky, allowed someone to enter into his room. Laksh doesn't let anyone other than his family members to come here!"

"I know Parineeta. But we both saw him chat with ragini in his room." Annapurna let out a smile. 'Although he claims to love Swara,I don't think he has let even Swara enter here till now. But today...today, he let Ragini into his room, the place he calls his solace. Like his room, I hope for the day when he lets her enter into his heart as well.'

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To be continued...

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~ 🌹 Mona 🌹