You know, I started watching Rishta Likhenge Hum Naya recently and gotta say, Dia is just awesome awesome awesome! But she deserves a better guy if you ask me. I mean, Ratan is cool. But still... It's kind of a habit to see Ragini with Laksh on the screen, and with Sanskar in fics, no? 😂😂

Moving on... 💃💃💃

"Words in double quotes" - Talking

'Words in single quotes' - Thoughts

(Words in braces) - Telephone conversations

Chapter 9 - The Truth

With a last parting glance, Ragini headed inside towards Sanskar's room. "Sa-" However, Ragini's words disappeared from her mouth as she saw the scene before her, making her gasp in shock and horror.

There, inside the room, lay glass shards all around, some even with blood on them. "Sa-Sanskar?" she called out in a soft voice on reflex. She stepped into the room with silent steps, careful not to step on the pieces. 'If it was a thief, he may still be inside. Better not make a noise. But what could they want in Sanskar's room.'

Ragini looked behind the door to make sure no one was hiding behind it. From the corner of her eyes, she saw Sanskar near the wall.

Ragini let out a sigh of relief. She was about to approach him when she noticed his hand on the wall.

Not just any part of the wall...

But where Durgaprasad's photo was hung.

Sanskar's hand was bleeding, but still he kept it fisted over the photo frame. As Ragini looked to the floor, she noticed another photo frame lying there.

It was of Laksh.

The glass of the photo was missing. Now, she didn't have any doubt left on where the glass shards on the ground came from.

Sanskar's voice brought her attention back to him.

"Why?" he spoke out loud. "Why did you do this to me? Why did you steal my happiness Bade Papa? What was my fault?! What exactly was my fault!?"

Ragini placed a hand over her mouth to cover her gasp. 'He sounds...he sounds normal. But what about his madness. He seems to be cured all of a sudden. But how!?'

Sanskar raised his fist and hit the picture again. "Why!? Why!? Why!? Why did you kill Kavita?! Why did you end my happiness?!" he punched the frame over and over again until it finally fell down on the ground with a loud crash.

Ragini watched with fear and uncertainty as he stood there with ragged breaths. He balled both his hands into fists and took rapid breaths to calm himself. Finally, he seemed to get control of his rage and let out a deep breath.

Ragini watched in horror as he started cackling to himself.

"But that's okay. I'll even the score soon. I'll avenge Kavita's death by taking revenge on you and Lucky. I will ruin your so called pride and I'll make sure Lucky never gets his love! I'll do anything to get my revenge. Anything!" he turned to look at Laksh's photo on the ground.

Suddenly, he saw a shadow and looked up. "Ra-Ragini?" he spoke in shock and fear from being caught red-handed.

"All this time...all this time you were acting? You...you lied to me? To everyone in your family!?"

"Dost, I ca-"

"Stop calling me dost! Your cheap tricks won't work on me anymore. I'm telling everyone about your truth!" she turned around to leave. However, Sanskar ran upto her and pulled her back. She tried to struggle but he was stronger.

Sanskar pushed her towards the bed, making her fall on it with a thud. He went away and locked the door, thus blocking the way of her escape. "You're not going anywhere."

#Dining hall#

'Ragini's cooking is really good. Her future husband will be lucky to get a wife like her.' Laksh pouted at the thought. 'Why do people need to marry? Can't they just stay with friends in their lives? Does Ragini really need to marry!?'

Swara put down her cutlery and smiled at him. "Okay. I'm done! What about you Lucky?"

Lucky, on the other hand, was too caught up in his own thoughts. 'But that's how the world works. People need to marry. *sigh* I wish Ragini and I didn't have to marry though. Then we can remain happy as we are without all the responsibilities and stuff. With the entry of my wife and her husband, we won't be allowed to be so close to each other.'

"Hey Lucky? Are you even listening?"

An idea popped into his mind and he chuckled. 'Maybe I should just convince her that we should marry each other. That way, we can continue with our crazy antics without any one coming between us. Not a bad idea.' he thought playfully. However, as the truth of the matter settled in his mind, the spoon dropped comically from his mouth. 'What the heck did I just think?!'

"Laksh?" still not getting any response, Swara nudged him on the arm. "Laksh? Laksh!"

"Huh? What? Um...did you need something Swara?"

"No, I don't need anything! But you seem to need something. And that is an 'attention retention' pill. Where were you lost? I have been calling you for ages!" she answered in a dramatic tone.

Laksh let out a nervous laugh. "I ah...I um...nowhere! I was lost nowhere. Just in...in your eyes!"

Swara blushed at his words and blinked her eyes for extra-effect. "Is it so? Are they really that interesting?"

"Of course they are!" Laksh acknowledged, although he knew it was a thinking something else entirely. 'I wonder what would happen if I tell her I just thought of my and Ragini's marriage.' an image of Swara slapping him over and over came to his mind. 'Nah, definitely shouldn't tell her. But if it was Ragini, she would have laughed at this joke I bet.'

If Laksh would have had thought harder, he would have realized that he wasn't offended by his thoughts either. In fact, he seemed to entertain the thought of his and Ragini's marriage.

Laksh shook himself out of his thoughts and looked at Swara. 'That earring would look good on Ragi-damn! There I go again comparing both of them!!

His mind was busy on two things. One, he couldn't understand why he was comparing Swara to Ragini in every sense. And the other, on what Sanskar and Ragini might be doing. Laksh could feel his jealousy rising to its peaks at the thought of them together.

By now, Laksh left trying to deny his jealousy of Sanskar. After all, Ragini was his special person...someone who he didn't want to share with anyone.

Swara entwined her fingers with him. "It's such a lovely evening. Let's go on an evening stroll, shall we Lucky?"

The closeness between them, which should have made him happy, was only serving to make him uncomfortable. "Um...maybe some other time perhaps?"

"No. Right now!" Swara stressed. "After all, I want to be familiar with the neighborhood since I'll eventually marry here."

From the corner of his eyes, Laksh saw Parineeta passing. "Parineeta bhabi! Bhabi, over here!"

Parineeta came closer on his shout. "Yes, Lucky?"

Laksh got up, removing Swara's hand from his in the process. "Bhabi could you please take Swara out for a stroll? She wants to explore the place."

"But I want to go with you!" Swara exclaimed, getting up from her seat.

Parineeta looked at him in confusion. "If she wants to go with you, why don't you take her? After all, she's your friend." Parineeta reasoned, although sometimes she suspected something more between the them. 'Lucky and Ragini aren't lying to us, are they? Nah! Ragini won't lie to us.'

Laksh quickly tried to think of an excuse. "Because...because I...I got a stomach bug and need to use the bathroom! Bye!" without waiting for a response from the ladies, Laksh ran away.

#Sanskar's room#

Ragini got up to her feet and glared at him with utmost hate. "I will! Just watch me. I won't let you hurt Laksh."

Sanskar smirked. "Really now? You actually think you can beat me at this game? Don't kid yourself."

"Don't underestimate me Sanskar. I'm not a weakling!"

"I never called you a weakling." he spoke as he approached her. Ragini stepped back as he edged closer to her. "I know you're not a weakling Ragini. But you are an emotional fool!"

"What!?"

"What else am I supposed to call you Ragini?" Sanskar questioned, looking her in the eye. "You're still fighting for the one who left you for another? Who used you? Who didn't give a damn about your feelings? What else do I call you?" he lowered himself to her eye level and smirked. "Or maybe I should call you 'pathetic'?"

Ragini knew what he was trying to do. He was trying to pick on her weaknesses, trying to break her with his words to manipulate her. But she knew better. "I don't care what you think. I don't care what you have to say! All I know is that there is no way I'm letting anything happen to Luck-aah!" Ragini exclaimed as he held her harshly by the arms and brought her closer.

"You pathe-" however, as he stared into her painful expression, he could feel his guilt overcome his anger. He loosened his hold on her. Their increasing closeness was bringing forth another emotion in him. Never had he been this close to Ragini. But now, as he stared her in the eyes with only a hair's distance between them, he could fel his heart pounding loudly in his chest.

"Let go of me!"

Her voice brought him back to reality, making his anger return. "Lucky, Lucky, Lucky! Why is it always about him? Why is it always about that murderer!?"

"Shut up! Lucky isn't a murderer. He can't be!"

"You only know Kavita was killed since mother revealed only that to you. But you don't know that it was Laksh and Durgaprased who planned her murder." Sanskar grit out. "Lucky is a murderer! He and Durgaprasad are the ones that killed my Kavita. They both are murderers!"

Ragini gasped at his words, but refused to believe him. "You're delusional. They can never do such a thing!"

Sanskar let out a sarcastic laugh and pushed her back, making her stumble onto the bed. "You talk like you know everything. But you know nothing! You don't know what their true faces are. Those two are the biggest hypocrites I've ever seen. They're sly foxes wearing the masks of innocence!"

"Whatever! I don't believe a word you say. And even if I did, you would only prove yourself to be a coward by this fake drama of yours. Why don't you confront them and challenge them like a man!? Too scared?"

"Because that would not bring me as much satisfaction as when I see them break from within."

"Unbelievable!" Ragini looked at him with disgust and tried to move past him.

However, he held her back. "You can go only when you promise not to tell anyone anything."

"You have got to be kidding me! Of course I'll tell everything to everyone. Then, you're getting arrested."

Instead of seeming afraid, Sanskar smirked. "No you won't. Because if you do, I'll reveal Lucky's truth to everyone."

Ragini narrowed her eyes at him, dread filling her heart. "What truth? There isn't anything Laksh is hiding from anyone!"

"Really now? Not even about the fact that he loves Swara? Isn't that why he cancelled his marriage to you?"

'How did...how did he know about that!?' Ragini tried to put on a brave front. "Me and Laksh refused to marry now because of our own aims and ambitions. We just postponed our marriage. As for Swara, she's just a good friend of his."

Sanskar snorted. "Oh please! Don't try to lie to me. I know all about what's going on. I know all about his love for Swara. To say the truth, I don't see what Laksh sees in that selfish, arrogant two-faced misfit. As if there was a lack of girls in the world!"

"Don't insult my sister!"

"Yeah yeah, whatever. My point is you won't say anything about me to anyone. Or else I'll reveal everything about Laksh as I go. Once that happens, either Bade Papa will kick out or disown Lucky and your family will start hating both you and him. Or maybe the elders will marry you two A. S. A. P! In a way, it will be a win-win situation for me!"

Ragini's confidence flattered at his words. After all, he wasn't wrong. She was now caught between a rock and a hard place. On one hand, she wanted to save Laksh from Sanskar, and on the other, she needed to save him from being exposed. She felt Sanskar come near her and looked up at him.

"Do you realize now? Do you see why you can't win?" she stepped back as he kept moving closer. "Do you see how I'm the predator here? Do you see how I control the game? All you can do is simply nothing!"

Ragini's back hit the door, preventing her from moving further. Sanskar smirked and looked right into her brown orbs. "Face it Ragini. Even if you know the truth, you're helpless in this situation. You can't help anyone! So help yourself. Keep yourself out of this mess and go on as you usually do. I don't want to hurt you. But if I must, I will." saying so, he pushed her back.

Ragini was so shaken by his intense gaze that she didn't realize when he opened the door behind her. His push broke her out of her fear and made her look back at him from outside his room.

"Goodbye Ragini." Sanskar bid her with a smirk. "See you tomorrow, dost."saying so, he shut the door in front of her face.

Ragini fisted her dupatta in anger. All she wanted to do was run up to the hall and tell everyone the truth. But that would mean Laksh's doom too. 'I should at least tell Lucky. He and I can work together and find some solution.' making up her mind, she ran towards Laksh's room.

#Laksh's room#

Adarsh's eyes darted from left to right as Laksh kept pacing inside the room. "I'm still waiting Lucky. You called me to help you. But you still haven't said a word to me about it till now."

"It's...it's not that easy!"

Adarsh rolled his eyes. "But pacing from left to right won't help solve it. You will only drive a hole through the carpet."

"I don't care about the carpet." Laksh bit out.

"I do! I bought it."

"Will you stop worrying about it and worry about your little brother for a moment! I'm in a midlife crisis here!"

They heard footsteps approaching and looked towards the door.

"Lucky you nee-" however, Ragini stopped speaking upon seeing Adarsh there.

Adarsh understood her reasons and chuckled. "You know, you both aren't even married yet, but act like husband and wife with secrets." he got up and smiled at Ragini as he passed by the door. "But don't hide about the news about your kids after you get married! Bye!"

Ragini and Laksh both blushed at his implications and looked down in embarrassment.

After a moment, Laksh cleared his throat. "Yes Ragini?"

Ragini opened her mouth to tell Laksh about Sanskar. However, on seeing his distressed state, she stopped herself. "Is something wrong Lucky? Did everything go well with Swara."

"It did...sort of...kind of? I don't know!" he exclaimed, holding his head in his hands. "She was behar just like I wanted but I just...I just..."

"Just what?"

"I just ran away from all the attention she was giving me."

Ragini looked at him confused. "What?"

Laksh started pacing around her. "I thought it would be nice. But then I didn't feel the same and I thought it wasn't right and...and everything was beyond my understanding. And...and...and...ugh! I just don't know anymore Ragini. I don't know what I want or what I need!"

Ragini placed a hand on his arm. "Okay. Okay, first calm down alright?"

"Ragini, ever felt like you just want to open your head and toss it around until all the tension was done for and then stick it back in place?"

"Eh?" his words were confusing her. "You aren't making sense Lucky."

"Ragini?"

"Yes Lu-" before she could make sense of it, she felt him pull her into a hug. He held her tight in his arms as his breaths came out ragged. He seemed close to tears.

Ragini could feel her own heart pound in her chest. His closeness was bringing back past feelings. However, they quickly left her without effecting her. After all, she wasn't the crying, gullible fool like before. "Lucky? What's wrong?"

"Shh Ragini! Just...just don't say anything. Just don't move, don't speak, don't do anything! Just let me stay like this for a moment." he spoke in a soft voice. "All I can feel around me is chaos and uncertainty. But with you in my arms, I...I feel secure. Let me be this way for sometime, please. Just for some moments."

Ragini could feel a change in him. His behavior towards her was changing. Laksh may not realize what was happening to him, but she was. She wasn't ignorant of how he had been acting recently and had some suspicions. And now...now her suspicions were being confirmed.

She sighed to herself and let her arms stay by her side instead of hugging him back. 'But I don't want to be hurt again. And neither can I feel the same passion for you that I once had Lucky. My feelings for you now are as a friend. I'm too afraid that if I move beyond it I...I will be hurt and broken again. I'm sorry Lucky, but a best friend is all I can be to you now. '

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To be continued...

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🌹 ~ Mona 🌹