RagLak: Is Everything really so Perfect as it seems to be? – Chapter 1 – By Ria

Raglak – Is everything really so perfect as it seems to be?
Segment 1

A/N: Thank you for your encouraging support. I’m overwhelmed with the response. This fiction is a journey from imperfection to perfection. I hope you all won’t stop reading this story after reading the imperfections.

Here’s the link to the introduction:

Intro

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Kapoor Mansion
I woke up as the sun rays fell on my face. I slowly opened my eyes and saw my mom drawing the curtains. I immediately pulled the blanket and covered my face. My mom came and sat next to me and said, “Ragini, get up. It’s late we need to start all the rituals now.” I quickly got up and sat up straight on my bed. “Go, get ready. Your clothes are there on the table”, said mom and walked out of the room. A broad smile covered my face as soon as I recalled my mom’s words. Finally, after so many days I was getting married to the love of my life. Suddenly, my phone rang and I picked up the call. “Hello”, I said. “Finally, the wait is over”, said a voice from the other side. “Yes Laksh. Finally!”, I replied. “Are you ready?”, asked Laksh. “I just woke up”, I replied giggling. “Today also Ragini?”, he asked. “Yes, and now I’m late so, talk to you later. Bye”, I replied getting down from my bed. “Bye”, said Laksh and disconnected the call. I kept my phone and went to freshen up.

After about an hour I came down to the hall wearing a yellow coloured salwaar as it was my haldi function. I went and sat down among everyone while my mom applied turmeric on my cheeks and later, everyone else present there also joined in. After around two hours, we were done with the function and I was covered in layers of turmeric. I quickly went to take a bath and then went to the parlour for my make over.

The groom’s family arrived I mean my in laws family and they received a warm welcome from our house. We started with the marriage rituals. We took rounds around the fire, exchanged garlands and then Laksh filled my hairline with vermilion and later, made me wear the mangalsutra. Everyone smiled as the marriage came to an end. Soon, it was time for us to leave for the Maheshwari Mansion. I saw my mom crying and said, “Maa, don’t worry. I’ll always be there with you. Paa, make maa understand na.” My mom and dad hugged me while crying. I wiped their tears and nodded my head in a no. I hugged my elder brother and said, “I’ll miss you bhai.” He placed his hand on my cheeks and said, “I’ll miss you too Ragini.” “Sanskaar, let them leave now”, my mom said controlling her tears. My brother nodded his head in a yes and soon we left for Maheshwari Mansion.

I stood at the doorstep as my mother in law did all the rituals of welcoming me in the house. I smiled at her and touched her feet. We entered the house while Laksh walked forward. “Laksh, you know the ritual of our house na”, said maa. “Maa, what’s the need to do all this?”, asked Laksh shocking me. I found something weird but, maa stared at him and soon he bent down and picked me up in his arms. I smiled at him while he ignored me. He climbed up the stairs and after walking for a while he made me stand. “The third room”, he said and left the place. I felt his behaviour weird. Laksh is a very sweet and caring person and he never behaves like this with anyone. I ignored the fact and thought may be he’s tired. I walked up till the room he told and entered the room expecting it to be beautifully decorated but, it was totally messed and looked like a bachelor’s room.

I walked inside the room and found things littered everywhere on the floor and bed. I started picking up the things when Laksh came in and said, “Keep those things and go sleep.” I turned around with a blank expression on my face. He took out a blanket and a pillow from the cupboard and threw it on me. It hit my face and fell down on the floor. “Are you out of your senses?”, I asked him. “There’s a mattress on the floor. Lay it down and sleep”, he replied ignoring my question. “Why do I need to lay down the mattress? Your room has a double bed”, I replied. “Just do what I say. You don’t have any rights to question me”, he said arrogantly. “What’s wrong with you? Why are you behaving like this?”, I asked him placing my hand on his cheeks. He jerked my hand away and shouted, “If you want to sleep then lay down the mattress otherwise you can get out of the room.” “Where is the washroom?”, I asked being a bit confused with his behaviour. “The servant’s washroom is there on the ground floor”, he replied unbuttoning his sherwani. “I need to change my dress. Where is the washroom?”, I asked frustratedly. “I told it’s there on the ground floor and if you don’t feel like using that then, you can just change over here”, replied Laksh shocking me. I walked upto him and slapped him tightly.

“What do you think are you talking?”, I asked. He held my hand and twisted it. He said, “Mrs. Ragini Laksh Maheshwari just get one thing straight into your head. You’ve no rights to question me, raise or your hand on me or do anything against my will in this house.” I tried to free my hand while he tightened his grip hurting me. I said, “Laksh, you’re hurting me.” “This is nothing Mrs. Maheshwari. Get ready for more.” I stood there shocked and said, “Why are you behaving like this? Don’t you love me?” He let out a faint laugh and said, “Love? I hate you and your entire family.” “Laksh, see I know you’re joking. Please I hate these kind of jokes”, I said. He left my hand and clutched my hair. “This isn’t a joke. It’s the reality of your life”, he said. I screamed in pain and he clutched my hair tighter. “Not a sound more”, he screamed. Tears rolled down my cheeks while he said, “Save your crocodile tears for someone else.” I pushed him away and walked towards my suitcase. I took my dress and was about to go out of the room when Laksh said, “It’s our first night and I don’t want anything happening between us to go out of this room so, you need to change in this room.” “Where is the washroom?”, I asked in a trembling voice.

“Don’t you understand the meaning of room?”, he asked me arrogantly. “This room has a washroom too. If you can’t tell me then I’ll look up for it”, I replied. Laksh walked towards me and pulled me closer to himself. He said, “You cannot change in the washroom. You need to change here or if you can’t, just sleep like this.” “How will I sleep like this? I have to change”, I replied as tears rolled down my cheeks. “That’s none of my concern”, Laksh replied pushing me back. I fell down on the floor as my forehead hit the table. My forehead started bleeding as I cried even more. Laksh took out the first aid from the cupboard and applied Dettol on the cotton. I nodded my head in a no as it burns a lot but he ignored me and cleared my blood while I clenched my fist. He put a band aid and walked away leaving me crying. “If you don’t want to sleep then get out as I’m very tired”, said Laksh laying down on the bed. I laid down the mattress on the floor and slept down while crying. I fell asleep pretty fast as I was very much tired after all the rituals and functions.

I woke up as someone splashed water on my face. I sat up straight and saw Laksh holding an empty glass. “If you’ve to stay here then, get used to waking up early”, he said. “Why are you doing this to me?”, I asked. He caught hold of my hair and said, “I told you yesterday that you’ve no rights to question me.” “Laksh, it’s hurting”, I said trying to remove his hand. “I don’t care. Now, get up and freshen up quickly as I don’t want a big massacre to happen in the house because of you taking a shower in the servant’s bathroom”, said Laksh. “I am not your servant that I’ll take a shower in the servant’s bathroom. I’m your wife”, I replied. “That’s only in front of the world. You don’t mean anything to me. Do you get that?”, he said arrogantly and walked out of the room. I walked towards my suitcase and while taking out my dress I saw our family photo. I cried hugging it and said, “I don’t know maa what have I done that Laksh is behaving so rudely with me. He says he hates me but, I can’t believe it. Please help me out maa. Please.” Suddenly, Laksh entered the room the room and shouted, “I told you to freshen up. Can’t you understand?” I quickly wiped my tears and walked out of the room.

While going down to the hall I saw an isolated room at the end of the corridor. I walked up to the room and was about to open the door when Laksh came and said, “What are you doing here?” I turned around and quickly replied, “Actually I don’t know where the servants’ quarter is.” “Ground floor”, said Laksh and walked back to our, sorry his room. I started climbing down the stairs as I questioned myself, “Is everything really so perfect as it seems to be?” My heart answered, “No.” My mind pondered about Laksh’s words while I went to the servants’ quarter and quickly freshened up.

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