Okay so I have asked you people to vote for the male protagonist opposite Ragini. Laksh got the votes and Sanskar just one, so this OS is going to be RagLak. Enjoy reading.
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The moment I saw her, across the lawn, laughing at my brother’s poor jokes, I just knew she was different. Weird right? Even I felt the same that time, and I am still of the opinion that it’s weird.
Dressed in a gorgeous lime colored suit, never had thought that even lime color could be this gorgeous and a suit! A full sleeved anarkali suit, damn I wasn’t the suit type of a guy! I love my woman in short and less clothes but there was something in the lady in lime that attracted me to her like a fire attracts a moth. Though I am very very and very handsome than a moth, but she, she’s the fire that ignited an unrecognizable spark in me.
I sure it wasn’t my brain that made me walk towards her, but still I kept walking until I was at her arm’s length. And like a bucket full of ice water on the ignited spark, her laughter died as soon as she saw me. What the? Did I scared her or something? And then she scrunched her nose as if she smelt something bad. Dude I can’t smell bad, hell I don’t smell bad, after spending 2 hours in shower, using the costliest shower gel and then the cologne, no one can smell bad after such efforts. What the hell was her problem?
I glanced at her from head to toe and then back to the head which had these wavy, dark, and long hair attached to it, her eyes shining bright, her nose still scrunched up, her reddish pink lips twisted in a scowl, dude what the hell was this chick’s problem? No girl/woman ignores Laksh Maheshwari!
And then my all the time interfering little brother decided that finally it was time to intervene and do introductions. Great, simply great!
“Hey Bhai!”, he slapped my shoulder lightly but I was so into the lady in lime that I couldn’t even bear the light slap and because of that sudden move I fumbled lightly but successfully fell on the lady in lime. My my she was soft everywhere, my hands were itching to touch her, remove the dark tendrils off her face, but as if we both were the similar poles, she got repelled and pushed me away.
No one, when I say, I mean it, no girl had been ever repelled off me like this, now I was getting irritated.
“Idiot”, she muttered, and my brother chuckled. Ha! I really looked like an idiot, still lying on the grass. Call it my luck day, will you?
Dusting off my clothes I stood up straight, my irritation exploding, “Ha! You shouldn’t be standing in the middle like the Statue of Liberty then!”, and added a shrug for the magical effect.
“Huh! Then what are you, poor little willowy weed, that just flows with the air? Dumbo!”, she retorted, God she was definitely a fire, and I love to play with fires, ahaan.
“And what about you, Miss Lame Lime? You..”, before I could snap back at her, my brother interfered again.
“God! You two still fight like stupid 12 year olds!”. At this statement of his, me and the lady in lime looked at him, shooting dangerous, poisonous daggers. Woah! Wait a sec. Did he really just said that we, I mean me and the lady in lime, still fight like 12 year olds? 12 year olds? 12 year? Oh shit! This couldn’t be happening with me. God nooo! My f**king nightmare, Ragini Gadodia!
“Feelings are mutual Jumbo-Dumbo!”, she said. Did I said it all out loud? Looking at hers and my brothers’ expression, I guess I did.
“As if, I care. These are your ears, you can hear what you want..”, I said pulling her ears, “..and this is my mouth, I can speak what I want!”, I said tapping at my mouth. There, I got my confidence back, well it was still there inside me, but it just had wandered off to somewhere else. Whatever!
“And as if, I care too!”, she snapped at me, and then went away, inside, in my home. My. Home.
“What the hell is she doing here?”, I questioned my brother who had this sheepish look on his face.
“Bhai, actually..”
“Yeah I am hearing!”, I said, tapping my foot.
“Actually she got an internship to work under Manish Malhotra, and she came to Mumbai just a day back. She couldn’t find a suitable place so when she asked me to find…I just suggested..”, he smiled at me. He had the nerve to smile at me.
“And you suggested that she could stay here, at my place. At. My. Place. What the f**k Jay. You know I hate her, and she reciprocates the same feelings, then why the hell would you do this? I bet she hadn’t agreed to this when you suggested this fantastic idea to her. How the hell did you managed to convince her to stay under one roof, same as me?” I questioned him. In case you are still wondering as to how I know that the lady in lime, as in Miss Ragini Gadodia naa, Chashmish sounds better, well she happens to my brother’s childhood best friend, our ex-neighbours and my worst enemy.
“Yeah, totally! She point blank refused to stay here and I had to do hell lot of convincing/begging, and so she had to agree. No one can resist my puppy eyes, pouty look.”, the jerk grinned at me.
God, what the hell was I thinking when I first saw her. Such thoughts about Chashmish, eeeww, that gives me creeps. Ignoring my jerk of a brother, I went inside the home, suddenly wanting to sweat off my irritation, so I decided to sweat it at gym.
I slipped off my shirt and started running on the treadmill, and my thoughts wandered back to my childhood. Me and Jay are twin brothers, not identical ones though. It was my Great Grand Dad who laid the foundation of Maheshwari Empire in the construction business, my Grand Dad and my Dad worked hard and took the company to new heights and even diversified the business. They started a consumer goods manufacturing company and a textile mill too. Our parents died when we were just 5 years old, that was a hard blow to the family as my Dad was the only child. Our Grandparents took care of us, but they too died when we turned 19. So it’s just me and Jay now. And we both are handling the whole family business, and we are no less than Richie-Rich.
Chashmish, as in Ragini came into our lives when we were 12. She was our new neighbour . We used to go to the same school, play together, eat together, but never laughed together. Well what can I say? She turned out to be my brother’s best friend and it somehow affected the bond between me and my brother. Well in my defence, I was just a 12 year old kid back then, who was still trying to recover from his parents death and wanted to keep my brother, my best friend to myself only.
Me and Ragini were never friends. She used to have these huge spectacles resting on her nose, and pigtails and I loved to make fun of her. Well she really looked like a cartoon I tell you! Things lead to dislike, and dislike lead to hate. She had what I wanted, parents. You can say I was plainly jealous of her, yes I was.
After 6 years of neighbourhood, she had her family shifted to Delhi, and I sighed of relief. But now she’s back and to my utter displeasure, I was, believe me I WAS attracted to her, but when I got to know, that who she is, the balloon of my attraction got deflated that moment.
“Hush!”, I sighed as I stopped running. Time to shower again, because this time, I really smell bad. Using the towel I wiped the sweat off my hair and face as I walked towards my room. Guess it was really a bad day for me, as I bumped into something and fell on my face.
“Aahhh..”, I yelled and “Ouch” I heard.
Somehow I managed to stand up. I felt something wet on my nose, touching my nose I felt the wetness on my fingers and that wetness was my blood, “Oh God!” I turned to see the object that lead to my fall and damn it’s Chashmish again.
“What the hell were you doing, lying on the floor like a speed breaking bump on the road?” Did it seriously rhyme? What’s so funny by the way!
“I wasn’t lying you idiot!”, she yelled back, “I was just picking up my earring, which had slipped off my ear.”, she waved the ring of cluster of lime and black colored stones.
“See what you did..”, I said wiggling my fingers in front of her.
She shrugged, “So what, can’t you handle a little blood. If not, you should walk carefully then.”, and by this she left. Just left. What the!
“Aarrgghhh…”, I pulled my hair out of frustration.
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At Dining Table
So after the little accident, I took shower for the next 2 hours…what doesn’t a man need to groom and pamper himself? Then I had to bandage up my nose wound, even with that I looked cute. It was time for lunch now, so here we are at the dining table.
“Bhai..”, I heard my brother chuckle, “What happened to your nose?”, he asked and that Chashmish, she had the audacity to laugh at me.
“Well Jay, your bother is no less than a walking disaster. He knocked himself down on the floor and see poor chap was bleeding.”, and there goes her laughter, my brother’s laughter and heck even the cook was laughing.
“It’s all your fault, Chashmish!”, I pointed a finger at her, “You were lying on the floor like a speed breaking bump on the road!”
“Not again..I told you, I was just picking up my earring.”
“Yeah right! You don’t have to make stories now, I know you want to hurt me!”
“I do not.”
“Yes, you do.”
“Chillax guys! You guys met after 7 years and still you fight on baseless topics.”, he shook his head, “Now can we eat, please?”
Huffing and puffing, we both sat down like good kids with Jay-the-mommy watching over us. This was just her day 1 at my place, with me and she already drew my blood, God what will she do in future. I shuddered at the thought.
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After 1 month
Fanfreakingtastic and mindf**kingblowing! I am doomed. I thought that I WAS attracted to Ragini but no, my lucky stars aren’t lucky anymore. I hate to admit but yes, I am attracted to Chashmish. The past one month was the perfect torture for me. Ragini had really grown up into a beautiful woman. Her s*xy curves, her soft body, the reddish pink, kissable lips, her eyes and her wavy hair. Damn! That’s why I said I was doomed. If I am attracted to her that doesn’t mean that we have stopped fighting over things, well yes, we still fight like kids. She’s very stubborn and I am more stubborn than her.
As I was walking towards my room, to collect some files, I heard Ragini and my brother talking. Ragini was on her knees and in front of Jay..Oh God..she wasn’t doing what you are thinking, heck I thought about that too, but when watched at a different angle, I saw that Ragini was pleading in front of Jay, with her hands folded and the lost puppy look on her face. Curosity took better of me, and I tried my hand, sorry, my ears at some eavesdropping .!
“Please Jay! Please!”, pleaded Ragini.
“Shine, I told you, I can’t go with you at the party.”
“But why?”
“Reason 1 – I absolutely hate public gatherings, you know that. Reason 2 – I had to go to Pune for this important meeting, which I can’t postpone.”
“And I can’t miss this part Jay,”, Ragini whined as she stood up, “There will be designers from all around the world and damn the couple entry rule.”
“Why don’t you ask Laksh bhai about it?”, Jay suggested. And I tell you, my insides started fluttering like freaking butterflies.
“What? Woah..no way I am asking Mr. Egoistic about that! I know, he would point black refuse!” replied Ragini. Ask me politely, and I won’t refuse Chashmish.
“Then do you have any other idea or any other guy to accompany you?”
Ragini just shook her head in negative. “Then go and ask Bhai. At least try.”
Time to intervene! Sobering up, I mask-ed my expressions as in I wasn’t eavesdropping a moment earlier, I entered Jay’s room and asked, “Jay, have you see the Mehta’s file?”
“No, I haven’t.”
“Oh ok..”, I shrugged. Ahaan, I can act.
“Do you want to say something?”, I asked and Ragini raised her brow at me suspiciously.
“No..not me, but Ragini here, has something to ask you.”, Jay pushed Ragini lightly in my direction.
Cocking my head I asked, “What do you want to say Chashmish?”
“Noth..”, Jay elbowed her, “Uh, actually,…Can you accompany me at Manish Malhotra’s party? It’s a couple entry thing and Jay is busy, so..”
“What’s the magic word?” Ha, on your face Chashmish.
“Please Laksh!”, she said sarcastically.
“A little softer”
“Pleassseee Laaakkkkssshhh..”, she drawled.
“Okay, okay! I will come. Just be ready at time, I don’t like being late.”, I turned away and smiled all the way out.
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After few hours
“God! This Chashmish is taking lifetime to get ready.”, I muttered to myself. From the past 2 hours Ragini was doing nothing but getting dressed for the party.
“What the hell is keeping you from coming outside the room Chashmish?”, I asked as I walked inside her room without knocking at the door at wow, she was a sight for sore eyes. But oh shit, I entered at the wrong time.
“Aahh” she shrieked, “what the hell, don’t you have manners? Couldn’t you knock before barging in?” she said. Well every girl would say the same thing, if she was trying to pull the zipper of her dress up and a man just barges inside the room. But I wasn’t sorry.
She was facing me and I got a clear view of her creamy back, that reflected in the mirror. It was a red colored strapless dress, that went down till her ankles, it had a slit on the left that started from her knee and at the back, the zipper, my God, the zipped started from the base of her waist, that’s why she wasn’t able to zip it up.
When she caught me staring at the reflection of her exposed back, she turned once again, now giving me a clear view, “Oh shit” I heard her curse, as she tried to zip her dress again.
Entranced, I walked towards her, and held her shoulders, gesturing her to stop fidgeting. Again my mind wandered off to somewhere else as I caressed her back from her neck to the base of her waist with my fingers, enjoying the feel of smooth skin. I moved more close to her, my breath fanning her neck and with a dangerous and torturous slow speed, I zipped up her dress.
Then I glanced at our reflection in the mirror. Ragini had her eyes closed and was taking long breaths. Seeing our reflection, just one word came out of my mouth, “Perfect”. Yes indeed, we looked perfect together.
At the mention of perfect, Ragini opened her eyes and we had a staring session with the mirror. Actually we both were looking at our reflection in the mirror and I bet she was thinking the same thing as me, that we looked perfect together.
“I guess we should get going now.”, she murmured softly.
“Yeah..”, I replied as I moved back, to give her some space.
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After 1 week
Shit! Yes shit. This one week was the most awkward week of my life. You ask why? Well at the party, we did this slow motion, close dance. It was damn torturous. She was so close to me, I was fighting off my attraction towards her, and my attraction won. As I caved into my attraction, I kissed her. Yes, you read it right, we kissed God, that was the overwhelming, heart shattering, toe curling, mind blowing, inferno igniting type of a kiss.
And since then, Ragini was ignoring me, she didn’t even retort back to my cocky and baseless remarks, hell I found it hard to make one. I was sure of three things now;
1. I don’t like, heck I plainly hate her ignoring me.
2. I was falling for her.
3. And I was falling very hard.
And I just couldn’t let her ignore me like this. It’s time to be a man (I am a man), talk to her and just explain myself. So that’s what I did. It was midnight. I sneaked inside her room. Shaking her I tried to wake her up, and when she did;
“What the hell!”, she yelled.
“Ssshhh..”, I shushed her. So now in low voice, she asked, “What the hell?”
“I need to talk to you.”
“About what?”, she huffed, pulling the comforter under her chin.
“Why are you ignoring me?”
She turned her face, “I am not ignoring you..”
Interrupting her, I tilted her face and stared at her, “Yes you are, after we kissed..”
“Laksh, we are not taking about that.”
“Yes we are! Why don’t you admit that you are attracted to me?”
“Laksh..”, she said pointing, as she hopped off the bed.
“Admit it Ragini.”, I said as I walked closer to her.
“Ragini..”, she moved back and I was still moving close to her.
“Admit!”
“Fine!”, she pushed me away, “Yes I am attracted to you, yes I like you. Done? See I admitted, is your ego satisfied now?”, she angrily yelled as she moved away from me.
It was time to explain it all. Closing my eyes, I sighed and started, “I was jealous.”
“What?”, she asked, now facing me.
“You heard it, I was jealous of you.”, her expressions that of a surprised one. “You had what I wanted, loving parents. After my parents died, it was hard for me to cope with the loss, after them it was Jay whom I was most close too but then you came and Jay got a new best friend and I felt as if you were snatching what’s mine.”
“Laksh I..”, I stared at Ragini, her eyes misty.
“And I hated you for that. As the time passed, and you grew into this s*xy little thing..”, Ragini chuckled, wiping her tears, “I was so damn attracted to you and I hated you for the attraction part too. You remember when you had a date with Ankush when we were in 12th grade and I spoiled it?”, she nodded in positive, “Well that was me jealous again, I just couldn’t see you with someone else.”
I sighed and Ragini moved close to me, wrapping her arms around my waist and her head rested on my chest.
“And then you left, I got Jay back to myself but I missed you. Missed our nonsense banters and fights. And after 7 years you came back again and believe me the attraction was still there and I like you too Ragini, like you a lot!”
“But do you think, it will work Laksh? Whatever happens between us, I am sure we would never stop fighting over silly things.”
“Haven’t you heard people say that we fight with those whom we love? I can’t let you go Ragini. I’ll make it work. Together we will make it work, as we are too stubborn to let it go, aren’t we?”
Raising her head she looked at me and smiled, “Yes we are!”
“So are we okay now?”, I questioned, wrapping Ragini close to me, tightening my arms around her.
“We are more than okay now!”, she sighed as she buried her face in the crook of my neck, and life was perfect!