The Runaway Bride (Epi 8)

Hey TUeeples! How’re you all? Long time, eh? Well, sorry for making you all wait so long. But your dear writer had a minor accident. Yup, I had a minor accident, due to which my right hand’s wrist has got a swelling. Can’t type much. But I can’t stay completely without you guys and you comments as well! Therefore, I’ll post for sure, but irregularly, till I recover completely. But guys, please please please keep supporting my ffs! PLEASE KEEP COMMENTING! That’s the only thing that’ll make me write soon.

Thank you guys for your comments in the last epi. I’ll keep trying my best to entertain you.

A big thank you for supporting and loving ‘Possessed’. It means a lot. I’ll post the next part as soon as TU allows me to do so! I’ve tried umpteen times to upload, in vain! They say that minimum character requirements aren’t met. Great kidding! Anyway, I’ll keep trying to upload, tho!

Enough of talks, let’s focus on this epi now!

~~

“R-ragini!!”
“Finally! You’re here!”
“Wh.. What happened to her?”
“I don’t know.. Perhaps, panic attack? I don’t know! She came before my car.. And..”
“You.. You hit her? Accident?”
“No Laksh! Let me complete! She was already lying there.. On the road.. Unconscious. Thank god I diverted my car! Else.. Anyway, when I reached her, she was muttering your name. So..”
“Thank you! Thank you so much Kavi! I.. I was so worried! Specially when you sent me her picture! God! Thank you so so much!”
“It’s.. It’s okay Laksh. How do you know her? I haven’t seen her before.”
“I think we should first take her to my place! That’s more important! Ragini! Ragini.. Open your eyes Ragini! I’m here! Get up!! Kavi, I’m..”
“Sure! I’ll.. Follow you in my car.”
“Okay! Fast!”

Laksh and Kavita together managed to make Ragini lie on the back seat of Laksh’s car. Laksh then started towards his place, with Kavita following him in her car.

•••

“Allah! What has happened to her? Ragini beta! Laksh baba!! What happened? Why is Ragini unconscious?”
“Ariba bi, call the doctor!”
“But Laksh baba.. Doctor? I mean..” she pointed towards the poster.
“Damn!”
“Baba, first tell me what happened to her?”
Laksh narrated everything that Kavita told him.
“Allah!! Don’t worry baba, I’ll take care of her.”
“Hm.”

Laksh went downstairs, to the hall, his mind filled with everything that happened since yesterday. What if Ragini would have been hit? What if something bad would have happened to her? She had certain bruises. What were they? Her hands bore marks of something rope-type. Was she tied? God! Was she kidnapped? Did they hurt her? Ofcourse yes! Those bruises! Her forehead! Did they hit her? Jeez! She should be fine. Asap! Only she can tell her what happened. Why is she unconscious? What ha..

“Laksh, how is she?” Laksh’s trail of thoughts were broken by Kavita, who was waiting for him downstairs.
“Ah, she’s.. Still unconscious. But, hopefully she be fine soon!”
“Oh. Hope so.”
“By the way, thanks Kavi! I mean..”
“It’s fine, Laksh!” Kavita smiled.
“Hm.”
“Laksh?”
“Hm?”
“Uhmm.. How.. How do you know her?”
“What? Hooww do I.. Know her?”
“That’s my question.”
“Uh.. Yeah! She..”
“Laksh, I’m your fiancée now! You can share everything with me! Also, I.. I have a right to know everything related to you. Isn’t it?”
“Uhm.. Yes.. Ofcourse! You’re.. Right!”
“Who is she?”
“She.. Is Ragini!”
“I know that already, Laksh!”
“Then what else do you want to know?”
“Laksh!”
“Ohkayy.. She is.. Uhmm.. Swara’s friend! Yes! Swara’s friend! Haha!”
“But Swara never told me about any Ragini!”
“She didn’t? Ah.. Well.. Yes! She.. She is her new friend!”
“Okay, but why is she here?”
“She.. Here.. She’s here.. Because.. Because..”
“Because?”
“Because.. Uhmm.. She’s Swara’s friend! Swara requested me to receive her from the airport. But, I missed her. And then she decided to come on her own. But this is the first time she’s here in India. So, she got lost! I was finding her and you found her and then you know!”
“She’s here for the first time, right? Then how come she was muttering your name back then? It seemed like you both know each other and share a great bond and that you both are very close! And you were also tensed as if she’s your life!”
“Uhb.. Uh.. She.. She was calling me out.. Because she just knows me here!”
“Laksh you..”
“Kavi, it’s late. You must be tired. Would you prefer to stay here or..”
“No, I have work.”
“G’night Kavi!”
“Night Laksh!” Kavita smiled and went out. Laksh heaved a sigh of relief as he heard her drive away..

“Baba..”
“Ariba bi.. How’s she?”
“Conscious.”
“Thank god!”
Laksh ran towards Ragini’s room, where she lay, staring out at the window.
“Thank god you’re conscious now!”
“Laksh!” Ragini smiled and ran to hug him. Laksh hugged her back.
“I’m sorry!”
“No Laksh, I’m sorry!” Ragini hugged him tighter. Both stood there just like that. The moment froze for them. Time stopped. One found solace, while the other found security.
“Are you fine?”
“Yes.”
“Never run away like this!”
“Never!”
“Do you have an idea how much worried I was? I was searching you like a madman! Where were you heading to?
“Even I didn’t know where I was going. I didn’t think much about it. But I was coming back! I know it was very foolish of me to run away like this, but I was rectifying my mistake! I was waiting for a bus to Mumbai. But..”
“But?”
“But I got kidnapped!”
“I know!”
Ragini broke the hug. She looked him into his eyes. Dark brown, but deep. Very deep. She was startled by the fact that he didn’t react much to her kidnapping news. Why? How? Did it not matter to him whether she got kidnapped or whatever happened to her? But, wait. He said he knew it! What? But how? Does he have some magical powers, or..
Laksh smiled at her confused face.
“Yes, I do possess some powers!”
“Wha??”
Laksh chuckled at her reaction. It was like she had seen some ghost. He slowly held her hands and showed her the rope-marks.
“I have the power to not ignore what’s in front of me!”
“Uh-oh! So this is how you know!” Ragini laughed at her thoughts.
“But Ragini, what had actually happened? Who kidnapped you? Were they brutal? Did they hurt you much? Why did..”
“Sshh! Mr. Future! Calm down. Do you really think anybody can even touch me? And the goons? Well, they were most poor souls I’ve ever met! Hahahaha!” Ragini then narrated everything to him. Laksh stared at her wide-eyed, all the while. His mouth hung-open.
“You’re impossible dude!”
“I know, Mr. Future!” Ragini winked.
“Poor them! They should’ve asked me once about you and your tortures! I would have stopped them from the misery they suffered!”
“Hawwwww! I torture you?”
“Doubt, eh?”
“You idiot, stupid, mean creature! Wait! I won’t leave you now! I’ll torture you for real!”
Ragini ran behind Laksh, and hit him with cushions, while Laksh tried to escape.
“Ah!”
“Ragini! Are you alright?” Laksh ran towards Ragini.
“Yahh.. Just.. My head! It’s.. Spinning!”
“You take rest! You’re weak!!”
“Hm. I’m fine..”
“Sshh!”
“Okay, Mr. Future!”
“Now sleep! G’night Ms. Runaway!”
“Goodnight!”

•••

Laksh stood at the window, reminiscing the hug. Why wasn’t it awkward? Why did it feel so good? Why does a smile appear on my face whenever I recall it?

•••

Ragini too was smiling, recalling the hug. I never felt so safe before. It was like I was most secure in his arms. But why? It should have felt wrong. But, it didn’t. Why? Maybe because.. He’s my friend? Yes, ofcourse! He indeed is my friend! That’s why! She smiled and drew the blanket closer as she drifted off to sleep.

•••

“Ariba bi!! Is Ragini awake?”
“Yes baba. And she’s better now!”
“Thank god!”
“Babaa.. What’s this? I mean..”
“Oh this! Actually.. I prepared this soup for Ragini. She’ll feel better.”
“You made it yourself? But you don’t know how to cook..”
“Yes! Uhm.. I.. Learnt it from the net. Ariba bi, can you take this to her?”
“Me? Baba you made it so you should..”
“Bi, just do as I say. Please! You take it. And please don’t let her know that I’ve made it. Please please please?”
“But baba..”
“Please na!”
“Okay! As you say.”

Laksh handed the tray to a reluctant Ariba bi and watched as she went upstairs. His thoughts were broken by the doorbell.
“Who might be here at this time?”

“Kavita?”
“Hey Laksh! See, who I met at your front lawn!”
“Lucky!!” The person yelled excitedly.
Laksh stood there, all shocked to see the person there.
“Swara!!”