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"Words in double quotes" - Talking

'Words in single quotes' - Thoughts

Chapter 9 - Best Laid Plans Always go Haywire

As she tried to rehearse her lines, she couldn't stop her mind from thinking about Laksh. His words kept ringing in her minds. He didn't know about her knowing, but it hurt her a lot. 'Broken...broken is all he can see in me. An ugly broken thing!' that was why had been avoiding speaking to him as much as she can since that day of hearing the truth from his lips. Except from performing their parts for their shoot, she found excuses to stay away most of the times.

Ragini threw down the pages she held on the table near her in anger. She sighed and plopped on the chair with a defeated look. Pulling her legs close, she put her head in her hands. 'Laksh, I can go days without taking to you, months without seeing you but...but there's not a moment that I wouldn't think about you. It hurts so much to know that you don't love me. It hurts so much to know that you think of me as a burden, an emotional mess!'

Her thoughts were broken when she heard the sound of footsteps growing louder. She looked up as she felt someone come and stand beside her.

"Hi Ragini. Are you...are you okay now?" Laksh asked in a soft voice.

Ragini didn't know how to respond. Looking at him brought back all the things that she heard him say about her the previous day to his mother. It hurt her to look at him in the eye. But at the same time, she was also glad to see him. Avoiding him, not hearing his voice, not seeing his face hurt her as well. She just kept looking at him, unable to choose the right words. Finally, she nodded mutely.

Laksh looked relieved. His shoulders relaxed as if a burden had been lifted seeing her respond to him. "Thank goodness! I was really worried about you."

"I...I'm fine."

"I'm glad. It really shocked me when you spoke to me in that tune." he replied with a chuckle, remembering back to the previous day when she answers all his questions with a cold 'yes' or 'no'. "Must have been because of your headache, eh?"

She knew what he was referring to.

Laksh had come to her the previous day, smiling, and told her that he wanted to talk to her. However, she told him to go away. She had just heard how he talked about her to his mother, and now he came to her with a smiling face?!

After all, she was hurt after hearing his chat. It pained her, as well as made her angry to look at his happy face. She felt spiteful because where she was suffering from heartache, he was being all honky-dory. When he wouldn't leave, she herself got up and left, telling him not to follow her and to "piss off!"

She flinched as she thought back. 'I guess I was unfair of it. He doesn't know I heard him. Of course he has the right to be happy if he wants to. Why should I be jealous of it?!' Ragini tried to smile, but it came out more as a grimace. "Y-yeah. I guess so."

Laksh gave her a bright smile. "Good! Now I can finally tell you what I wanted to! Ragi-"

"Good evening Ragini, Laksh." interrupted a voice.

They looked towards the voice to find Udip approaching them.

"Udip. Hi there. I...I...um..." Ragini flushed in embarrassment as she remembered how rudely she behaved with him the previous day. "I'm sorry for yesterday."

She herself couldn't believe that she lost her cool in front of Udip and even called him a stinking pig, that too in front of some of the crew members. Even though he did deserve it, didn't mean she should have insulted him.

"Its okay Ragini. I already let it go. The past is past." Udip spoke with a flirty smile.

Laksh could feel his eye twitching in irritation. 'Aa gaya kabab mei haddi. Why does this guy keep appearing at the wrong place in the wrong time?!'

"Still, I shouldn't have spoke to you like that. I'm really sorry Udip."

Udip took her hand and gave it a kiss. "Any mistake of such a beautiful lady can be forgiven by me."

Laksh's eyes widened and he at once smacked away Udip's hand from her. "Stop doing that!"

"Eh? I was just praising her beauty." he answered with an innocent look for his less than innocent intentions.

"You didn't need to kiss her hand for that!"

He shrugged. "Well, in a sophisticated society, that would be called being a gentleman."

"She isn't sophisticated, so quit doing that!" Laksh bit out. He didn't realize what he was saying or how his words would be interpreted. In his jealousy, he didn't realize that he had unintentionally hurt Ragini.

'Isn't sophisticated? So he thinks of me as some middle-class bimbo? Some low class trash? How dare he!?' Ragini pushed past him and smiled at Udip. Although she didn't like him, she did it to piss off Laksh.

"I really appreciate the gesture Udip. Thank you very much."

Udip was shocked that she complied so easily. However, he was glad she was taking the bait. "You're welcome, my lady."

"She isn't your lady! Watch your words!" Laksh shouted in anger and envy.

Ragini felt irritated to the core. She couldn't understand why he was acting that way. 'Why are you acting like you care when I know you don't! Can't you see it hurts me? You hurt me so much. Maybe...maybe you hurt me more than I deserve because I loved you more than you deserve.'

"Yes, I'm not his lady. But what's it to you? Why are you so affected by it, huh?!" she retorted. She was hurting. Anger was the only way she knew to express it.

"I...I...It's because..." Laksh wanted to tell her it was because he liked her. However, her actions were making him uncertain. 'She's defending Udip so much. Could it be that...that she likes him?'

"Forget about him. Its such a nice and beautiful evening. Would you like to take a walk with me around the forest?" Udip suggested, pushing Laksh back and standing before Ragini. "It won't be a bother, will it?" he asked in fake politeness.

Laksh grabbed his jacket and turned him towards himself. "She won't go anywhere with you!"

Ragini glared at him. He called her weak, he told he didn't want someone so broken. And now...now he was acting as if he cared about the fact that Udip was making advances towards her. 'Or maybe...maybe its because he thinks I can't decide on my own. He thinks I'm too pathetic. Well, I'll show him!'

Ragini went and hooked an arm around Udip's. "Sure. I would love to!"

Even the thought of being near Udip made her want to gag. However, she did it as it meant going against Laksh's decision.

To say Udip was surprised, would be an understatement. He had thought that he would need to do a lot to convince her. However, she seemed to agree without any effort of his. 'Well, I guess I shouldn't try to count the teeth of a gifted horse. I should just take it as it is.'

"What?!" Laksh exclaimed in disbelief and anger. If he was a bull, he would have jabbed Udip with his horns and tossed him into oblivion, with Udip screaming 'bloody murder!' He shook his head of those thoughts and looked at her. "How can you agree to go with the likes of him!?"

"Yes, I want to go with him. What's so wrong in it Mr. Laksh Maheshwari?" For a moment, Ragini thought she saw hurt in Laksh's eyes. However, she dismissed it, thinking she was imagining things. "This is my life you know."

"You're going with this guy? Are you out of your mind? He isn't right for you!"

"I can decide for my own. After all, I am an adult."

Laksh balled his hands into fists until his nails started digging into his palms. He felt hurt seeing her with Udip.

But more than that, he was angry at the fact that she was going with a guy that didn't deserve her. A guy who didn't value women and treated them as commodities of beauty! 'I'm trying to make her see the truth, but she is being so damn stubborn!' Laksh felt hurt and jealous, which only added all the more to his anger. 'If she liked some other guy who deserved her, maybe I would lay off. But he's a jerk!'

"You're making a mistake Ragini."

"I think not."

Laksh grit his teeth. 'Ugh! Fine then!' he told a step back and nodded calmly. "Okay then. Go and do what you want. I don't give a damn." he coldly stated looking her in the eyes and stormed away from them.

As she watched him go, she could not help but feel guilty. She wanted to go stop him, but she stopped herself. 'Did I do something wrong? He looked so sad. Or was it my imagination?' She was broken out of her thoughts by Udip's voice.

"Ragini? Lets go, shall we?"

"Udip I...I just..." she unlinked her hand from his and stepped back. "I just said it to shoe Laksh that I'm capable of taking my own decisions. I...I'm sorry I lied."

Udip could feel his anger rise. 'No! This bitch won't spoil my plan! I won't let this happen!' he managed to fake a smile. "It's just a walk Ragini. Please don't refuse." he made an apologetic face, trying to act like he was really sorry. "I...I want to apologize for the way I behaved with you when you first came to me for a film. And also for how I treated you on my first day here. Let's just take a walk, talk about our likes and dislikes and start anew as good friends. I really want to become your friend Ragini. Please don't refuse." he spoke, making a miserable face and holding her hands.

Ragini couldn't help but felt touched at his words. Thinking for a moment, she smiled. "Alright then. We ca-" she looked around and noticed that it had started snowing on the hill station as it neared sunset. She could feel the cold breeze even while wearing her coat. It would no doubt be very cold in the forest. "Let me get my scarf and gloves, alright Udip?"

"As you wish." Udip nodded and watched her go. He smirked to himself. 'Finally the day has come when I break your ego.'

Udip suddenly like someone was watching at him and turned back. When he saw the person in the distance, he smiled at her and waved with his confident smirk.

#Uttara's caravan#

"Two ice-creams?"

"Nope."

"Three? That should be enough, right Shona?"

"Nopety nope!"

He sighed. "Alright, how many?"

"Niki bhai, its useless. No matter what you give me, I won't reveal Uttara Di and my plan. Why are you even trying?"

Swara and Nikhil were currently inside Uttara's caravan. Uttara wasn't with them however. Nikhil was using the opportunity to the fullest to question Swara.

"Because I know you both working together means an apocalypse will strike!"

"Wow. A little too dramatic, don't you think, Niki bhai?"

"What else am I supposed to do when you're being a cheeky brat? Something is definitely fishy."

Swara grabbed her sunglasses gifted to her by Uttara and stood up. "Watch it! You're talking to the next child supermodel."

Looking at her, Nikhil felt like looking at a mini Uttara. Swara was already beginning to copy Uttara in her personality and actions. 'And now..now style as well?!'

"Supermodel?"

"Yep!"

"Being a little over-confident Swara dear?"

"I'm 100% sure that magazine is gonna choose me!" Swara waved behind her as she went out of the caravan, humming to herself. However, her good mood was ruined when she saw Udip standing there standing at some distance with her Di. She heard her sister speak.

"Let me get my scarf and gloves, alright Udip?"

"As you wish." Nikhil spoke.

Swara glared at him as he looked on towards her sister walking away. Suddenly, he turned directly to look at her. For some unknown reason, he was smiling at her, no doubt mocking her.

"Ooo why I ought to hi-"

"Calm down Swara. Don't forget he is related to Mr. Maheshwari." Nikhil spoke as he came up behind her. He didn't know the Maheshwaris disliked Udip as well and hence, thought of being on the safe side.

"But Niki bhai, I can't bear to see his face!"

"I understand he is a bad person, bu-"

"I got only one motto Niki bhai. See bad things, smash and smack bad things, problem solved!" she replied with an angry huff.

"Shona, we can't do that. It won't be th-" Nikhil saw Ragini come out and go towards Udip.

He saw them smile at each other and head in the direction of the forest. "What the heck?! Shona, did you see what I just saw?" He looked down to find Swara gone from her place beside him and run away. She seemed to be heading towards the hotel they wearing staying at. It was no more than a 5 minutes distance from there.

'Uttara told us she had something to discuss with her father. Swara must be going to meet her. This is the perfect chance to find out their plan!' nodding to himself, Nikhil rushed after Swara. So determined was he to find out the truth, he disregarded the fact that Ragini just went away with Udip.

#With Laksh#

Laksh paced back and forth around in his caravan. He punched the table in frustration and sat down on the seat. With an angry shout, he pulled at his hair in frustration.

'Let her go with him! I don't care. I don't care at all!' he reached over and grabbed the bottle of water. 'I don't care! I don't care what they are talking about. I don't care if they are laughing together. I don't even care if they are holding hands!' Laksh thought as he took a sip from the bottle to calm himself.

'I don't even care if they are kissi-' at once, he ended up spitting all the water out of his mouth. He coughed from this sudden action and gasped. He could see different images of Udip and Ragini in his mind. Of them holding each other in their arms, of Udip pulling her closer to him, of them kissing.

Laksh got up and tried to shake his mind of those thoughts. However, his over imaginative mind didn't help him as it started cooking up more intimate images of the both of them.

Laksh abruptly stood up in horror. "No! No no no! Udip isn't right for Ragini. He is going to betray her and throw her away. I must stop her from falling for him, even if she hates me for it!" with that thought in mind, Laksh headed out to go after them. However, in his hurry, he forgot to take his coat and scarf. He should of realized that it was freezing outside. Not to mention night was nearing and he was only wearing only a shirt and formal pants.

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~ 🌹 Mona 🌹