Sanskar, Swara, Ragini and Laksh were rehearsing for the singing competition of the next day when Laksh put down his guitar sighing.

Laksh: "Enough guys! I'm tired! Let's go out?"

Ragini: "Laksh focus on rehearsing or else..."

Laksh looked at her with a naughty smile: "Or else what?"

Ragini shook her head smiling.

Sanskar: "Lucky we have to win! So focus on playing that guitar and singing or else we will lose."

Laksh: "I don't care much about such little losses."

Swara: "It's an international competition. If this would be a little loss then what are you afraid to lose?"

Laksh looked at Ragini: "Losing my biggest victory only..." – Ragini looked down blushing.

Laksh caught his jacket from the chair and ran away shouting: "Maa I am coming!!"

The others tried to stop him but in vain.

Sanskar shook his head: "This guy!"

AFTER A WHILE

AT THE HOTEL WHERE ANNAPURNA AND DURGA PARSAD WERE STAYING

Laksh and Annapurna were standing on the balcony and Laksh was looking at the dark sky of the night with dreamy eyes: "She is beautiful... her eyes... her gorgeous face... her laughter... she is just perfect. She is crazy... and I fell for her craziness. What to do, she is so cute! She is beautiful..."

Annapurna: "Her eyes, her face, her this, her that..."– she laughed – "You've said this at least 30 times. Do you love her so much?"

Laksh turned around and bowed his head down merging his back to the railing and sighing looking up again: "She is just a little crazy. Actually a lot. But I love her the way she is... I love her very much. I just want to stay with her, live my life with her..." – He sighed – "I want her with me forever."

"Forget her."

Laksh recomposed looking on. Also Annapurna turned around.

Durga Parsad was standing in front of them with a serious expression and looking straight at Laksh.

Laksh: "Papa? What do you mean?" – He asked with questioning eyes.

Durga Parsad walked to him: "Do you love Ragini?"

Laksh nodded still confused.

Durga Parsad: "Why?"

Laksh: "What do you mean with why?"

Durga Parsad: "I mean what's there in that girl that Durga Parsad Maheshwari's son would love her? Does she deserve being part of our family?"

Laksh clenched his fists gritting his teeth: "Papa you can't talk about her like this."

Durga Parsad: "What wrong did I say? Their class, their status is not like us. I want a girl from high class for my son not a random middle class girl..."

Laksh blasted shouting: "ENOUGH! NOT A WORD AGAINST RAGINI AND HER FAMILY PAPA! NOT A WORD! I might forget who you are for me. You could never fulfill your duties as a father. You could never make me happy but at least don't be enemy of my happiness!"

He was about to go when...

Durga Parsad: "Are your happiness more important for you or Ragini's?"

Laksh turned around furrowing his eyebrows.

Durga Parsad: "You know how much power a Maheshwari has. I can destroy Ragini's house and family in one second. Gadodia family will come to the road and nobody will get to know how, when and why..."

Laksh was in rage: "I could never think that you could fall so down that I would be ashamed to call you Papa! And don't worry about Ragini and her family. I am there to take care of her happiness."

Durga Parsad: "You would take care of her only if she'll be alive."

These words literally removed the earth beneath his feet. Annapurna went to him and put a hand on his shoulder.

Durga Parsad: "You have 24 hours. Forget Ragini. Break all the ties, promises, any kind of relation with her. Else I hope nothing happens to Ragini... by mistake."

Before going away he stood beside Laksh without facing him: "Money Laksh... it can do everything."

And with this he went away.

Laksh, who was still stunned, broke down on his knees. He couldn't believe how in few minutes, his world took a 360 degrees turn.

Annapurna sat near him trying to support him. Laksh looked at her while his eyes welled up: "Why is Papa like this Maa?"

Annapurna shook her head with teary eyes.

Laksh hugged her crying loudly: "I can't live without Ragini..."- he sobbed.

AFTER A WHILE

A lifeless Laksh entered in the hostel. He looked upstairs with wet eyes. He dragged himself to Ragini's room and slowly knocked at the door.

Ragini opened the door and a smile appeared on her face seeing Laksh whose heart pinched knowing he will be the one who will make that angelic smile disappear.

Ragini: "Laksh! Come inside!" - Before Laksh could say anything Ragini held his hand and dragged him inside the room happily.

She made him sit on the bed and happily started to talk: "You know... I was just thinking about you..." - she looked at him – "About us..."

Laksh tried to speak but before he could say a word Ragini put a finger on his lips: "Shh! Let me speak today..."

She placed her head on his shoulder entangling her arm with his one: "I'm so happy that I got someone like you."- She looked straight in his eyes – "I love you Laksh. I love you too much. You won't ever leave me na? You'll always stay with me? And we'll live happily together forever?"

Laksh couldn't stop himself. He suddenly hugged her as much tightly as he could. He closed his eyes feeling her near himself.

Ragini was confused. She raised her hands to hug him back but as soon as her hands touched his back he broke the hug returning in reality.

Laksh looked down: "Sorry..." - He whispered.

Ragini was confused. She tried to cup his face to wipe his tears but before she could touch his cheeks he threw her hands away and almost ran out of the room while Ragini looked at him from behind stunned.

Laksh locked himself in his room and broke down lifeless. He didn't even have the strength to cry.

"Tere bin jee na paunga
Sach much mar hi jaunga
Yeh tay hai, yeh tay hai..."

He stood up and slowly went to the drawer taking out a picture of Ragini and caressing it.

"Hasna rona tujhse hi
Mera hona tujhse hi
Yeh tay hai, yeh tay hai..."

He kissed the photo and hugged it tightly.

"Maujood hai har saans mein
Tu har dafa, yeh tay hai...
Tu hai dawa, ya dard hai
Par hai mera, yeh tay hai..."

He sat on the bed and spent whole the night with Ragini's photo near his heart.

THE NEXT DAY

Ragini was getting ready for the singing competition when someone knocked at the door.

She went to open it. It was Laksh who had no expression on his face.

Ragini happily twirled showing her red gown: "See Laksh... it is nice na?"

Laksh coldly: "It might be nice... but I don't like it."

Ragini's smile disappeared: "Why?" - She asked innocently.

Laksh walked inside the room and stood giving the back to Ragini as he wasn't able to face her and show his teary eyes: "I don't like such clothes, your low standard way to behave, your cheesy talks... I don't like all this... in fact I don't like you."

Ragini's lips trembled and she felt her heart shivering.

Ragini held Laksh's arm and made him turn at her: "What are you saying Laksh? You love me na..."

Laksh shouted: "I don't love you! How could you even think that Laksh Maheshwari could love someone like you?" - He looked away and chuckled while his eyes were full of tears – "Come on Ragini!"

Ragini was stunned.

But then she laughed while tears were rolling on her cheeks: "You are just kidding, aren't you? You are just teasin me." - She held his collar and came closer to him merging her head with his one – "You love me a lot, I know that. Don't make such pranks." - She chuckled while tears were making their way.

Laksh shut his eyes tightly and with a stone on the heart pushed Ragini away shouting: "RAGINI I DON'T LOVE YOU!"

Ragini felt her heart trembling. She was just looking at him stunned.

Laksh turned around again. He just couldn't say such a big lie looking straight at her tears and knowing that he was responsible of them.

Laksh: "I just wanted to take revenge from you because you ditched LUCKY, you insulted me, you hurt Lucky's ego. Yes I liked you and I told that to you but you rejected me! I wanted to come to London just because I was bored of that life and when I saw you here I just had one thing in my mind and that was... REVENGE."

He turned around just to see a Ragini with hurt in the tears which were filling her eyes.

Laksh forcefully smirked a bit: "Why are you looking at me like that? I just broke your heart a bit, I didn't take away your life."

And here is when Ragini slapped him hardly.

Laksh just looked away trying to stop his tears with much difficulty.

Ragini: "You have made a joke out of love LUCKY. I can't believe I got so blind looking into your eyes. I didn't know that what I thought to be the truth of your eyes will betray me." - She looked down smiling sarcastically and then straight at him – "Get lost from my life. Go out!"

Laksh closed his eyes tightly.

Ragini held his arm and dragged him throwing him out of the room.

While doing this Ragini's foot slipped in the carpet and she was about to fall. Laksh moved towards her but she held the door and showed him a hand: "Don't touch me!! GET LOST!!!"

And with this she slammed the door on Laksh's face.

A broken Laksh kept looking at it from outside.

A heartbroken Ragini scattered everything on the floor literally like a mad, crying loudly.

She was scattering the bed when she found a frame of Laksh under the pillows. She looked at it with anger and threw it on the mirror breaking both in thousand pieces of glass and shouting with all her voice: "I HATE YOU LAKSH MAHESHWARI! I HATE YOUUU!!! I HATE YOUUU!!!"

Laksh heard her from outside and covered his ears with his hands shutting his eyes while Ragini's voice echoed.

Ragini stepped back looking at the broken frame of Laksh and shouted madly: "YOU ARE A BETRAYER! I HATE YOU! LIAR!"

Laksh could hear all this and merged his back with the door of Ragini's room from outside sobbing and inside also Ragini hit the door with her back while stepping back and shut her eyes tightly crying: "Why did you do this... why?..."

She broke down on the floor sobbing.

Laksh slowly said: "Ragini... if I left you without saying anything then I know our love is so strong that you would have found me that's why I had to turn your love into hatred."

IN THE EVENING

It was time for the singing competition. Some teams were already performing in the theatre.

And in his room, Laksh was continuously hitting his fist against a wall recalling how he threw Ragini's hands away and then pushed her. His hands were bleeding.

Laksh, still hitting his fist: "How could I make her cry... how could I!!"

He gave up and turned merging his back to the wall. He closed his eyes.

MEANWHILE

Sanskar went to Ragini's room to call her since only some minutes were left for their performance.

He knocked at the door but no answer.

He knocked again but no answer again.

Sanskar knocked once again: "Ragini?"

Same result.

He tried to open the door and saw it wasn't locked. He went inside and got shocked.

Everything was scattered on the floor. Pieces of broken glass were all over in the room.

His heart felt a pinch when he saw Ragini's state. She was sitting with the back against the wall in a lifeless state, hugging her knee.

Sanskar: "Ragini..." - He immediately rushed to her.

Sanskar: "Ragini what's all this? Are you ok? Ragini!!"

He shook her but she just kept looking on with emptiness in her eyes.

Ragini just said: "How easily he said that he just broke my heart and didn't take my life..."

Sanskar : "Who?"

Ragini burst out crying and hugged him: "I loved Laksh with whole my heart but he broke it..."

Sanskar got stunned. An harsh reality hit him breaking his heart, his world... him.

He never imagined that the one he loved with all himself loved someone else.

He somehow controlled himself and held Ragini's shoulder making her look at him: "What happened Ragini?"

Ragini looked at him with a painful expression.

AFTER A WHILE

Sanskar picked Ragini up in his arms and placed her on the bed. He took a glass of water from the jug on the nightstand and gave it to Ragini who took it without saying a word.

Sanskar turned and stood in front of the window looking out.

The silence in the room was the sound of their heartbreaks.

Both had been broken by the person each of them loved the most.

Sanskar finally spoke: "Laksh liked you but he was just a friend for you. Then you fell for him too. He broke your heart just to take revenge from you but today he told you. Great, isn't it?"

Ragini looked at him confused.

Sanskar turned to her: "If Laksh didn't tell you then you would continue loving him madly and blindly. His real face came in front of you."

Ragini looked down.

Sanskar went to her and sat beside her. He wiped her tears: "It's strange but it's true Ragini. When someone loves us then we never understand that and when we do, then it's too late. We always love the person who will leave us and we leave the one who love us. It's just a game of life and heart."

He wiped his tears too and stood up: "Go and get ready fast. It's almost our turn to go on the stage. They would be waiting for us."

Ragini: "I won't be able to perform. I have lost. There is nothing left in me, not even strength to fight."

Sanskar: "Ragini I won't say anything. Just remember that if you lose your strength today then you'll lose to yourself forever. Laksh hurt you a lot, didn't he? He had this intention only. But not for you, not for me, for yourself show him that you are not one among those who lose. He might have broken your heart but he must have not broken you, not your strength. Use that strength to show him that he couldn't do what he wanted to."

And with this he went towards the door. Vefore going out he said: "We always have to find the positive side of the things. Life will hit us continuously... but we have to fight and keep smiling looking at the future. Life is unfair but you have to remember to smile, always, even if your heart cries."

He went away.

Ragini looked on.

Sanskar was going to his room when he dashed into Swara.

He looked down wiping his tears to hide them: "Sorry I was in hurry so..."

Swara: "Sanskar are you crying?"

Sanskar shook his head: "No no... something went in my eye it seems."

Swara: "Don't lie Sanskar."

Sanskar: "No Swara, really."

Swara: "Sanskar!"

Sanskar couldn't control himself and broke down on his knees: "Swara... why me?"

Swara wasn't able to see him in this state. She knelt near him and placed a hand on his shoulder: "What happened Sanskar?"

Sanskar looked at her: "Swara... am I a bad person?"

Swara shook her head: "Not at all Sanskar."

Sanskar: "Then why doesn't Ragini love me? Why does she love Laksh who played such a disgusting game?"

Swara's lip trembled: "What are you saying Sanskar?"

Sanskar told her everything while tears flew on his cheeks. Swara's eyes were welling up with each word of him.

Sanskar: "I can't see Ragini like this. But I'm broken too, how can I help her."

Swara stood up trying to hide her tears: "You need to stay alone for a while..."

Saying this she ran away from there.

She ran to her room and threw herself on the bed crying loudly: "Everything is ruined. Everything."

She sobbed hiding her face in a pillow.

MEANWHILE

Sanskar came in his room.

He looked at himself in the mirror.

Suddenly two soft hands covered his eyes. He turned around and saw a smiling Ragini standing in front of him.

Tears rolled down from his eyes.

Ragini shook her head and placed a hand on his cheek: "Why are you crying?"

Sanskar held her hand from his cheek and put it on his chest, on his heart saying: "You broke it..."

And here is when Ragini disappeared and Sanskar realized it was just his imagination.

Sanskar passed a hand on his hair looking at the ceiling and let himself fall on the ground shouting loudly: "WHYYYY?!!"

His voice echoed.

LATER

On the stage where the singing competition was going on, Team UK finished its performance. Now it was Team India's turn.

Host: "And now the team who stole many hearts during whole the competition!! Team India!! Give a big hand for Sanskar, Ragini, Laksh and Swara!"

Whole the theatre burst out clapping and whistling.

But Team India didn't show up.

Swara and Ragini were in their respective rooms sitting on the bed with emptiness in their eyes.

Sanskar was also in his room, sitting on the floor with the back merged to the bed.

Host: "Team India, I kindly request you to come on the stage."

All the four were able to listen to the call through speakers, which were placed in every corridor of the college but no one had the strength to go... no one except...

Laksh...

Bg music started.

People in the theatre stopped making noise. Spotlights on the stage showed Laksh walking ahead from behind of the scenes.

Swara and Ragini looked on hearing the music.

Laksh closed her eyes and recalled how Ragini was shouting "I hate you" to him.

Laksh:
"Tere bin jeena hai aise,
Dil dhadkana ho jaise.."

Also Sanskar came on the stage from behind and sang:
"Yeh ishq hai kya duniya ko..
ham samjhaaye kaise.."

He recalled Ragini hugging him crying.

"Ab dilon ki raahon mein..
hum kuch aisa kar jaaye.."

Laksh continued:
"Ik dooje se bichde toh..
Saans liye bin mar jaaye.."

Both sang together.
"O Khuda..
Bata de kya laqiroon mai likha..
Humne toh..
Humne to bas ishq hai kiya..."

Ragini made a grimace hearing Laksh's voice. Her eyes welled up.

Swara closed her eyes hearing Sanskar's one.

Laksh recalled how Ragini was not believing his words and was laughing while crying, how she merged her head with his forehead but he pushed her away.

Laksh:
"Pyaar ki in rahoon mai
milte hain aise dariyaa..."

Sanskar recalled wiping Ragini's tears.

"Laakh toofaano mai bhi dil ko
mil jaata hai zariya.."

Just then a female voice is heard.

"Iss dil ke iraadon mai hai itna asar..
Lehron se kinaaron pe karta hai safar.."

Sanskar and Laksh turned and saw Swara coming ahead. She looked on with wet eyes.

All the three sang together.

"O Khuda..
Bata de kya laqiroon mai likha..
Humne toh..
Humne to bas ishq hai kiya..."

The audience was silently paying attention to the performance. Some were whispering about Ragini's whereabout and some were stuck on the stage.

Sanskar:
"Aaj apne rangoon sai bichdi hai do tasveere.."

Laksh:
"Hathoon mai kahin toot rahi hai mil kar do taqdireen"

Bg tune plays.

It was Ragini's turn but no sign of her anywhere.

Laksh and Sanskar looked down. Swara looked away clenching her fist.

Ragini entered in the theatre but not on the stage.

The three saw her coming from the door of the theatre straight in front of them.

Everyone looked at her.

Ragini looked on at Laksh and recalled how he threw her hands away, how he laughed on her true love, how he pushed her away shouting "I don't love you!"

Her eyes welled up but then she recalled Sanskar wiping her tears and his words echoed in her mind.

"But not for you, not for me, for yourself show him that you are not one among those who lose. He might have broken your heart but he must have not broken you, not your strength. Use that strength to show him that he couldn't do what he wanted to."

Ragini opened her mouth to start to sing but then stopped as Laksh's voice came in her mind again.

"I don't like such clothes, your low standard way to behave, your cheesy talks... I don't like all this... in fact I don't like you."

She closed her eyes with a crying expression.

She looked on again and saw Sanskar shaking his head. Swara noticed it.

Ragini recalled once again Sanskar's words:

"Life will hit us continuously... but we have to fight and keep smiling looking at the future. Life is unfair but you have to remember to smile, always, even if your heart cries."

Ragini took a deep breath closing her eyes and then walked on the stage.

She started to sing:

"Duniya yeh jeet gayi, dil haar gaaya...
Nehi socha tha mil kar, kabhi honghe judaa.."

Laksh closed her eyes as she sang.

All together:

"O Khuda..
Bata de kya laqiroon mai likha..
Humne toh..
Humne to bas ishq hai kiya..."

All of the four closed their eyes tightly. The camera turned around them fast.

"Forget Ragini."

"I don't love you Ragini!"

"I loved Laksh with whole my heart but he broke it..."

"Then why doesn't Ragini love me?"

All opened their eyes together as the background music got off.

They looked on.

Complete silence.

Suddenly everyone burst out clapping, whistling, screaming.

Hosts and judges came on the stage with trophy and a big check of 50 laakh pounds.

That night, everyone witnessed their victory. No one knew what they lost.

No one knew the reason behind fake smiles, hidden tears, broken hearts.

It was time for celebration for Team India and time to get separated for Ragini, Laksh, Sanskar and Swara.

LATER

Laksh was walking in London's street with emptiness in his eyes. The breeze of the night was hitting his face but he was just walking in his thoughts.

"Tere bin.... yaaraaa..."

Ragini was outside in the darkness of the night too. She was walking lifeless with no expression on her face.

"Berang baharaaa..."

On the other side Sanskar was in the garden of the college sitting on a bench while looking at the dark sky with teary eyes.

"Hai raat begaaniiii..."

Swara was standing in the balcony and looking at him with a painful expression.

"Na neend gawaaraaaa... "

Laksh stopped walking since while looking down he saw two feet stopping in front of him. He looked ahead and saw Ragini standing in front of him. She looked at her with pain in her eyes. Laksh shook a little his head with wet eyes as he couldn't see tears in her eyes.

"O karam khudaaya hai..
Tujhe dil mai basaaya hai..."

Ragini just kept looking at him with pain, anger, hatred.

"Khud toot ke dil mujhko
is mor pai laaya hai... "

Ragini and Laksh walked ahead from opposite sides and passed each other crossing their ways but without even looking at each other once.

"Tere bin yaaraaa
Berang baharaa..
Hai raat begaani..
Hai rashq sahaara.."

Sanskar recalled dancing with Ragini in the party, her laughter and then her voice again echoed in his mind.

"I loved Laksh with whole my heart."

He shut his eyes.

" Tere bin yaaraaa
Berang baharaa.. "

Swara saw him and turned around feeling her heart pinching. She closed her eyes.

"Hai raat begaani..
Hai rashq sahaara..."

Swara broke down sobbing loudly.

"Mene ki hazaro minnate...
Mujhe mili na rab ki rehmate..
Ek tu hi mera anjaam hai..
yeh maan le... "

On the other side Laksh turned around to look at Ragini but she was just walking ahead. He closed his eyes and turned around again.

"O karam khudaaya hai..
Tujhe dil mai basaaya hai.. "

As Laksh turned around Ragini turned to look at him with a painful expression but he was just looking on.

"Khud toot ke dil mujhko..
is mod pai laaya hai.. "

Screen freezed in four: broken Laksh, broken Ragini, broken Swara, broken Sanskar.

"O tere bin yaaraaa..
Berang bahaara..
Hai raat begaani..
hai rashq sahaara.."

CHAPTER ENDS

Precap:

It's the beginning of a new academic term. Sanskar and Laksh are standing at the gate and talking to some friends when a white Audi car stopped in front of them. All the students present there look at it. The door gets opened and a girl's foot is shown getting on the ground. She is wearing very high white heels. She comes out. Everybody looks at her, from her bare legs, to her short pink dress fitting exactly on her slim figure... to her face. Laksh and Sanskar are shocked to see her.