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Chapter 5: Paired

"Lakshya." Lakshya hears his name and looks to the side, seeing Sanskaar walk towards him. "Where were you? The whole night you were missing. . ."

"Don't act like you don't know anything, Papa must've told you where I was and how he payed the police officers to put me under house arrest." Lakshya responds with irritation.

Sanskaar shakes his head and before he could speak, Lakshya interrupts. "Sir, I'm here. What do I need to do?"

Sanskaar composes himself and gets in the role of the boss. "Follow me." He softly says while walking forward.

Lakshya clenches his fists in frustration and follows Sanskaar. As Sanskaar heads towards his cabin, loads of staff members greet him.

Ragini, who was waiting near the cabin sees Sanskaar coming but was shocked to see Lakshya behind him. Sanskaar sees Ragini and curves a small smile.

"Welcome to Maheshwari Ltd Ms Ragini." Ragini curves a unwilling smile and looks at Lakshya, who sighs and rolls his eyes seeing Ragini, as if he had seen his father walking down. Ragini looks at Sanskaar who welcomes her and then turns, facing the staff.

"Attention everyone." Sanskaar shouts, gaining their attention. "This is Ms Ragini." Sanskaar introduces while pointing at Ragini. She nervously smiles at the staff while they simply stare at her. "And this is. . ." Sanskaar's tone changed, he points at Lakshya and adds "Mr Lakshya" in a slight cold tone. "They're new to our office and will be working with us but as interns." Sanskaar adds and the staff shake their heads positively.

The girls look at Lakshya and some of them find him attractive, they smile at him and he sees them smiling.

"Get back to work now!" Sanskaar orders and turns towards Ragini and Lakshya "You two would be working with me. In my department, so. . . Shall we start?"

Lakshya's eyebrows crease and he looks on. "With her?" He questions and Sanskaar gazes at him, arching his eyebrows confusingly.

"Why?" Lakshya looks at Ragini and she looks at him. "I. . ." Before Lakshya could complete, he is interrupted.

"Is there any problem?" Lakshya keeps his expressions serious and ignores the voice. "Nothing sir." Lakshya replies to Sanskaar while looking at him.

Sanskaar and Ragini look at Durga Prasad, who was approaching them with Ram Prasad.

"Can we start working?" Lakshya asks as he didn't want to stay there longer, he was eager to distance himself from his father as he knew he would end up arguing with him.

Ragini gazes at Lakshya in who she could see a glimpse of agitation.

"Sure." Sanskaar responds to Lakshya and then cocks his head towards Durga Prasad. "Bade-Papa, these are the interns who will be working with me, I'm just about to take them and introduce them to their work." Sanskaar adds and Durga Prasad shakes his head in understanding. Ragini glances at Durga Prasad and then at Sanskaar, hunting for the similar features which may be spotted due to them being related.

Alias, she couldn't perceive  anything other than the forehead, which seemed to have matched, her eyes travelled towards Durga Prasad's nose and then all of a sudden, Lakshya's nose was distinguished. She closely observes it and creases her forehead.

Her eyes move to Lakshya's cheeks which weren't a match but his lips were similar to Durga Prasad. Lakshya, who was bored looks around and notices Ragini staring at him. Feeling uncomfortable with her perceiving, he moves a little closer to her due to which, she instantly dropped her eyeballs to the floor.

"I know I'm hot but you don't need to check me out. . . Oh wait, you're going to start your 'Aunty thing' aren't you?" Ragini grits her teeth and lifts her eyes, glaring at Lakshya, who had whispered near her ear.

"Let's go." Sanskaar's voice interrupts their glare-lock and the two shift their gazes to him.

Sanskaar turns around and starts walking, Ragini purposely stumps on Lakshya's leg and starts to follow Sanskaar. Lakshya hisses but presses his lips together to avoid a sigh of pain. He inhales a deep breath and grits his teeth to control his anger. Lakshya starts to limp as he follows from a distance and Durga Prasad, who had witnessed the scene stares into space, starting to think.

Sanskaar, Lakshya and Ragini entered a boardroom.

"This is the boardroom, in which we have meetings and today, I want both of you to sit in here and make me a presentation. I have listed what I want in it and I expect it to be the exact of what I need. The file is over there and in that file, it has all the details of what you need to do to make this presentation a success, it'll also guide you on what you two have to do. I won't be helping, you two need to work together and present it to our clients tomorrow. Don't think this presentation is a test or a joke, it's a real presentation which needs to be presented in the meeting tomorrow. So get to work and good luck. If you need anything then you can grab me at my office." Sanskaar explains and then smiles at Ragini just before leaving.

Ragini and Lakshya humph, feeling annoyed to be left alone together.

"If he knew we aren't in good terms, he wouldn't have put us together." Ragini says while turning towards Lakshya.

"He still would, so that we could get along." Lakshya responds with a tinge of cringe heard in his tone.

The two weren't happy at all, it was like all the nightmares and shocks were knocking at their door steps. Lakshya grabs onto Ragini's hand and throws it on the table, as it bounces on the table, Ragini hisses and pulls her hand towards her chest, looking at Lakshya.

"That was for stepping on my foot!" Lakshya reminds and Ragini looks down angrily, feeling like she was in a mental asylum, stuck with a lunatic.

He felt like he was stuck with a dog who would never stop barking and as he says, 'a judgemental Aunty'.

There was a silence, which was spreading in the room. "You're doing the presentation."

"I won't credit you unless you do any work." Ragini replies instantly.

"Who are you to do that? I'll do it myself."

"You can't get credited for something you didn't even do."

"You haven't started it and neither have I so with what rights would you stop me and who said I can't?"

"Me."

Soon a knock grabs their attention and they look to the side, seeing Durga Prasad walk inside the boardroom. Lakshya's expressions stiffen and he forms the 'seriousness' on his face.

"Do you know what you two need to do?" Durga Prasad asks in his famous stern tone, making Ragini nervous.

She nods her head positively. "Yes. . . Sir."

"We. . . Need to make a presentation." She adds with a small nervous smile.

"Then why can't I see you two working on it?" He asks casually but due to his tone, Ragini rushed towards the laptop and file.

"We will start it now." She hesitantly utters, opening the file.

Lakshya walked towards Ragini as he knew that the only way his avoidance could be justified was if he is working or doing something. Durga Prasad stared at the two and then walked out, Lakshya saw him walking out and sighed a relief, he sits down on the chair and leans back to relax.

"File, where would I find the file?" Ragini asks herself after reading the file in front of her, she glances around but couldn't see anything other than the laptop and Lakshya.

"Is there any other file here?" Ragini was hesitant but manages to inhale a deep breath to ask.

"You should know." Lakshya replies with attitude, annoying Ragini but Ragini clenched her fists and composed herself.

"Without the file, we won't be able to start the presentation. So are you going to help or should I tell Sanskaar sir that you're just sitting around?"

"S. . . Snake! Go ask someone who works here, it must be in a cabin or somewhere." Lakshya rudely responds, not interested in the work at all.

Ragini shakes her head in disbelief while glaring at Lakshya, she then turns towards the exit.

"Walk faster, we don't have all day." Lakshya comments, Ragini annoyedly clenches her fist and inhales a deep breath, ignoring him and walking out from the room.

Lakshya places his feet on the table and leans back on the chair, relaxing.

Ragini, who was walking stops a worker. "Can you please tell me where I can get Sarjeevan Projects file?"

"They're usually in the file cabin." The worker responds and starts walking before Ragini could say anything further.

"Excuse me, could you please tell me where the file cabin is. . .?" Ragini asks, hoping to get guided but the guy she stopped simply blinks at her.

"I don't know." He manages to respond and she arches her eyebrows. "How can you not know? You're working here right?" She asks and he nods positively.

"Then?"

"I started today." He replies and she looks at him. "Ohhh, sorry. I didn't know I thought you work. . . I mean. . . Sorry." She confusingly utters and walks away while patting her head.

He turns and sees her walking away and a small smile curls up his lips.

**

Durga Prasad was sat inside Sanskaar's cabin and on his chair, waiting for him to come. As he was waiting, a thought occupied his mind, which he wasn't much sure about.

"Bade Papa, you?" He looks up and sees Sanskaar stop in front of him, making sure the door was closed.

"Yes, me." He utters after clearing his throat.

"Is everything okay?" Sanskaar asks, slightly concerned seeing his Bade Papa in his cabin as he would never randomly wait for Sanskaar.

"I. . . Wanted. No, I was wondering. . ." Durga Prasad couldn't get his words out, this was the first time he was hesitating and Sanskaar was now confused as well as surprised. "If I did the right thing. . ." He trails off, "By making Lakshya work here? Would he be able to keep it to expectations?" He adds, asking a question and managing to relax with his normal expressions.

"Yes Bade Papa, you did the right thing and don't worry about him, I'm here and I'll make sure he doesn't do anything wrong." Durga Prasad shakes his head in polite manner after Sanskaar assured him and he then stands up.

"Is Sarjeevan project's powerpoint ready?" Durga Prasad asks. "Ragini and Lakshya are doing it." Durga Prasad nods and walks over, besides Sanskaar.

Durga Prasad's phone began to ring and he slid it out from his pocket. "Excuse me." He excused himself and headed out, leaving Sanskaar in thoughts.

**

Lakshya was feeling bored and grabs onto the laptop, starting to type 'YouTube'. Only the music he loves can keep him chilled, he wasn't bothered about the work he had to do. But Ram, who was walking past sees Lakshya typing on the laptop and looks on. He inches closer to the window and blinks thrice to make sure he was seeing what he had earlier seen.

"This boy is doing work?" Ram nearly gasped by the astonishment to see Lakshya typing, he had never thought to see him even focus let alone work.

"Sir. . ." A worker grabs his attention and he turns towards him. "What?" Ram replies. "This file needs signing."

"Okay, follow me." Ram says and the worker nods, following Ram as Ram walks away.

**

Ragini stands in front of the door and reads the plate which is drilled on the door, she sees someone walk past and stops her.

"Excuse me, is this the files cabin?" The woman stares at her confusingly. "Can't you see what's written on it?" She responds and walks away.

"They're so rude here." Ragini twisted her lips annoyedly and turns, opening the door.

**

It was a while, Lakshya had turned the music off and realised Ragini wasn't back. He stands up and heads out, after exiting the boardroom, he stops a worker.

"Where are the files kept for projects?"

"In the file cabin."

"And where is that?" The worker guides Lakshya and Lakshya shakes his head, he then heads the way he was guided. After walking straight, he turns left.

After turning left, he walks straight and turns to the right, staring at a door down the end, after reaching the end, he reads the plate on which it had 'Files Cabin' boldly written, seeing the door open, he enters.

"How long will you take?" He harshly asks, making her jump, she turns around and looks at him.

"Oh gosh! You scared me! It takes time to search okay!" She answers back and continued searching for the file.

"You can't do nothing right!" Lakshya taunted, walking forward to help.

"At least I was bothered to work, unlike you who was sitting around." She retorted.

"Just shut up, at least I won't take ages to search for ONE file!" Lakshya remarked and Ragini rolled her eye, ignoring him and continuing her search while Lakshya also begins to search.

Ram, who was walking past sees the door open, he confusingly walks forward. "The door. . . Open?"

"Maybe one of the staff member forgot to shut it in a hurry." Ram mummers to himself and closes the door, locking it.

Inside the room, Lakshya and Ragini search for the file while outside the room, Ram walks away after locking the door.

To Be Continued . . .

Up Next: Locked

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