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Chapter 19: A Step Closer

It was morning and yesterday had passed, creating an awkward silence between the members, who avoid talking after meeting each other.

Lakshya was talking to Nikhil over the phone, while spraying cologne.

"What? Uncle was listening to Bantai's music?"

"Yeah, well, no. But someone played it in the party and he accused me." Lakshya sighed while talking over the phone.

"Lol, your snapchat story made me flip. I thought Uncle was enjoying the son. . ."

Lakshya scoffed and while Nikhil giggled over the phone.

"Wait, Uday sent a message." Lakshya uttered and opened the message, seeing Uday spamming Lakshya with '🤣'

"He's gone mad." Lakshya got off the messages and put the phone back on his ears. "He's having a laugh attack after seeing my story."

While Lakshya talked to his friends over the phone, Durga Prasad and Annapurna headed away from his room.

"What's going on in your mind Annapurna?"

"Ji. . . I want Lakshya and that girl Ragini together." She revealed her intention, shocking him.

"Are you sure about this?" Annapurna nodded. "I am." She replied and Durga Prasad gave it a thought.

"What is Sujata saying?"

"She doesn't mind at all. In fact, I think she would be as glad as I am if this relationship is fixed."

Durga Prasad nodded, thinking about it again.

**

Swara yawned, walking out of her room in her night clothes, looking at Ragini grabbing her bag.

"Ragini, listen. . ." Ragini stopped and looked at Swara. "That friend of yours. . . I don't know why he gave me negative vibes."

"Who, Sanjay?" Swara nodded "He was too controlling." She replied and Ragini looked at her.

"What?"

"Ragini, I seriously don't find him right. I know I shouldn't be saying this but, he gives me bad feels."

"Swara, that's because you met him for the first time. You won't feel like this after you know him." Ragini replied, assuring Swara that it's a mere delusion, as she knows Sanjay is a humble guy. Though he did confuse her with his behaviour yesterday.

"Hmm, maybe."

"Okay, I'm getting late. . . I'll catch you later." Ragini uttered and hurried out of the house.

"Wait, breakfast. . ." Swara stopped, shaking her head in disbelief after Ragini had left without eating.

**

While Lakshya walked down the stairs, compelling himself to attend the office, he was stopped by Durga Prasad.

"Lakshya, all of our staff will be going to the site to make notes. You won't be able to come so you would have to stay in the office." Durga Prasad revealed and Lakshya looked at him.

'Couldn't he just say. Stay home.' Lakshya said to his mind, staring at Durga Prasad for a second and then ignored him.

Without giving a response to Durga Prasad, Lakshya headed outside and Annapurna walked forward with a platter in her hand.

"Bhaisa, me and Jiji are going to the temple." Sujata informed and Durga Prasad nodded.

"Are you ready?" Adarsh asked and Annapurna and Sujata nodded at him. "Come." He orders and heads the exit while Annapurna and Sujata follow him.

"Sanskaar, are all the staff reaching the site?"

"Ji Bade-Papa." Sanskaar replied and Ram walks towards Durga Prasad.

"Bhaisa, what's the point?" Ram wonders and Durga Prasad looses himself in his thoughts for a bit, staring into space.

**

"Why is it empty. . . Am I early again?" Ragini asks herself, glancing around.

"There's no one here." She turns around, watching Lakshya walk inside. "Except me."

"Why?"

"Cause they're gone to the site to take notes."

"All of them?"

"Yeah, I don't know why so don't ask." He sighed, walking forward.

"Any job for us?" Ragini asked and Lakshya shrugged, taking a seat on the table near her.

"Wait, I'll call and find out." She says, taking her phone out while Lakshya glanced around. "We got the whole office to ourself."

"Yup, but there's cctv camera's so you're not that free here." She reminds and he sighed, giving her a look. "You had to ruin the mood."

She shrugged at him, turning around while the call was answered. "Hi Sanjay. . . Is there any work for me and Lakshya to do?"

"Aren't you two coming to the site?"

"Nope, I wasn't informed and he was told to come here."

"Oh. . . Wait, I'll ask." Sanjay uttered and disconnected the phone call afterwards.

"What did he say?"

"He said he'll ask and then tell us." She replied, turning back around towards him.

Lakshya started examining Ragini, making her feel awkward. "What?"

"I was just thinking how you'd look with jeans. . ."

"Clothes don't define your character." She sarcastically snaps back at him and he gave it a thought. "True." He uttered and she gave him a fake smile, turning around.

"But since the whole office is empty, there's no risk in having a small party. . . The Maheshwari's won't have a problem at all."

"What, but. . ." She turned around and he interrupted her. "Shhh." And he started getting his playlist ready, putting his volume high.

Music starts playing and she rolls her eyes at him.

'Makhna.' He mouths and she sighs, blinking at him.

Tujhe diamond jaisey sambhal ke rakhna
Tere pyar ka appetiser chakhna

He merely mouths them and looks at Ragini, who shakes her head in disbelief.

Tujhe diamond jaise sambhal ke rakhna
Pyaar ka appetiser chakhna
Aur kisi pe gaur na kar

He starts dancing and holds Ragini's hand, twirling her while she looks on.

Mere paas aake bol mujhe tu makhna

She frees herself from his hand and gives him a look while he shrugged at her.

Makhna
O mere makhna
Makhna
O mere makhna

Makhna, makhna, makhna yei
Makhna, makhna, makhna

"Ahh, only if we could egg this place." He wished and she looked on.

Makhna, makhna, makhna yei
Makhna, makhna, makhna

(English Rap Lyrics)
That girl is trouble
The way she move like that
The way she wanna bring it right back
Trouble!
Yea she bad like that
I'm calling all the freaks beware (x2)

Ragini sighed, turning around and he dances in front of her, starting to mouth the lyrics.

Yo Yo Honey Singh!

Makhna
Tu tu tu tururu
Makhna

(Yo Yo Honey Singh Rap)
Mein aur mere kalakar
Sab baith ke kare chill

He mouths and walks forward while she takes steps back.

Par main hoon womanizer
Mujhe akele mein mat mill

He purposely mouths those lyrics, leaning forward and she pushes him away.

Silicon wali ladki ko mein, pakadta nahi
Brown girls se mera, dil bharta nahi
Gori gori skin ke liye, mein marta nahi

Ragini turns to walk away but Lakshya grabs her hand and pulls on it, ending up pulling her towards him.

Kyunki main hoon sher, ghaas charta nahi

He unknowingly stares into her eyes while she looks up at him, loosing his lyrics.

Tu hai patli si naari
Par mera weight ho gaya thoda bhari

After the few second of eye-lock, he broke it, starting to mouth the lyrics with a smirk to make it less awkward.

Tu hai jaanti mein hu shikaari
Tujhe kha jaaunga saari ki saari

She dropped her mouth after he referred the last two lines of the song to her.

Kyun ghabrati, baatein chupati
Paas bulake door kyun jaati
Din mein tu mil chaahe mil mainu raati
Darr mat main nahi Illuminati

She reached for his phone and switched it off.

"No more partying. It's against the policy."

"Okay Ms Perfect." He cussed and she glared at him.

"You're forgetting but they can watch what happens because of the CCTV cameras." She reminds and he shook his head negatively, snatching his phone out of her hand.

"You're such a fun spoiler. Till how long will you obey the rules? Try breaking them, you'll feel better." He advised and she mocked him, earning a glare from him.

"If breaking the rules was easy, I wouldn't be here. In fact, somewhere in a police station."

"Breaking the rules don't only mean you'll end up in jail. You just live life the way you want, with no rules and no policy."

"The perspective is different." She told him and he nodded. "Not everyone share the same thoughts." He realised and she agreed.

"But, what do you want to become, like career wise?" She wondered, not knowing why she was keen to know.

"Me? I really don't have a career path but I always wanted to be a singer, but my so called father ruined it for me. . . If not a singer, then an actor." He honestly revealed and Ragini scoffed.

"Actor?"

"Yeah, why, what's so funny?"

"Nothing. But I can never imagine you as an actor." She giggled, angering him. "What do you mean you can't?"

"I just can't."

He held her hand, pulling her closer to him. Their chests clash and her giggles disappear after his brown orbs caught her attention.

"Life can't give you what you want. . . That's what we hear, it's somewhat true but Ragini, I believe, we only accept what life gives us if we give up. Do me and you not have the rights to live life, to all the expectations we make? Why is it that we blindly follow the society, that always brings us down? Your life is in your hands Ragini and my life is in mine. I can not force you to fall for me, but let me honestly tell you something. . . I fell for you, the second time I saw you. . . (Scoffed) cause I don't believe in love at first sight. Your soul, I never wondered when it touched my heart. . . I always imagine having you with me, every day when I wake up for office, I get ready in the hope that I'll meet you. But I won't force you to spend your life with me, because having a choice is your right. . . If I ever had to get married (paused). . . it will be with you." He softly uttered while staring in the depth of her eyes, shocking her yet impressing her with his words.

Not planning on a lengthy eye-contact, the two felt a spark, a movement coming from the heart, which was unusual for them to feel when they're with each other. He inhaled a deep breath, curling a smirk.

"How was my acting?" He asked while raising his eyebrows and she blinked at him.

"It was. . ." She was out of words and moved away from him, gazing away awkwardly. "Seemed real right?"

"Yeah." She replied, not wanting to allow the awkwardness to spread between them. "You're an okay-ish actor." She added, looking at him.

"I'm awesome and I know that." He says and she gives him a look. "Whatever."

"By the way, why aren't you entering that field?"

"Let's say I enjoyed few years of normal life. I'm just waiting till this machine gets off my leg and then I'll go for it."

"Good luck." She wished, though the word machine had her curious, she doesn't like being too personal, knowing it can get really awkward.

"Thank you."

"Now that I think about it, I can actually see you as an actor. . ." She trialled off, examining his facial features.

"I know, I'm fit, handsome and amazing." He was being cocky now and she plastered a fake smile on her lips. "For me, you're okay."

"But that's not everyone's opinion right? For you I might be okay, but for others I'll be dashing."

"Don't flatter yourself that much."

"Flattering yourself builds self-confidence."

"Nope, it mostly makes you cocky."

"Different perspectives."

"Yup."

"What do you wanna be?"

"I. . . I actually don't know, I'm looking into building my own business and be successful one day." She reveals and he looks at her.

"Hmm yeah, maybe."

"What do you mean maybe? I will."

"Now that's the attitude you need to be successful." He uttered and she let a small smile hang from her lips.

"What's happening?" Sanjay's protective voice echoed in the hall, grabbing Ragini and Lakshya's attention.

"Oh Sanjay, hi. . . What are you doing here?" Lakshya asked and Sanjay gave him a look. "Why? Can't I come here?"

"Chill, I just asked." Lakshya retorted, sensing Sanjay's tone.

"Ragini, come to the site."

"What?"

"Yes, come. I came here to pick you up."

"Did Sanskaar Sir say?"

"Yes, come. . ." He says and grabs Ragini's hand, starting to pull her.

Ragini creased her forehead, sensing Sanjay's insecurities.

"But. . ." Ragini couldn't complete what she had to say as Sanjay started to drag her out, confusing her.

While being dragged out, Ragini glanced back at Lakshya, who stared at the two leaving, not wanting to interfere between their matter.

"Sanjay, what are you doing?" Ragini asked as they exited the building. "Taking you to work. . ."

"Why, do you want to stay with Lakshya?" He asked, turning towards her while stopping near his bike.

"Sanjay, are you okay?"

"Why don't you want to come with me?"

"When did I say that?" She asked, confused to see his behaviour. "Then why are you questioning me?" He aggressively asked, leaving her startled.

"Look Ragini, that Lakshya isn't a right guy. . . I hate to do this but I hear his family saying negative things about him. They say he drinks, smokes and stays high on drugs. I just want you to be safe." Sanjay added, calming himself down and holding her by the shoulder, showing her his care.

She blinks at him, nodding at him and he curls a smile. "Come, I'll take you to the site with me."

Sanjay takes a seat on the bike and Ragini sits behind him.

"Ragini!" Lakshya called while rushing out and she looked at him. "Your bag." He uttered, forwarding it.

"Thank you." She replied, taking it from him. "Is everything okay?" He asked, seeing Ragini's expressions slightly low.

"We need to leave." Sanjay sternly interrupted, driving the bike and while Sanjay was driving, Ragini turned, watching Lakshya staring at her.

**

"Oh god." Parvati sighed, walking up the temple stairs. "These knee pains had to start!" She cussed under her breath while climbing the stairs.

As she was walking up, Annapurna and Sujata were walking down.

"Jiji, did you call the driver?"

"Yes, he should be here any minute."

"Ahh!" Parvati hissed, stopping and Annapurna looked at her along with Sujata.

"Maa Ji, are you okay?" Annapurna asked and Parvati looked at her. "Yes." She replied.

"You don't look good Maa sa, do you need any help?"

"No, I'm fine thanks. These knee pains just started." Parvati complained irritatedly.

Parvati continued to walk up and Sujata and Annapurna watched her, feeling the urge to help her.

To Be Continued. . .

Up Next - Ragini to argue with Sanjay over his behaviour and Sanjay to misbehave with her. . . Annapurna and Sujata to offer Parvati a ride home. . .

____________

Song: Makhna By Yo Yo Honey Singh

Next chapter will be published on Wednesday ✨

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