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Chapter 37 - He Did That!

"Don't live with any regrets Ragini. If you like him then let him know, you'll stay happy." Palak's words play in her mind and she stopped her steps, suddenly feeling hurt and upset. She didn't want to walk away, she didn't want him to stop talking to her. She sighed, turning around and watching him walk off. Wasting no more time thinking about anything, she instantly ran after him as fast as she could.

Managing to catch up to him, she grabs into his hand to stop him, after he had halted his steps, she swiftly rotates in front of him and wraps her hands around his waist while resting her head on his chest, staring in space for a while before closing her eyes.

"I like you too." She muttered and hugged him tighter, this time listening to her heart rather than overthinking with her brain.

He hugged her back, feeling his heart flutter yet he was relieved that she admitted to liking him too.

x

"Marriage is complete. Please take blessings from elders." The pandit declared and Nikhil and Palak smiled, staring at each other with love.

He stood up and helped her stand, and then walked towards his mother who blessed them with immense happiness.

"Where is Laks?" Uday wondered as he spoke to himself, slightly confused with his sudden disappearance. "Maybe he's with Rags." He added and glanced around, finding both of them missed.

Ananya walked towards Uday, "I like you."

"Huh?" He was shocked by her sudden confession. "I like you." She repeated again and he looked on. "M. . . Me?"

"Yes, you. I thought to let you know before it's too late, I don't want to hold onto any regrets. But this is just me liking you, you don't have to like me back. But let me like you with all my heart." She revealed and smiled at him before walking away.

He was confused and surprised at the same time, clueless on how to respond to that.

x

Continuing to be in the same position and with him resting his chin on her head. He asked "What if you didn't come stop me?"

"Would you have still talked to me?" She asked and opened her eyes, he nodded, rubbing his chin on her head "there's no way I could've stayed mad."

She scoffed, "you. . . So you said all of that to influence me into changing my mind?" She sounded serious yet in a jokey tone and he smiled. "I just said that to bring your true feelings out."

"What if I didn't have feelings for you?" She wondered and he gave it a thought, "then I would've impressed you, you know I have a charismatic personality."

She giggled for a few seconds and he smiled.

"You don't."

"I do. How did you fall for me then?" She gave it a thought, "I know right. How did I?" She purposely sounded clueless and confused while he made a face.

"Why did you block me?"

"I thought staying away from you would keep you safe." She replied and broke the hug, lifting her head as they looked at each other.

"And how would've that helped?"

"Maybe I got carried away emotionally." She replied with a sigh, feeling stupid.

"It doesn't matter now. Just unblock me so I can send you messages and call you whenever I want, and annoy you all day."

She made a face, "why is annoying me fun to you?"

"I don't know, I just like it when you get annoyed. I find it cute."

She rolled her eyes and he squished her cheeks. "Your angry face is cute."

She smacked his hand and he left her cheeks. "Do that again and I would kill you."

"Why? You look like a squishy dumpling." He mocked and her mouth dropped, "dumpling?"

"Yeahh. Like a dumpling, just full and stuffed."

She felt offended, and let a small huff out. "At least I'm tasty and loved by everyone."

He smirked as he glanced at her, wrapping his hands around her waist, surprising her. "I don't know that." He uttered and leaned in closer to her, "I haven't tasted you. . ." He teased in a deep voice with a whisper, making her feel shivers down her spine.

She brought her hand against his lips and pressed it while moving away, "you can't."

He removed her hand from his lips, "I can't what?" He raised his eyebrow while asking, with a smile playing on his lips and she looked at him.

"Come this close. . ." She trailed off, playing along as a small smile starts playing on her lips.

"Why?"

"We're not dating." She confidently uttered and this time smiled while crossing her arms across her chest.

"Huh?"

"Yeah, I just said I like you." She took her hand off from his lip and smiled at him. "I didn't say we could date, so you can't come this close to me."

He was confused and she started walking away with a smirk over her lips, feeling proud of herself for making him go silent.

x

Nikhil and Palak had already taken blessings from the elders, all that was left to do was the reception party, which was a joint party with Adarsh and Parineeta's as they promised to have one after Lakshya gets discharged from hospital.

Uday was still thinking about Ananya's words, feeling embarrassed and different each time he made eye-contact with her. He never knew she felt this way for him and now feels uncomfortable talking to her.

As everyone began dissipating towards the second location, where the reception party would be held, they were joined by Ragini and Lakshya separately, who had followed the crowd. Lakshya, who was in the back watched his family leave and looked on.

"Why do I feel soft towards them?" He wondered and sighed, feeling irritated at himself for being so confusing. He wanted to get along with them once again but was confused on how to start the conversation, he felt embarrassed and cringed to even think about his sweet talk with his family after years of awkwardness and them enduring his rude behaviour.

He managed to squeeze past the crowd and towards his family, yet looking around to find Ragini. "What does she mean we're not dating? Does this even make sense?" He mumbled to himself, still confused about her words.

"Really? Bhaisa gave 100,000 rupees to social workers to buy food for the poor, why?" Sujata asked her husband Ram, as the duo were stood in front of Lakshya, who heard them.

"For Lakshya. He donated 100,000 rupees on Lakshya's name, so that the blessings of the poor could heal him and make him better soon." Ram revealed to Sujata, who covered her mouth.

"I'm glad he did that. . ." She trailed off, "but is very surprising that he did this, especially when he's so stingy." She added and Ram passed her a look, feeling offended for his brother.

Lakshya was speechless and shocked after hearing this, glancing down as he thought about it. "He. . . Spent 100,000 for me?" He whispered to himself, not believing it at all.

He lifted his head and looked around, spotting Durga Prasad talking with few people. He started to feel slightly emotional, not knowing why.

"Where were you?" Lakshya turned his head to the side, staring at Nikhil standing next to him. "You missed the whole wedding." He sounded offended and upset as he spoke.

"I. . ." He cut Lakshya in between, "if this was going to happen then you were better off laying on the hospital bed. I wasted three days for what? To see you missing from my wedding?"

"Nick. . ."

"Don't talk to me!" Nikhil exclaimed frustratedly, so mad right now and Lakshya sighed, glancing down. Nikhil noticed his glassy eyes.

"I'm sorry." Lakshya apologised sounding low and walked away, Nikhil creased his forehead, "why is he about to cry? Did I say too much?" He wondered confusingly as he watched Lakshya leave.

He was about to follow him but was stopped by few guests who appeared in front of him and started to talk to him.

"Lakshya. . ." Annapurna stopped after watching Lakshya leave and followed him. "Why does he look so upset, did something happen?" She asked herself and started getting worried, increasing her speed.

Outside the hall door, she called out for his name again and he stopped this time, facing her. "What's wrong? Why do you look so upset? Did someone say something to you?"

He shook his head avoiding eye-contact, unsure why he's feeling emotional and sad. She placed her hand over his cheek and watched his eyes well up with water. She was starting to get worried.

"Tell me, what's wrong?"

"N. . . Nothing." He replied, failing to control his emotions as he began sniffing in front of his mother, like an absolute baby.

Her eyes began tearing, and he held onto her wrist while beginning to sob. She caressed his hair. "Why are you crying Lakshya?" She asked while sounding emotional.

"I'm sorry. . . I just feel sorry." He apologised, closing his eyes as tears seeped down his cheeks.

"What for?"

"For everything." He apologised sincerely and continued crying. "I've been such a bad son, without understanding or thinking, I acted immaturely and behaved so badly with all. . . Of you. . ." He continued and tears fell from Annapurna's eyes as she shook her head.

"Don't cry Lakshya, please."

"I always blamed you for being insensitive and uncaring, I blamed everyone else for being blind to how I was mistreated. I chose to see what I wanted to see and turned a blind eye to what I needed to see. I only saw P. . . Papa's cruel and strict side but failed. . . To understand him. I failed to understand you. . . And everyone."

Annapurna hugged Lakshya and he hugged her back, feeling ashamed yet mad at himself for being like this.

"I'm sorry." He apologised and Annapurna hugged him tighter.

x

"Did something happen?" Swara asked Ragini, who was stood besides her and Ragini looked at her. "No, why?"

"You look more happier and stress free." Swara uttered and Ragini creased her forehead. "Do I?"

"Yes."

"Oh okay." She acted clueless but thought about her and Lakshya in her mind, indeed feeling calmer than usual.

She gawked around the hall as fast as she could, trying to spot Lakshya however she couldn't see him anywhere.

"I just told Uday I liked him." Ananya revealed while standing next to Swara and Ragini.

"Huh?"

"What?"

Both were shocked as they faced Ananya who took a sip of the juice, feeling slightly embarrassed as she nodded.

"And what did he say?" Swara curiously asked and Ananya sighed after swallowing. "Nothing at all. He's now ignoring me."

"Oh no." Ragini exclaimed, feeling bad yet embarrassed for Ananya.

Ananya shrugged, "I can't force him to like me. . . It's okay, I'll get over it." She tried smiling but her eyes weren't supporting her statement, they were glassy and she excused herself, walking away.

"I feel so bad for her."

"I can't believe she told him. . ." Ragini trialled off and looked at Uday. "And I can't believe he's ignoring her!" She frowned, not happy with this issue at all.

x

After some time, the party was coming to an end. Lakshya had walked inside with Annapurna, and the two made sure they looked normal again before making an appearance, not wanting anyone to catch on and find out that the two had been crying. Annapurna joined Sujata and few other ladies while Lakshya joined Uday and Nikhil.

"Where were you?" Uday asked, wanting answers from Lakshya.

"I was with Maa. . ."

"Aunty, why? Is everything alright?" Nikhil asked concernedly and Lakshya nodded his head. "Everything is fine."

Uday curved a small smile as he noticed the word "Maa" coming out from Lakshya's mouth, relieved and glad that things were sorted between the two.

"Good, but I still haven't forgiven you for disappearing." Nikhil reminded, acting petty as he faced away from Lakshya, not wanting to see him.

"I'm sorry." Lakshya apologised, but Nikhil isn't ready to accept it. "That won't do."

"You're married now and having a kid soon, why are you acting like a child?" Uday mocked and Nikhil felt offended. "Excuse me?"

"Excused." Uday sassily responded and rolled his eyes.

"I see how it is, fine. . . Watch when I disappear on your wedding day, then we'll talk about this too." Nikhil warned the two, twisting his lips in pettiness and annoyance.

"Yeah, we will see." Uday remarked and his eyes fell on Ananya, who was stood near the food counter on her own. He recalled her words and felt uncomfortable again. He wasn't willing to go into a relationship again, especially after what had happened with him and his ex-girlfriend. He looked away, and focused on his friends.

Lakshya was looking at Durga Prasad, starting to feel slightly guilty and sad. By chance, Lakshya lifted his eyes, only to see that the big speaker stand was slowly tilting, and could fall on Durga Prasad and the people he's talking to any time. He was shocked and alerted, instantly rushing towards him.

"Mr Maheshwari, move!" He shouted as loud as he could, grabbing a lot of attention, however Durga Prasad merely stared at Lakshya in surprise. "Papa, move!" Lakshya shouted again, swaying his hand to the side to sign them to move. The people Durga Prasad was with moved away as soon as they realised that the speaker was about to crush them beneath but Durga Prasad was stood there, unable to react and in surprise. Feeling numb after hearing 'Papa', coming out of Lakshya's mouth in a slowed tone.
Lakshya ran as fast as he could, shockingly watching the speaker hit onto Durga Prasad's head as hard as it could, causing him to fall onto the ground, as it stopped on his back.

Everyone gasped in horror, while he slowly lost consciousness.

To Be Continued. . .

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