Yo! It's just a one-shot that popped up in my mind when I was.....well, in a way, you could say bird watching.

Moving on... 💃💃💃

"Words in double quotes" - Talking

'Words in single quotes' - Thoughts

🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹

Forever and always,
Always and forever...
I will love you
And I know you will love me...
Because I am your Laksh
And you my Ragini...

🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹

Always And Forever...

"Its so beautiful, isn't it?"

"It indeed is." he responded, admiring the ring on her finger. "It's pretty unique."

Ragini smiled looking at it. "Thanks. Laksh got it made for me. He said it reminded him of me. He said I was just as enchanting and beautiful as it is."

Her companion chuckled. "That's kind of cliché."

"Well, yea. He only knows how to crack jokes. He learnt pickup lines from TV." Ragini replied, letting out a chuckle herself. "Laksh wins hearts through his songs. But when it comes to himself, he doesn't know how to confess his feelings. Even a rock would be better at expressing emotions than him. Sanskar had to make him watch films so that he learns some romantic lines."

"Sanskar did a bad job of teaching him."

"Haha... I agree completely. But nevertheless, I know how much Laksh cares for me, even if he doesn't have the appropriate words for it."

He looked at her with sorrowful eyes. "Laksh really loves you a lot, doesn't he?"

Ragini nodded. "He does. But not as much as I love him." she smiled reminiscing her silly arguments with Laksh. "Me and Laksh always fight when we try to decide on who loves the other more. But at the end, Laksh would let me win the argument just to make me happy."

He nodded in understanding. "I see."

He kept looking at her as she kept smiling at the ring. He felt quite curious to know what thoughts were running in her mind making her face glow up with such happiness. What blissful memories she might be imagining thinking about her love, Laksh. Was she thinking about how he proposed her? Or was she thinking about the future they dreamed together?

'But I guess, all her dreams will only remain dreams.' he looked at her with sympathy. "Let's go Ragini. It's useless waiting."

"Not yet. He'll come soon."

"We've waited long. Let's go."

"No! I told you already. I'm not going anywhere till I meet him. Laksh will come, I know."

He sighed for the unkempt time. "Ragini, if he was to come, wouldn't he have come yet?"

Ragini glared back at him. "He'll come. I just...I just need to wait a little longer."

"Ragini, he's admitted in the hospital. You know how much blood loss he had after the accident. He may have died."

"No! He's my Laksh and nothing can happen to him. It's been two days since the accident."she spoke in sorrow, cluching her chest where her heart was. "And...and that was the last time I met him. I miss him dearly. He must be missing me too." she spoke in desperation. "His heart knows his Ragini is waiting for him. He will come to me, I know!" Ragini fought back verbally.

Her companion sighed in defeat. There was no way of convincing her. She seemed firm that she won't leave until Laksh comes.

'Laksh...the one who she is not sure if he is even alive or dead. But she's adamant about him being alive. Well...I just hope he is. If not for himself, but for her sake.' thought he.

Ragini looked away from him. The hopelessness that her companion was portraying, made her uncomfortable. She didn't believe that Laksh was dead. She refused to accept that Laksh was dead. 'Laksh can't be dead. He just can't be! My heart says he's alive. If he was dead, I would know it.' Ragini clutched her ring as the events from two days earlier came back to her.

*flashback*

"~ Do dil! Mil rahe hei! ~
~ Magar! Chup-ke chup-ke! ~
~ Do dil! -Ow!" Laksh rubbed the spot on his head where Ragini had hit him. "Why'd you hit me?"

Ragini glared back. "Why wouldn't I? You have been singing off-key since we started on our journey. Being a pro-singer, shouldn't you be able to sing better?"

Laksh chuckled. "Well, yeah. But singing off-key has its own fun."

"You mean you have been irritating me to no end on purpose?!"

"Aww...sorry dear."

Ragini simply huffed and turned to look out of the window.

Laksh looked at her with a raised eyebrow. "Oh come on! Don't be mad at such a simple thing. I was just joking."

However, Ragini didn't look back at him.

"Ragini? Ragini, don't do this please. If you keep giving me the silent treatment, we're not gonna enjoy our trip."

Laksh smiled when he saw her turn back towards him. However, his smile disappeared on her words.

"And whose fault is that?! Today is our one year anniversary into our relationship. I thought you would make this day one of the best day ever in my life. But you? You're being an idiot!" saying that, she turned back to look outside with a pout.

Laksh smacked himself on the head. 'Great! You just dug your own grave Laksh. Great going!' He poked Ragini on the arm. "Hey? Hey, I'm sorry, okay?"

Ragini smacked his hand away and continued looking outside.

Laksh was about to apologize again, when he caught Ragini's reflection in the mirror. She seemed to be smiling.

'Eh? So she is acting like she's angry on me.' Laksh smiled to himself and cleared his throat, getting ready to sing. 'I know the perfect song for this moment.'

"~My cactus, my cactus...
My angry cutie cactus! ~"

Ragini's eyes widened on hearing the song. She turned to Laksh and found him singing to his heart's content. She reached out and hit him on the arm with force. Ragini looked at him with narrowed eyes. "Cactus? That's what I am to you now?"

"Well, since you're being rude and harsh to me, it's only fair I call you so." Laksh replied innocently, blinking his eyes with a cute pout for extra effect.

Ragini's eye twitched in irritation. "Other boyfriend's call their love princesses, queens or beautiful. But you call me a cactus?!"

"Yeah. You are one cactus." Laksh answered, looking at her with a sly smirk. "And I'm your porcupine. That is why only we can hold each other, hug each other, be together. No other person is fitting for us or can handle us. That's why no other couple is as awesome as us." he joked.

Ragini blinked at him dumbfounded. Soon, she burst out laughing. "Ahaha...Laksh, you and your crazy logic. Only you can make such silly comparisons."

"But that's why you love me, right?" Laksh asked with a wink.

Ragini finally relented and gave him a genuine smile. "You're such an idiot!"

"Idiot, I may be. But I'm your idiot, ain't I?"

Ragini chuckled and nodded. "Yeah. My idiot." from the corner of her eyes, she noticed something on the road. She turned to see it was a truck heading straight at them.

Her eyes widened and she turned to warn Laksh.

Laksh, on the other hand, was busy looking at Ragini, lost in her beauty.

"Laksh! Ahead of you!"

Her shout broke him out of his trance and he looked ahead. He was overcome with horror as he saw the truck about to hit them head on. Laksh tried to steer the car to the side to avoid collision.

Ragini's head hit the car roof as Laksh abruptly changed the course of the car. Nevertheless, she was glad that he managed to avoid the truck.

However, now the car was heading straight for a tree with an extended branch.

Laksh tried to bring the car under control, but knew it was fruitless. He knew the branch would go through him and looked towards Ragini with a sad smile. "Goodbye."

*flashback end*

Ragini closed her eyes and shook her head off those events from two days ago. 'He's alive. He has to be alive!'

"Ragini, it's no use waiting. Let's go!" her companion spoke impatiently.

"Laksh will come! Please, let's just wait a bit more. He wi-" they heard the hitting of boots against the pavement and looked ahead.

Ragini gasped as she saw who it was. "L-Laksh." she spoke in relief and joy.

Her companion looked at Laksh. "So he finally came, eh?"

Ragini could only nod in agreement, too overcome by emotions. She watched as Laksh walked forward towards them. "Laksh...Laksh you're finally here. You're...you're okay. You're alright. I knew it!" Ragini spoke out loud to herself.

Laksh kneeled down and let out deep sigh. His eyes seemed to portray so much sadness. Tears flowed from his eyes profusely as he looked on. He clutched his heart in pain, heart-wrenching cries leaving his mouth. "Ragini...Ragini I...I missed you."

Ragini smiled at him. "I missed you more Laksh. I'm so glad you came to meet me."

"Ragini I...I'm sorry I couldn't come sooner. I was at the hospital. I was unconscious since the accident. Only today did I wake up. I came to you as soon as I could! I came! I came, see?"

Ragini placed a hand over her mouth to cover her sobs. "Yes. Yes you did Laksh. I knew you would come." she couldn't describe the joy of finally getting to see him.

"Ragini I..." Laksh paused, composing himself and taking a breath to calm his sobs.

"Laksh, you don't need to stress yourself. I already know what you want to say."

Ragini's companion looked at both of them in sympathy. After all, that was the only thing he could offer them. There was nothing else he could do.

"Ragini I...I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. It's because of me that the accident happened. It's because of me that you got hurt. It's because of me that...that..." Laksh was unable to continue and broke down crying.

"Hey, Laksh, it's okay. It wasn't your fault. I am equally to blame. It's not your fault."

Ragini's companion looked away, unable to see both of their sadness and helplessness. Just watching them felt like someone was hurting him physically. There was so much sorrow around Laksh and Ragini that it was practically suffocating him.

Laksh looked up. "Ragini I...I really wanted to make that day your best one ever. I'm so sorry I ruined it. So very sorry. Will you ever be able to forgive me?" he sobbed.

"Laksh, there isn't anything to forgive because I was never angry at you. I could never be angry at you for long. You know that, don't you?" Ragini consoled.

Laksh composed himself and rubbed away his tears. He let out a humorless chuckle. "You would chide me for crying, wouldn't you?"

"That, I would." Ragini answered in a playful tone.

"You would even call me a crybaby." He spoke with a laugh amidst his tears.

"That I would."

"An chide me for it too."

Ragini nodded. "Yes. That I would too." She said with a smile.

Laksh took out some roses from the paper bag he was carrying with him and looked ahead. "You always loved roses, didn't you?"

Ragini nodded with a smile.

Laksh smiled and extended his other hand forward. Ragini smiled back and did the same.

Ragini's companion watched as both their hands reached out ahead of them for each other.

However, Laksh's hand passed through Ragini's. Ragini, didn't look surprised, but rather seemed accepting the truth. She already knew that was bound to happen.

After all, she was only a spirit now.

Laksh's hand passed through Ragini's without him knowing of it, as he reached out to touch her tombstone. "Ragini...my Ragini." Laksh spoke out to Ragini's tombstone. "Ragini why did you do it? Why?" He questioned the tombstone and started talking to it.

The same way he had been talking all along.

Like he had been since he came to the cemetery.

'Unaware that the one he is talking to is sitting right in front of him. I wish Laksh knew that Ragini was listening to his words.' thought Ragini's companion in sorrow. 'And Ragini? She already knows Laksh can't hear her. Yet...yet, she is acting like they are having a conversation like old times. She's talking as if Laksh is speaking to her, when she knows that he is totally clueless of her spirit being here. He can't see her or me!'

Laksh placed the roses on the tombstone. "Why Ragini? Why did you have to come in front of me in the car? Why did you give up your life for me? Why did you leave me all alone in this world?!"

Ragini shook her head as she looked at him with tearful eyes. "I didn't want to leave you Laksh. I wanted to have a future with you. I dreamt of having a family with you. I dreamt of a home for me and you and our kids. I never wanted to die!" Ragini shouted, although she knew he couldn't hear or see her.

Laksh looked at the tombstone with moist eyes. "I would rather die than be alive without you!"

Ragini gasped. "Shut up Laksh! Don't you dare say things like that! Do you hear me? Laksh? Laksh!" Ragini shouted, trying to grab his shoulders, only for her hands to pass through him.

Her companion came and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Ragini, we are spirits. Laksh can't see or hear you, remember? You already know it. Please stop this madness and desperation."

"Yes I do. But didn't you hear what he just said? What if he harms himself?!"

He looked at her with pity. "That is solely his decision Ragini. I'm sorry Ragini. But there isn't anything you can do to help him further. Please, let's leave." He pleaded.

"But he sai-" Ragini stopped speaking when she heard Laksh talking to her tombstone again.

"But Ragini, that would mean that you wasted your life for me for nothing! It would mean that your sacrifice meant nothing!" Laksh reasoned. "That is why...that is why I won't do anything rash. You wouldn't want me to do it if you were here, would you?"

Ragini smiled in relief. "No. I won't want you to waste your life Laksh." she answered, desperately wishing he could have heard her.

Laksh rubbed away his tears. "I will live as you wanted. But Ragini, I won't ever love another as my heart only belongs to you. Only you and no one else. Forever and always."

Ragini looked at Laksh with a teary smile. Her companion gave her the shoulder to cry on, comforting her as a friend.

Laksh stood up with a smile. "I'll always love you Ragini. I'll come visit as much as I can. You can't get rid of me that easily." He remarked playfully.

Ragini let out a laugh through her tears at his words. "You always did know how to cheer me up Laksh. "

Laksh touched her tombstone one last time with a smile. "Bye love...for now. I'll come visit soon."

Ragini watched him leave with a heavy heart. She knew that Laksh would no doubt come back. But she didn't know if she would be back or not. "I'll always love you Laksh. Always and forever, forever and always."

As Laksh walked away, he felt a chill go down his spine and heard an echo.

Always and forever, forever and always.

Abruptly, he looked back. However, he could see no one. The cemetery was empty of any humans except for him.

"Laksh? You there?" Sanskar enquired as he came near him through the gate. Laksh looked at him in sorrow. He knew how broken Laksh must be feeling after losing the love of his life​. "Laksh, are you...are you ready to go? If you want you can stay for sometime longer."

Laksh shook his head with a smile. "If Ragini was here, she would want me to smile and live on. She wouldn't want me to make myself miserable. That's why...that's why I'll try to be happy. Not for myself, but for her sake."

Sanskar nodded with a smile. "I understand. I'll go start the car."

Laksh nodded and watched him go. He turned back to take one last look at Ragini's tombstone. As he squinted, he thought he saw the shadows of a man and a woman near it. He blinked to see clearly, but could see no one. There was only thin air.

'I...I could have sworn I saw something.' Laksh thought to himself. As Sanskar honked the car, Laksh gave a last parting look towards Ragini's tombstone and left the place...to live the life he knew she would have wanted of him. "Farewell love. Until we meet in next life."

*************The End************

Hehe...hows it?

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~ 🌹 Mona 🌹