Okie! Don't know if you guys remember this fic or not. Hehe...

But had it unpublished. Am republishing it now and plan to update decently without much delay from now on.

Moving on...💃💃💃

"Words in double quotes" - Talking

'Words in single quotes' - Thoughts

Chapter 4 - Unexpected Expectations

"Hi!"

Sanskar looked up as she approached. He was expecting her. 'So finally comes the day I reveal the most important decision of my life.' he shuffled to the side to let her sit on the other side of the bench. "My, my. You're a bit early today."

"Yep!" Ragini replied in excitement. She really was excited. 'Today I'll tell him how much he has helped me, although unknowingly.'

And help he did.

In her life which was always spent doing household chores or spent with the handful of friends, thus stranger in the shadows was the only one who came as close as possible to understanding her. He called out when she was pitiful without any sugarcoating, he comforted her with his own snarky way which made her smile. He had grown to be a part of her life which she held dear to her heart.

Even her family started to wonder why she was more happy nowadays, not to mention more outspoken. She didn't shy to voice her opinions.

Ragini knew she had changed from her 'pushover' self. And she liked herself better now.

She didn't tell anyone about her stranger though. He was here lucky charm, her secret.

'Did I just call him my stranger?!' Ragini blushed.

"Oi! I've been calling you since ages. Where are you lost?"

"No-nowhere! What were you saying?"

"I was asking why you sound so happy today?"

Ragini clutched her sketch pad to her chest. She had drawn a sketch of his silhouette and hers sitting together, watching the sunset together. Sadly, they never have seen each others'eyes faces. Hence, she drew it from a backview. Not to mention he even refused to share names. 'At least I could have written down our names below the picture. Since I'm not that good at art, I wonder if he can even make out they are humans and not bunnies.'

Nwvwrtheless, Ragini planned to gift it to him as a 'thank you' for everything he had done for her. Today, she planned to take him to her favorite café and share names and contact numbers. She wanted...no, needed to know him better.

Whenever they met up, he would sound lonely and pensive. He seemed so depressed. And after what he said about his family betraying him, she wanted to be his solace. He was a gem to her. And she wanted to see him smile and be happy. She wanted to be the reason for his smile.

'As a friend of course!' she reminded herself again and again in her mind. However, she wasn't shying from the idea of ever becoming more to him.

"Ow!" Ragini exclaimed as he threw a paper wrapper at her.

"Good to see you're back to the earth."

Ragini chuckled. "Okay okay. So, I've come to tell you something today. And I plan to have my way today! You're not bossing me around."

Sanskar chuckled. "Fine. Then I'll tell you what I came to speak about. I have something important to tell you."

"Oh?" Ragini blinked in thought. 'It would be better if he finishes telling me first. Then we can go out!' Ragini smacked herself in the head. 'Not exactly how I planned to think. Going out as a friend I meant! A friend!' she cleared her throat. "Okay. First, you tell me then."

"No. Ladies first."

"And I'm giving you the chance. So speak up." Ragini giggled.

The wind blew suddenly, making them shiver. It was dark already since the day was cloudy.

"Ah...good day to have momos and hot tea, no?" Sanskar uttered.

'Okay. That's what we're having today then.' Ragini decided in her mind. "So? Speak please."

Sanskar breathed in and let out a long sigh.

Ragini's face turned grim at that.

Now that she thought about it, he wasn't snarking back like usual. "Is...is something wrong?"

"You know I told you how I lived here alone...away from my family didn't I?"

"Yes."

"Well, turns out someone told them that I'm living in this part of the town. I got the tip last week from a trusted source. He won't lie."

Ragini froze at what she heard. She was dreading with the thoughts that were popping up in her mind. "So it...maybe it is a chance? Maybe if they are looking this desperatelyfor you, they really want to apologize for what they did."

She heard him laugh. But she knew it was a bitter one.

"You can't imagine what they did Ragini. They can't be forgiven!"

"You never told me for me to imagine. But you said it was your life. It must mean your lover, right?" she spoke in a soft tone. It made her feel jealous that he had someone in life. But knowing she wasn't with him have her some sadistic pleasure which she hated herself for it.

However, she wasn't evil. If it made him happy, she would gladly find her for him to marry.

"Yes. She was my everything. And they stole her from me!"

"Maybe...maybe they want to apologize and return her to you. Maybe they've decided to accept her?" Ragini uttered with hope.

'She's already dead!' it pained him to even think about it. But he refused to voice it out for her. He didn't need anyone's pity! "It's not simple. And that's why...thats why I've decided to leave this place...for good."

The sketch pad dropped from Ragini's hand in shock. It was like ice cold water being dropped in her canvass of happiness. "W-What?"

"Yes. I...I have to leave." Sanskar spoke morosely. He hated to admit it, but even if he had decided not to get close to anyone, he had grown fond of Ragini as someone with whom he could spend a good time. She distracted him from all his woes. She was a true friend.

And that was another reason he had decided to leave. Bonds were dangerous. It would make him stray from his path of revenge. Being with her, spending time as a nobody, he was already getting comfortable with that life.

How could he forget Kavita's murder? Would she be happy if she was alive and knowing he just forgot about her?!

That was why he had to leave. He needed not to get caught by his family, and also be away from Ragini.

Sanskar extended his hand for her to shake. "I guess this is goodbye then. It was nice meeting you...friend."

It was the first time she heard him call her his friend. However, she couldn't find it in her to be happy. How could she when he planned to leave without any trace?

"Where do you plan to leave?"

"I'm sorry but...I can't tell you. If someone has noticed you meeting me, then you will get questioned. I don't want to risk it."

"You call me your friend and yet you doubt I'll rant you out?!"

"No! Never... But what if they harm your family for you to answer? You will end up answering then. I...I don't want you or your family harmed and neither do I want myself caught."

Ragini swallowed the lump in her throat...trying hard not to cry. She balled her hands into fists. "When are you leaving."

"Now."

Ragini's nails dug into her palm. "You knew from a week and you tell me this, now?! Why didn't you tell me yesterday!? Or the day before?!" she shouted in anguish.

Sanskar flinched. He expected her to be angry, but not this much. "I'm sorry okay? You know I'm not good at trusting people. I'm sorry but I can't help it."

"Unbelievable! I value you so much and...and you didn't even trust me with this information? Am I that distant to you that all I deserve as a goodbey is a simple handshake?!"

'You were starting to mean more...ans that's why I need to leave.' Sanskar could see that he wasn't the only one who was growing fond of their bond. She seemed equally drawn. But he knew he wouldn't come back. And he didn't want to wish he stayed.

Sanskar brought down his hand. "Yes. We were simple acuiqantances who shared some chats in the evening. So what? That doesn't give any right for you to demand I share each and everything with you. Why are you getting so personal? I'm just a stranger who's saying goodbye."

"Just strangers...strangers... Is that all I am to you?" she asked in a soft whisper.

The wind blew as he stared at her with pained eyes. However, in the dark of the night, she couldn't see it, or she would have known the truth.

With a stone in his heart, he spoke in affirmative. "Yes Miss. After all, I didn't even feel the need to share names. Didn't you notice?"

"You're...you're always so cruel." in sorrow and rage, Ragini threw the sketch pad at him and ran off, all of her wishes about him shattered.

'I'm such a fool! He's right! He didn't even feel the need to share names. And yet, I held him so high in my heart. I'm the fool here. It's no fault of his that I made him matter so much to me! I'm such an idiot!' Ragini wiped at her eyes as she walked furiously towards her house.

With empty hands and a broken heart.

Sanskar stood there motionless for sometime.

Slowly, he bent to pick up the book. 'I should just leave it here. She will come back tomorrow like she always does after all.' he bent to place it on the bench.

However, at the last moment, he picked it up and put it inside his jacket.

Later...

Sanskar packed the last of his things. 'Guess this will the last time I ever come here.'

Sanskar took out the sketchpad and opened it, deep in thought. He smiled to himself as he watched the inked drawings. 'She really wasn't joking when she said she didn't know how to draw properly.' as he reached the last page, he blinked in surprise at the drawing.

There sat two people, a boy and a girl it seemed...watching the sunset, sitting on a bench. From how the sky was sketched, it seemed it was almost night. He didn't have to think twice to know whom she had drawn.

The drawing wasn't so good, it was an average. However, the meaning it held was more than any other masterpiece. It was beautiful to him.

With a sad chuckle, he proceeded to put it inside his bag. However, something dropped out.

Sanskar gasped.

It was the first time seeing her face. They always met in the shade of the street lights at dusk after sunset.

Sanskar traced her face in the picture.

Her eyes were kind and had a shine to them. There was a kind of innocence in her smile that drew at Sanskar's heart strings.

"I don't think I'll ever meet you again. But I'll keep your picture. I'm sorry, but I can't leave this...you started to mean something to me and...and I want to remember you."

#Five Years Later#

"He must have gone inside Parvati's house. Let's go!" Dida left the mob towards Shekhar's house.

However, Parvati halted them. "Oi Bangalan! Just because I accepted your daughter, doesn't mean you'll barge into out house whenever you like!"

"But Parv-"

"No buts! There is no mad person knows my hou-"

"Dadi Maa!"

Parvati looked towards her home in shock hearing the shout of her beloved granddaughter. "Ladoo...Ladoo!" she rushed towards hwr house.

"Ragini!" Dida shouted in worry and followed Parvati, the angry mob doing the same.

Inside...

"Da-Dadi Maa...Dadi Maa..." Ragini whimpered in fear as he held a knife to her throat.

"Oh my Lord! Protect my Ladoo!"

"Don't shout. You'll anger him!" Dida warned.

"Shut up! Pin drop silence! You're more worried about that mad lunatic than my Ladoo!" she turned around in worry and fear. "Oh my Lord! Protect her!"

"Keep Quiet! Keep quiet I said!"shouted the guy holding Ragini as she cried silent tears, trying to be as still as possible, hoping the knife doesn't accidentally touch her neck.

"Let her go! I...I'll go and call Swara." Dida left the place.

'Shit!' Sanskar thought in his mind. 'Now there's no guiding the mob. This other old lady doesn't seem so kind as to let me off. She'll let me get beaten up! Think Sanskar think!' a voice interrupted his thoughts.

"You...you'll get hu-hurt. Here...let me hold the knife. Here, give it. You'll get hurt."

Sanskar's eyes moved two-and-fro, the gears in his mind working fast.

From the corner of his eyes, he saw the mob get closer.

"Stay back! Stay back!" he shouted, suddenly caught off guard amidst his thoughts. This made him accidentally put pressure on the knife and cut himself, making him drop the knife.

However, he needn't worry. He already crafted out his next move.

As the girl before him tried to leave, he held onto her dupatta and began his drama. "I'm not mad! I'm not mad! Please...I'm not mad!"

"Ladoo, come here. Come here, Ladoo!"

"Don't worry Dadi Maa. He won't harm me. He won't do anything to me. He's just scared, right?"

He nodded furiously, flinching when his wound stung.

"Dadi Maa, ask them to leave please. He's just scared. All of you, kindly leave...please."

"But Ladoo..."

"Please Dadi Maa!"

"Alright, alright. We're leaving. But we won't take risk if he does anything here. Let's go everyone!"

Ragini turned to smile at him. "See, they left. It's okay now. It's okay. No need to be scared, okay?"

Sanskar nodded vigorously, flinching as his injured hand stung. "It hurts."

"I'll go get the first aid."

As she got up, he held her dupatta tightly, not willing to let go. 'That old hag might hand me over. Can't let you leave. You're my bait!'

As a result, Ragini was heeled back suddenly, the hair clip falling off of her hair and letting her hair loose.

"You stay. I'll go get it Ragini."

"Alright Maa." Ragini turned to him with a smile. "Hey, it's okay. It's okay. No one is going to hurt you, alright?"

Sanskar smirked in his mind, but kept his fear stricken facade. 'Thank you pretty girl. This is too simple than I thought.' he concluded, looking at her innocent face.

Suddenly Ragini looked at him in confusion as his eyes turned wide and his mouth hopped open like a fish out of water.

"What happened? Is something wrong?"

All Sanskar could do was stare on and on with his body frozen from the mix of emotions.

Shock? Horror? Happiness? Nostalgia? Emptiness? All of it? None of it?

Nothing was clear in his mind. Only two words rang clear in his mind like the beat of a drum. 'Its her.'

🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹

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~ 🌹 Mona 🌹