Hi guys!!
Here is Chapter 2 for you! Delivered as promised, Sanskars enters the story today! Hope you enjoy it! And please do leave me a feedback to let me know what you feel about this story!
Chapter 2 - Ice on Fire
Swara was sitting in the classroom looking determinedly at Lucky, who was sitting few rows ahead with Ragini, he hardly ever sat with her nowadays - Ragini liked sitting closer to the lecturers as it helped her pay attention. While moving ahead with Ragini, Lakshya never invited her to join them, and Swara never went along. Days changed to weeks and Lucky seemed to be making good progress with Ragini, Swara didn't know how far he was through because Lucky was always busy with Ragini and he hardly ever had time to discuss his or even her life with Swara. Their once inseparable friendship had come to a standstill and now at most they exchanged a few whatsapp messages in every few days. Lucky was too wrapped up in his life and Swara was too egoistic to claim her place as friends. Initially it was ego, and later it was hurt - a lot had happened in Swara's life ever since Ragini had come to college and Lucky was not there with her. Her mother had fallen ill back in Bhopal, she desperately wanted to go visit her, but their semesters were due in a few days and she couldn't afford to go - her dida went instead. Swara suffered all alone in the big wide city of Kolkata, worrying about her mother with no one to support her - when the fear of losing her mother gripped her, she hugged her pillow harder and wept on it - she did try calling Lucky a few times, but he was always busy, in fact even the few times he spoke, he was so distracted that he never heard the pain and exhaustion is Swara's voice. Hurt filled her heart and she decided to go through this alone.
Things had improved over the weeks and soon enough Sharmishta was on the path of recovery, but making this as an excuse, dida had bullied her mother to move back to Kolkata and stay with her and Swara, though reluctant, but Sharmishta missed Swara and between choosing to stay with her late husband's memories and Swara, she finally chose Swara. Now of course, Swara didn't stay in the hostel anymore, she had moved back home at her dida's to stay with her mother and maternal grandmother. And to think, her Lucky had no clue of all this?
Sharmishta had noticed Swara's gloom and had decided to have a heart to heart chat with her one evening, and one thing led to the other and soon Swara was hugging her mother and weeping and telling her how her best friend had ditched her and she was lonely. Sharmishta had caressed her daughter's face gently and had told her to not hold grudges against Lucky and go talk to him, to tell him what was bothering her - Sharmishta was sure Lucky would understand and balance his life and time better. Swara was confident now, she had decided to confront Lucky and settle this matter once and for all. She needed Lucky's attention too. Ragini couldn't take it all! Hence she was sitting in the classroom and determinedly looking at Lucky. After this lecture, it would be lunch break, and she was going to talk to him.
***
Lucky was sitting and eating samosa from Ragini's lunch box and laughing about something when Swara came and dropped into the seat next to him. Ragini on the other side of the table looked surprised at the intrusion, while Lucky looked at her for a second and then broke into a smile and greeted her.
"You like roshogollas nah? I got you home-made ones" she smiled and handed him her lunch box. Lucky looked delighted and grabbed the box to open it. Soon he was devouring on the sweet delicacies as Swara sat observing him in content. Soon there was only one piece left and Lucky seemed to realize he hadn't offered any to the girls, so picked up the last roshogulla and said, "Rags, come try this, it's amazing! Much better than the shop ones! It's so soft!" Ragini smiled and took a small bite and looked triumphantly at Swara. Swara couldn't help understand why Ragini looked at her that way, but she didn't think further, and decided to probe on the topic at hand.
"Ma says, if you like it, she will make more for you tomorrow" Swara told Lucky. Lucky looked up in surprise.
"Ma? Your mother is in town? I thought dida made these! Hang on, how come you mother decided to visit you suddenly?" he asked in wonder.
"Ma has moved to Kolkata a few weeks back" Swara replied not meeting his eyes.
"What?! Your mother has loved to Kolkata? That to, few weeks back, and you're telling me now?" asked Lucky with a frown.
"Where were you Lucky? How was I to tell you?" Swara asked Lucky quietly as her eyes pierced his heart. Ragini didn't understand the implication of course, and replied, "But Swara he was here all along!" but Swara's eyes didn't leave Lucky's face, and Lucky stood there quietly, the message had reached him alright.
***
It had been a few weeks since Swara had confronted Lucky, and as Sharmishta had predicted, Lucky did understand her daughter. Swara and Lucky were back again and unlike the olden days, most of the time instead of Lucky and Swara or Lucky and Ragini, Swara, Ragini and Lucky all spent time together. The watched movies together, went for shopping, eating and classes. All was well. Swara had finally realized Ragini was a nice girl and had even helped her pick a birthday gift for Lucky, a little something he would love!
As Ragini sat there between Swara and Lucky on his birthday in the caf, she saw Swara had arranged for a cake and was happily singing the birthday song, Ragini felt uncomfortable. She had been feeling so for quite some time now, but today she was irritated. She and Lucky had made plans for dinner. She had arranged for a candlelight venue and a romantic date, and she really wanted him to cut the cake just with her in their date. But here he was cutting the cake with an over excited Swara beside him. Ragini was finding Swara intrusive and she was insecure of her closeness with Lucky, she hated the fact that Swara knew Lucky so much better than her. Lucky was hers. And Swara was hindrance.
Ragini was sitting on her bed and her breaking head thinking of subtle ways to convey the message to Swara that she needed some privacy with Lucky, but she couldn't think of a way. She threw the pillow in her hand in frustration towards the door when exactly at the same moment her door opened and the pillow hit the concerned person coming in. Ragini apologized in surprise as the stranger put the pillow down and flashed at her, his most brilliant smile.
"Sanskar!!!!!!!" Ragini screamed in delight and ran to greet him. Sanskar laughed whole heartedly seeing Ragini's wild excitement at seeing him. Daadi who was entering her room behind Sanskar exclaimed, "See beta, this is why I wanted you to surprise her! See how happy my lado is to see you!" she grinned.
Sanskar was Ragini's childhood best friend, and confidant. They were neighbours when they stayed in Jaipur, where Ragini's father still stayed. Ragini's late mother and Sanskar's mother were great friends and after Ragini's mother's death, it was Sujata aunty who had practically raised her along with Sanskar. Sanskar and Ragini were inseparable until a few months back, daadi fell ill and Ragini had decided to move to Kolkata to tend to her. While Ragini moved to Kolkata, Sanskar stayed back in Jaipur, but they were still connected through calls, messages etc. but ever since Lucky happened in Ragini's life, she hardly contacted him, and slowly their contact fizzled out - this was the reason Ragini never knew that Sanskar was intending to set up a business in Kolkata soon after completing graduation hence to understand the market better, he had decided to transfer to Calcutta University to complete his final year of studies.
Sitting on the bed and munching chips, Sanskar spoke about anything and everything to Ragini, but she seemed too lost sometimes. Sanskar realized something was up, and began coaxing Ragini. After a while, Ragini decided to confide in Sanskar and tell him her worries and insecurities. After hearing her out, Sanskar was very happy to know that Ragini had found someone, and congratulated her. He had casually suggested to Ragini with a smirk, that she needn't worry about pretty girls fawning over her Lucky once he, Sanskar joined college. But his joke sounded like a possibility to Ragini and her eyes twinkled in delight.
***
Swara was walking down to college, listening to music. She was in a very good mood. Dida and Ma had made very good breakfast and she was super-full with food. The first two lectures would be free as the concerned professor was down with dengue and after that the rehearsals for the inter college fest would start and she would go for music auditions. All in all, there were no classes today! But what happened next, happened in a flash, suddenly a bike raced past her and the muddy slush on the ground from the rain last night, went splashing all over her dress and not to mention even face! Her head shot up in shock and soon it was replaced with anger as the concerned biker, instead of stopping and apologizing, just turned and grinned with a small salute and rode off to college. As she stood there rooted in anger, she realized he was a new entrant, his face was unfamiliar. But one thing was for sure, she was going to HATE him for the rest of her life!
"Silly, arrogant, rich, and spoilt, BRAT!" she screamed after him, as he rode inside the campus, shouting back at her, "That's Sanskar for you, sweets!".
