Swaragini FF - Summer of '69 - Chapter 8 - Page 14 - 26th Oct - Page 7

Hello buddies! Sorry my bad! Couldn't update earlier!! So here is chapter 6 for you! Hope you enjoy! There is a twist in the tail but trust me, we are going to be happy again!! And please leave behind your valuable feedbacks so that I can read them and be all happy!! Happy reading! :)

Chapter 6 - Sand Castles Made of Dreams

Ragini was sitting in her bedroom, her brows were furrowed indicating that she was in deep thought. The last few weeks have been disturbing to say the least. She didn't like it one bit. As much as she had hoped that Swara and Sanskar, if they got together, it would solve all her potential problems arising from Swara and Lucky's closeness - God she was so wrong!! There was absolutely nothing that could part Lucky and his Swags! True, the entrance of Sanskar in Swara's life had made her busy. But who would expect Lucky to go out of his way to make Swara spend time with him? When he was with Swara, Lakshya ignored Ragini, and when Swara was with Sanskar he sulked - the Swara dating someone else idea was working against her and her Lakshya's relation than for!

Ragini never failed to notice Lakshya's forlorn face when Sanskar was close to her. His dark scowl when Swara provided udivided attention to Sanskar, she thought over the weeks he would get over it, but no. The more Swara and Sanskar was closer, the more Lakshya was going far from her. Atleast when Swara was single, Lakshya didn't pine for her attention, and spend most of his time with her! Something had to be done, Ragini made a mental resolution.

***

Swara and Sanskar had gone for a boat ride by the Ganges. The cool wind was touching her face and gently blowing her hair, Swara loved the feeling. It was a cloudy day and the gentle breeze and the mere presence of Sanskar with her, brought in a kind of tranquillity she never felt before. She just wanted to be sitting that way for the rest of her life, with her Sanskar on a boat by the Ganges. She slowly opened her eyes and saw Sanskar fidgeting with the phone.

"Offo Sanskar! What's with you? Sulking away in the corner like that?" she called out cheerfully. Sanskar who was looking into the deep waters completely lost in deep thoughts jerked back to reality and looked up at her. There was something about those eyes, there seemed a little startled? Why would he be thought Swara and waved the thought aside.

"Come here Sanskar, touch the water, see it's so cool" she smiled. Sanskar smiled a little and asked her to continue, he was a little preoccupied thinking about investors. Swara frowned, Sanskar was never this aloof, maybe work was getting on him. She wanted to argue the point further but she let it go. Maybe Sanskar needed some solitude. She was just happy in his mere presence.

Swara and Sanskar were walking down the cobbled alleys of Park Street, when Swara noticed a new caf that had opened, she jumped in excitement and tugged at Sanskar's arms so that they could go in, Sanskar didn't seem as excited, but he went along. Swara had a nice time looking at the dcor, complimenting the theme and the music, in all the while she was so intrigued that she didn't notice Sanskar sitting quietly noticing nothing.

When Sanskar went to drop Swara home that day, her dida had called him inside to treat him to a sweet dish which was authentic and Bengali - Sanskar had it and smiled. When he was leaving Swara came out to wish him goodbye, but by now she was a little agitated too. Sanskar's gloom finally managed to make itself noticeable and she wanted to know what was wrong.

"Sanskar, is everything really alright?" she asked softly gently tugging at his palm. Sanskar shut his eyes for a moment and a low sigh escaped him. He turned around and met her eyes, he saw concern there. He wanted to lie, but something in him stopped him.

"I don't know Swara, I really don't know" he replied softly, he never met her eyes, when he walked out of the main gate of the baari. Seeing his receding figure, something told Swara things were not okay. Something was horribly amiss. But she decided to give Sanskar some space and thought of waiting until the next day at college.

***

When Lucky entered the college cafeteria, Ragini and Sanskar were already inside, they were talking amongst themselves. Lucky was surprised, there was a time when the sight of any guy sitting and idly talking to Ragini would make his blood curl in anger, but nothing happened today - maybe their relationship had matured? He casually walked along and flopped beside Ragini and fiddled with his phone. By the look of it Sanskar looked a bit disturbed. Nowadays the mere sight of a disturbed Sanskar lifted his mood. "What's up bro?" he asked him casually. Sanskar just nodded in negative. In the meanwhile Swara had reached the caf too. She noticed the trio sitting and took deliberate steps towards them. She directly looked at Sanskar.

"Sanskar we need to talk" she said softly yet firmly. Sanskar looked up at her quietly.

"Let him be yaar, he is down for some reason, come I will take you home, mom has made kheer and told me specially to get you home!" Lucky spoke in between, Swara's unwavering attention towards Sanskar was clearly not going down well with him.

"Please apologize to Anu aunty for me today Lucky. I cant come today. I need to talk with Sanskar" she replied not taking her eyes off Sanskar.

"But I have nothing to say" Sanskar replied, surprising both Lucky and Swara.Swara took a step back, but stopped, she wasn't going to let him be distant.

"But I have something to say Sanskar, please come with me" she went on but Sanskar seemed adamant.

"Please let me be Swara" he said still not meeting her eye.

"Why?" she sounded dejected.

"Because...because" Sanskar took a deep breath, it was time, "Because, I think I am done with us Swara. Its no more going to work between you and me" he finished in one long breath before glancing at her. Her face looked unperturbed. As if his words hadn't sunk in. And taking advantage of her incoherence, Sanskar walked away from there, never looking back.

***

It had been fifteen minutes since Sanskar left the trio stunned behind. Lucky was the first to come out of it. He looked at Swag's blank expression and went near her. He hugged her tight and murmured soothingly, "It's okay Swags, you can handle this. I am there. He is not worth it" But Swara didn't respond, and it was ages before the first drop of tear escaped her, safely tucked in Lucky's chest - and from then there was no stopping. Swara forgot where she was and who she was hugging, she forgot she was in the caf all she remembered was Sanskar walking away and tears wouldn't stop.

Ragini just sat there numb at the suddenness of the events. For once she felt bad seeing Swara's state, and she came forwards to assure her, but strangely Lakshya shoved her hand away, she looked at him confused.

"You're so called brother did this to her! I will never forgive him. Why don't you go running after him? I will take care of Swags" he answered darkly. Ragini was shocked; she never thought Lakshya could ever talk to her like that. He was protecting Swara like a lion and she Ragini was the enemy? Ragini cursed herself for her bad luck, and quietly walked away from there.

***

"Marwaris! Never trust them! didn't I tell you that so many times? To both of you?" howled dida in anger. Swara was sitting half hugging her mother on the couch and Lucky was standing beside dida - he had brought a hapless Swags home and had informed her family about her break-up. They all tried calling Sanskar a number of times, but he declined every single call.

"Dida its not the Marwaris, it's Sanskar" begun Lucky, but dida cut her short.

"Laaakie don't teach me! It is not just Sanskar, it is Marwaris! All are the same! Look at you - always hanging out with my Swara, partying with her, studying with her, but when it came to choosing a girl, Swara never came to mind? Why because your family won't accept a modern girl - for marriage you chose that Marwari girl! My Swara took so long to get over you, and who supported her? This Shonskar! And look today when she loves him, this is what he did?!?" raged dida. But Lucky followed very less, his mind stopped paying attention after receiving the information that Swags liked him back then? After staying with them for a while, Lucky left for home.

At home sitting alone, Lucky was finally thinking, Swags liked him? Maybe even loved him? How did he not know? Why was the information more alluring to him then it should seem? Didn't he love Ragini? Weren't they going to be engaged in a few months' time? Then how was he feeling almost happy at the news that Swags loved him? Would she love him again? Now that Sanskar wasn't around?

His thoughts were disturbed when he received a text from Ragini,

[8:50PM Lakshya, is Swara alright?] Lucky stared at the message and sighed, he was committed to Ragini. And Swags loved Sanskar now, that loser.

[8:55PM Not really. But her mother is taking care of her.]

Lucky knew Ragini would call him now, but he wasn't in the mood to talk, he switched off the phone and went off to bed, knowing fully well, Swags would be curled up on her bed right now crying her eyes out - the thought was so disturbing that by morning when he woke up, Lucky had taken a decision. Keeping everything aside, he would try and talk sense into Sanskar once today - for Sawgs' sake, if not for anything else.

nice update ...
update soon
iss baar please jaldi kar na
why sanskar behaving like this aur lashkya love swara or not ???
so my question so please update fast ...
thanks for updating ...

Woww...loving each chapter more than the previous one...pls do post the new one sooner!!!

Plz update soon...,
Why sanskar is doing this

What is this yaar? this is not fair. sanskar can't leave swara... don't do this to me... I can't saw swara like this.. i felt really bad for her... plzz.. make them patch up.. don't break them... my heart will break... plzz... it was heart touching update yaar... continue as early as possible... i want swasan happy...

You wrote it in a wonderful way Aafrah 👏
Idk i just have a feeling that Ragini is behind all this, maybe she asked Sanskar to leave Swara 😕
Felt very bad for her 😒
Your story is really interesting, update soon 😳

Pls update soon. Why sanskar is behaving rude towards swara. Why he told her like everything is over between them. He loved swara r he just want her to fall for him. And laksh thinking about swara. They are good friends. So there s no need for good friends to love each other.

Oh God why did you stop... jaldi se please update...

Hello friends! So here is the thing about cliffhangers- I hate them myself!! Can't keep anyone on the hook for too long!! So here is chapter 7 for you! Hot from the pot!
It's longer than my usual chapters and a lot happens here! Hope this satisfied you all! And you know the drill, once you read it, do drop in a word for me to read! Love you all! Happy Reading

Chapter 7 - When Things Fall

It had been more than a month that Lucky had tried talking to Sanskar. He was a different man, he heard nothing, his eyes were fixed at the table behind Lucky as he spoke, not once did he meet his eyes, gone were his friendly smiles, he was an impenetrable man, lost in his own world. Lucky gathered he wasn't worried the least about Swags and come what may, he wasn't returning - forget returning, he didn't even think Swags was worthy enough to even know why he was dumping her. For him, suddenly Swara didn't exist. A defeated Lucky had left Sanskar and gone. Lucky had noticed that even Ragini wasn't as close to him any longer - Lucky appreciated her gesture, but even that wasn't enough to make him feel a bit more warmly towards her - after Swags revelation by dida, Ragini felt distant every moment and what was worse was, Lucky didn't mind.

Swara was sitting in the class and taking notes, it was early in the morning and the class was empty. Suddenly the sound of footsteps made her look up. Sanskar was entering the class, he hadn't noticed her yet, Swara stared at the hurrying figure, he looked sleep deprived for some reason, his eyes were hollow and were they a bit sunken too? There were dark circles too, and he seemed to have lost weight. An impossible thought stuck Swara, was Sanskar unwell? God forbid but did he catch some fatal disease that was mortally perishing him slowly? Was that why he was keeping distant from her? So that when something really bad happens to him, she isn't scarred? The thought came in a flash and made its foundation so strong that for that moment Swara was absolutely sure that was the case. She looked back at Sanskar in fearful eyes, he had noticed her finally, and was about to walk out of class to avoid her, but suddenly Swara walked up to him and grabbed his hand and pulled him to her.

"What happened Sanskar, why do you look so dishevelled" she asked him with unmasked concern. He looked at her stunned for a moment before replying, " I am fine, thanks" and then he tried to unhook his hand from Swara's to leave. But Swara wasn't giving up, she was quiet and accepting when leaving her was his choice, when he claimed he didn't love her anymore, she maintained dignified silence all the time, but with the hypothesis that all this happened because he was unwell, she wasn't going to keep quiet.

"Tell me damn it! I can handle it. We can be in this together. What happened to you? Are you ill, is that why you left me Sanskar?" she couldn't hold back her tears any longer, as she hugged him and cried her eyes out. Sanskar was stunned to say the least. What all was this girl thinking!?!

It is while she was hiding her head in his chest and crying that she felt him shake, for a moment she thought he was crying, but to her amazement, Sanskar was shaking in laughter. She released him and looked at him surprised.

"Honestly Swara how melodramatic are you? You think I am perennially ill and that's why I left you? This sounded more plausible in your mind than the idea that maybe I was done with you?"

Swara staggered for a moment and Sanskar took this opportunity to push her aside. He smirked at her and drawled out of the class leaving her distraught. When Lucky entered class he was alarmed, Swara was chalk white and expressionless. Lucky hurried to her side and the first thing that escaped his mouth was,

"Swags what did Sanskar do to you?"

Swara didn't reply and Lucky was furious. He looked at Swara and realized she was not in a state to be in class, so he decided to take her home, as he got up to take Swags, Ragini entered class with a dimpled smile. She called out to Lakshya and ran to hug him. Lucky was surprised, but he got out of the hug and motioned towards Swara's state, Ragini glanced at her and rolled her eyes before muttering, "Oh God not her drama again" then she turned to Lucky and said all brightly, "Bunk that, Lakshya do you remember what day it is today?"

Lucky stared at Ragini in pure shock, is this the same caring girl she had fallen in love with? She didn't care about Swags he knew, but she didn't care on humanitarian grounds too? How can someone be so happy on the face of someone so emotionally wounded - not just anyone, a friend! Lakshya broke away from her and muttered that he needed to take Swags home, and spend the day with her. But hearing him, Ragini had lost it, she shot a dirty glance at Swara who was sitting in her own misery and threw back at Lakshya.

"Lakshya I think it's high time you set your priorities straight. Today Lakshya is an important day for us! You clearly don't remember huh? We complete six months today Lakshya, but see due to this leech here, you don't even remember that! I need you with me today! And you want to spend time with this freak?" she almost screamed shocking Lakshya and upsetting Swara.

Lucky stared at her in shock, it took him time to register that she had actually said such vile things about Swags, it was in that moment his mind finally cleared. Ragini couldn't be the one made for him, she was just not the one. He turned at Swags and glanced at her shaking form, then he turned to face Ragini with sheer hate in his eyes.

"How dare you insult Swags, Ragini! I will never forgive you for this. You are a selfish vile woman who cares about no one else but her own happiness. I hate you" he spat in fury.

Ragini was taken aback, "You just said you hate me for this girl? Is she closer to you than me? Who is she to you?" she spat back with her eyes filling up fast with tears.

"YES, I fought with you for Swags because she is my best friend Ragini" fumed Lucky

"Best friend my foot. You think I didn't know this rotten girls intention from the very first day? She secretly wants us to part so that she gets you! You all blamed Sanskar for dumping her, who knows maybe this was the true reason he did!" Ragini howled back hurling curse words at Swags. Swara was numbed by Ragini's words and she blankly stared at her, all the colours had drained off her face, she didn't even have the energy to speak.

Lucky stared at Ragini incredulously for a whole minute and Ragini could see the decision forming in his head, Ragini had already realized she had gone a notch too far in her anger, and now she was going to pay for it.

"You know what Ragini, I would have clarified the confusion in your head, if you were to be with me hereon, but after seeing this side of yours I am sure that wont be the case. We wont work Ragini, this is over between us. And right now I don't care what you think of Swags and me" saying that he roughly pushed Ragini aside and took hold of the wrist of a shaking Swara and walked away. Ragini could just helplessly stare after them and mumble, "Lakshya..."

***

Sanskar was sitting in his study when the doorbell rang, he looked up irritated, who was disturbing him in the evening. As he got up to reach the door and open it, the doorbell rang furiously three times in between. Sanskar hurried and opened the door - what he saw surprised him to say the least.

"You? What happened? Why are you in this state? Come in" he said worriedly as he guided a shaking, shivering, crying and weak form of Ragini inside.

"What happened?" he enquired alarmed when Ragini didn't respond right away.

"Sanksar..."that's all Ragini could say before weeping miserably again. Sanskar stood staring at her shaking form for a minute, she was the closest thing to a sister he had, and seeing her miserable made him want to rip things apart. He sighed and mumbled that he will call up Lakshya and find out what happened.

"There is no point in calling Lakshya, Sanskar - we aren't together anymore. He dumped me. All is lost. Nothing worked Sanskar. Swara won" she spoke in agony. Sanskar sould only stare at her, his mind was giving him repulsive responses to Ragini's claim. He was numbed and didn't know how to respond. He quietly crashed on the settee opposite ragini and stared at her, allowing her time to recover before she told him what had happened. But while sitting and waiting, he was faraway in his thoughts, flashes of the past came to him.

Flashback

It was Kavita's death anniversary. He was alone and missing Ragini a lot, she had moved to Kolkata and he was in Jaipur. He was so low that he had decided to call her, something he usually never did, but to his surprise Ragini wasn't her sweet and cheerful self, she sounded low. He tried to find out through various means what bothered her but she would tell him, after a week or so, Sanskar had taken a decision, he felt enough responsible towards Ragini to take it - he was thinking of starting his venture in Kolkata after college anyway, then why not take a transfer and live there from this year itself and be there for Ragini and also study the market there, he thought. He couldn't bear the thought of an upset Ragini.

When he had arrived at Kolkata, upon much coaxing Ragini had told him about her and Lakshya's relationship and her potential hazard a venomous Bengali girl named Swara. He wanted to kill Swara for making Ragini unhappy thus, he wanted to help Ragini by whatever means he could - that was when the idea struck Ragini.

"Will you really do this for me Sanskar? Once you join college, will you actually woo Swara for long enough to keep her away from Lucky this year? After this college gets over and they wouldn't meet on a regular basis, but I fear their closeness, what if he cheats on me with her? I don't want to take a chance Sanskar! You know nah, I have never really wanted anything for myself - but this I want Sanskar, I want Lucky badly. Please help me?" she pleaded with him.

Sanskar was surprised at the strange request and overwhelmed at the strong feeling she saw in Ragini's eyes for this Lucky. He was about to refuse but seeing her earnestness, he couldn't refuse. He had always seen Ragini as a sister and if his sister had demanded this of him, he couldn't say no.

"Relax Ragini. Acha fine! I will help you. But you know right, ever since Kavita's demise, I have promised myself that I won't ever fall in love with anyone? I won't break that promise. I will woo Swara and keep her away from your Lucky but that will only be for a year! After that I am going to break off all ties and leave her. Deal?"

"Deal" replied Ragini with shining eyes.

Flashback Ends

Sanskar sighed seeing the still shaking form of Ragini. Things were still in control when he had started dating Swara, she was a nice friend and he like spending time with her, but complications started arising when he realized he was going out of his way to look out for her - it was only a deal he had made for Ragini's sake he kept reminding himself, but his resolution always seemed to falter around Swara, he didn't know how he stopped hating her, then he befriended her, and then he liked her, but he did. He was attracted to her, and she loved him effortlessly - he was drawn to her and he was heading towards her while his mind screamed to stay away - slowly his heart won over his head, he not only fell in love with Swara but also accepted it that he had fallen. He had decided to tell her his truth once and for all and bear the brunt of his past actions and also wait till she forgave him, and came to him - he knew he hopelessly loved Swara and wanted to be with her come what may. If there was any fibre of him that was unsure of Swara, that cloudy evening in the dark classroom had resolved even the slightest of unsureness. Sanksar's biggest truth was, he had irrevocably fallen in love with Swara.

But then a disturned Ragini had called again and told him, her plan wasn't working, Swara's closeness to Sanskar was working against her and Lakshya's relationship, so Sanskar needn't wait for a year, he needed to dump Swara at the earliest - Sanskar wanted to protest badly, he wanted Ragini to see that Swara had nothing more than friendship for Lakshya, but Ragini was obstinate as ever and refused to see sense. All she ever wanted now was for Sanskar to dump Swara - Sanskar stared at Ragini - it was really a difficult choice for him, his happiness against his little sisters happiness. How could he really chose his happiness over hers? He had lost his love once, he survived - he knew this could kill him, but he would survive none the less, and Swara? Well between Swara and Ragini, he knew Swara was the tougher one, she would get over him. Hence he had gone ahead and dumped her - it broke his heart and shattered his soul, but nothing showed on his face. And Swara had also not shown any signs of weakness for the longest time - Sanskar was almost convinced now that Swara had moved on - honestly a small part of him did feel bad to see how easily she did, but he chided himself for holding it against her - after what he did, what did he expect anyway?

But today morning when he saw the vulnerable side of Swara, when she broke all her pillers to come to him, just to ensure he was okay, Sanskar had seen deep passion in her eyes, like the ones he felt for her, she hadn't healed even a bit her realized. Even she was acting like he was. They thought and her care was so overwhelming that he was moved to tears too, but he had to control it before things went out of control - he somehow managed to pass his weeping as his laughter and hurled a few more insults at her before leaving - he had seen how gaunt and white her face was in shock, it killed him, but there was no looking back. While walking away as a defeated man, all he wished was Ragini's happiness - if he and Swara were suffering anyway, at least Ragini should reap her benefits.

But right now staring at Ragini and her defeated attitude, Sanskar felt physically pained, all was lost for nothing?he lost his love, Swara lost hers and today even Ragini lost hers? Who had gained in all this? No-one. Maybe the saying is right he thought, no one has any control over destiny.