A BET TO REMEMBER
"No matter how hard you try, I am not going to let you win this, trust me you will regret this bet Mr Over Smart, I am still giving you one chance to back off, don't blame me later on after losing", Ragini almost said in a warning tone with much needed confidence in her tone. She was way more than sure about her win over Laksh.
Laksh pulled her by holding her waist leaving Ragini in shock and before she could understand anything she was in his arms. She panicked and struggled to get free from his hold but no use, he tightened his grip more. "Aww, my cutie pie, don't struggle much sweetheart, you are in safe hands", said Laksh with a smirk on his face.
"Leave me Laksh, I said leave me", she struggled more while glaring angrily at him. "Cutie pie, confidence is nice, but over confidence... not good and that too when you are dealing with Laksh Maheshwari... it's worse, and about backing off, how can I back off sweetheart knowing what's the winning gift", he told her while raising his eyebrows at her winking.
"Chodo, chodo, chodo", she said screaming while hitting his chest by her hands making his grip looser and almost got off from his grip. Laksh laughed mentally at her antics. She was about to run from there but stopped in middle feeling weight on her wrist. She immediately landed on his chest as he pulled her with a jerk. He stepped little back and kissed on her cheek saying, "Now you can go" showing her entrance. She was stunned and blushed a little at the same time at his act. But soon realised what he did, she took a step towards him and said in anger and irritation, "I will make you pay for this"
"Sure cutie pie, I will wait for that", he said increasing her irritation even more. She stamped her foot and left the place cursing him leaving him there to laugh over heartedly at her cute behaviour thinking in his mind "God, how cute she looks when she is angry, I so love her". Laksh absolutely loved irritating Ragini. He loved seeing the frown on Ragini's face, according to him she looked more cute in her feisty mode.
TWO DAYS LATER:
"Bhagwan please, sab aapke hath me hai, bacha lena, mai Laksh se nahi haar sakti, please please please", Ragini was praying to her saviour Bhagwan by her eyes closed and her hands joining together. Today was big day for her, day of revelation of winner of bet. She walked inside her collegel continuing her prayers in her mind.
As she walked a little more, she saw Laksh standing there waiting for her. Seeing Laksh, Ragini composed herself and maintained a confident look on her face. Laksh sensed Ragini was nervous and was just pretending to be confident. In mind, "Sorry Ragini, I hate to see you like this but kya karu, I want the award of this win". Laksh never liked scared or nervous Ragini.
"To chale cutie pie, to see who won the bet?", Laksh asked her holding her hand in a soft grip. Ragini jerked his hand saying, "Haan Haan chalo, aur koi cutie pie nahi hu mai tumhari samjhe, call me Ragini only".
"Maine kab kaha ki tum meri ho?", he asked her raising his eyebrows. Ragini looked embarrassed at his understatement. He so wanted to pull her cheeks that time but somehow controlled himself.
Ignoring what he said, she led their way ahead saying, "Chalo chalo ab result nahi dekhna" trying to avoid her awkwardness. Laksh followed her, silently laughing at her cute expression.
They reached to the notice board where their results were displayed. Ragini asked Laksh to check, "Chalo, dekhlo apni haar ka najara" showing him her thumb down.
Laksh replied her smirking, "Tum hi dekh lo na cutie pie, you know you are my good luck charm".
"Arghhh, don't call me cutie pie alright", she said frowning at her nicknames given by him.
Ragini turned towards the notice board checking for their marks and as soon as she reached towards their roll numbers, she was stunned to see the results. Shock would be an understatement to describe Ragini's state. She checked twice being unable to believe the results notice board was displaying.
"What happened sweetheart, according to your notice board who won???" Laksh's words did more damage to already disappointed and angry Ragini. She passed him an angry glare and ran back to her home.
She closed her room's door hard causing her mom to rush to her room, "Ragini, kya hua, aaj itni jaldi vapas aagyi,Ragini".
"Nothing mom, don't worry", Ragini shouted from inside sitting on her bed in frustration. Her mom found it little weird but ignored and went back to hall. She saw Laksh entering inside and asked, "Laksh, tum yaha? Is waqt? What happened? Aaj Ragini bhi jaldi aa gayi".
"Kuch nahi aunty, aapki beti haar gayi mujhse , economics me 1 mark se", Laksh told her while keeping his bag on the couch. Ragini's mom nodded her head and said,"Isiliye madam ka mood itna kharab hai" . They both laughed looking at each other. But soon realising something Ragini's mom said, "Wait a minute, what did you say? Economics? Are you serious? Tumne Ragini ko economics me beat kiya? No wonder wo aaj kisi ka murder karne ke mood me hai".
Laksh shook his head saying, "Aur wo mai hu" to receive her approval. "Chalo aunty, iss se pehle ke wo apni room ki cheejo kar murder karna shuru kare, mai jata hu uske pass". "Haan, jao aur manao use jakar, tab tak mai tumhara favourite gajar ka halwa banati hu", Ragini's mom told him. "You are the best aunty", said Laksh while hugging her. And he walked towards Ragini's room.
He knocked the door of her room. She shouted from inside, "Mom please, bad me aana" not wanting to talk to anyone.
"Mai hu, aur abhi winning gift ki bari hai, I hope you are not thinking of backing off from your words." he said adding more fuel to her already burning fire.
And as expected the door got opened at the very next moment. "Ragini Gadodia kuch bhi kar sakti hai, lekin apne words se backoff... never", she reminded him of her all time favourite line. "Of course I know that cutie pie, so now it's time for my gift", he entered her room while saying and sat on her bed showing her attitude.
"Haan Haan, thik hai, now don't show off, I am ready, ask whatever you want", she said in a low voice accepting her defeat.
"Tumhe yad to hai na ke kis cheez ki bat hui thi", he asked her raising his eyebrows.
She narrowed her eyes at his question and replied mockingly, "Of course, how can I forget, tumhe tumhari favourite cheez deni hai mujhe, aur meri to sari cheese tumhari favourite hai, hai na, bachpan se tumhe har wo cheez chahiye jo meri favourite hai, ab pata nahi kya mangne wale ho tum", she said in a complaining voice. She put a straight question in front of him, "Batao kya chahiye?".
"Tum", he said looking at her. She straightened herself hearing him staring at him not understanding what he meant.
"Kya?" she asked him with confusion all over face. "I want you cutie pie", he repeated himself making himself more clear. Getting up from the bed, he walked towards Ragini who was standing there in utter confusion. He stood in front of her and said, "You remember what I said while putting a bet, I said if I won the bet then I will ask my most favourite and precious thing from you, then how could you not understand the most precious thing in my life is you my cutie pie".
Ragini was staring at him with O shape mouth. She was totally blank at that time unable to register the sudden things happening.
Bending down on his knees he took her soft hand in his and said, "I love you Ragini, don't know from when and how but I do, I love your every little thing, I want to grow old with you, I want to fight with you, I want to manofy you,I want to give you every happiness in the world, I want to spend my whole life with you sharing my every happiness with you and sharing your every pain with me... so will you allow me to be a part of your life?". He put his all feelings in front of her in a very direct and elegant way.
"To ye bet kyu, agar ye sab kehna hi tha to directly bhi bol sakte the, why this bet? And I also want to know how you did that? I mean no one else better than me knows how weak you are in economics, till the last exam whatever you was scoring that was because I was teaching you, how did you manage to beat me?", she kept forth all the questions ringing in her mind.
"Good question, well for this exam I studied day night, leaving aside my most lovable sleep, and yes some tuitions from Sanskar and I did it. And yes you are right, I could have proposed you completely avoiding this bet thing, but normally propose to har koi karta hai, maine socha chalo propose karne ka naya tareeka apna kar dekhte hai, aur waise bhi I know Ragini Gadodia kuch bhi kar sakti hai lekin apne words se backoff nahi as you always keeps on reminding me, so I didn't want to take any risk you know", he said winking his eyes.
Ragini was literally in tears by then. He did everything for her. She knew how much he hated economics, but only for her he not only studied economics but did beat her. She could imagine how much hard work it would have required.
Laksh stood up seeing tears rolling down her cheeks. Knowing they are tears of happiness he wiped them and wrapped his hands around her waist. He said, "Aree meri cutie pie to relationship start hone se pehle hi rone lago" making her laugh a little. "Waise mujhe to meri feisty wali Ragini jada pasand hai, ye abla naari type aasu tumhe suit nahi karte", he said trying to lighten her mood. She smiled through tears hearing him.
Laksh said making a fake disappointed face, "But you didn't say yes to my proposal yet, okay I got it you don't love me" and he turned to leave giggling in mind. He couldn't take a step further as Ragini held his wrist. As he turned towards her, she hugged him tightly as if her life totally depends on him letting him know about her answer. Laksh wrapped his arms protectively around her pulling her closer.
"I love you too", she confessed him back being in the hug. He pulled her out of hug and placed a kiss on her forehead and they both stayed in each other's arms savouring the feel of each other's company.
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-Harshada
Mangal Lakshmi
