"Love cannot be forced,
Love cannot be coaxed or teased.
It comes out of heaven,
unasked and unsought."
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Friday morning
"Where the heck are you? I already arrived." A man was yelling over his phone. He's frightened to death. Why won't he? He's walking into the lion's den, his life is at stake. Beads of sweat sat on his forehead, he felt exhausted.
"You do your work. I will be there soon. Don't worry." A female voice came from another side. Her soothing words had no impact on him.
"Without you, I can't go near her! Sooner you come is better." His voice quavers.
"But Sanskar is there na?" She pointed out.
"He is useless at this point." He snarls.
"Okay-okay... Wait! within 5 minutes I will be there." She asserts.
He cuts the call and looks towards the mansion. Taking a deep breath, he prepares himself for whatever was to come. "I will get what I want Swara!"
After some time, a girl came in the bike and pat his shoulder. He silently follows her.
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Swara's organizing dining table. Sanskar who's descending the stairs watches it. "Swara, I told you not to do this work. Isn't it? You have to attend college and you're still here! Where are servants?"
Swara gazed at him whose voice is in rage. "Sorry sir, did you called?" A helper came running to the hall.
"What is this? Is there is no enough workers here that she is doing this all work?" Sanskar raises a question arrogantly.
"Sanskar listen to me! It's not like that." Swara made an effort to interrupt, but he pays scant attention to her words.
"Swara studies are important for you. If I saw this again, these servants will be fired." He declares looking everywhere, but Swara. She murmurs something in anger. He smiled a bit and stares at a trembling housekeeper. Sanskar winks at him, shocking him. It's the only way for him to let her stay out of work. For now, surely she won't do any chores.
Swara walks back and forth corridor, muttering "Duffer, what he thinks about himself? Studies... studies. My mom and he all are the same! I was just serving those dishes and he doesn't even listen to me. He's stupid." She let out a hoarse laugh.
"I know, I'm stupid." She jolted hearing voice from her behind. Looking up, she glances at smirking Sanskar. Her cheeks instantly flushed in embarrassment.
"Did I said it loudly?" She questions.
"You did!" this time voice came from the front door. They swivel to see the source of the voice. He's the same man who was gawking mansion before.
"Lucky...." Sanskar clamors with utter surprise. Laksh strides to him. Sanskar was about to hug him, but Laksh scampers past him and embraces Swara.
That good for nothing, so-called his best friend didn't even notice him. "He won't change!" Sanskar mumbles with disappointment.
"Yeah, he won't." Ragini shuffles near them. That when they hear an outcry.
"Aaaa......" Laksh groans in pain. Sanskar and Ragini glance at them. Then begins to burst out laughs after gaping at Laksh whimpering while hugging Swara and lioness Swara is biting his shoulder. Striving to escape from her hold, he curses himself for hugging her and inviting trouble.
He pleads her to leave him. "You devils come and help me from vampire bite instead of laughing." He glares at Ragini and Sanskar. Swara holds his hair and pulls them.
Poor him, vampire heard him. All set to swoop on its target. "What you said, vampire?" Sanskar sees their fight like he's watching a drama. After a half-hour entertainment, he walks to her and tries to disentangle him from her clutch. Instinctively, he steps back as her waspish look caught his eye. He glances at Laksh giving him an apologetic smile.
"No Sonu baby. You're the most innocent soul in the world. Please leave me Swara." Hearing his words her hold on his hair loosens, he utilizes the opportunity to move away from her. Sanskar stares him in surprise. His eyes dilate. Innocent and Swara! He couldn't digest it.
"Sonu baby listen to me. It's a surprise for me too. Dad arranged it without asking me. I've no idea about it at all." He tells cooking the story which comes first in his mind.
She stares him in disbelief. "Cut the crap Lux! The great advocate Laksh Malhotra compelled to marry. Wow! You want me to believe that bullshit. And arranged marriage seriously? Even a small kid knows it's not your thing." She snaps. Of course who he's kidding. While making cock and bull stories, he forgot that he's not in court. But before Swara who knows him better than himself.
Perks of being childhood friends!
"Hey! It's true. I'm not lying. If I wasn't forced then why would I marry A..C......." he pauses a second realizing what he about to blurt. It's not a perfect time to reveal who actually Ragini is. "Girl like her who punches more than talks."
Ragini hearing it clenches her fist, "You forgot Lucky I could hear it."
He makes an innocent face. "What? Now I don't even have the freedom to speak." Sanskar comes forward and keeps his hand on Laksh's shoulder giving him a sympathetic look.
"It's ok buddy. You know Lucky after marriage you will never get the chance to talk." His talk grabs Swara's attention. She blinks her eyes to hear such words from him. As if he's talkative before.
"Look who's saying, Silent Monster." She whispers under her breath. Fortunately or Unfortunately SM hears it.
"What did you said?"
"Duffer, can't you hear now?" She stuck a tongue out at him. He sneers at her.
"You....." He snaps. Before the third world war start, Laksh interrupts both.
"Whoa! Easy there you two. We're still here. You continue your fights later."
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After a few minutes, Laksh again into 'Mission convince Swara'.
"Sonu baby, I know you're angry with me to break your heart. Still, it's not late to get a divorce from Sanskar and marry me!" He says without knowing what's coming next. Sanskar stiffened. Remind him again his best friend banned anywhere near his mansion. Ragini gives him a tight punch on his face. It reminisces Laksh, he's engaged to ACP, not an ordinary girl.
Don't ever underestimate the power of women police!
"Sonu baby you still angry with me. See what I brought to you." He shows her dairy milk silk.
"You think you can buy me with this?" She crosses her arms in the chest. Laksh pouts as his last way to convince her went in vain. "Then you thought correct." She snatches silk and starts eating it.
Flabbergasted, Sanskar couldn't help, but chuckle seeing her cute antics. Who would've thought a bar of chocolate has the power to please lioness. Indeed! She is a hard person to convince, only chocolate and ice-cream have that power to melt her heart.
Laksh uses this opportunity to set-up his plan. "Sonu baby.... what I was saying na... Can we somewhere this weekend. Adventure camp. What you say?"
Swara lifts her head, still eating silk "Ummm.... you know... I... was absent for.... so many days.... so need to..... catch up lectures." She stutters as her mouth filled with chocolate.
"Common Sonu ... it's on the weekend. You don't even have college on Saturday." She pondered his words, seeing another chocolate she couldn't help but say yes. Feeling strong gaze on her, she turned to find fuming Sanskar. She thinks what got him.
"Lucky you can convince her showering chocolates. But how are you gonna convince me?" It made Laksh think over. He's not an easy man to convince. Looking at Swara, the idea pops in his mind.
"Anyways who want you to come. It's your wish to come or not. Right, Swara?" That made Swara stop eating. Her serious look made him gulp his saliva. Obviously, he's scared of his lioness. He doesn't want to die soon. Having no chance left, he nods.
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Next day
They start their journey in two cars. For providing them some privacy, Ragini and Laksh make Swasan go together with their luggage. Ragini, Uttara, and Soumya were in Laksh's car. Two cars hustle through the fog and were heading towards the beautiful hills of Sakleshpur.
Safely hidden from the naked eyes of the people, Sakleshpur is heaven on earth. Delightful hilly slopes with coffee and spice estates embellish its beauty.
Settled on the foothills of the Western Ghats, wrapped in fog and smooth mists will make anyone fall in love with it. Another interesting thing about this region is the age-old forts which speak about the history of the bygone eras.
"Sanskar I'm scared. Already it's too much fog, can't even see the road properly." Her eyes gaze at snoopy roads.
"Arey Swara, I'm driving slowly. Don't worry?" Concern filled tone. He keeps his focus on the road.
"Not you duffer. I'm scared of that Lux! He will be busy with romance and driving too. I'm afraid of his carelessness." She says warily.
"He is not a child. Moreover, he's not alone with her. Uttara won't allow him to romance in front of her." Obviously, Laksh will never romance in front of Uttara or he so thought so. His words did nothing to reduce her worries.
"How you know that? You tried it before?" Swara asks raising her eyebrows.
"Oh, that! Noo. I knew her, that's why... " Swara chuckled seeing him fumbling for words.
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From the start of the journey, Laksh was trying to romance with Ragini. But little devil Uttara being annoying third wheeler poured water on his plan. While Soumya is sleeping peacefully.
"Uttu, you don't want to sleep? Take a nap. I will call you when we reach there." Laksh says in a saccharine tone.
"No way. Once I close my eyes, you will start your romance. I don't want to die soon. See the mist and drive carefully." Uttara utters acting like a strict principal.
"You're overacting Uttu. You're my little sis. Not an elder one." He growls with a frown on his face.
"Bhabhi how you fall for this idiot?" Uttara asks at Ragini who's sitting at the front seat. She says nothing but laughs seeing Bro-Sis bickering.
"Uttu when you marry a donkey, that time we will disturb you like this. This is Laksh's revenge on you devil." he sneers concentrating on the road.
"Grow up you kid!" Uttara says in an irritated tone.
"Wait! We have to plan something for our Swasan. " Ragini says out of blue making others serious. Uttara stirs Soumya and she woke up with a jerk.
"See guys by this trip we should bring them close. We have to give some situation and balance they will do..." Uttara says with excitement.
"I and Uttara planned something," Soumya utters with an evil smile on her face.
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The silence was filling up in the car making Swara suffocate. "Silent Monster is back again." She whispers more to herself.
Her murmurs gain his attention, "You said something?"
"No.. not at all!" Turning her head to the side, she gazes at the outside window and enjoyed the beauty of nature.
Little did these innocent souls know what devils stored for them. Unknown what's going to happen on this trip, they fly friendly skies with smile crept on their face.
***
How was the chapter?
Something going to happen on the trip so get ready to see what is... But don't forget guys Sahil is just a little step away from them.
Ps: We have no idea about Sakleshpur. Thanks to google for the information.
Don't forget to vote and comment.
With love❤
Megharsh