The regular life of Swara is nothing but a cruel routine. She was 10 years old when her Chacha and Chachi adopted her after a dreadful accident that snatched her loving family from her. She thought her Chacha and Chachi will love and cherish her as her family did, but that was all her illusion. They adopted her to show society that they are people of good hearts who didn't think once before welcoming an orphan with open arms.

But the reality is far from that. Her Chacha is nothing but a puppet of his wife. Those innocent-filled eyes of hers soon filled with fear and tears and nightmare after nightmare. Now she is 20 years old. One good thing that came out of this shitty and wicked situation it'll be her Chachi letting her continue for education. So what, she studied in a government school? Education is education. But that was also not easy for her. She has to wake up early, finish the household chores, cook breakfast and lunch for everyone, keep her Uncle and Aunt's share of food in the microwave so that they can reheat it whenever they want, and pack hers and her cousin Praveen's lunch, and get his school bag ready for the day.

Then only she can step out of the house. She had to study hard and always had to keep her percentage high so that her Chachi won't taunt her. Even for the slightest mistake, she will be locked in her room which is a storeroom. The lighting and ventilation are so poor that she only enters her room only to sleep.

In all of this, her only solace is two things.

First- Singing.

Singing gives her enough strength to pour out her heart to her family whose presence she always feels around her all the time yet she never acknowledged it. There were times she wished she could've died in the very same car accident.

Second- Ragini.

Ragini has been her strength all these years. Their connection goes way back to their mothers. Swara's mother Keerti and Ragini's father Shekar were neighbors and when Sharmishta got married to Shekar, Keerthi was the only one with whom Sharmishta can share anything and everything. Even when Keerthi got married and went away their friendship remained intact.

Ragini is a year older than Swara but that was never a hindrance in their friendship. Ragini is, was her knight in shining armor.

Today is like any other day for Swara as she finished cooking breakfast, the shrill of her Chachi resonated through the walls of the house.

"Swara... Hey Swara..."

Swara rushed from the kitchen to the hall where Praveen is standing with his school shirt with a coffee stain on it.

"Swara, how many times I have been telling you to wash the clothes properly? Now look this is the only shirt he had to wear, what will he do?"

"I am sorry, Chachi, it won't happen again, I already pressed another Praveen's shirt. It's in the laundry basket"

"Hmm, lay down the table will be there in a few minutes" Swara sighed in pain. When will everything change? She has been trying hard and hard all these years. For what? Just a little affection, love, and recognition from her family.

The family finished their breakfast and Swara did the dishes quickly and changed into a simple long olive-green skirt with an off-white, half-sleeved collared blouse, and walked out of the apartment complex she had been living for a decade. Hoping on to her Ladybird Cycle, she peddled towards her college.

Saraswathi Arts and Science College...

The one place where SHE CAN BE, HERSELF. Parking her cycle at the students' parking lot, Swara walked to the canteen knowing where Ragini will be at this time. As she predicted Ragini was munching over her sandwich.

"I don't know why you skip Masi's delicious food every morning and have this tasteless canteen food." Swara sat beside her with an infectious smile playing on her lips.

"Oye, hello. Don't say anything to my sweet sandwich. About your sweet Masi's food, I need to keep my stomach free to relish her food at dinner. That's why I am eating light food at the canteen." Ragini spoke with her mouth full of food which leads her to choke up on the food. Swara pats down her back and gave her water to calm down.

"You are elder to me, Rago. You should take care of me, not the other way around." Swara said shaking her head in disbelief.

"Leave it, Shona. Listen I heard that a new guy is joining our semester midway. Also, this is his 3rd master's degree. We should be very careful"

"Careful? Why is that?"

"If he is doing his 3rd degree means obviously, he will be in his mid-thirties. These middle-aged uncles are always a danger, so you better stay away from him." Ragini warned Swara while Swara furrowed her eyebrows at her comment.

"Why are you warning me, Rago? What will I do?"

"You are my innocent Shona. You still don't know how to differentiate good people and bad people. People always take advantage of your innocence and I know if that guy comes and asks you for help with your studies on the first day itself you will help him in a whisk. You shouldn't help anyone without knowing about their intentions first, Ok." Ragini calmly explained to Swara while she shook her head to convey that she understood what Ragini said. She is not naive. She behaves that way so that her other family doesn't worry about her. 

"Come on, let's go to the class before that zoom-glass Ramesh eats my head." Swara and Ragini took their bags and walked toward their class. As they entered the class, Swara's eyes fell on the young guy who is sitting alone in the middle row. He looks like he is in his mid-20s, well dressed in formal and his demeanor shows that he is restless.

Ragini and Swara settled on their seats which is just behind the new guy. The students rose from their seats as the professor entered the class. After taking attendance he gave a small introduction about the new guy.

"Students, this is Laksh Maheshwari, as you guys knew already this is his 3rd degree. I hope you guys be friendly with him and Laksh if have any doubts ask Swara she is the topper of our class or you can ask your assigned mentor" Laksh turned and smiled at Swara when she mentioned but his smile turned into a frown when girl beside Swara whom he remembers as Ragini rolled her eyes at him.

The class commenced and Ragini time to time looked over Laksh's shoulder, but she scrunched her face seeing him taking notes seriously. She thought of disturbing Swara as for her, Quantum Physics is something she never liked but Swara's notes are the only thing that makes her pass the exams. The students started to scatter as the bell rang and the next lecture they have is after 30 mins. Laksh turned back and introduced himself to Swara and Ragini.

"Hello, beautiful ladies" Swara's eyes widened hearing his flirtatious tone and her gaze met Ragini who is trying to control her laugh badly.

"Mr. Laksh, please don't try to work your charms on us because you are too old to flirt" saying that Ragini started to laugh while Swara looked at the fallen face of Laksh.

"Ragini, please stop it. Sorry, Bhai she is a crack case. It's her defense mechanism to laugh and make fun of people who hit on her. Please don't take it the wrong way." Laksh smiled with unshed tears as someone called him Bhai after a long time.

"My fault. Actually, it's my defense mechanism to shoo away my shyness of opening up to someone else. So, why you guys are not moving out of the classroom?"

"Swara doesn't like to go to the library to take notes so, we loan out the books and do our notes when we have time like this. Can I ask you a question, Mr. Laksh?"

"Laksh is enough and yes, you can."

"Why are you still studying? I mean guys love to go to work after finishing their bachelor's itself, but you are still doing your master's?"

"To be honest Ragini, I don't like going to the office. You know about Maheshwari Corporations?"

"Yes, I heard of it. Wait you are the son of Mr. Durga Prasad Maheshwari?" Ragini asked.

"Yes, I am. His younger son. I have two elder brothers. I miss my college days and on top of that I think I am not ready to put myself in an authoritative position so, that's why I am doing this degree. Enough about me. Will you guys be my friends?"

"Well, Laksh we wouldn't be talking to you for the past 15 minutes if we didn't think about you as our friend. I know the students are keeping a safe distance from you thinking that you are old and trying to be funny which you are" Laksh frowned at Ragini's comment while Swara chuckled.

"Chill man. We are not like that."

"What about you Swara? You were silent the whole time."

"Nothing like that Bhai. It's just that in front of my Chatterbox Ragini, I have to be the silent one to balance out the equation. That's why. Here are the notes from the classes you missed. Take your time to copy them and then return them to me." Laksh's heart swelled with happiness every time Swara called him Bhai which didn't miss from Ragini's eyes.

As the days passed, Laksh, Ragini, and Swara became thick friends. Most of the time Swara lectures them on their childish behavior but they are her everything. Laksh became the brother she never had in her life. Her eyes mist whenever she thinks about her lost family but she doesn't show it to them. Laksh has this curious bug crawling under his skin to know more about Swara but when he tried to ask Ragini about it she dusted it off saying it's Swara's place to tell him and that she is sensitive about it.

"Laksh, you told us about your elder brother Adarsh but not about your second brother. What is his name by the way?" Ragini asked and both Swara and she saw Laksh's face blooming in happiness at the mention of his second brother.

"Sanskar. His name is Sanskar Maheshwari."