Written for One Shot Challenge organized by Aliyagupta22

✨Declared Winner on 12/05/2018

A Best Friend…

Someone who knows you,
Better than you yourself do.
Your human diary, the mirror to your heart,
Nothing has power and prowess to tear you both apart.

And when you think being their best friend,
Is the greatest thing ever,
You fall in love with them,
Wishing for nothing but together forever.

©GS_Stella

= ✨ = ✨ =

“Sanskaar, will you be my boyfriend?”
“Of course, I will sweetheart! I have been living just for this day.”

“Sanskaar, will you be mine.”
“I’m already yours, darling.”

“But Sanskaar! You said you were mine.”
“I’m yours too, my love.”

“SANSKAAR FREAKING MAHESHWARI!!!”
“What the…”

And with a painful jab into his hips, Sanskaar was thrown out of his precious bed shattering his beloved dream into millions of pieces. The moment his butt kissed good morning to his bedroom floor like a long lost true lover his eyes flew open and he came face to face with the only person who had this guts to wake him up like that.

His Best Friend! Dressed in the usual baggy t-shirt and loose track shorts with a winning smirk on the lips!

“Ow! Ow! Ow! What the hell, Swara!”

“GOAL!”, she shouted throwing her hands up in the air victoriously, “And that’s ladies and gentlemen how you make a perfect goal!” She took a dramatic bow in front of her imaginary audience and Sanskaar did nothing but glare at her, “Did you just push me out of the bed?”

“Hah! I kicked you out of the bed, Sanskaar because you my best friend deserve each and every kick of mine right now”, said Swara resting both her hands on either side of her waist.

“You kicked me?”, he was still not able to believe. He was her best friend, right? Who the hell treated their best friend like that?

Of course, Swara did!

“Oh come on! No need to be so sad. You know you’re my favorite football, Sanskaar”, she chuckled seeing his priceless facial expression.

“But why?”, Sanskaar whined asking the most obvious question and Swara huffed, “You have the final football match of this year in a week, Sanskaar. You have to practice.”

“But the practice starts at ten and now”, he tilted his head a little to his left side to take a look at the wall clock hanging right behind where Swara was standing and his eyes widen the next instant, “It’s just seven, Swara! No. No. How could you be so cruel? I was having such a great time in my dreams. I’m going back to bed.”

In an instant he crawled back to his bed but Swara pulled him down again holding both his ankles, “No, you’re not going anywhere. Get up before I get a hold of all the girls of your dream and kill them with my own hands.”

She threatened him and he blinked, “I… I wasn’t dreaming about girls.” If she hadn’t known him so well she would have believed him instantly seeing those puppy dog eyes and innocent pout but she knew him all too well and that statement only made her roll her eyes even hard, “Yeah right! And pigs are flying in the sky. Come on, buddy. You know that look doesn’t work on me. Just like your cheesy lines.”

Sanskaar shook his head amusedly, “Tsk! You’re wrong Swara! My lines are just for girls.” And with that statement he sprang away from her as far as possible… out of her reach because he knew what was coming next. She hated it when people called her a ‘boy’ and especially when Sanskaar called her that but that never stopped him from doing so. He enjoyed teasing her way too much. That invaluable expression on her face was totally worth it. He chuckled and the next moment a pillow was planted straight across his face.

Ouch!

He pulled the pillow away and in front of him stood his absolutely livid best friend, her nose flaring like a raging bull, “I’m not a boy, Sanskaar.”

And she wasn’t. SHE. WAS. A. GIRL. Yes, she loved wearing loose t-shirts and jeans all the times. Unlike other girls she had this absolute fondness for football, she detested dresses from the deepest core of her heart, shopping was nothing less than a nightmare for her and she couldn’t even boil a glass of water without burning herself. But that didn’t make her boy, right? Absolutely not. That only made her… umm… let’s call it a little less girly.

Sanskaar shrugged nonchalantly and gave a wicked smirk for he knew that his next words would definitely earn him a couple of kicks more, but him being… him, he couldn’t stop himself and blurts out, “How am I supposed to know that Swara? You have never let me ‘that near’ to you!”

Hah! Take that for waking him up so early in the morning!

Swara gasped and her eyes widen in a fraction of second. “SANSKAAR MAHESHWARI!! You’re so dead.” And as excepted Sanskaar was awarded with two more kicks and three more rounds pillow thrashing. By the end of the tussle both of them were found sprawled on Sanskaar’s bed staring at the ceiling and laughing like some maniac. Just like best friends did. These were the small moments that brought them even closer.

“Oh God, Swara! My life would have been so boring without you”, Sanskaar finally breathed out after a hysterical laughing session. Swara chuckled, “I know. So, now stop being so lazy and get ready for the practice. You’re the captain of our college’s football team, Sanskaar.”

“Exactly! I’m the captain which means I’m already the best. In short, I can sleep a little more”, he tried to place an argument again testing his luck for one last time. Maybe she would take a little pity on him and let him sleep. But on the contrary Swara smacked his arm feigning anger, “Shut up. You’re the captain which means you’ve to try harder than the others. I want you…”

“You want me! Oh My God! When did my little Swara grow up?”, he cut her in between wiping off his invisible tears and that remark earned him a whack… a really hard whack into his stomach by her elbow.

“Ow! God, woman, you’re so violent”, he somehow uttered rubbing his stomach and this time Swara shrugged complacently, “You asked for it. I was saying I want you to be the captain next year as well. That’s our last year of graduation. Now get up.”

“Alright. Alright. I’m up”, he finally stood up on his feet knowing he couldn’t win against her. Swara gave him a winning smile and said, “Okay, then I’ll be waiting downstairs for you. Even Laksh and Ragini are here.”

She turned around to leave but her steps were brought to a halt as Sanskaar held her arm. Swara raised an eyebrow obviously asking what did he want. He gave her the sweetest smile possible and said, “I’m up… so early in the morning. Don’t I deserve a prize after so many beatings?”

Swara rolled her eyes and chuckled. Standing on her tiptoes she pressed her lips lightly against his cheek in a soft kiss. Sanskaar smiled as he noticed a little tinge of pink creeping up on her cheeks. She pretended to be so tough but he knew how tenderhearted she was.

She was so adorable just the way she was! She didn’t even have to try.

With the kiss and one last warning glare Swara left the room and Sanskaar couldn’t help but smile feeling the delicate touch of her lips still lingering on his cheek. They had been best friends ever since the day her father shifted to his neighborhood fifteen years ago after her mother’s unfortunate demise. Every since then Swara became too isolated, she refused to talk to anyone… even her father. Well, it wasn’t her fault! She was just a six years old baby who craved for her mother each and every moment. So, to help his only daughter Shekhar Gaddodia decided to change the city and his decision of shifting to Kolkata from Delhi had proven to be his best decision ever. Swara met Sanskaar and he broke all the hard walls around her heart. Ever since then they had been inseparable.

Sanskaar breathed Swara and Swara lived Sanskaar. That strong was their bond. If someone would say Sanskaar… Swara’s name would automatically follow and same was the case other way round. Their relationship was more of like Tom and Jerry, the only difference being each of them was Tom and each of them was Jerry… well, depending on the situation, obviously. They completed each other and just the thought being away from the other terrified them. They had reduced their sadness, minimized their tears, doubled their laughter together… their memories were incomplete without the other.

= ✨ = ✨ =

Sanskaar entered the classroom after the rigorous football practice of three hours with his team members only to find Ragini sitting at his place next to Swara. How dare she? That was his seat. No one had the right to sit beside Swara except for him. Huffing like an angry kid he stomped his way to his usual seat in the middle of classroom and glared at Ragini, “That’s my seat, Ragini.”

“Really! Umm… But I don’t see your name tag anywhere on the seat, Sanskaar”, said Ragini scanning the whole seat intently. Of course, she was mocking at him and why not… Swara was way too closer to him and Ragini had always wanted to be in his shoes.

“Swara! Ask her to leave my seat”, he complained and Swara looked at both of them as if they had grown two heads and may be horns too. Why are they fighting over a seat?

“Sanskaar! For this class, can you please sit with Laksh? Ragini is having some problem in this topic, so I have to explain it to her”, said Swara giving her best pleading look and Sanskaar sighed. There was no way he could deny that face and she knew that all too well.

“Just because you said please.”

Throwing one last glare at Ragini, Sanskaar trudged towards the back of the classroom taking the seat beside Laksh. Everyone had been waiting for the teacher to arrive as there were still five minutes left when Swara heard someone calling her. Lifting her head up from the book she saw one of their classmates, Sahil Khurana smiling giddily at her, “Swara I wanted to ask… Umm… Are you free after the college?”

Swara shrugged, “I’m not sure, Sahil. Do you have some work?” Sahil scratched the back of his neck and Swara raised her eyebrow. He smiled once again before speaking, “Actually, I was wondering… Would like to have a coffee with me? I wanted to ask you something.”

His friends hooted patting his shoulders appreciatively and Swara blinked continuously trying to hide the nervousness building up inside of her as almost everyone had been staring at her. He was asking her out! That too in front of the whole class!

So, will she be going with him?

Absolutely not!

She opened her mouth several times to decline his offer politely but nothing seemed to roll off her tongue. Ugh. Never mind, she was going to reject his offer outright. She opened her mouth again, “Umm… Actually…”

But soon she was cut off but Sahil’s squeak as a solid paper ball came flying all the way to him, hitting the back of his head.

“Bullseye!”

And Swara instantly knew who it could be! She chuckled as Sahil turned around to glare at her best friend, “What the hell Sanskaar? Why did you do it?” He whined and Sanskaar smirked, “Isn’t that obvious?”

“What?!”

Woah! That guy was really clueless!

“Stop hitting at my best friend, jerk”, Sanskaar threatened and without any prior warning, another ball was chucked in Sahil’s direction hitting right across his face.

“Sanskaar”, Sahil’s voice boomed all around the class and everyone instantly stopped whatever they were doing for a grand show was on its way.

“Stay. Away. From. My. Best Friend… Jerk”, saying that he threw another ball but Sahil dodged and the ball landed at the most unfortunate place… On the protruding belly of their round and stout teacher who happened to enter the classroom right at that moment. Everyone chuckled as their teacher scrunched his nose and lowered his huge rimmed glasses to glare at Sanskaar, “Mr. Maheshwari, I would really appreciate if you could stop these childish acts of yours in my classroom.”

“I can’t as long as we have some jerks in our classroom.”

Swara glared at him. What the hell was he saying? Did he want the teacher to throw him out of the class? Because that was exactly what he was famous for and that was exactly what he would do without thinking for even once.

“Then I suggest you to leave the class”, the teacher said in a grave voice exactly what Swara had been dreading and she sighed as Sanskaar exclaimed ‘with pleasure’ and strolled out of the classroom but not before winking at her.

And now that Sanskaar was out of the classroom, how could Swara hold back! A tussle began in her mind. What could she possibly do to make the teacher throw her out of the class too? Umm…

Would pulling the hair of the girl sitting in front of her would do?

Maybe!

How about pulling several times?

Definitely!

Geez! Poor girl!

Swara smirked and in a matter of minutes she was out in the almost empty hallway as well searching for her best friend. Now, where did he go? But the next scene right in front of her eyes made Swara gasp.

What the hell! She was worried what he might be doing outside alone and here he was flirting with… Kavita, the head cheerleader and the bitchiest person she had ever seen. Sanskaar had her cornered at the end of the hallway. Swara narrowed her eyes at him and stormed their way as she heard him say, “Kavita, there’s something wrong with my mobile phone.”

“Oh God! Really?”, Kavita gasped dramatically sticking her hips to the sides way more that expected. Didn’t God give that girl enough bones to keep her body in right shape?! Sanskaar nodded, “Yup! It doesn’t have your number in it.”

Kavita gave an almost spurious laugh and Swara rolled her eyes. It was still impossible for her to understand… How could girls laugh at lines like that? Sanskaar smirked and the next moment he knew he was being dragged towards the cafeteria with his ears in his best friend’s hand and she had pulled it rather painfully.

“Ouch! Swara, leave me!”

And that only made her pull even harder. She was pretty sure that by now his ear would be as red as a cherry but she paid no heed to his whining for she was too irked, “I’m hungry, Sanskaar. Let’s go to cafeteria. It’s almost lunch. And by the way, are all the girls of the world dead that you had to flirt with… her.”

“Come on! I was just passing some time.”

“Then, I would say… a really bad choice, Mr. Maheshwari. How much cheese did Sujata Aunty gave you, anyway?”, she asked and Sanskaar scrunched his eyebrows in confusion.

“Why?”

“Because it’s overflowing today”, she fulminated, finally pulling him inside the cafeteria as he kept struggling to save his ear from those deadly traps.

= ✨ = ✨ =

“Okay guys! New Year party at my place this time and I’m going to invite our whole batch”, Ragini exclaimed excitedly and Laksh side hugged his girlfriend in approval. Swara nodded her head in agreement and Sanskaar sulked crossing his arms across his chest.

Why at Ragini’s place?!!

“Geez, Sanskaar! Stop grumbling. Okay, let’s play ‘who blinks first’”, Swara said smiling at her best friend and he rolled his eyes, “No way! I’m not playing that childish game.”

“You never play that game! Why? Are you scared that I’m the champion of the game and you’ll lose”, Swara smirked and he scoffed, “Duh! Puhh… lease!”

“What! Everyone knows I never lose in that game.”

Sanskaar took a deep breath when a wicked idea struck his mind and he looked at Swara with a smug smile etched all across his features. Oh God! That couldn’t be any good!

“What?”, Swara asked suspiciously as he stared at her longer than expected and he smiled yet again, “If I win then I will be titled Super Champion.”

“What?! No! I’m the Champion”, Swara wailed dramatically and Sanskaar chuckled, “Tsk! Not champion Swara… Super champion. The one who beats the champion and if I win you’ll grant me one wish. Deal?”

No reply!

“DEAL?”, he asked a bit louder this time and Swara sighed, “Deal!”

She was definitely not going to lose!

“Well! There is no such rule that we can’t speak, right?”, Sanskaar enquired taking a seat in front of her and she narrowed her eyes at him, “Umm… No! But what exactly are you going to say?”

“Nothing! Just my usual!”

“Oh God! Please! Not your pick-up lines.”

“You already agreed to the deal. You can’t back out now.”

“Fine! Those lines don’t work on me anyways.”

“We’ll see!”, Sanskaar smirked and as Laksh announced, the game began. In just few moments, Swara had realized that it was the first time they were staring at each other so intently and for the first time she noticed how brown his eyes were. Well, she already knew that they were brown but… they were of that chocolate brown color. Very much like her favorite chocolate.

Stop Swara!

She tried to pull herself out of the trance he was creating around her unknowingly but with him staring at her like that, she found it next to impossible. She almost felt something flicker in his eyes but it was gone as soon as she saw it and soon enough sadly Sanskaar opened his mouth breaking that beautiful moment, “Your eyes are so blue, Swara. Just like a serene ocean. I just want to lose myself in those infinite depths.”

And there we go again!

Swara rolled her eyes, “My eyes are not blue, Sanskaar!”

“But girls love blue eyes!”

“No, thank you very much but I’m extremely happy with my black ones”, she retorted.

“Fine then. Next one”, Sanskaar grinned widely and Swara took a deep breath. What was she even thinking while inviting him to play?!

“By any chance do you have two hearts, Swara?”

“What do I look to you? An alien?”, she glared at him and he chuckled. He never knew this game could be so fun!

“Nah! I think I just lost mine in those beautiful eyes of yours.”

“Will you stop commenting on my eyes?”, she said gritting her teeth and Sanskaar’s wicked smile was back in an instant. Oh ho! Swara almost curbed this urge to bang her head on the table. She had doomed herself.

“Swara”, Sanskaar said again and she was flustered. Why couldn’t this guy shut his stupid mouth for sometime?

“Now what?”

“Your lips look so lonely… Would they like to meet mine?”

And she blinked!

He alluded and she finally blinked. Swara Gaddodia had lost the game for the first time in her life. All thanks to her stupid heart and ultra stupid hormones. He wasn’t even kissing her! Just the mere thought of his lips on hers set her heart racing and she blinked continuously. Sanskaar gave a winning laugh. Not because he won the game but because his cheesy line had finally worked on Swara!

“So, Swara! My winning prize?”, his question made her head shot back in his direction and her eyes instantly fell on his lips.

Wrong move, Swara! Utterly wrong move!

“What do you want?”, she asked clearing her throat trying to hide the slightest hint of her nervousness but failing at it miserably.

“I want you to reject Sahil’s proposal.”

Was that guy serious? Swara gave him a disbelieving look, “He wasn’t proposing to me, Sanskaar.”

“Whatever it is. Just say no”, he said it with such an intensity that made Swara wonder what happened to him all of a sudden. Was he becoming possessive over her? She just shook her head to shake off all the vain thoughts out of her mind and said, “I wasn’t going to say yes anyways.”

“Great!”, Sanskaar beamed with accomplishment and it was really a surprise… Swara wasn’t angry on losing the game. In fact, she was happy that she lost to Sanskaar.

= ✨ = ✨ =

Sanskaar kept staring at the staircase that led to the first floor up to Ragini’s room. Finally, new year’s eve was there and after winning the football match with a record breaking score the whole batch had been too excited. They had reached Ragini’s place about half an hour ago and the place was already jam-packed because of so many guests. One look at Swara and Ragini had dragged her to her room muttering curses at her, saying something like… for once she should have worn something girlish. Ignoring all of Swara’s protests Ragini had yanked her away and ever since then Sanskaar had been waiting for his best friend.

But the moment she arrived his heart leaped inside his chest threatening to jump out any next moment. For sure, he knew Swara was beautiful but he had never expected her to look that beautiful. Dressed in that midnight blue dress Swara looked elegant yet modest at the same time. The dress had slightly transparent long sleeves and a sweetheart neckline with a low cut at the back. Though it wasn’t revealing yet the dress flaunted all her curves which could make any guy swoon. She looked so different yet she looked the Swara she was. The dress defined her perfectly. She kept pulling her knee length dress continuously as if that would magically make it any longer but little did she know that she looked too adorable that way.

It was almost midnight. Ragini and Laksh had already left to find a place to have their own little new year welcome celebration. You know what that meant!

And that left Sanskaar with Swara.

“Swara! I’ll go and get some drink to celebrate. You just be here”, Sanskaar shouted over the music and Swara nodded. With that he disappeared amongst the huge body of guests.

Sanskaar had been collecting his drinks when the music stopped and the count down began. Shoot! Just ten seconds were left.

Ten!

Sanskaar hurried towards the place where he had left Swara.

Nine!

Reaching there, he found Sahil whispering something to Swara.

Eight!

Swara furrowed her eyes but Sahil pulled her along with him which apparently looked forcefully.

Where the hell was he taking her?

Seven!

Sanskaar followed them as they left the party hall hurriedly.

Six!

Sanskaar found them entering the balcony!

Five!

Sahil pulled Swara holding her waist and she squirmed in his tight grip.

Four!

He leaned in closing the distance between their lips with every second.

Swara wiggled in his grip. No way! That was her first kiss!

Three!

Swara was about to kick Sahil when she was yanked away from him.

Two!

Sanskaar smiled and embraced her wrapping his arms around the lower of her back securely.

One!

Swara blushed and smiled as Sanskaar stroked her cheek with his free hand pressing his lips lightly against her forehead.

Swara sighed in relief. That was how a new year should start. Pulling back, Sanskaar smiled at her, “Happy New Year buddy!” Swara stood on her tiptoes and kissed his cheek before replying, “Happy New Year to you too.”

“What the hell have you done? You ruined my new year”, Sahil roared in anger and Sanskaar raised an eyebrow at him, “Do you mind leaving?”

“What”, Sahil wasn’t able to believe. He was complaining and he was asking him to leave.

Sanskaar glared at him, “Look! I don’t want to create any scene, so, just leave as I’m holding myself back. You do realize right that I would have killed you by now for laying your filthy hands on best friend!”

“I’m not leaving!”

“Then do you want me to kiss her in front of you because for sure I won’t mind. As long as she’s in my arms no one else matters”, Sanskaar said with an amusing smirk as Swara’s eyes widen and Sahil stormed out of the balcony.

The moment he left, Swara smacked Sanskaar’s arm, “That was so mean, you know.”

“What?”

“How could you say just like that you’ll… umm… That…”

“That I’ll kiss you”, Sanskaar asked with a smile and Swara nodded her head vigorously, “Tsk! I wasn’t saying it just like that Swara. I mean it.”

“No! You don’t!”, she exclaimed and he chuckled.

“Yes, I do. I’m serious Swara. I can’t lose you. You’re my best friend and I plan on keeping you with me forever. So, if you want to be with someone, then be with me. If you want to love someone, then love me. If you want to kiss someone, then kiss me.”

“Huh!”, she was dumbfounded. Her best friend was finally confessing to her and for the first time she was feeling nervous in front of this man. When did things escalate to that level?

“Kiss me, Swara!” And that wasn't a statement.

“What?!”

“How about this… Your lips still look so lonely, Swara. Would they like to meet mine?”

“Oh God! Not again!”

“Can’t help it, love. That’s the only pick up line that has worked on you in last fifteen years. So, will you kiss me? I have been dying to ever since we played that stupid game.”

Swara chuckled as she wrapped her arms around his neck hoisting herself up bringing their lips on same level and her eyes greeted those chocolate orbs once again. “Are you sure you want this?”, she asked for one last time and this time Sanskaar rolled his eyes.

“Come on!”, he complained closing the slightest of the distance between them. As their lips met, they could feel those explosions that those cheesy romantic novels had explained about. His grip on her waist tightened and he pulled her even closer, if that was even possible, eager to devour each and every bit of her being. Swara gasped as the sweet simple kiss started turning into a passionate one and Sanskaar deepened the kiss.

Pulling back because of the human need for air, they rested their foreheads against each other trying to get a hold of their breaths.

“Wow! That was indeed the first kiss worth remembering”, Swara said breaking the silence and Sanskaar nodded his head in agreement, “Indeed it was. Swara!”

“What?”

“Will you be my girlfriend?”

“Are you proposing to me, Mr. Maheshwari?”

“Yes, I am.”

“I’ll think about it”, she said and there her old sarcastic self was back.

“What the…”

“That’s right. Impress me and then maybe I’ll say yes.”

“We just kissed.”

“Maybe I’ll need a few more kisses for getting convinced”, Swara wiggled her eyebrows and chuckled seeing the expression on his face. His expression were always a treat.

“So, get on work my best friend cum almost boyfriend”, patting his cheek lightly she walked out of the balcony and Sanskaar smiled shaking his head. Without even her saying the ‘yes’ he knew she already was his but still he was determined to get that yes out of her and with yet another chuckle he followed her inside back to the party for he had to make a plan to get that yes.

= ✨ = ✨ =

A/N

Phew! Finally completed. I hope you all liked it. Kindly ignore the typing mistakes. I seriously had no time for proof reading. I’ll do that soon. That’s all we have for tonight. Good night everyone!

Aliyagupta22 Though Friday was over like twenty minutes ago, I still hope it's acceptable with that much time delay.

With love,
Stella ❤️