A/N

Hii everyone...!! Now, before we start I want to inform you about something...!! The NEW AUTHOR AWARDS has made videos for all the first prize winners which means that I have three videos posted under my name on YouTube...!! I would love it if you all could just see those videos and share your views about the stories...!! All you need to do is just type 'New Author Awards' in the search box of YouTube and you will get all the videos in front of you...!! The three videos under my name are

1) FAN FICTION : Tujhh Mein Rab Dikhta Hai

2) TEEN FICTION : MITWAA – Love Will Find A Way

3) MYSTERY/THRILLER : THE RETURN – A Story of Unending Love

And now this part marks the beginning of the countdown of this story...!! Mitwaa is going to be 50 parts long...!! Thank you so much for your love and support all this while...!! It really means a lot... ❤️❤️

- Stella

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Swara walks out of the room and walks straight to the room where other ladies are discussing about the rituals and the preparations that are needed to be done...!!

Grandma: Tomorrow, we have the haldi ceremony in the morning and after that the Mehrotras have decided to go to their centuries old family temple for praying to their ancestral God...!!

Uttara: So, do we all need to go there...?!!

Annapurna: No, only the married couples along with the bride and the groom...!!

Ragini: That means only the five of us will be staying here...!!

Grandma: Yes...!! But I don't want any funny business around my house...!! And maybe Tarun will also be coming here as he will be the only person left in that house...!!

Swara: (to herself) Great...!! (sarcastically) Why is everything going so much in my favor...?!! First the challenge and now this Tarun...!!

Sujata: Don't expect them not to do anything, that too when Sanskaar is here...!! Talking about him, where is Sanskaar...?!!

Swara: He is in the room upstairs...!!

Sujata: What is he doing upstairs when he was supposed to be attending to the guests down here...?!!

Swara: That...

Sujata: (angrily) No Swara...!! I don't want to listen anything...!! No need to defend him...!! I'm so fed up with this boy...!! Half of the time, he spends strolling here and there, and half with those lifeless things...!!

Annapurna: Sujata, don't call them lifeless...!! You know how much he loves his paintings...!!

Swara looks at them, quite shocked knowing the fact that everyone in his family is not supporting his passion for painting even though he is so good at it...!!

Sujata: I don't understand this boy...!! See, now even he has fallen down to the second position...!! Never in his life he saw anything less than the best...!! But now...

Grandma: But Sujata, life is full of ups and downs...!!

Sujata: But these things don't work out in today's world Maa...!! Seeing downs only means failures and I don't know what's the reason for his failures...!! I seriously don't know what to do with this boy...!! Swara...

Swara is in a state of shock listening everything Sanskaar is going through in lieu of helping her...

Sujata: Swara...!!

Ragini hits her with her elbow which breaks Swara's inner monologue and she looks at Ragini who signals towards Sujata...

Swara: Yes...!! Yes Aunty...!!

Sujata: Could you please go and call him...?!! And if possible, please knock some sense in that boy...!!

Swara just nods her head and runs out of the room to prevent everyone from seeing the tears threatening to make their way out anytime sooner or later...!! Wiping off the tears rolling down her cheeks, she makes her way straight to Sanskaar...!!

-----------------.

Sanskaar is about to leave the room and as soon as he opens the door he comes face to face with Swara, all flustered up and staring at him senselessly without saying a single word...!! Even though Sanskaar is a bit confused looking at her, he gives her a naughty smile...

Sanskaar: Wow...!! Looks like my BNG took the challenge seriously...!! What is going on in that little head of yours...?!!

He waits expecting a sarcastic reply or some freshly invented weird facial expressions from her but as a single tear drop shines from the corner of her eyes and rolls down her cheeks, Sanskaar pulls her inside the room closing the door behind...!! He looks at her with worry etched all across his face and cups her cheeks...

Sanskaar: Swara...!! What happened...?!!

Swara looks at him with an unwavering gaze and as her sobs start getting audible, Sanskaar grows more and more anxious...

Sanskaar: Did anyone say something...?!! Something happened...?!! You are killing me...!! Please answer me Swara...!!

Swara: (slowly) I'm sorry...!!

Sanskaar: What...?!!

Swara looks at him from behind the translucent veil of her tears and the next moment she engulfs him in her arms wailing her heart out...

Swara: I'm sorry...!! It's all my fault...!! If I wouldn't have been there...

Sanskaar gets taken aback seeing her condition...!! He immediately tighten his arm around the lower of her back...

Sanskaar: Shh...!! Shh, it's okay...!! Relax...!! Tell me what happened...!!

Swara: It's all my fault...!! If I wouldn't have been there, this wouldn't have happened to you...!!

Sanskaar breaks the hug and holds her shoulders, shaking her out of her trance...

Sanskaar: What happened Swara...?!! Who said all those rubbish to you...?!!

Swara: It's all wrong Sanskaar...!! I wronged you...!! All you ever did was for me but I... I...

Sanskaar: You don't need to do anything Swara...!! You are in my life, that's all I need...!!

Swara: No...!! No, Sanskaar...!! I ruined your life, your relationship with your parents, everything...!! I'm the reason behind your failure...!! You shouldn't have fallen in love with me...!!

Sanskaar: Excuse me...!! Who are you to decide that...?!! I love you and don't you even dare to forget that...!!

Swara: Don't love me so much that I won't be even able to return it to you...!!

Sanskaar: I don't love you expecting something...!! I just... love you...!!

Swara: Why...?!! Why do you love me so much that you don't pay any attention to what others might be feeling...?!!

Sanskaar: Alright...!! Wait...!! First of all, sit down and tell me what happened...!!

He makes her sit on the chair and sits on his knees in front of her holding her hands tightly...

Sanskaar: Now, tell me what happened...!!

Swara wipes off her tears with the back of her hands and tells him everything from the beginning till the end...

Sanskaar smiles wiping the few tear drops still remaining on her cheeks and smiles...

Sanskaar: Bas itni si baat...!! (Just this much) And you are that worried...!!

Swara: But your mother...!!

Sanskaar: She's angry because she loves me and often... I know, I don't listen to her also...!! But Swara...!! Just the way I can't control my breath, I can't stop living, much the same way I can't stop loving you...!! The way I feel for you is something I have never felt for anybody...!! Falling in love with you wasn't my choice but I couldn't help but fall for you deeper and deeper with each passing moment and by the end I realized that I have no other option but to spend my entire life with you...!!

Swara looks at him blinking away her tears and smiles...

Swara: You want to spend your entire life with 'Me'...?!!

Sanskaar: Do you find any other girl in this room...?!!

Swara shake her head in a 'No'...

Sanskaar: Then...?!! When you are my girlfriend then with whom I'll spend my entire life...?!! (he thinks about something before speaking again) Okay...!! I was planning to do this after this marriage but it looks like I won't find a time as good as it is now...!!

Swara: What are you talking about...?!!

Sanskaar: Just wait here...!!

Saying this he gets up and walks towards the closet, opens it and takes a small box out of it...!! He smiles and puts it on her lap...!! A small velvet green colored box with a delicate red rose made of the same cloth material resting on the top of it...!! Swara traces the edge of the petals of the rose with her fingers slowly and smiles...!!

Swara: What is this...?!!

Sanskaar: Well, it's in your hands...!! Why don't you open it...?!!

Swara gives him a final look before unlocking the box and as she opens it her eyes shine seeing a beautiful piece of art lying inside...!! A wonderfully carved star shaped pendant looking as beautiful as ever rests in there and the shimmering pearl in the center of star gives it an entire different look...!!

Swara: Sanskaar...!! This...!! I... I can't take this...!! It's too expensive...!!

Sanskaar: Oh hello...!! Are you refusing the gift I bought for you from my first salary...?!!

Swara: Your first salary...?!! But as far as I remember you don't have any job...!!

Sanskaar: (shrugs his shoulder) Who said that we need a job for earning money...?!!

Swara: Excuse me...!! Then...?!! Oh God, Sanskaar...!! Have you started conning people...?!! Am I the girlfriend of a thug...?!!

Sanskaar: Tch...!! I don't believe you girls...!! There is something known as talent...!!

Swara: Talent...?!!

Sanskaar: I did put a few of my paintings in an exhibition...!!

Swara: So, you mean to say that people bought your paintings...?!!

Sanskaar looks at her with gleaming eyes and nods his head...!! Swara smiles widely and throws her arms around him in excitement...

Swara: My God, Sanskaar...!! Congratulations...!! I'm so happy for you...!!

Sanskaar: (smiles and hugs her back) So, will you accept my gift now...?!!

Swara: (breaks the hug) But still there was no need for this...!!

Sanskaar takes the pendant out of the box and unclamps it...

Sanskaar: Swara, this is just not a pendant...!!

Swara: Then...?!!

Sanskaar: (leads towards her making her wear the pendant) It's my promise...!! You are my precious pearl and whatever may come in the life ahead I will always shine for you and protect you just like the star of this pendant...!!

He clamps the chain and kisses her temple resting the pendant slowly against her skin...

Sanskaar: Now, this way, in the form of this pendant, we both will always lie together right next to your heart...!!

Swara smiles looking at the pendant and kisses it...

Sanskaar: (back to his original mode) But this definitely doesn't mean that you won that challenge...!! I still think that you are not that hot...!!

Swara: Excuse me...!! I think you just proposed to me...!!

Sanskaar: I didn't propose...!! I promised...!! There's a difference and I'm still not going to kiss you...!!

Swara: Huhh...!! Looks like our old Sanskaar is back...!!

Sanskaar: Yup...!! Now, if you could excuse me, I need to go before my mother burns down the whole house with her anger...!!

Swara: Alright...!! Alright...!! I'm going...!!

She gets up to leave but Sanskaar calls her back...

Sanskaar: Swara...!!

Swara: Hmm...!!

Sanskaar: It's 2:30 p.m. right now...!!

Swara: So...?!!

Sanskaar: You have 22 hours left for the challenge...!!

Swara: Yeah...!! Yeah...!! I know...!!

Sticking out her tongue to him, she walks out of the room...

---------------------.

Same night... In the girls' room...!! Swara, Ragini and Laksh are having a secret meeting as Uttara is not there...

Laksh: Swara, you have 14 hours left...!!

Ragini: Stop it Laksh...!!

Laksh: What...?!! I'm just saying that it's 10:30 pm already...!!

Swara: I know that...!! You don't need to remind me again and again...!!

Ragini: But what are you going to do...?!!

Swara: Laksh...!! Can you arrange a water tank for me...?!!

Laksh: Water tank...?!! What for...?!! Are you planning to kill my brother or what...?!!

Swara: God, Laksh...!! Both these brothers are so dramatic...!! Mr. Laksh Maheshwari, in case if you have forgotten then let me remind you that your brother is my one and only boyfriend...!! So, I have no such intentions of killing him...!!

Laksh: Then why that water tank...?!!

Swara: Have you heard of that Hindi saying "Bin baadal barsaat" (Rain without clouds)...!! Something like that is going to happen to your brother also...!! So, tell me, can you do it or not...?!!

Laksh: I think I can do that at least...!!

Swara: Good...!! So, when is everyone leaving after the haldi ceremony...?!!

Ragini: Around 11:00 am to 11:30 am...!!

Swara: Ragini, can you take care of Yash for sometime after that...!!

Ragini: Yup...!! No problem with that...!! But one thing...

Swara: What...?!!

Ragini: He said he won't touch you or kiss you, right...?!!

Swara: Hmm...!!

Ragini: Then don't let him touch you...!!

Swara: What do you mean...?!!

Ragini: I know whatever you are planning, he is definitely going to lose but to make sure of it... don't let him touch you till the end...!!

Laksh: Oh hello...!! Are you both conspiring against my brother...?!!

Ragini: If you have that much problem then why don't you go to your brother...!!

Laksh: (keeping finger on his lips) Okay, sorry...!! I'm not saying anything...!!

Swara: It's okay Ragini...!! I got what you are trying to say...!! And Laksh...!! You have to help me out in reaching the balcony of the boys' room after everyone leaves...!! But we have to make sure that Sanskaar doesn't see me...!!

Laksh: So, do I need to stay in the balcony only...!!

Ragini: Duffer...!! You need to go to the terrace otherwise the rain won't look natural...!!

Swara: You got me babes...!! Get ready guys...!! It's show time...!!

---------------------.

Next day, everyone in the house leaves after the ceremony for the ancestral temple leaving all the young ones behind...!! Ragini takes care of Yash whereas Laksh helps Swara in getting to the balcony once Sanskaar goes to the washroom to freshen up after playing with turmeric as a ritual...!!

BOYS' ROOM...

Sanskaar comes out of the washroom wearing a white shirt and white trousers and sits on the bed picking up a glass of water from the side table...!!

As soon as he takes the first sip, the splattering of the rain against the floor catches his attention...

Sanskaar: What the...?!! Rain...?!! But there were no clouds until in went to the washroom...!!

He keeps on talking to himself when he hears someone's voice, singing a song...

Zara Zara Bahekata Hai, Mahekata Hai
Aaj Toh Meraa Tan Badan, Mai Pyaasee Hu
Mujhe Bhar Le Apanee Baaho Me

Getting a little bit confused, he gets up from the bed and walks towards the balcony...!! Just as he takes another sip, his eyes fall on Swara standing in the balcony and the next moment all the water comes flying out of his mouth...!!

Swara wearing a yellow and white moving colored saree along with yellow off-shoulder blouse tied up at the back is dancing in the rain with water dripping off of the strands of her hair she left open on purpose as Sanskaar likes it that way...

Zara Zara Bahekata Hai, Mahekata Hai
Aaj Toh Meraa Tan Badan, Mai Pyaasee Hu
Mujhe Bhar Le Apanee Baaho Me
Hai Meree Kasam Tujhko Sanam, Dur Kahee Naa Ja
Yeh Duree Kehatee Hai Paas Mere Aaja Re

(As Swara shows her moves Sanskaar starts losing himself and starts making his way towards her)

Yu Hee Baras Baras Kaalee Ghata Barse
Ham Yaar Bhig Jaaye, Iss Chaahat Kee Baarish Me
Meree Khulee Khulee Lato Ko Suljhaaye
Too Apanee Ungaliyo Se, Mai Toh Hu Isee Khwaahish Me
Sardee Kee Raato Me, Ham Soye Rahe Ek Chaadar Me
Ham Dono Tanha Ho, Naa Koyee Bhee Rahe Iss Ghar Me

(Sanskaar reaches just a few inches away from her...!! Swara turns towards him and smiles and those little water drops on her lips are enough to make Sanskaar wanting to touch her but as he forwards his hands towards her, Swara slaps them so hard that for a moment Sanskaar keeps looking at them... but thinking it to be an accident he ignores it)

Zara Zara Bahekata Hai, Mahekata Hai
Aaj Toh Meraa Tan Badan, Mai Pyaasee Hu
Mujhe Bhar Le Apanee Baaho Me
Aaja Re Aa Re

Tadpaaye Mujhe Teree Sabhee Baate
Ek Baar Ae Divaane Jhutha Hee Sahee Pyaar Toh Kar
Mai Bhulee Nahee Hasin Mulaakaate
Bechain Karke Mujhako Mujhase Yu Naa Pher Najar
Ruthega Naa Mujhase, Mere Saathiya Yeh Vaada Kar
Tere Bina Mushkil Hai Jina Meraa Mere Dilbar

(This time Swara throws her arms around his neck and as Sanskaar tries to hug her back she slaps his hands again rolling away from his embrace)

Zara Zara Bahekata Hai, Mahekata Hai
Aaj Toh Meraa Tan Badan, Mai Pyaasee Hu
Mujhe Bhar Le Apanee Baaho Me
Hai Meree Kasam Tujhko Sanam, Dur Kahee Naa Ja
Yeh Duree Kehatee Hai Paas Mere Aaja Re
Aaja Re, Aaja Re, Aaja Re, Aaja.

Finally Sanskaar gets her trick and when she's not paying any attention, he grabs her wrist and engulfs her in his arms in a flicker which stops Swara from dancing...

Sanskaar: (smirks) Looks like you lost again...!!

Swara: Ughh...!! Leave me...!! This is not fair...!!

Sanskaar: So, Ms. Ahuja...!! Were you trying to seduce me...?!!

Swara: Shut up...!! I wasn't doing anything like that...!!

She looks towards the terrace and shouts...

Swara: Laksh...!! You can stop now...!! No need to waste the precious water on this stone-hearted person...!!

Laksh: But I'm not doing anything...!! Actually, water ran out a while ago...!!

Swara: (confused) Then, how come this rain...?!!

Sanskaar: Ohoo...!! So you are the reason for this untimely rain...!! But it looks like seeing your hot dance, the rain decided to cool down the environment for a bit...!! See, it actually started raining...!!

Swara: I don't believe this...!! By the way what's the time right now...!!

Sanskaar leans a little towards the door trying to see the time on the wall clock hanging inside the room...

Sanskaar: (smirks) It's 12:20 pm...!!

Swara: Wow, great...!! Now, I lost the challenge also...!!

Sanskaar: But there are still ten minutes left...!!

Swara: What will happen in last ten minutes when I wasn't able to do anything in twenty three hours and fifty minutes...?!! Leave me...!! I need to go back to my room...!!

She tries to go away but Sanskaar holds her hand and wraps it around his neck...

Sanskaar: We can at least fulfill your another wish...!!

Holding her waist he looks above calling his brother...

Sanskaar: Laksh...!! You can leave now...!! You wouldn't want to see this...!!

Laksh: Yeah right...!! Even I wasn't planning on staying...!!

Saying this Laksh runs away and Sanskaar smiles looking at Swara...

Sanskaar: So, shall we begin...?!!

Swara: I don't want to...!!

Saying this she tries to go away but Sanskaar back hugs her wrapping his arms around her belly...!! Swara closes her eyes feeling the warmth of his body seeping inside through her wet cold skin...!! Seeing her surrendering to his efforts Sanskaar starts rocking their bodies to and fro on the music...

Sun mere humsafar
Kya tujhe itni si bhi khabar

(Swara holds his hands which are already wrapped around her waist as Sanskaar kisses the nape of her bare neck and rests his chin on her shoulder)

Sun mere humsafar
Kya tujhe itni si bhi khabar
Ki teri saanse chalti jidhar
Rahunga bas wahi umrr bhar
Rahunga bas wahi umrr bhar haaye

Jitni haseen ye mulakatein hai
Unse bhi pyari teri baatein hai
Baaton mein teri jo kho jaate hai
Aaun na hosh mein main kabhi
Baahon mein hai teri zindagi haaye

Sun mere humsafar
Kya tujhe itni si bhi khabar

Zaalima tere ishq ch main
Ho gayi aan kamli haye

Main toh yoon khada kis
Soch mein pada tha
Kaise jee raha tha main deewana

Chupke se aake tune
Dil mein sama ke tune
Chhed diya kaisa ye fasana

Oh muskurana bhi tujhi se sikha hai
Dil lagane ka tu hi tareeka hai
Aitbaar bhi tujhi se hota hai
Aaun na hosh mein main kabhi
Bahon mein hai teri zindagi haaye

Hai nahi tha pata
Ke tujhe maan lunga khuda
Ki teri galliyon mein iss kadar
Aaunga har paher

Sun mere humsafar
Kya tujhe itni si bhi khabar
Ki teri saanse chalti jidhar
Rahunga bas wahi umrr bhar
Rahunga bas wahi umrr bhar haaye

As the song gets over Sanskaar twirls Swara around and looks at her...

Swara: What...?!! Why are you looking at me like that...?!!

Sanskaar: It's 12:29 pm...!!

Swara throws her hands in air in exasperation...

Swara: Great...!! I lost the challenge...!!

Sanskaar: You know what I always wanted to do...!!

Swara: What...?!!

Sanskaar: To kiss my first girlfriend in rain...!!

Swara: Why are you telling me... Wait...!! What...?!!

She looks at Sanskaar who smiles seeing her expressions...

Sanskaar: Looks like you won, Ms. Ahuja...!!

Saying this he places his lips on hers pulling them in a soft kiss as he wraps one of his arm around the lower of her back and stokes her damp hairs with the fingers of the other...!! As their lips move in a rhythmic sync fitting each other perfectly, Swara clamps her fingers with his silky hairs deepening the kiss as if her life depended on it...!!

----------------.

On the other side, Laksh reaches the girls' room...

Ragini: What happened...?!!

Laksh: I don't know...!!

Ragini: What do you mean you don't know...?!! Who won the challenge...?!!

Laksh: Umm...!! First of all, it looked like Swara will win but after that I don't know...!!

Ragini: (angrily) Then what were you doing there...?!!

Laksh: That's not my fault, Bhai sent me back...!!

Ragini: Sanskaar sent you back...?!!

Laksh: (rolling his eyes) I think I said the same thing...!!

Ragini: (smiling widely) Then there's a possibility that Swara might win...!!

Laksh: (shrugs his shoulders) May be...!!

Ragini: Then that means they might be kissing right now...!! Come let's go...!!

Laksh: Where...?!! You want to go there...?!! And Yash...!!

Ragini: He is fast asleep...!! Now, stop asking questions and follow me...!!

Ragini holds his hand and literally drags him out...

-----------------.

As Ragini and Laksh reach there, they find Sanskaar losing the challenge to Swara and kissing her...

Ragini: (shouts) Sanskaar, stop eating my best friends face...!!

This makes Swara push away Sanskaar in embarrassment who in turn glares at Ragini...

Ragini: (grinning widely) Ha ha...!! I always wanted to say that...!!

Swara tries to run away but Sanskaar holds her, hugging her from the back and resting his chin back on her shoulder...

Sanskaar: Ragini...!! Have you taken the contract for ruining all my perfect moments...?!!

Ragini: Don't complain...!! You did the same to me...!!

Sanskaar: So, are you happy now...?!!

Ragini: Very...!!

Sanskaar: Then can you please leave us alone...?!!

Ragini: Why...?!!

Sanskaar: Lucky...!! If you don't take your girlfriend right now, I'll make sure to follow you on the first night after your wedding...!!

Ragini: You are kidding me, right...?!!

Sanskaar: Now, I'm changing my plans to follow you both on your honeymoon also...!! Lucky...

Laksh: Yes, bhai...!!

Sanskaar: Do you want me to do that...?!!

Laksh: No bhai...!!!

Sanskaar: Then...?!!

Laksh: We are leaving...!!

Ragini: I'm not going anywhere...!!

Laksh: Shut up...!! I don't want to ruin my first night and honeymoon...!!

Saying this he throws Ragini on his shoulder and runs out of the room...

Swara: God, Sanskaar...!! You are impossible...!!

Sanskaar: I know...!!

Swara: Alright...!! I'm also going...!! Everyone might be coming back...!!

Sanskaar: But wait...!!

Swara: No...!! No...!! I'm going for now...!!

Saying this she too runs out of the room with Sanskaar following her...!! She tries to run so that he couldn't catch her but instead she bumps into something and before she could fall down she finds herself encased in between Tarun's arms...!!

Episode ends...!!

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