The last four days was nothing but a pure torture for Swara, she had nothing to do except for eating which was fed by maasi on intervals, sleeping due to medicines for most of the time, roaming around like a ghost inside her house since she can't do anything because her hand was tied and repeated the same for days but today it was different. Swara was all smiling as her bandaid was removed and she had no longer restrictions of not moving or using her hand making sure she doesn't stress more for few days until the bruise gets completely healed.

Swara was already seated on the dining table and she was surprised to see Aditya and Sharmistha joining for the lunch, again. Usually Aditya would have his lunch in the office and Sharmistha either in her house or hotels but for the past three days she saw everyone on the table which was quite rare.

As the lunch was served all started eating. Swara picked up her cutlery and grinned to herself as she was finally going to eat by herself after four days.

"Swara you'll be able to eat right?" Reema asked her while she nodded in yes with assuring eyes.

There were times when her bruise hurted her like she was told but it was a bearable pain and not much. As Swara started eating and so did others, Shekhar watched his daughter eating as usual.

When Mr. Sharma called Shekhar to inform about the scenario back then, he went breathless when he heard Swara was hospitalized since she got hurt. He immediately moved out of the site and directly went to the hospital, all worried and tensed. Only after when Varun declared Swara was doing well and it wasn't serious he felt his breathe come back to him. He was with her when she was unconscious and he had to move along to the police station to find who was the cause.

"Swara." Swara looked up surprised with her spoon in her mouth as she ate a morsel. She had never seen her father talk when they were dinning as far as she remembered.

"How's your wound?" Shekhar asked trying to maintain his normal tone but then his eyes already softened seeing her.

"It's healing. Nothing to worry." Swara spoke more like a whisper. She had zero confidence to speak when her family was at dinning and she still couldn't believe her father spoke to her like that.

Aditya ate a morsel as he watched the very  seldom father- daughter moment and so did Sharmistha. They both knew the concern Shekhar was holding for Swara and was deliberately hiding them behind his rude and cold behaviour.

Swara was already doing somersaults in her mind. She knew everyone in her family did care for her but didn't show it off. She could never forget how her brother pulled up the blankets for her and caressed her hair with a whisper 'Get well soon'  thinking she was sleeping while she wasn't, yesterday. Even Sharmistha had come to check on her from time to time and made sure she was doing well.

She knew everyone loves her but they didn't bother to show it when she was conscious, she was okay with it since she knew about them but there was a part of her which argued for adjusting with it and suppressing her emotions to herself and acting as if nothing was going on while she had a storm that thrashed her hopes and threw cold water on her guts for doing so. She did have the right to ask them for their behaviour and pour out the emotions she had locked for years inside her.

That very part of her had questioned her, 'When was the last time she was told that she was loved and cared by her family members?' and Swara had no answers. She wasn't assured with words as such but by hidden actions did. Sometimes actions cannot be counted to the strength and assurance we get when we are told, Sometimes words are more stronger and has a greater impact than the actions.

Swara chucked off her thoughts as she had completed eating and so did others. Washing her hands, Swara went to her room to get her dress changed.

"Swara, are you going out?" Reema asked as she saw Swara who was about to leave the house. Swara batted her eyelashes innocently with a sheepish grin since she got caught.

~

Sanskaar entered the cafè as he sighed heavily. It was another hectic day for him, teachers had made him run upstairs and downstairs to get their work done amidst the classes which had to attend. He couldn't even have his lunch at peace and just drank cool drinks which Arya gave him. Usually if Swara was there then they would split the work into half and complete them. It was exhausting but when Swara was there, they both usually crack jokes to pass time and it doesn't seems to be a difficult job like now.

He greeted his co-staffs like any other day and wore his apron. When Sanskaar was about to go to the billing counter, he was asked for a favour to serve the expresso to one of the customer who was on the first floor. Without rejecting, Sanskaar took the order as he started his way upstairs. Expresso reminded him of Swara, she loved Expresso and would mostly order for that one. He shook his head,

How much he was missing this girl!

As Sanskaar reached upstairs he looked around to see nobody except one who's back was facing him and it looked familiar... Very familiar! Sanskaar walked in a faster pace and his speculations turned to be true.

Swara who was much indulged in reading the novel she brought on the way paused and looked up since she heard footsteps and she was sure it was him since she asked the workers to do the favour of sending him upstairs as she wanted to surprise him. And there he was! She smiled.

Sanskaar was actually surprised. He didn't expect her to show up like that. He also observed that there wasn't a bandaid she had when he met her at the hospital and she looked a lot better than before.

"Swara, what are you doing here?" Sanskaar asked while Swara closed the novel and kept it aside.

"Surprise!" Swara said as she giggled when she saw his astonished expression, "My bandage was removed in the morning and it's been a while since we both met, hardly had a good chat and I definitely missed my daily beverages you know, so I came." Even though they couldn't meet, their timings didn't match when they texted. Most of the times his calls and messages would go unanswered and he knew it was because of the medical effects that pulled her to sleep.

"Sit down I already asked ten minutes permission for you." Swara pointed the chair opposite to her and he sat obediently listening to her while she sipped in her expresso and mourned in delight.

"So you missed me?" Swara winked playfully and Sanskaar nodded in no even though it was a yes. She was there everywhere he went and kept in contact when they both were at their house and the fact that she wasn't present like usual did affect him. He missed his best friend but then was not going to tell to her this sooner.

"Sanskaar, haven't anyone told you how much of a terrible liar you are?" She raised her eyebrows and he chuckled.

"Gf does tell me that." He admitted while Swara had already started lifting up her imaginary collars up with a proud grin, "So you came here to see me and have your daily dose of beverage right? Now you should leave." Sanskaar said and Swara's eyes widened.

"Oh my! That's so rude okay? And I came here to spend some time and you are pushing me away." Swara whined at the end. Being in the house for four full days had made her completely insane other than the times she spend with her maasi and Jay who occasionally checked up on her. She made all sort of cute faces to make Reema agree. She felt so suffocated despite how big her house was and the moment she came out, she felt as if she was reborn and taking the fresh air. So no way of her going back at least not at the moment.

"Swara you are hurt." He reasoned. Sanskaar himself didn't want her to go but then he was concerned. As much as she would get rest the sooner she was going to get healed, it was the only reason he was pushing her.

"Arey! It isn't like I'm on my death bed and coming here despite the pain it's just---"

"Swara!" Swara flinched a little at his high pinched voice as her words trailed off in air. She totally forgot what she was speaking when she heard his voice. On the other hand, Sanskaar was throwing deadly glares at her for spouting non-sense.

"Oops! Sorry, it just came in a flow." Swara bit her lips nervously. It took a minute for Swara to realize the words she had blabbered while ranting and mentally slapped herself for that. She knew, as much as he keeps a image of a fun loving guy, there were certain issues he was serious.. deadly serious and one among them was 'death'.

"You won't utter such words again." He ordered and she quickly nodded her head. Once the word 'death' remained just a word for him until he witnessed his grandfather on the death bed fighting for life and breathing his last moments as he had a major accident. Sanskaar hated the word so much... As much he understood logics, a part of him still didn't and couldn't accept and rather hated the word.

"Cool down Monster Sanskaar Malhotra, I don't want to get beaten." Sanskaar snapped out his world when he heard Swara.

"Monster? Have you seen me when I am angry?" He questioned and Swara nodded her head, "It was an iconic moment and how can I forget of how furious you were when you saw Sasha in the club and when you shouted at her? Damn! If looks would kill then I guess I wouldn't even have able to see her ashes." Sanskaar chuckled remembering of how Swara's doe eyes went wider in surprise but he was too angry to comment on that.

"Diverting topics will not help you Juliet! Let's go." Sanskaar stood up and forwarded his hand to her. Swara nodded in no.

"I don't want to go and let me see how you are going to get me back to my house." She snapped and turned her face to the other side.

"Swara are you challenging me?" He asked as he leaned forward towards her while she was still not looking at him.

"Yes Mr. Sanskaar." She said. No way she was going to her house.

"You left me with no other choice." Sanskaar shook his head in disbelief seeing how stubborn she was. In a quick time, Sanskaar scooped her off from the seat to his arms and started walking.

"Sanskaar!" Swara gasped in shock as she didn't expect him to do such a thing but then she quickly wrapped her hands around his neck, "Sanskaar I.. I didn't pay the bill so I need to pay now." She quickly tried to give excuses but then Sanskaar turned her down by being silent.

"Kind information princess, I know you start having your beverage only after billing. So that's not going to happen." He smirked at her while Swara tightened her grip.

Sanskaar walked downstairs and both of them caught attention of the customers who was present downstairs, "Oh no, Sanskaar!" Swara whined as she closed her eyes tightly and hid her face in his chest totally embarrassed at they all were looking at them. Sanskaar paid no attention to them but he left out a small chuckle seeing her expressions.

As soon as they reached outside the cafè, Sanskaar gently placed her back to her feet.

"I'll be back, wait." Sanskaar said and he went inside the cafè to get permission that he needs another ten minutes to get back to the work so that he could drop her back to her house.

Swara sat on the bench and took in breathes to control her pounding heart and bring it back to the normal pace. She never expected him to lift her up like that and it was so sudden. Her words stammered, her breathe hitched and all she felt was his warmth and closeness which affected her so much that she couldn't think about anything else except him.

"Let's go?" Sanskaar came out of the cafè and Swara nodded in no as she stood up.

"Sanskaar, Please!!!" Swara made puppy faces, though Sanskaar melted for it but when his eyes saw the white bandage on her back he denied her request.

"I said no and no more arguments. Come along with me as I'm going to drop you to your house or else I don't mind picking you up again." He held both her shoulders and made her walk with him.

"No! You won't." Swara quickly retorted back. She was still embarassed by the way everyone saw them and some even called them a lovely couple, "By the way you picked me up so easily as if I don't weight at all." She couldn't help but ask of how easily he scooped her up and walked so normal as if he had no one in his arms.

"You don't weight a ton, my highness! Or to say... you did but not much." Sanskaar teased to which he received a smack and their teasing- hitting sessions went on.

Swara started attending the school from the next week and everything was falling back on its own place like before. Swara was suggested not to lift any weight nor stress her hand by writing much and was asked to take intervals in between when she does so teachers permitted her extra time to submit the pending assignments and notes.

Since the English assignment was pending and they couldn't get time to finish it after the drama, it was postponed to get it done after exams. As Swara, Sanskaar and Laksh were a team they planned to meet up in a cafè.

And when they met, they started having conversations about which character they would take up.

"How about The Lion King? Since it is parallel to Hamlet?" Swara asked for their opinions as they started discussing about the similarities between few stories with Shakespeare's.

"That would do I guess." Sanskaar agreed with her idea since he knew both books have quite a lot of parallels.

"Anything! I don't know much about books and stuffs. You guys decide I am helping you." Laksh shrugged his shoulders. He was never much into books and stories since interest was all about business and stock markets.

"It's Lion King and Hamlet then!" Swara concluded as she scribbled the topic and took her laptop to find information.

"Most of them are going to choose Romeo and Juliet with Noughts and Crosses." Sanskaar twirled his pen on the table as he spoke while Swara nodded and Laksh had no idea what they were talking about.

"Speaking of Romeo and Juliet, I just remembered that all three main characters of the play are here. Romeo, Juliet and Prince Paris." Laksh grinned.

"Oh right! But Paris is already dead." Sanskaar replied and before Laksh would say something, Swara spoke.

"And so do Romeo and Juliet. Enough of the discussion and back to the topic. I've got the clippings of the Lion King so you both watch it and start taking notes while I'll join after I speak with my aunt." Swara handed over the laptop to both of them and went outside the cafè since SG called her and she didn't pick up the call.

After ten minutes, Swara came back and her jaw hit the ground when she found both the boys enjoying the clipings with the ear phones plunged in their ears, having popcorn as if it was their movie time and not taking notes.

"Boys!"

Both of them looked up and saw Swara who was already glaring at them with her hands on her waist. If looks would kill maybe they both would have got stabbed, a milder one though.

"Hey, Swara join us. This is so much fun." Sanskaar gave a sheepish grin and munched the popcorn he had in his mouth.

"I agree, come sit." Laksh signed her to sit with them as he took a sip from the coke tin he brought.

"I highly doubt whether we are doing an assignment or having a movie time." Swara gave a sarcastic smile to which both shrugged off as if it was nothing.

"Of course it's assignment only. We are watching the clippings of the movie you gave to get more ideas." Laksh rubbed his nape.

"Who doesn't like animated movies? We are enjoying but grasping information too, so don't worry about it." Sanskaar too supported Laksh.

"Then do one thing, since you both are grasping information I am going to do nothing. Make the notes and presentation by yourselves." Swara huffed seeing both of their lack of seriousness. Mr. Matthews would literally screw them up even if one thing goes wrong and the both of them seems not to be bothered.

"I'll take care of notes." Sanskaar assured.

"I'm good at presentation so I'll do it." Laksh volunteered.

"So we both will take care of the assignment. At least now you can join us." Sanskaar's words only made Swara to huff more.

"You know what? Since I have no work I'm going, bye!" Swara stomped her foot and left the place. Both of them chuckled when they saw her nose turning red as she was irritated.

"Don't you think we both should go after her and pacify her?" Laksh asked Sanskaar as he saw Swara walking out of the cafè in full speed.

"No need, she'll come bro. Watch the movie." Sanskaar sipped his coke with his eyes still laid on the screen, watching the movie sincerely.

"How are you so sure about it?" Laksh questioned. The way she walked out in annoyance didn't look like she would come back by herself like his words but here he was so sure about it which was like a puzzle to him.

"You'll see." Sanskaar replied with a smile.

Exactly after five minutes Swara was back again still huffing and puffing with her hands wrapped near her chest. Laksh eyes shot up when he saw Swara back just like how Sanskaar said.

"Aish! My laptop." Swara sat opposite towards them annoyed and that's when Laksh understood why Sanskaar was so sure that she would come back.

"See I told you." Sanskaar winked while Laksh showed a thumbs up saying 'you are the best'.

☆Dark and Light goes hand in hand just like how happiness and sadness is. Everyday the Sun dawn and dusk and not everytime one could be sad for all the time, keep trying despite the failure and one you'll reach  happiness.☆

I'm not satisfied with the chapter I wrote, okay I'll zip my mouth before I get a beating 🤐

Love,
Diya ❤