Sanskaar sighed heavily as he leaned on the kitchen cabinet huffing in annoyance and dialed to his only savior, Swara.

Swara who was busy painting her portrait, startled for a second at the sudden outburst of her phone. Placing her paint brush back on the pallette, she picked up her phone and her smile widened when she saw the caller ID. Swara attended the call in few rings after connecting the call with the bluetooth headset and picked up her brush again.

"Ha Sanskaar tell me." She started dipping her brush into the paint and started to colour the portrait with clear strokes to complete the picture.

"Swara, help me na." Sanskaar whined softly and eyed at the vegetables he had murdered in the name of cutting them for the soup. He had made a complete blunder and if only his grandmother enters into the kitchen which she considers like her second holy place, then he'd sure had to kiss goodbye to his life.

"What happened?" Swara chuckled as she heard him whin like a five year old who wants help to get a chocolate bar.

"Actually girlfriend I mean my grandmother's ill." Her fingers paused and she withdrew her brush from the canvas. It's been two weeks since Asha had got discharged and she had been doing well ever since but now hearing that she's ill instantly got her worried, "Ill? Sanskaar is she doing well? Or wait I'm coming." Swara stood up from the place all set to go downstairs but then stopped by his reply.

"Swara, relax! She's doing much better and she's sleeping now." Sanskaar explained further of how he found Asha to have temperature in the morning and later decreased after a visit to the doctor. And only then Swara sighed in relief, "So coming to the problem. Actually gf is craving to eat soup and much to my unfortunate her favourite store is closed and I too tried making but-- urgh! Okay, so can you tell me how to make--"

"I'm coming." Swara announced before he could even complete the sentence. She dropped all the brushed into the container that contained clean water and the colours slowly started to blend and diffuse.

"What?" Being a confused soul he was, he blinked his eyes. This girl didn't even let him complete the sentence and but was all set to come to his home.

"Just take care of her until then." And even this time she didn't hear him and disconnected the call. He didn't want to disturb her and all he was about to ask was the recipe but nevertheless, now that she was about to come and if she too doesn't know how to cook, he would atleast get accompanied and together they would find a solution.

Swara cleaned up the place after setting the tools on the shelves and placed the unfinished canvas in the corner of the room. She took her slingbag and placed the golden wrapped gift she wanted to present to Sanskaar inside. With that Swara informed Reema about leaving and rushed to his house.

The calling bell of the house gained Sanskaar's attention. Ofcourse he knew how it was and went to open the door.

"Sanskaar." She called out for him impatiently and knocked the door.

"Coming." Came his muffled voice through the door and he literally jogged towards the door to recieve her.

When the door was opened, even without greeting her bestfriend, Swara barged inside his home and pushed him to a side through his chest since he was blocking the way and lead to his grandmother's room. She was worried sick for the old lady and all Sanskaar could do was to close his hunged jaw, close the door and follow her though he wanted to complaint of how she barged inside without even sparing a look at him but then shrugged it off for the day.

"Dadi! Are you feeling better?" Concern was laced in her voice as she sat beside Asha who just woke up from sleep.

"Oh Swara! You're here." Asha smiled faintly and spoke in a raspy tone. She was all happy to see the girl beside her.

"Yup your grandson called me." Swara informed and placed her hand gently on Asha's forehead as she wanted to check on her temperature and she was burning slightly. For all the constant time Asha had a smile seeing Swara worried.

"You should rest more dadi, I'll get you something to eat." Swara spoke softly and stood up to leave the room so that Asha could rest but then, Asha caught her wrist and stopped her.

"I've been on the bed for so long dear so let me come to the hall." Asha said and Swara nodded with a smile understandingly.

"You're not." Came a harsh voice and Asha pouted. Her grandson was too protective, especially when she's ill that he doesn't even allow to keep her feet down from the bed.

"Sanskaar let it be. Being on the bed sicken one even more, stop being too firm on her." Swara ofcourse had lot of experience in that very department and chose to side the old lady. Asha looked at her grandson with a victorious grin and Sanskaar glared at her in return.

"Help her to come to the hall." She said to which he nodded walking towards them. "I'm going to the kitchen." Swara announced and walked out of the bedroom first to move into the kitchen.

Sanskaar put an arm around Asha and guided her towards the couch and making sure she was comfortable, he shifted his gaze to Swara who was in the kitchen and walked towards her.

Swara opened the fridge to see what were all the vegetables that was in their hands at the moment and took a good glance of the kitchen to know what all was there. Though it was a small kitchen comparing to her extra larger one, she had to admit the place was maintained very neatly.

"I thought you don't how to cook." The sentence caught her attention and she turned behind to face Sanskaar. He actually had no idea if she had any culinary skills since she would have been treated like a princess and there would be people to take care of such matters.

"Now what makes you think that I don't have culinary skills? I started learning it from the age of seven." And that piece of information amused Sanskaar greatly. Cooking at seven? He couldn't even manage to lie both his shoe laces correctly, forget about using knives to chop and fire to cook.

"Just tell what only you don't know." Sanskaar asked and Swara laughed, "There's so much!"

"You know Sanskaar, the people outside my house thinks my brother and myself are treated like a prince and princess of a castle with endless wealth and fame but no one would ever know the backstory-- We were made to gain for whatever we have at the moment. And these skills-- it was just a part of them to make our lives perfect. " Just to satisfy their father's wish of wanting them to a lead a 'Perfect' life and to be called as 'Perfectionlist' they had to sacrifice their entire childhood for it.

"So you mean this one is among one of them you know?" Sanskaar was all astonished. Now that's when he remembered how Swara told one day of how her childhood was never simple.

"Piano, cookery, painting, music, dance swimming, sports and the list goes quite long." Swara said as if it was no big deal and started taking out the needed veggies and Sanskaar's jaws almost dropped down. He couldn't even think of managing all this at such a young age. 

Asha who heard the entire conversation only then understood how Swara had become sensible and matured, or to say the circumstances had completely changed this kid-- like how a raw diamond had to undergo scorching fire and shaped with sharp equipments even if it doesn't want to.

"Anyways, let's concentrate for what we are in the kitchen. Sanskaar could do you help me slice these onions? Thinly sliced." Sanskaar nodded and took the onions Swara gave him. He took the knife, chopping board and started slicing them.

Meanwhile Swara took the pan to saute the vegetables and some butter from the fridge. Good thing they had it. She just glanced at Sanskaar who was still chopping an onion slowly with full concentration.

Swara couldn't control herself and burst out in fits of laughter. Sanskaar paused and looked at Swara confused. After controlling her laughter somehow she manage to see the confused soul who looked at her, she giggled.

"Sanskaar seriously? I asked you to chop only onions and you haven't even chopped one fully." Swara laughed again remembering how he was chopping as if he was solving his accountancy problems with full concentration.

"Okay fine. Now give, I'm chopping them." She took the knife from his hand and started slicing them fastly. For the fact, Swara had been trained by a renowned chief and definitely she had the tricks in her hands. Sanskaar's eyes widened seeing her chopping onions so fastly, "Swara stop."

"Huh?" Swara still didn't stop making Sanskaar worried. He quickly held her wrist which made Swara pause and she shifted her gaze at him, raising her eyebrows asking him what.

"Are you mad? Who chops onions this fastly? Do you want to get hurt?" Sanskaar scowled and Swara already wanted to pull his cheeks for bring too cute and adorable.

Asha chuckled when she heard her dearest grandson scowl, "Swara you must not know, Sanskaar has the wierd habit of stopping people who chops vegetables fastly. Sometimes he doesn't even let me do it since I got hurt once, So don't mind him." Swara once again laughed and Sanskaar huffed as he stamped his foot, "You won't chop fastly." He ordered.

Knowing Sanskaar would not give up on his decision, she decreased her speed and chopped them slowly and whenever she could increase speed he could correct her or glare at her.

"Sanskaar." She whined. "At this pace I can't make soup faster so chup and just watch me do or else look somewhere else." Swara said. Sanskaar looked at her annoyed and hopped on the kitchen counter watching her cut the vegetables keenly, hoping she wouldn't get her fingers hurt.

Swara chopped the onions, carrot, mushrooms, coriander and diced some garlic. For the whole time he was amused seeing her hands moving too and fro fastly while slicing just as the chefs does in the television shows he watched with his grandma when was a child. When a strand of hair fell in front of her eyes Swara had a hard time removing them through her sleeve since she was cutting veggies, Sanskaar softly tucked the loose strand behind her ear and both looked at each other with a smile.

She started to saute the vegetables in the pan.

"Dadi I hope you like mushroom?" She had totally forgotten about what she wanted exactly and already started doing but then she was glad Asha loved them and Swara continued the preparation of soup.

"Swara I should thank you. Finally you made Sanskaar go to the kitchen." Asha teased and Sanskaar who heard the comment had his mouth opened, "I do come to the kitchen." He protested.

"Yes yes for taking water and making coffee." Asha and Swara laughed together making him pout. Was it his fault that he could not cook nor be a helping hand?

"Sanskaar you better get a girlfriend or wife in future who knows how to cook well." She winked at him teasingly and Sanskaar's ears had already turned red in that specific mention, "Swara you too? I thought you're my best friend." He complained. When Asha and Swara comes together, they leave no points to make him joker.

"What's a best friend without teasing?" Swara winked and he started throwing tantrums. She had seen Sanskaar in almost most of his moods and this one, he looked extremely cute and she wondered if he was always like this while being in home.

"Sanskaar you look too cute sometimes." She said as she stirred the almost ready soup.

"I'm not cute."

"You are!"

Their banter continued with teasing words and laugh making the house alive and all was witnessed by Asha. Somewhere, somehow she felt as if her prayers were heard when she saw Sanskaar and Swara together. She could feel the spark being created between the two young people. She smiled seeing her grandson happily laughing after a long time and she wished it would remain forever.

When the supper was made Sanskaar looked proud as if he got a trophy he dreamt for, it was priceless. Sanskaar's innocent joy somewhat made her inner soul happy as well.

"Tada!"

Swara placed the soup on the dinning table and sat with them. Swara looked at Asha hopefully since she didn't know if she could like the soup she made. It was taught by her maasi and whenever she was ill she got this soup made.

Tasting a sip Asha's eyes widened in surprise and her eyes met with Swara's hopeful eyes.

"How's it?" Swara wasn't sure if it would be appealing for Asha since their preference towards dishes had big difference. She for sure knew they have Indian food while her entire household eats continental dishes only.

"It's really good." Asha couldn't help herself but have a spoon after and after since the supper was relief to her almost dying taste buds. Swara chirped in joy.

"Sanskaar you too taste." She quickly took a bowl and started serving but then Asha quickly retorted making Swara to pause her action.

"He doesn't like to have suppers dear." Swara looked at Sanskaar who nodded his head in agreement. Sanskaar was definitely not a fan when it came to suppers. They were too plain and dull to his taste.

"Just a sip? please?" Sanskaar shook his head in no continuously but then Swara had no plans to retore the spoon she forwarded to him and he definitely knew how of a stubborn girl she was. 

"Please." She pleased him with her puppy dog eyes and atleast, without no other go he had to give in. Sighing heavily Sanskaar opened his mouth and she fed him.

"How's it?" Swara asked while looking at him to know his views through his facial reactions but then when she found him not say or move a muscle, she asked, "You didn't like it? okay then you don't have to force yourself, I'll have it." She gently took the bowl from him but then Sanskaar all of a sudden snatched it surprising both.

"No! I'm loving it so I'm not gonna share it with anyone." Sanskaar once again had a sip. He had never thought it would meet upto his taste and now it has, he wanted to relish it. Asha and Swara bursted out laughing at his child like expressions while Sanskaar least bothered and continued having his supper.

~

When he was young, he didn't let anyone near his grandparents since he knew the back taunts he always recieved for not having his parents and Sanskaar didn't want anyone to put a finger on them. He was so sensitive when it came to them that he seldom introduce his 'so' called friends but with Swara-- everything was different.

Sanskaar couldn't help himself but adore the bond Swara and Asha shared. From a mere handwritten letters without knowing each other's face to sitting beside his grandmother like her very own at the moment, everything surprised him. He knew there was something about this girl who has enough charm to attract people like magnet.

Swara gently placed Asha's hand on the bed with a smile as she saw the old lady doze into a deep slumber. She turned to her side to see Sanskaar leaning on the frame of the door and staring at them.

"Staring is rude, Mr. Flirt." Swara walked to him while Sanskaar regained his composure and pulled her slightly towards him with a grin, "Staring who's special to you is never wrong, my Juliet!" She blinked her eyes to avoid the eye contact and bit her inner cheeks to avoid the blush that was about to creep on her cheeks.

"Special? Someone seems to be in a different mood." Sanskaar giggled at that. But he felt something was different about Swara at the moment, the girl who wouldn't even shrug at strongest hold was now avoiding his eye contact. Though he wanted to question, he chose not to invade her space. She gently parted away from him since she felt her stomach filled with fluttery butterflies and Swara was too confused about the odd, unknown feeling.

"It's all the magic you're supper did to me." He winked and she laughed remembering how Sanskaar didn't let anyone touch his bowl until he emptied it completely, "Ofcourse magic it is."

"Seems like the ring is special to you?" Sanskaar asked as he glanced at the small diamond studded ring on her finger. It was not just today, but he had seen her wear the ring almost of the time excluding the school timings. Maybe the ring too had a backstory like her pendent.

At that compliment, Swara caressed the ring. Special? How could she even term the ring special to her when reminded her helpless state of those days? "Ah! I haven't told you yet." Swara mumbled, "Let's say this ring was put on by Laksh for the assurance to get married in future when I was 15?"

"What?" Sanskaar literally screamed in shock that Swara had to close his mouth and pull him out of the room, "You would have woken her up." She peeped into Asha room and saw her still sleeping. Sanskaar couldn't even progress the information. Engaged at 15? Like seriously! He was horrified just hearing it and the girl seems so cool about it.

"Ha, didn't you tell me you want to become a Prosecutor? How about you take the case since it's illegal?" She giggled and he looked at her shocked,
"Swara if that's a petty prank of yours, you better take it back." He said and Swara blinked her eyes. Here she was telling the truth honestly and this boy calls it a prank?

"Excuse me! I kind of got engaged and only then I was sent abroad." She exclaimed and Sanskaar still couldn't believe. Swara further had to explain how both their parents wanted them together and just exchanged rings for a formality. But whatever it was, Sanskaar was not convinced.

"Laksh-- he likes you right?" He voiced out and Swara though was surprised, shook her head in agreement, "You too know?" She sighed. Sanskaar had noticed of how Laksh would steal glances of Swara so many times and he had actually ignored it but thinking of it now, everything seems crystal clear. And the thought had already twitched his heart and made him upset much to his confusion.

"But then I don't! I mean Laksh is a good guy to be with but and I like him too but not in the way he does." She couldn't even imagine of herself coupled with Laksh. The thought just didn't seem right to her and the fact that Laksh was actually falling for her was worrying her since she knew they would only end up to dead end and it was the only reason she had not done anything about it but then Swara knew she had something to do about the matter sooner.

"Let's drop the topic and Oh yes! I have something for you." Walking to the hall, Swara pulled out the gift from her sling bag and forwarded it to Sanskaar. Gift? All of a sudden? He eyed at the wrapped gift and then at Swara, "Well it's just a small gift that I made. But however it is I'm very certain that you would like this one."

"Okay, but you just confused me even more." Sanskaar hissed and was busy analysing the outer appearance of the gift. He had a guess of the gift to be a painted frame considering how Swara knew the love Asha and himself has for her paintings. Sanskaar was about to open but then Swara quickly pulled away his hand.

"You'll open it only after I leave." She picked up her sling bag and started walking towards the entrance. Sanskaar placed the frame on the couch and moved to send her off, "Take care of her and you wouldn't hesitate to ring me up if you need anything, deal?"

"Deal." Sanskaar gave a nod. Even if she had not said, he wouldn't be able to think of anyone except for her when in need. With that Swara bid him bye and started her way back to her house.

Being a curious cat he was, Sanskaar as soon as he reached home he quickly took the gift and was about to unwrap but then hearing Asha calling him, he went to her room.

"Swara left?" Asha asked to which Sanskaar nodded his head as he was busy noting down her temperature. Now that there was no more temperature, Sanskaar was in relief. He quickly called the doctor to inform about the recovery.

Asha noticed a glittery wrapped gift and managed to reach out for it. When Sanskaar completed his conversation with the doctor and hung up the phone, he saw Asha looking at the gift.

"Swara gave me, so let's open to see what's in." Sanskaar sat beside Asha and both of them slowly started to unwrap the gift. Then they had to open the box and much to his joy his suspicion was right, it turned out to be a frame. But then when he turned the frame to see the picture, it stunned both Sanskaar and Asha.

He wrapped his arm around Asha who started sobbing in his chest while he himself had a hard time to keep his tears in bay. It was beautiful portrait of Manoj and Asha in the either sides of Sanskaar with bright smile etched on all of their faces. It was painted with vivid light colours and they could tell how careful the minute details were added to it.

Coming to their past, the evening they had to get a themselves a family photograph with smiles and laughter, they sat in the hospital corridors with tears and sorrow weightening their hearts and the very night they lost him forever too. From then on, Sanskaar and Asha had never thought of getting themselves a photograph in a studio since they would never be able to fill the main man's space, neither in the photo nor in their life. And the fact that Swara had unknowingly fullfilled the lost, buried desire made both of them tear up in joy and agony. 

Words could never be able to justify the emotions that hit his heart in hard waves. Sanskaar had shown his grandfather's picture twice, once when she visited home and the other time was his home screen of his mobile but not even in dreams he knew Swara would give such a valuable gift that would leave Asha and himself speechless with myrid of emotions evoked by her art.

Calming down Asha was a big task though Sanskaar managed to do it and put her back to sleep. With steady yet slowly steps, he walked to his room and sat down on the floor with the bed as his support. The picture reminded him so many things even though it was just a imaginary. Sanskaar would never agree to Asha when she tells him not to bury his desires and he would easily lie he had nothing but the truth was, he too had so many desires but hidden and locked in one corner of his heart, one among them was this photograph-- Sanskaar could still remember how he was so excited to get their picture that he got ready earliest than ever wearing his favourite clothes and even chose the best saree for Asha to wear that day. But life never goes by plan, isn't it?

The tears he had held for long fell down and dripped on the frame he held so protectively. Sanskaar wipped them away through his sleeves and softly caressed the picture. Atleast, even if it was not the real, now he could be happy that he has a photograph of his family now. He closed his eyes for a time being with his head hung down to collect himself together until a buzz sound of his phone.

Sniffing, he kept the frame up on the bed and took his mobile only to see Swara's message.

Swara:

Not sure if I have done the
portrait well. It's been so long
since I ever drew someone but
I guess it has turned better
than what I used to do before.
Now, let me get you a box full
of tissues next time to wipe
your tears 🤧

Sanskaar chuckled at that big rant message she had sent and even before he could type a reply, his mobile again buzzed with her message.

Swara:

I didn't see the picture of
all 3 of you in one frame,
So thought to make one and
I know this is valuable!
you better treat me well and big😉
Take care💫

He shook his head in disbelief. She sure knows how to make him smile, genuinely!

☆ Home is where you're heart is always kept warm despite the coldness you face outside, gives confidence when you are about to loose hope and gives peace amidst the chaos-- sometimes it's not just the place that gives such vibes but people too.☆

This 4.3k word update is dedicated to all my readers and jasmine_r22 (as promised you're post bday gift) Hope everyone is doing well 💗

Love,
Diya❤️