"Hi Swara." Laksh extended his hand and Swara had to oblige with a smile, especially when she knew that her dear father had been watching them through the car windshield. He chuckled at her expressions since he knew she was never this obliged when they were alone and would usually dodge his hand and walk away like a queen.

"Don't laugh." Swara pressed her lips, still acting to be smiling as she tucked her hair strand that tangled and tousled infront of her face due to the wind. Laksh quickly greeted Mr. Gagodia before he left leaving the younger ones alone.

As soon as the car passed from their eye sight, Swara left out the breathe she had been holding all her way she had come with her father. The atmosphere between her father and Aditya or herself had always been tensed even without words being shared, "Let's go."

Both of them walked into the Farm house where the party was held. As much as Swara wanted to deny, she was left with no other choice since both the father and son had a important business meet. Sharmistha seemed to busy as well so on behalf, Swara had to attend even though she had no mood to come.

"Am I allowed to dance with you?" Laksh asked. Ofcourse, he was not going to force her if she doesn't want to but at the same time he really wanted her to agree as they haven't danced together for quite a long time.

"As a friend, yes!" Swara glanced at him before entering into the hall and Laksh knew this was coming along. As much those words hurted him, he didn't mind them at all. He knew it was just him alone in track waiting for her to take a glimpse of him before he fades away behind with time and he would take every intiative to reach this fairy who stood beside him, greeting the hosters.

Laksh too greeted them and gave the regards his parents had sent. As much as he loved mingling with different kinds of people to know their way of tackles and ideas, he also knew Swara was never a fan of being in the parties like him. He made sure to keep of eye on the girl even though he made several conversations with people. Swara on the other hand took the corner seat of the bar as she sipped her wine and lost with her musings. Though they had installed soft music, the smell of the alcohol and people's dominance smirks and calculative eyes brought her the urge to run away from the place.

"Dance?" Swara turned to see Laksh forwarding his hand towards her with his boyish grin. Though she wanted to refuse, Laksh's glowing face made her melt. She knew how excited he was and turning him down will mood off both them.

She placed her hand on his and Laksh curled his hands around hers in a gentle yet firm hold and lead Swara to the dance floor, a little away from the bustle since he already sensed her dislike towards the crowd. With their hands entwined and hands positioned on each other, they danced.

Laksh can never define in words of how happy he was to have the girl he love in his arms and already wanted the time to freeze. He could never stop himself from complimenting how beautiful she always looked no matter what she wore. As for today, a simple estonished black and silver sequined maxi dress was all she wore but still looked effing gorgeous. Swara have always made his heart flutter just with her gaze and now that he saw the beauty with straight face, unfocused and lost in her musings he decided to distract her.

"Did you keep the stars you always wear back at home?" That brought Swara back to her sense when she heard him whisper in her ears. She moved her head back to see him, "What?"

"The charming stars you always wear in you're orbs?  It's missing today, Ah! how much I wanted to see them again." Laksh voiced out his muse and Swara chuckled softly. He smiled and did somersaults his mind since he had finally succeeded to make her smile. Laksh did not stop there, he continued using all the silly jokes he knew and Swara all the time giggled and broke into small laughters as they continued dancing. Only then Laksh felt content. He would do anything just see those beautiful smile and melodious laughter intact on her pretty face.

Swara couldn't control her giggles after Laksh's back to back silly counters that she already asked him to stop so that she could breathe. There was something about Laksh that even after every argument which seemed like the last, the next day everything comes back to square one. She had no idea till when this was about to last-- she really hoped the closure would be in such a way that his heart ache turn a little lesser than it should be.

As they continued to dance in rhyme of the slow music with balanced tone, Swara shifted her gaze to the surroundings that she suddenly noticed a very much familiar face. Swara blinked her eyes rapidly to make sure she wasn't hallucinating him. She could see him glow and his charming grin etched on his handsome face and even before she could him out, he disappeared amidst the crowd. Unknown to herself her heart had already started pounding in her chest and an urge to know if it was true. She stepped back pulling her hands from Laksh all of a sudden and rushed into the crowd to see if Sanskaar was really there. Being a confused soul he was, Laksh had no other go but to follow Swara amidst the crowd.

She squirmed through the crowd in restlessness as she looked at almost everyone on the dance floor, forgetting everything that was around her. Her heart still thumped as it were a train on the tracks and almost felt breathless but then she least cared and all wanted to check if it was Sanskaar who she saw earlier. And atlast she found, her smile turned wider and when she was about to call him, he turned and Swara's smile automatically faded. He was just a random stranger and not Sanskaar. 

Signing heavily, Swara slipped away from the crowd towards the small balcony and caught the railing tightly closing her eyes. This was wrong! so wrong but she had no idea what was happening to her. Swara could not get to her conclusion of what made her heart pound or run away just to know it was him. This unknown feeling was oddly soothing but also fearing in a way that she didn't want it to consume her entirely.

"Swara?"

Laksh's voice got her back to sense and he stood beside her forwarding a glass of water. Mumbling a thank you, she drunk the contents in one go and closed her eyes tightly to catch her breathe. Laksh who noticed Swara taking in deep breathe chose to silence himself and gave her the needed space. Swara had finally managed to calm her racing heart and drowned herself in the thoughts of deriving a conclusion to this odd feeling but she shrugged them away when she sensed Laksh's often worried gaze on her side,

"I'm sorry, it was-- all of a sudden I got breathless." Leaving him on the dance floor without any excuse was definitely wrong on her part and Swara felt the need to apologise while Laksh casually shrugged off the apology as it was no big deal.

"Planning to slip away from the party as always?" He teased since he knew Swara would no longer stay back at the place, not definately after she felt breathless, "And you're planning to escort me out like always?" Swara teased back with a grin. Whenever there was a party it was Laksh who always helped her to sneak out of the party without anyone's knowledge and alert her to come back on the floors again before anyone would note her absence. It was their usual routine.

"Always!" Laksh winked at her and this time he proposed to accompany her for the stroll she was about to take. Swara, ofcourse had no problem with him joining her on the walk.

As the slipped away from the farm house, they started walking through the footpath that lead to the river. The wind gushed harder and colder that it changed the atmosphere more darker and heavier. The leaves rustled loudly, making their presence notable and the sky looked too dull and plain with no stars nor clouds. But she was glad the post lamps were lit all the way.

"I guess it's about to rain." She mused as she wrapped her own arms around her, enjoying the weather to the fullest. Swara always enjoyed the gloomy weather as it always made her reflect on herself and think more.

"Maybe." Laksh answered as he too witnessed the dark sky and felt the crisp wind despite his tux. A sudden feeling crept up his heart, too strong that he couldn't distract himself like he usually does.

As they footpath continued with a little extension inside the water, Swara and Laksh stood by the river and watched the water beautifully display and reflect the beauty of the sky on its surface. Laksh couldn't help himself but admire how effing gorgeous Swara looked even when her soft strands tangle and tousle on her shoulder and back, though the wind made her a mess, for him she would always remain to be a rare beautiful mess.

"Ah! the water lilies looks so pretty." She pointed out the white and purple liles along with the heart shaped leaves that floated on the river in a hand reaching distance.

"Let me get you one." When Laksh was about to step forward Swara did stop him but not giving head to any of her words, he removed his jacket and went down on his single knee as he tried to get the flower with all his might stretching his arm but only ended loosing his balance. Swara who noticed it tried to help him by holding his hand but only ended up falling into the river along with him.

"Here!" Laksh forwarded a white lily he atlast got even though he fell inside while Swara broke out giggling, "Seriously?" She took the flower from him but then again let it float on the water and they ended up laughing loud together at the flop plan they encountered.

The water was extremely cold and the weather was making it worst with it's crisp wind that Swara almost needed the urge of wanting something warm when they finally came up on the land, "Damn! it was one heck of an adventure." Laksh said he finally came out from the water after helping out Swara to reach first on the footpath. 

"That it was, trust me I'm never gonna forget it." Swara chuckled as she tugged her wet hair behind her ears that was sticking on the side of her face. Laksh smiled at that and when he found his jacket unwet, he wrapped it around her frame though Swara insisted it to have for himself. He can't let his girl shiver when he was right there, can he?

"We should walk back and get ourselves dried before we end up with cold." Laksh said as he rubbed his palms together to produce some warmth while Swara held on to the jacket tightly as they started their way back to the farm house.

Truth to be told, The day has become so special and memorable for Laksh. They have spent quite a lot of time and everytime he had been with her, he couldn't help himself but fall a little more than the other day irrespective of the numerous arguments they have. Swara rarely talks for he knew she was a reserved person but she does there's always a warmth and comfort he feels in her voice. Even walking by her side in silence seemed like a bliss, an alluring illuminating bliss that he wished it would never end. All the roads in his head takes him back to her and he would never regret for falling head over heels for her.

Not sensing Laksh by her side, Swara turned to see him stand and watched the birds being caged. She walked back to him while Laksh stood unfazed even with her presence and when she saw followed his gaze, her eyes turned moist.

Caged birds-- it only reminded of herself and her fate. How long she had been chained upto to a certain distance only to return back to where she belonged, a cage? Swara almost forgot how it was to breathe freedom, how it was to dream ever so fiercely without restrictions,

"Have you ever felt caged anytime?"

He shifted his gaze to Swara who stood beside him with her eyes fixed on the caged birds, "No!" Laksh had never faced such difficulties in his life. Be it with his family nor friends, he was never pressurized for anything, "I wonder who did such a cruel act. Just because the bird's helpless they can't be this unfair." He was engraged and Swara only had a bitter smile.

Even before Swara could step forward, Laksh already opened the cage and let the bird set out free  and watched it fly away and disappear from his eye sight, "Humans have turned cruel that they couldn't even see the bird's desperation to leave. What do they even get from caging a life?" Laksh couldn't even imagine how they act without any humanity and really hoped the bird finally reaches to the place where it belongs, happily.

"There are people who cage their ownselves in such a way that no can see their miseries and numbness, they are just among us but we would never be able to see through the facade." Swara had never longed for freedom ever like how she did today, the bird had  touched her deepest cord that she couldn't help herself but turn out soft. The fact the she never knew when she would fly like the bird made her weak.

It took a minute for Laksh to understand that she was actually talking about. It was so sudden that he couldn't grasp her. Though he didn't know whom she was actually refering to, he understood the meaning. Laksh wasn't sure how it was to be felt caged since he always got the liberty to say his thoughts loud and do whatever he wishes to until it doesn't harm others and himself.

Swara knew someday she has to step out from these never ending agony and she also knew fighting back would result her to have more wounds, more struggles but this one time-- just one time she didn't want to care about anyone except for herself and she knew the result would lead from a liberated bird and reduced as a caged butterfly but she still wanted to try, "Laksh-- let's end this." Swara paused as she left out a soft yet painful sigh, "We can't be doing this forever when we don't have future. I'm letting our mother's know about calling off our engagement, tomorrow."

And just like that Laksh froze and so did his world. It took him minutes to process what he heard was not another bad dream he got often-- this was too real to be a dream. He felt himself torn apart from being snatched of something he had held so precious, so dear to him. Connecting the dots of the conversation they conversed a moment ago, he asked,

"Do I make you feel-- caged?"

Words have felt this heavier to utter for Laksh. Those beautiful doe orbs he loved was looking at him, not with love but with hurt. He felt his mind shutting him off, screaming it's the end for him and the story he had imagined thinking one day it might come true. His heart had started pounding faster and weighting in tons with every passing second. His consciousness screamed at him to run away to save himself from the breakdown but he just couldn't-- he wanted to know, even if that breaks his heart he wanted to hear it from her-- just her.

Swara though opened her mouth to answer closed. How was she going to hurt him by agreeing? She did feel his intense gaze fixed on her and it made even more difficult for Swara. This closure would end up breaking both of them abd she didn't know what to do. Swara looked everywhere except him as he stood before her, waiting for an answer in deadly silence. Laksh momentarily shut his burning eyes and opened it again and quickly held Swara's hand.

"Does this ring make you caged Swara? Just the truth!" He stressed each word though his voice turned thick as he felt a lump forming in his throat when he took a glance at the ring and then back to her.

"Yes!" Swara had no other choice but to throw the bitter truth infront of his face. She hated to admit but she didn't want all this to happen this way, not at the least of breaking his heart like this but then-- can anyone  predict what would happen in life? And Laksh left her hand and took a step back. Her words left him dizzy and breathless even though he knew the answer, always. So this was it? They've ended-- just like that.

Swara had never knew Laksh had so much affection until today. Pure hurt and pain that reflected in his eyes pricked her heart that she already wanted to take her words back but then, words uttered can never be unsaid.

"Why? Just-- now?" Laksh knew his insides had a crack, just like one stroke in the middle of the glass making it into two halves, too deep that it already started to ache him. But still he questioned her. Everything was going well or that's what Laksh thought, she looked happy in his company and he didn't understand why they couldn't make their bond work out. He confused yet heartbroken.

"Laksh-- you knew this was on the way. I've warned you too that I just couldn't do it." Swara voiced out softly with moist eyes. She didn't want to make him more wounded by rubbing salt in form of words on him and it wasn't easy for her too.

Laksh came closer all of a sudden held Swara's arms tightly looking straight into her eyes, "Falling for you was never my doing, it just happened like how after dusk, a dawn follows. You were that dawn to me and all I did was to stare with no noise inspite of being blinded by it's enchantment. So why am I blamed here? Where is my fault?" His words stuttered at the end and lone tear slipped away from his brimming bloodshot eyes. Laksh's heart was full of love the person who was in his arms, unfazed and at the same time empty as a magician's hat when he tried to find love for himself inside it. And he was trapped between true love and emptiness.

Laksh was everything a girl would look for in a guy, yet he had to fall for a mess like her. There were so many times he had asked her why she couldn't love him, the answer was just simply as that- It was not his fault but her's because she couldn't fall for a guy like him who was ready to do anything for her happiness. There was something wrong with her.

"I have no more strength to be force myself to make others smile and sacrificing myself, I don't want to caged-- anymore." Swara whispered back meekly and Laksh's hold on her softened. He had never heard Swara speak up with such vulnerability dancing in her tone. She had always appeared to be a brave and courageous person to him and now seeing this side, broke his heart again. In the hardness of his mind of not letting her go and the softness of his heart to let her go, he reminded still in the middle not knowing what to cling on to.

As much as she hated to admit, She was living nothing but a caged life with endless rules and world of facade. For once, she wanted to breathe freedom and get away from the chains that prevailed her from flying. She wanted to set herself free and the fact that she had been hurting people on that way of achieving freedom made her guilty. All she wanted was atleast a day without restrictions and boundaries-- maybe it would always remain a distant, unfetched dream for her.

Never had he seen her doe eyes screaming in silence like today, shouting and begging to set her free and it added more misery to his heart. Laksh stepped back because he knew spending even a single moment anymore of staring his favourite orbs, he would breakdown into puddles just like that and he would never let her see him that way. But one thing was for sure, Laksh would never forgive himself for hitting her soft cord that her beautiful eyes filled with tears-- that was the least thing he ever wanted to see in the world.

The little drizzle soon picked up its pace fast into showers. Water washed over their skin and made them again drench completely but unlike the last time there was no more muffled laughters exchanged, rather it was filled with sorrow and grief exchanged in grave silence in exception of the rain's pitter patter. The night was cold but wasn't colder than their hearts as they stood facing each other together but alone, unaffected by the weather. And just like that Laksh walked away leaving Swara behind, how much he wished he could do that with his feelings as well...

Will this caged butterfly ever get to spread it's wings and fly in joy and taste the tranquillity of freedom? Or will the butterfly stay inside the bars until the brillant colours fade away, leaving nothing except for the only battled ugly scars and tained memories?

A/N: I hope I was about to bring out Laksh's turmoil here properly. Let's see what happens next🤧