Her hazels softly glowed in delight, her fingers traced the photograph in fragile touch as she reminisced the day of the drama competition.

Sanskaar- for sure he looked a little too much charming and every bit of worthy handsome in the white laced up V necked poet shirt that had flares at end of the cuffs, tight fitted fine black waist coat and long boots. His hair was neatly styled and gelled up with few midnight locks stroking his forehead. Ah! She had failed to even compliment him the way he carried the medival era look like a professional model.

The picture had herself decked up in a gloosy red ball gown, perfectly beautified with minimum amount of make up with no loud ornaments worn and all she had worn was a diamond studs and a sleak chain with a stone pendant shining between her collarbones. One of her favourite looks she'd always remember. Sanskaar stood right beside her with a calm composure and smiles itched on both their faces while she was seated in the royal chair.

But the next photography almost got her heart pound faster than any express train while musings rushed into her mind. Swara shook her head in disbelief at how stupidly she had illusions and rubbed her eyes twice but still the picture remained the same. It took her three whole minutes to realise it was not any hallucinations but that's how the picture was.

Her, with a cheeky smile and crimson cheeks while he stood beside her. Swara could see how his sharp features of his face were softened like a molten rays of harmless sunshine, a huge boyish grin graced upon his lips and he stared at her as if he was admiring the most alluring art he had ever seen with his hand placed on her shoulder.

'Would he harbour feelings just like she did?' - Swara had no idea about it but just with the thought of the possibilities made her heart bloom flowers of cherry blossoms and scarlet hues to colour her cheeks that already glowed under the silvery rays of moonlight. But she quickly brushed away such thoughts before they conquered her for she knew it was Sanskaar's call to choose anything, even the latter and she shouldn't have a say in it.

Swara carefully tugged those photographs in between the pages of her favourite book and stared at her own reflection through the mirror, half glimmering under the platinum glow of the moon and half obstructed by the shadows of the night. The silver butterfly hanging in her ear glowed ever so beautifully despite her thick strands tried to hide it away.

Her fingertips brushed the hanging so delicately that she was afraid of replacing her own impression instead of the fading prints of his fingers that gave away the lost piece months ago. The hazels gleamed in delight at the memory- how sparkles crackled even at their tiniest proximity and her cheeks coloured in softest hues of scarlet.

Something has changed in her, so uncanny to her mind yet bewitchingly beautiful in her heart.  Something so alluring yet overwhelming that she couldn't term them in proper words. There was something different about him- of how his presence makes her see tints she never knew, of how his rantings becomes a soothing music to her, of how his efforts of bringing back the lost smile always triumphs effortlessly. Ah, such a sneaky, flirty, heart stealer he was!

Can liking someone bring such an effect on one?

That was when realisation dawned at her as her fingers didn't find the pair of the ear piece in her right earlobe. Swara was quick to stand and scan all over her room until she remember of how her clumsy fingers tugged away her locks away hastily and might have dropped it there, where she confessed as the rare sight of the sky made the atmosphere look more pleasant. Swara squinted her eyes as she called out for him. 

"Sanskaar."

Lanes away, a startled Sanskaar woke up from his sleep with heaved pace of breathing. No- it's just a dream. A dream where he chased her and she ran through the sculptured pillars and translucent curtains. Her silky tresses bounced against her back while the anklets chimmed with every step she took forward. The anticipation of knowing who it was made him follow her all the while.

The dangling chandelier ear piece on her ears shone in kaleidoscope reflection by the abundance of white sun. Her elegant pristine attire that flowed down to her ankle swished all the through the passageway as she ran. When her running pace slowed down, Sanskaar managed to fasten himself and everything came to an halt when he held her wrist in a gentle hold.

Her fragrance reminded him of the freshly plucked flowers and smell of untouched books with abandoned tales of lost things. The scent- too familiar, too homely, too cosy to him. Suddenly, the adrenaline rushed through his veins too quickly, his heart thumped too fastly and air knocked off his lungs when she turned- Swara

Sanskaar raked his hair, taking in deep breaths as he shook his head in disbelief at his own self. From where did these stupid fantasies rose from? Swara- no! He quickly shrugged away the thoughts to calm down his inflated senses.

"Ouch!"

He let out a soft whimper as something pricked his band-aid palm. Sanskaar loosened his curled up fingers only to find her silver butterfly ear piece, the hanging she dropped down without her knowledge before she had fled. He sighed.

Sanskaar shifted his gaze to the window. Glorious as ever, shone the moon in full circle accompanied by the smoke clouds and cluster of stars. The moonlight's gaze cascaded its soft silver through the window and enlighten a part of his room leaving the rest in the dark shadows. Lazily, Sanskaar sat on the mantel and let the light bath over his features as well.

She had confessed leaving him in a complete baffled position that he couldn't even process the information even after she had fled away after such a confession. A duffer he was that he was too frozen to hold her back, instead watched her leave him after she had smeared words of colours he had forgotten and left him in an abyss. Sanskaar rested his head over the frame with eyes closed.

The silver ear piece still laid on his palm, a precious possession she kept loosing and he kept locating all the time. Previously, when Sanskaar had returned the piece back to Swara he remembered her teasing him that maybe she didn't miss her favourite earring because they were with him? Only if she had knew the chaos she had caused with her simple words.

He had his own share of tingles, blushes and jitters with the girl around him, Yes! Swara did affect him he had no saying in it. There was something different about her, too different that even in a crowd full of people his eyes searches for her. Amidst all hindrances he was facing, she would easily slip into those small creaks of thoughts and makes her way in them.

Fragments of a bubbly, lively and a blushing Swara flashed in his mind. Surprisingly unlike the last time, Sanskaar could not brush off her pictures or the evoking feelings that came along. And there came a full blow "I like you!" from the evening's memory, an astounded Sanskaar abruptly opened his eyes. Seems like her words have become too deeper in his conscious.

It was all new- too exciting, too confusing but a lot more scary to think of. Swara was his only best friend, his only companion who accepted him with a genuine smile with all extra kilos of responsibilities he always carried along. Sanskaar had promised himself not to give away into these new feelings those days when an unknown emotion evoked in her presence.

But today Sanskaar saw a large breach on the wall of oath he had taken in silence because of her confession. The memory was still crystal clear in his mind- her hazels all dreamy in molten liquid of gorgeous brown, her face radiated a star's glow enough to illuminate anyone unlike any other day and that damned dazzling smile enough to sprout hope in withering hearts as she whispered those words like her heart's sweetest symphony.

And the worst part- He too knew it, noticed all of it but chose not to muse further or rather let it stay in the corner. The confusion that urged for an answer always resurfaced again with a strong will of not getting back until it finds an solution. Was these fleeting feelings, inevitable thoughts, unrecognised emotions was all because he liked her too? Sanskaar's eyes grew wider, Did he?

Her pretty illuminating face adorned with infectious melodic shrill laughters and adorable smiles on her lips, stars sparkling with thousands of stories resting his her hazels awaiting to get it read by someone... You like her - His heart voiced out at the happy realisation. The frown was replaced by a slight smile and later to a wider grin with all the reminiscences of their journey together.

Sanskaar stood on the brim of acceptance until something snapped in him and brought him back to the reality. How could he let those forbidden feelings overtake his morals? his oath? The ear piece slipped down from his palms and fell on the ground. Sanskaar took steps back all numb at the realisation that dawned on him- No!

He was nothing but a steel bar, standing stiff, tall and surviving the unexpected thrashing rainfall and scorching summer. But the moisture remains only to seep through the pores and scratches of his dead pale skin, to reach the places he stroked paints of blue courage and red dreams the earlier night, and peel away the paints with those acid evocations and brutal events, only to leave marks in foul blotchy brown on his already jagged, brittle insides.

Swara was that wild flower coloured in beaming yellow and tinges of burnt red in the core, mostly invisible. She'd represent all the softness, brightness and glow with those strokes of golden yellow in the fragile petals which emites fragrances of fresh breeze. While unaware to all, the burnt red of horrifying memories haunts to burn the remaining parts in the midnight and leave her dripping dark red, only to glow yellow for the dawn.

How was he supposed to embrace the notion when he knew about how he could never fulfill them? Either he could decline it for he knew that would be a deception to his own self. His legs gave out as he dropped himself on the knees, eyes moist and lost. Even after several questions that raised, his heart put an off with it's affirming answer- Yes!

Sanskaar's eyes fell on the ear piece that now laid on the floor, the ear piece always brought a genuine smile on her lips and it would reach him as well. Unlike how instead of a smile it only brought a fear in him today. The fear of loosing, the fear of getting betrayed pushed him far away from acceptance.

But nothing and no one could make the glitters in his heart disappear now. It was the beginning of 'a destiny'- with or without his desire.

☆Love is diving headfirst into someone else's confusion and finding that it all makes sense.☆

A/n: Tf hits 50!

That for sure calls for celebrations and adding on it comes the love realisation. Finally all of your wait are over.

Favorite scene from this book?

Since my writing style has changed, which one do you opt- the before or now?

Few words for the author?

*Hoping to have some response in the inline comments*

On this good note, I'd make sure to keep the updates on time hereafter. I'm so messed up these days that I couldn't even manage to write something for this book. Thank you for keeping your toes still up and waiting patiently for the update.

Love,
Diya❤️