But just in a second, it all went dark.

"Aish! This electricity problem." Sanskaar ran his hands into his hair in frustration as it intruded their almost done dance practice and here the electricity wanted to spoil and make them dance again.

But hearing one thing made his heart froze.

Swara's scream. 

Swara?" He called out her name in panic since he couldn't see a thing. Everything was black, pitch black. Sanskaar managed to make ways and opened the big windows wide open which was closed due to the air conditioner and let the moonlight inside the studio.

On the other hand Swara stood stiff with eyes closed tight while her body shivered. She was able to feel her breathe getting deeper and heavier with ever passing second and images flashed in front of her eyes in speed that she couldn't identify anything but she knew what it was.

"Swara--" Sanskaar's voice trailed off when he found Swara abnormally shivering and breathing heavily with eyes closed, tears and sweat dripping down from her face and she had her lips bitten by her teeth trying to control herself but alas!

When Sanskaar walked near her, Swara was trying her best not to scream out loud and repeated herself that she hallucinating everything that scared her. He gently placed his hand on her shoulder but then she jerked. He chose to ignore it and called her out softly. Amidst the creepy things that scared the hell out of her she heard a very familiar voice and thanking every lord she hugged with him all her might as she melted in his arms.

Sanskaar staggered back a little due to the sudden force of the hug but he managed to hold her in his arms. "Swara, are you alright?" He asked with concern and wrapped his arms around her.

Swara on the other hand was still sobbing with her face hidden in his chest and her hands clutching his shirt tightly not letting him go. Sanskaar though had unanswered questions he decided to keep them aside and let her be until she calmed down and stroked her hair softly bit by bit.

He wasn't sure how electricity had got out even when the studio had generators. It was very dark and--- Sanskaar paused his thoughts with wide eyes and now he had a rough idea of why Swara was behaving like this. Darkness, fear of darkness.

Sanskaar quickly looked for his mobile in his jean pocket but then he remembered keeping it on the table which was quite steps away from them. He was so thankful that he brought his mobile for practice sessions which they used for recording their rehearsals and later look on it to find their flaws. Sanskaar looked at Swara who was still sobbing but had subsided than before.

"Swara I'm taking you near the window just walk with me okay?" He whispered to her and she nodded without looking at him. Sanskaar managed to take Swara near the big window without breaking the hug.

Swara could feel her muscles relax but her heart was still pounding heavily. After what it seemed like forever, she felt her breath come back to its usual pace, her heart slowed down, her fingers reduced it's grip on his back when she felt the bright moonlight flashing on them.

"Are you okay?" He asked again with concern filled eyes.

With a sniff, Swara nodded. After a long time see had been in darkness and she was thankful atleast she had someone's presence which soothe her.

"I'll bring some water." He whispered and was about to broke the hug but Swara held him tight.

"Don't leave.. please." She whispered softly in a broken voice. She was still not over the feeling that she was in the dark.

"Okay, I'm not going anywhere." He replied quickly. He was actually shocked seeing Swara who always appeared bold enough to set fire to the entire world was crying because it was dark or was it something else? He didn't know.

A sound came from air conditioner and within seconds the lights had come. Swara slowly detached herself from him. Sanskaar rushed to bring some water for her.

Swara's legs gave away. She fell with a thud till her knees started hurting but not as much as her heart ached at the moment. Tears rolled down from her eyes to her cheeks. Her shoulders shook in grief as tears streamed down again and again on her wet cheeks. She hated every image that flashed in front of her eyes, it still hurted her, haunted her and left her in pain. Swara felt all her hard work of keeping herself strong vanishing in air and she felt so weak. With her fisted hand Swara hit her chest trying to stop the pain she felt in her heart.

Sanskaar looked at her with his eyes widen, the water bottle he held fell down in shock. The Swara he was saw now was completely shattered, broken and devastated. He quickly sat beside Swara and held her hand stopping her from hurting herself but she struggled in his grip.

"Swara!" He held her strongly but at the same time he made sure she wasn't hurt. Sanskaar wrapped his arms around her and whispered soothing words. He let her cry until her sobs subsided.

"Are you alright?" Sanskaar asked as she withdrew her hands from him. Her face looked too pale and red. Somewhere in his heart it hit him hard, so painful to see her like this and he hated it.

Swara nodded wiping her tears roughly with her hands and took in a deep breathe. She somewhat felt relief since she had cried after a long time. Sanskaar making sure she didn't cry anymore got her the water bottle he dropped down before. She gulped in some water and when she stood up she was again about to fall but Sanskaar held her.

"Thanks." Swara mumbled weakly and washed her face with the water.

She sat on the floor with her eyes fixed on the dark sky and the full moon to relax herself and keep her emotions intact. Sanskaar sat beside her but no words were exchanged. He didn't want to intrude in her personal space and of course he wished he could never see this side of Swara again. It was so painful for him to see his friend who always smile so gloomy and devastated but he didn't question.

When Swara felt herself back to normal state, she sighed in relief and got up.

"Let's finish our remaining practice." She said with a smile.

Smile? He wondered how could she even smile even after crying like she was about to die.

"Swa--"

"Sanskaar we'll make it fast." Swara dragged him with batting her eyes assuring him she was completely alright.

Sanskaar though really didn't want to rehearse did it for the sake of her, still making sure she was doing well.

~

After rehearsal they stopped by the cafe to grab some drinks for them. Sanskaar was adamant to get it for her and made her sit on the bench which was outside the cafe. With no other go Swara surrendered and sat waiting for him.

Sanskaar got their favourite drinks and came out of the cafe and saw her staring at the sky blankly. She looked so lost even though she was trying her best to cheer up herself in the usual self but still he see it well. The girl was not in the usual self.

He walked and sat beside her forwarding her drink to her. Swara's eyes averted from the sky to the drinks and she took it mumbling a thank you to him.

"Want to talk? He asked. Swara gulped in her drink and gave a nod with a weak smile. She wasn't sure if she could tell it all but her heart urged to tell.

"So what's your story?" He asked after a long pause.

"Not so easily, boy. I can't just tell you everything about me at once even if I want to when you keep an hidden secrets behind this handsome, flirty face of yours." Swara gave a smirk to the surprised Sanskaar, she sure had sharp eyes to look into people.

"Do you read minds?" If she was then he's going to go busted for the things he think about her. Of course not in a wrong way but definitely in a very beautiful way which makes his heart flutter at times. 

"Everyone has a story. Some said, some written and some hidden and buried in hearts even forever. So you do too." She looked at him and so did he. Sanskaar looked at her amused, this girl always amuse him with her words.

"A secret for a secret?" Swara asked further. "When either of us have something to confess about the past, the other one hears it and says a secret of their past in return." She proposed the idea and Sanskaar didn't find the idea bad.

"Deal." It was his heart that spoke without giving a second thought. Swara gave a nod as she took another sip from the drink. 

"Since you already asked me and something is hanging behind too so let me go first today." She smiled and he nodded. 

"Back then in the dance studio, I have phobia." She sighed heavily. 

"Nyctophobia? You mean fear of darkness?" Sanskaar questioned since he already had a guess of it and Swara nodded agreeing to his words.

"It happened when I was eleven. I have not been without lights in nights for years and that power cut was so sudden to me." Sanskaar could feel the story was more of it but he didn't want to question her more and instead chose to listen to her. 

"So you sleep with lights on?" He asked.

"Have you ever scene Gagodia mansion's lights turned off even in late nights?" She asked instead and Sanskaar nodded in no. As far as he remembered even at early mornings the led lights of the house was always on and that explains everything, it was for her. 

"I had a very fucked up childhood Sanskaar. Explaining you that will take me a long time but I'm glad you were there when it happened today. If you weren't there I am not sure if I could able to even sit like this, forget talking about it." She confessed sincerely and was thankful she had him or else she could have ended up in hospital going through serious medications.

"I am not sure what had happened to you before but then it should have been so terrible." He whispered softly and took her hands slightly pressing it.

"It was. I hard a time to fight against it Sanskaar. I had already lost count of how many times I have cried myself to sleep. I barely had sleep and when I did, nightmares traumatized me and I slipped into depression. I took me two entire years to get out it." Swara closed her eyes for a second remembering everything which seems like it happened to her yesterday. Time had run away so fast. 

"And you are the first person I am telling. Yeah, I know I've not told everything in exact but then... I'll try." It wasn't like she had no friends, of course she was surrounded by so many but then how much ever she could try telling it always ended up in failure but with Sanskaar it just came in a flow and she wondered how.

"I'm grateful for it Swara. You can tell me when you feel to but then doesn't that trouble you?" He asked out of concern. The way she trembled and cried left a deep impression in his heart.

"It does, sometimes. All we can do is to try moving on from our past but we can never move away from from it right? It still hurts, haunts but I'm okay. I am doing really well than before." Swara replied genuinely while Sanskaar nodded. He sure agrees to every word she spoke. It made sense.

"But then this is just a small part of it, there's much more of it." She smiled and he looked at her, "What's next?"

"That's my confession for the day, oops night so it's your turn now." Swara really wanted to know about him too as he hardly spoke about himself.

Sanskaar sighed. He was not a mystery nor a life full of secret person so he had to think of what he had to say and when he got the one and only he started.

"My life isn't much complicated as yours but then--" He paused to take in a breathe.

"Hey if not today tomorrow no problem." Swara quickly said seeing him quite disturbed but then Sanskaar had already made a move.

"My grandparents.. they aren't really mine." Swara's widened in shock with the new information.

"To be exact when I was 20 days old baby I was found on the doorstep of an old couple who just lost their son, daughter in law and their grandchildren and just returned after their last rituals. I was barely alive. Instead of throwing me away or dropping me in an orphanage they took me in and brought me up as their own giving me everything." Sometimes years pass by but some scars in your heart still holds on to something and till still hurts. No wonder Sanskaar lived a happy life with the old couple and he was truly thankful to them for never discriminating him because he was not their blood and instead showered with all the love, corrected his mistakes and taught him morals and values. All credits only goes to them and no one else. But still it hurted him...

"They abandoned me." Sanskaar's words ended with a painful whisper. His calm voice hold an torrent of emotions buried underneath. 

A pang of emotions washed over her heart when she saw him so hurt. His last words made her breathe hitch. Swara knew how exactly it would leave you in immense pain when people whom you loved abandons you but abandoning a baby?.... The parent had lost a rarest gem, Swara thought. 

"You know right, it's not your fault. Never your fault." She held his hand making him break his trance and he looked at her with a sly smile. 

"I know. That's what my grandparents always tell me." It was always his grandfather who would tell him more than his grandmother. Whenever he had a trouble of the matter both the boys would always go for a small outing and a have a heart felt talks. Sanskaar missed him after all more than being his grandfather, a friend, a guardian he gave a fatherly figure to him. 

"Sanskaar... if you ever meet them what will you do?" And instantly Swara regretted for asking the question seeing his eyes darkening. Maybe she had a pulled a wrong string this time. 

"I would ask them all the questions which my heart keeps ranting Swara. It's a long and a never ending list. I am not sure if could meet them in this life time and even if I don't I'm already happy with the people who loves me and I love them back too so why bother to think of the people who abandoned me?" Sanskaar would rather choose not to meet them but at the same time a tiny little part of him wanted to know how they really look which he shrugged. 

"Let's go home." Sanskaar stood up crashing the empty can and threw it in the dustbin and so did she. 

"Speaking of your grandmother I really wanted to me her. You keep telling me so much about her and I can't miss meeting her." Swara was pretty excited for meeting her because the way he speaks of her urged her so much. 

"Of course my girlfriend will be glad too." He smiled. Sanskaar was sure she's going to like Swara with only one meet and that was when something struck him 'Apsra'. His smile grew more wider thinking how both would react knowing about it. 

"Girlfriend? Oh wait you call her your girlfriend?" Her eyebrows grew wide in surprise.

"Yes." He chuckled softly, "Because she's only worthy to be my girlfriend." Sanskaar said proudly. 

"I have no idea how she's managing a boyfriend like you." She shrugged her shoulders. 

"What does that mean?" Sanskaar asked dramatically with his jaw literally dropped on the floor, "That was so mean you know." He stomped his foot on the road like a five a year old whining and for the whole time Swara had a good time laughing at him. 

As they reached Sanskaar's street which was two street before Swara's they halted for bye session. When Sanskaar wanted to accompany her she quickly rejected the request and made sure she would message him when she reaches home understanding his concern for her.

                                                                        
Abide by her promise she messaged him as soon as she went home and had her dinner like every other day and came back to her room.

Swara was so glad for what he had today. She laid on her bed with her eyes closed, she felt a bit weak but then the smile he had on her lips didn't fade. A part of her was so proud as she spoke about the past which she had always ran from and the fact it was Sanskaar made her happy. Just as how much she believed him, he too believed her and told his story. They were opening up to each other and it felt great for her.

She took her mobile and typed a message for him.

Swara:

Thank you for being by my side
and hearing me out. It means
a lot to me.

10:43 PM

Sanskaar who just entered his room after making sure his grandma had slept saw his phone buzzing in the corner and it was her message. He sat on the chair and texted her back.

Sanskaar:

If that's a compliment then I'm
taking it Miss. Juliet ;)  and
thanks to you too.

10:45 PM

He was glad as she was. Sanskaar for not even imagined that he would tell about it to anyone but then he did it to her. She didn't judge him nor made a disgust face but gave him a assuring warm smile and spoke normally.

Swara:

Don't let Jay know about it or else he
will eat me up for coming to school
and will make sure that I don't
come to school atleast for 2 days.

10:45 PM

A chuckle came out from her remembering Jay. He would bring all the heaven and hell down to make sure she doesn't move out of the bed.

Sanskaar:

Oh! I'm not going to take
the risk of not having a sweet and understanding girl near me.

10:46 PM

Swara immediately typed out a reply.

Swara:

I'm flattered already Mr. Flirty
Romeo now don't flirt.

10:47 PM

Sanskaar:

I should make another confession
for tonight, again. You'd always
have a soft corner in my heart.

10:49 PM

She really did. From the first day until now she managed to make a place for herself in his heart. With every passing day he saw her new shades which made him amused and he was sure she would do it more in the upcoming days too.

Swara's lips lifted upward with her eyes sparkling and her face glowing with happiness. Maybe she had a confession too, she already developed a soft corner for him in her heart.

☆ When connections happens,
don't rush but instead
let it happen slowly.

Glow your sunshine like smiles to them
Grow it with your love
Water it with genuine sweet words,
To let it grow and flourish.

Remember every good things takes time to happen. ☆

Almost most of them guessed of what happened to Swara, so cheers to them! And I'm sure no one would have thought a past as such for Sanskaar 😌.

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Writing a chapter of 3k+ words in 3 days takes lots of time and patience and I really hope silent readers would break their silence soon.

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Love,
Diya❤