"Swara are you eating properly or not? You've become quite leaner than before." Swara paused from playing with her food and looked up at Annapurna who asked her. Annapurna had noticed the little one was playing with the food rather than eating.

"No aunty I'm eating well only." Swara replied politely with a smile and took a morsel and gulped in. She had no appetite but then she couldn't do anything since it was a family dinner. Swara was surprised when she saw Maheshwari's already in her house while she had gone out immediately after coming from school and freshing up. Their arrival was unannounced, even Laksh hadn't told her like he usually does.

"Swara is having lower appetite after returning from abroad. So she's not even eating properly like before." Sharmistha said and shifted her gaze to Swara who was digging her face in her plate.

"Beta you come to our house and trust me Annapurna will sure make you gain weight with just a week of her servings." Durga Prasad laughed and so did others while Annapurna passed a stern glare at her husband and smiled at others.

"Talking about the kids, even Aditya seems to have become leaner. Beta, work is important but isn't much important that your health. Swara is behind studies and Aditya behind work. Kids these days concentrating on other things forget their own self." Annapurna had seen her own son and husband indulging themselves on their own work and skipping food, thankfully she was with them to keep their health in check.

"Swara nor I don't skip food aunty and you know how we are." Aditya retorted back. He always had tabs on how Swara was doing without her knowing and for himself, well he has someone who could give earful and may even be his death if she knows that he had skipped his intervals.

"True though. Shekhar have you started seeing any alliance for our Aditya?" Durga Prasad asked and that made Aditya to pause his actions and look at his father waiting for his reply. He hadn't talked about Pavithra to his father and more over he didn't want to rush up for marriage soon. But if his father becomes willing and stubborn on this topic then he have already made decisions for himself.

"Even I was thinking about it lately. Aditya definitely needs someone to pause him from leading a busy professional life be it in the office or home." Shekhar shared his thoughts to which all agreed.

"Sharmistha I'm telling you, girls are going to crowd your house if they get to know that Aditya is planning to get married. Be careful about the bride you choose." Annapurna said and Sharmistha nodded as her gaze shifted to her son. Aditya very seldom talks to her and she knew he doesn't do anything with his father other than any professional purpose. Her son was lonely and she was helpless about it.

"Aunty, Uncle excuse us. Actually I've got a doubt with business maths and I think Swara might know the answer." Laksh spoke and only with the mention of her name, Swara looked up. Her mind was still wandering and she wasn't able to hear nothing properly after the incident that happened in the school, his words still rang in loop in her ears.

"Swara take him to your room and help him out." Shekhar commanded. Swara and Laksh quickly winded up their dinner and went to her room leaving behind others in the living room.

"You didn't inform that you all would be coming here." Swara asked casually as she opened her door.

"I forgot but when I was saw at the end of the class hours I was about to but then you rather bumped into me and left without even looking at me." Laksh reasoned. Swara then only remembered while running out she bumped into someone who was none other than Laksh. She hardly remembered a small mumble of apology to him because everything was blur at that time and all she knew was she had to run, far, far away.

Sighing internally, Swara walked towards her bag and pulled out her business maths book.

"I'm not sure if I can clear your doubt but if I know then I'll help you out. Tell me the chapter name." Her weary tone only made Laksh confirm the doubt he had in his mind. Laksh walked near her and closed the book making Swara confused.

"My doubt isn't in Business maths but with you." Laksh said.

"Me? What about me?" Swara asked even though she wasn't much interested hearing him out. She was tired to even talk.

"Is there something bothering you Swara?" Laksh didn't want to hide behind the bush.  Swara was surprised with the way he asked her directly because she didn't expect him to notice. He waited for to tell but then her silence talked much more to him, she didn't want to share it with. Laksh would lie if he says it didn't hurt him, of course it did but he knew Swara had her own space where she doesn't let anyone in and the answer of his question belongs to that space and not him.

Laksh softly held her hands that she been gripping the book from the second he asked her what was bothering him and squeezed it little.

"If you need someone, remember I'm there for you!" Laksh had zero knowledge of what was happening with her, he didn't know how and what to say to convince her but he wanted to take up all the pain that she was carrying and he knew it wasn't going to happen too. Even if he can't do anything, Laksh just wanted her to know that he was with her no matter what.

Swara looked at her hands in his gently squeezed and shifted her gaze up to meet his eyes which was filled with concern and soft smile on his lips. Sometimes she had wondered of she did that Laksh liked her and cared for her so much, she felt it too much for liking. There were times it made her feel suffocated but at times she felt undeserving for everything he was doing for her too. 

"Mm." Swara hummed in return as she tore her gaze away from his and took her hands away too. Laksh sighed a little due to lack of warmth which he held few minutes ago.

"Let's go down." With that Swara started her way back downstairs with Laksh following her.

~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°

"I'm going to play my very best as a gift to her." Swara thought as she played the piano grand with a smile and her fingers moved on their own accord, moving ever so gracefully knowing which key was to be pressed next.

The audience were spellbound and quite, the judges were impressed with the way she created music. When she finished her recital much to her confusion, no one clapped and looked at each other with confusion. Swara got up from her seat and faced the audience blinking her doe eyes in confusion. Wasn't she well enough? But she was sure she did it well but why? Her eyes started brimming until she heard the judge clapping his hand followed by the crowd making her smile. Swara's eyes wandered to see her mother but she wasn't present and all she saw was her piano teacher, Reema giving her a thumbs up and rushing out probably to see her mother.

After half an hour, Swara hopped down the stairs happily with the golden medal adorning her neck that reached till her abdomen and her score sheets in her hand to meet her mother in the wheel chair looking down and her piano teacher standing beside her with worried lines on her forehead.

"Maa--"

Her mother's hand cracked across her face. The slap was loud as a clap stung on her face gaining everyone's attention. Reema was worried about the little one but she knew her mother let her reach out Swara.

Swara gasped in pain as she stumbled due to the slap and black dots covering her vision.

"Aisha--" Before Reema could complete her sentence Aisha already started speaking, least bothered about what Asha was about to say.

"You played the last note wrongly. I thought you that part yesterday." Her mother's calm yet terror filled voice and piercing gaze sent chill shivers down to Swara's spine. She knew when that tone was used. Her maa must be extremely mad at her.

"But--"

"You were wrong." The eleven years old Swara stood numb while a hurricane of emotions hit her heart all at once. The entire auditorium gave thunderous applause for her but her mother was still not satisfied. Tears pooled in her eyes and she bit her lip to control her sobs looking down.

"You aren't going to the bed until you play that part."

"Why can't you even play an easy piece like that? You are worthless!"

"You're messing up that same part!"

Her mother's words played like a broken tape-recorder in lope as memories flooded. Swara was angry and hurt. She didn't know what else she has to do to see her mother happy when she did everything without disobeying.

"I was always wrong in your eyes." Swara's whisper made Aisha's eyes enlarged in shock as she saw Swara throwing the score book letting all the papers fly.

"How dare you throw that score book? You should be ashamed of yourself!" Aisha became furious seeing the scattered papers on the floor. 

"All I wanted was you to be happy." As Swara's words hit her eardrums her anger vanished in a second and she was taken back.

"Even when I wanted to play with my friends, even when you hit me, I put up with it-- I put up with it practicing.-- All I wanted was for you to get better. All I wanted was for you to be happy-- And yet--" Her little fisted arms shivered in pain as tears flowed endlessly from her eyes. Swara looked up to meet her mother's eyes.

"I wish you would just die!"

~°~°~°~°'°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°

"AAAAAAAAHHHHHHH" Swara screamed as she woke up from her bed.

Her legs automatically trashed against the mattress and her body jerked up. Opening her eyes to the dim golden light, she could feel her breathe coming as gasps. Sweat beads rolled down from the sides of her faces.

Her stomach flipped as she recalled the nightmare she had. Her stomach lurched and gurgled. Waves of nausea added to her misery. She didn't we know that she was crying until felt something wet on her cheeks.

"Be my accompanist!" His words still lingered into her heart. How can she do it when know that can't play the piano like before? After her mother's death she suffered a mental breakdown while performing at a piano recital, it resulted in her no longer being able to hear the sound of her piano even though her hearing was otherwise perfectly fine.

No way she was going to play it and get into trouble. She can't do it. She just, can't!

Her body trembled remembering those moments. This only memory was enough to make her vulnerable. The pain was still fresh that it still ached whenever she remembered. She was just a little better than before but nothing seems to have changed. Everything felt as if it was just happened but time flew, months went by and years passed but the memory still ripped her apart alive every time it came.

Soft sobs which escaped from her mouth turned into a loud cry with never ending tears wetting her cheeks. She couldn't help herself but ask,

Why?

~

Sanskaar gazed at the clear sky which was a mixture of dark midnight blues and purple. The stars twinkled while the moon was shimmering with all its might. It was past midnight and he couldn't get an ounce of sleep after turning and tossing for a numerous times on his bed.

His mind automatically thought about her, Swara. What would she do? He didn't know, honestly he didn't. He did notice her shocking look when he proposed the idea of her being his accompanist. Probably, she must be taken back.

Sanskaar was shocked to know that Swara was the best pianist back then. She rose to fame by her play and when he inquired more about it they informed how beautiful Swara played the piano. Just with the mention of her name not even a single person missed the word "Perfect" to describe the way she played. He didn't know what made her abandon that "Perfect" position for which she worked hard once and got a fruitful result as well. But all he knew was something awful should have happened. Was it because of Pain? Fear?

To connect all the dots of questions which can be only answered by her he asked for her hand to help him, waited for an answer but in return she only ran away without giving an answer.

His entire motive was not just to get the answers he was searching nor helping Jay instead he wanted her to find what she wants for herself and get a clear idea of the desire which is buried deep inside her but never lost the spark. The Swara at the moment hardly looked happy and that made him to go forward with the plan when he had hesitation. He deliberately made her listen to the music, made her play and he found that spark in her doe eyes. And when Jay confronted him, somehow they both shared the same thought. The difference was Jay was clear on his point and himself, with lots of hesitations.

Sanskaar had a rough idea about her answer. There were high chances of her disagreeing than agreeing to the idea.

Sanskaar sighed and sat on his couch. Until he gets a answer he would definitely not get sleep, not even a ounce.

☆ Broken wings can't fly high but with self belief it can fly more higher.☆

Tada!!

I'm back again.

I've not done the proof check so point it out if you find any mistakes, don't hesitate.

Most you already found that Swara has a different mother from the start, so yeah kiddos to them.

Ive started an Instagram account for penning down my rants,
( flowerforthestars) if you have time give it a look and if you think it's worthy then support. I would love to know your views on them. 

Love,
Diya❤️