Her fingers gingerly caressed the different types of fabrics that hung on her wardrobe. Her wardrobe was filled with different kinds of fabrics and styles- from cotton to velvet and party wears to summer dresses. Swara had everything available on stock and all thanks to her aunt who owns an fashion boutique. She kept running her fingers and gazed over the clothings until her eyes stuck on one piece. Swara pulled out the dress from the hanger and her lips curved up in satisfaction.

The dark blue- black gown was made out of pure satin with ruffled short sleeves and a square neck made it look classy and fashionable. The gown had unique traits, with sparkles of stardust on the bottom that would glitter even if it was kept in the dark and it made the dress even more special.

Swara didn't know how time flew so fast that even a  week and a half ran within a blink of time. The practices went on full swing and Swara was a much confident that she would be able to pull it off well but just with the thought she already felt jitters crawling her nerves.

"Shona, dinner's ready." Swara shrugged off her thoughts and sighed as she placed the gown back to its place for tomorrow. Tying her hair in ponytail, Swara quickly rushed downstairs for dinning.

Much to her surprise she saw her mother, Sharmistha seated in the dinning table. Usually she would visit them only on weekends and it was only Friday today. Swara quickly sighed, it was good that her entire family was there since she would be able to break the news to all of them at once.

After the silent dinner, Everyone sat on the couch in the hall while Swara too joined them. She glanced at everyone- her brother was busy with his phone probably checking mails, her father was speaking to Mr. Sharma in call regarding business and her mother was talking to Reema maasi about something.

"Mm, Can I have few minutes of yours everyone." All the four of them looked at Swara who shifted her gaze upward after gaining enough strength to break the matter to them. Once she felt she had gained everyone's attention Swara started, "I'm entering into a competition tomorrow.." She trailed off and looked at everyone waiting for her to complete the sentence.

"What is it about?" Sharmistha asked casually. It wasn't something new Swara had been doing, entering competitions and wining was no more a great achievement since Swara always made them look so simple by breaking her own records.

"And it's a-- piano recital in Richard Auditorium." Everyone's eyes widened in shock and surprise while Swara shifted her gaze uncomfortably to her lap. Swara did expect such reactions from them since it was she herself who started playing and it was she herself who abandoned and isolated herself from it. Along with her sufferings they too had go through so much because of her.

"Did anyone force you?" Swara looked up to meet her mother's cold eyes, "No! It's no one." She answered hurriedly since she didn't want anyone to jump into conclusions like the last time. Sharmistha's gaze turned softer and a glint of worry was visible. Aditya still looked dumbfounded for he still couldn't believe the fact, Shekhar was too surprised that he even couldn't progress the words and Reema stood stunned with her lips parted a little.

"Infact even for the last time I chose to play but--" Swara sighed a little remembering the consequence she faced for doing it so suddenly, "This time I really wanted to give this a shot and try to come out of it-- somehow." The last word was more like a self whisper that no could hear. Shekhar had a intuition of why his daughter chose to do it, he was sure she wanted to overcome those past incidents with the present one and he had a stubble smile thinking of it.

"Will you be able to play?" Hearing Aditya's words Swara looked at him, "I-- don't know yet I want to do it for-- myself." Swara spoke honestly and Aditya stared at her trying to read her expressions and all he could find was her determination sparkling in her doe orbs but just a little bit of nervous was present too. On the other hand Swara was actually happy, she thought her family could retort considering her past conditions but it was just the other way about.

"Do it well." Even though his tone was low that very sentence put a big smile on Swara's face and with that Aditya excused himself to leave the place.

"If that's what you wanted then go ahead. Best of luck." With that Shekhar too left to his study room and Swara already had a huge happy grin. Reema walked to Swara with tears brimming her eyes, she felt so overwhelming that no words can express nor define the emotion she felt. It was like all her happiness had hit her in one big wave. Swara who felt Reema walking towards her, stood up and even before she could say anything, Reema already pulled the girl in her embrace and sobbed in joy.

Sharmistha watched the duo with a tender smile. She had seen Swara love or to put in appropriate words, Swara worshipped the instrument with so much sincerity and devotion that everyone who knew Swara back then, knew about this fact too. She also knew it was only the music that brought Reema and Swara close. And when Swara was terrified just with the glance of the piano after the major breakdown that crushed her mental health, she also witnessed the silent mourning behind those blank, hurtful eyes of Reema. Picking her handbag, Sharmistha left the house hoping for a better dawn tomorrow.

"How and when did you even started playing?" Reema still couldn't connect the dots of how Swara actually wanted to go for it when she used to run away just seeing it's appearance.

Swara started narrating from the start of how she decided to play till how she enrolled her name into the competition with Jay and Sanskaar being her moral support for all the practice sessions. Reema was really surprised to know all these incidents but was for sure happy for whatever Swara was about to do.

"Will you accompany me to the auditorium tomorrow so that I could complete my unfinished recital and let me know my mistakes as my music teacher, again?" Swara asked as she wiped away the tears that stroll down her Reema maasi's beautiful face while Reema already felt so heartwarming.

"Get ready to have your music teacher back tomorrow." Reema smiled and Swara can never be more happy than this after all, the smile that never reaches her eyes apart from few occasions Reema maasi was now infront of her, a smile that reached her eyes and that was well enough to make her feel that her decision was right.

~

"Swara? Are you there?" Sanskaar sat on his bed lazily pulling off the bed covers from him and set his foot on the floor. It was almost three in the early morning and the only word Swara uttered was his name before going into dead silence of ten minutes.

"Hmm." Swara responded with a mere hum letting him know that she was in the line as her eyes fixed on the night sky staring at the stars and the moon for some momentary peace.

"Looks like your nervousness has corrupted your good brain that you chose to ditch your already few hours beauty sleep, huh?" Sanskaar stood up on his foot to walk to his window and leaned on the frame watching the night sky with his other hand tugged in his pocket.

"It is! I'll turn insomniac if the situation prevails more." Swara huffed as she sat down on the balcony floor while Sanskaar left out a laugh confusing her, she really didn't get what was so funny.

"You are already one Miss. 3 AM friend! If you haven't realised before until now then happy realisation." Swara rolled her eyes at his sarcastic comment and chose not to agree or deny because she knows she was actually one. Insomnia started from the age of ten and it felt like it was a part of her daily practice now. Rather than treating it like a disease or something she started enjoying it in forms of reading books, listening to music or painting pictures

"You've got good sarcastic humour." And he couldn't help but chuckle imagining how she would bore holes in him only with her eyes if he was physically present near her.

"Sanskaar-- I told my family about tomorrow's recital." Listening to her serious tone Sanskaar stopped playing around and listened to her, "Did they oppose?" Swara quickly retorted back, "No."

"Then what's wrong Swara? Should I come to you?" As he spoke Sanskaar walked towards the door to leave his room but paused when he heard Swara, "No, you don't have to. Nothing too serious." She knew by now the boy would have started moving out of his room not giving a damn to any other thing.

"Are you sure?" He asked with his hands still resting on the door knob to open his door but when she insisted it wasn't needed, Sanskaar walked back to the window. After a short pause Swara spoke.

"Will I be able to make it-- Sanskaar?" A trace of nervousness was well heard in her voice and Sanskaar let out a breathe. Swara held her phone tighter when she didn't receive the answer immediately. It wasn't like she was going to back off but still somewhere the tensed feeling was creeping in her mind and slowly trying to eat up on whole.

"Are you afraid? Should we back off from the recital Swara?" Sanskaar directed the harsh question to know what exactly was running on her mind so that he would be able to convince her.

"No way I'm going to back off and ruin all the practices we did Sanskaar. I know the entire notes by heart and I exactly know when and where each keys should be used , it's just what if-- I mess it up all, again?" She voiced out her hesitation. Somewhere and somehow the tiny thought was torturing Swara and it turned even more bigger remembering all her loved ones faces who has got so much hope and expectations regarding her and the recital.

"Swara, do you remember the promise I've made you in the earlier days of your cafe visit?" He asked and she was quick to recollect the events of their earlier visits until the thought stuck her mind, she remembered it.

"I promised to be the zero to your one, didn't I?" His soothing words seeped through her heart effortlessly that she already felt her orbs blurred a little with a thin layer of tears, "You won't be alone in this Swara. Be it win or loose, none will question you because whatever you are trying to do needs lot of guts. Despite your trauma and fears you came forward to continue your unfinished recital, that's a big step and above all you will never be alone in this. I'm here, with you no matter what. So throw these stupid thoughts out your brain and relax, my dearest Juliet." Sanskaar really had no idea to which extend his words would calm her down and let her sleep peacefully while Swara had the brightest smile.

"I really wonder what I would do without you." Swara honestly confessed. While Sanskaar didn't reply and left her in a complete silence. For him she would always remain as faithful believer of magic, a beautiful living star who unabashedly follows her soul made of stardust. She could even put a troubled child to a peaceful sleep despite of the chaos and fears that's been eating her, slowly yet painfully.

"You don't need me to shine for you are already the sun (star) Swara, you just needed a little time to reflect on yourself and I'm so glad you worked over it." Swara had a huge grin as all her doubts and the battles her mind and heart had regarding tomorrow was all taken away in swift along with the gust of wind that hit her skin.

"Now stop smiling and sleep my lady. We've got a big day ahead." Sanskaar said as he eyed at the wall clock that showed past three thirty. They did have a long day a head irrespective of the vice versa outcome and he knew the conversation would end up for hours if not he doesn't stop now.

"Fine!" Swara stood up from the floor and walked back into her room and lied on the bed with her phone still kept on her ears. It was a usual routine they would follow after every midnight conversation  since Sanskaar always would doubt if she really sleeps after the call.

"Reached?" Sanskaar asked as he himself sat on the bed all set to welcome back his sleep and he was already feeling dead tired owing to the fact that he had to manage all the classes and then push his shift to the later so that they could practice for a little longer.

"Hmm." Swara hummed pulling her bed covers closer to chest and snuggled her head on the pillows.

"Sleep tight. I'll sweep you off your feet in few hours, princess. " Sanskaar teased as he laid down on his cot with his eyes fixed on the ceiling and glint of tease shining in eyes.

"Don't flatter yourself, Mr. Prince charming. The only fan you have is on the ceiling." Swara teased back and his mouth opened in a perfect 'o', "That's rude Juliet!"

"I thought I was the kindest, Romeo." Swara emphasized the word 'kindest' and chuckled while Sanskaar made faces.

"That you are my 'kindest' Juliet. We better sleep now or else we'll end up on the stage tomorrow with swollen eyes and dark circles." Swara giggled at thought of them getting on the stage like a sleepless zombie scaring the hell out of people.

"Good night Sanskaar." 

"Good night Swara."

As both disconnected the calls they kept their phone aside with a big smile on their faces. Soon they drifted into a peaceful sleep as they awaited eagerly for the dawn that was going to mark a fresh new beginning in their lives.

☆There's something about the way dawn whispers,
'so much is out their waiting'
that keeps my dream breathing
there's just the way that morning carries hope☆