Darkness and silence would be apt words to describe the state of Sanskaar's room, that night. A little lamp flickered next to his bed, as he stared intently at the object in his hand.

Her mask.

There are times when he watched this mask in confusion, at times in frustration, most of the times with longing and undying hope that he would find her one day, but never in contempt filling his eyes, at that moment.

The shadow of mask lingered on the wall like a ghost, staring right back at him."You really thought you figured me out?"It was laughing at his state.

Did he ever really unmask her? Ever? He thought he did, only if had known more secrets played in shadows. Did he bid this night to be most beautiful one? Turned out to be nightmarish ...

"You shouldn't have done this, Swara," Sanskaar muttered under breath feeling equal proportions of grief and temper.

Did she really think, she could toy with his feelings? Pass him on to her sister, like some toy and expected him to adhere to her whims? His fingers curled into a tight fist around the mask, his tears turning hot with each passing moment. He made it clear, didn't he? Not to take him and his affections for granted. But she didn't bother. And no damn reason...would justify playing with his feelings. Nothing.

The mask struggled under his death grip and he wished, he could tear it apart, throw far away out of his reach, sight and mind, till it no longer troubled him.

He just couldn't.

Sanskaar closed his eyes let the last of tears flow. He had been in love for long enough, be it with a stupid mask and its owner ...to give into momentary hate. He sighed defeatedly and opened his eyes, now clear as the night sky and stared at the mask for one last time.

"Fine, Swara! We will play it your way!"

-----------------------

And after 2 days Bose family received an alliance from Maheswari's asking Kavita's hand for Sanskaar.

-----------------------

"Kavita? Tell me you are not serious, Sunny?"

Sanskaar looked at Laksh, then looked away, not in a mood to offer explanations. They were in his room. Laksh landed up this morning obviously upset at his move ..and took Kavita's name more than 10 times in varying degrees of shock.

"Will you speak up? What happened that night? Did you meet with an accident where parts of your brain dislocated? Did someone hit you on the head and you have this sort of amnesia? Instead of Swara, you sent a proposal for Kavita? I am 100% sure you are out of your mind. Now stop giving me those looks, Sunny and tell me I am wrong." Laksh said impatience taking over. He had been ranting for long ...but Sanskaar didn't seem to bother.

Sanskaar chose silence. He can't really blame Laksh, as his whole family concluded the same when he came up with a proposal to Kavita, that he was 'out of mind'. They vehemently opposed the idea and sought some explanations which he wasn't ready to offer.

"This is my life and I believe I have the right to choose my life partner. I made my decision." was all he said, much to the dismay of his family. His mother probed him gently that very night and had been unsuccessful in her attempts.

"You will regret your decision one day," his Dad said, making his displeasure evident. And Sanskaar wished someone else would also regret the decision they made for him.

Sunny!

Sanskaar pulled himself out of thoughts clouding his mind at the mention of his name."I am not giving any answers Lucky and I don't think I owe any explanations."

"Oh! I think you do! " Ragini stormed inside the room that very moment to shock of both friends."Sorry I had to crash in..but " her eyes moved to Sanskaar "You left me no choice."

Ragini got the news too. Yes, she did, and shock would be an understatement. Her parents seemed equally disturbed, it was then with words of them, Ragini came to know talks were on for Swara.

Her dad wasn't one to stay silent, he immediately placed a call to DP, while a worried Janaki and Ragini waited for some news.Ram placed receiver back and stayed silent for a minute. Then he spoke slowly.

"It was Sanskaar's decision it seems and he's quite adamant on it. Dp is not happy with it either."He said sounding disappointed.

Raginis first instinct was to meet Swara but then...she had a change of mind. She is not letting Sanskaar get away without answers. Not delaying any further, she drove to Maheshwari Mansion met Annapurna who was in low spirits, introduced herself and was guided to Sanskaar's room. She stood outside catching on the game of insistence and resistance between friends, but Sanskaar' denial had her nerves rattling...and she resorted to crashing in.

Now standing face to face with Sanskaar, her eyes intent, she asked nothing more, nothing less, just a right question.

"Why Sanskaar?"

______

The accusation was clear in her eyes and tone. Sanskaar decided he will give answers because he felt offended at how conveniently Ragini declared him to be the culprit while her best friend was left scot free.

"I think your friend would be the best person to answer these questions, Ragini. Did you feel the need to check with her first ?"Sanskaar shot back holding back his foul temper. "Did it ever occur to you that she might be the one who forced me to make such a decision ..that her actions might have triggered this reaction from me. Did you ?"

"Swara?" Ragini stared back in disbelief. She didn't see that coming. What did Swara do now?

"You don't have a clue, do you? " Sanskaar chided.

Ragini turned pale degree by degree as Sanskaar narrated the turn of events that night. By the end, everything fell back into silence. It was after a few quiet moments a disturbed Ragini started to leave and turned back, right at the door and looked at Sanskaar.

"I am sorry." She said in a quiet tone.

And the door closed with a click, leaving Laksh and Sanskaar behind. Laksh sighed, he was wrong . Why didn't he think of this ...that Swara might be behind Sanskaar's actions. He had been busy blaming his friend. He looked at Sanskaar who stood in silence, his eyes spelling disappointment

"Sunny ..."

"You call yourself my friend? Idiot. Get out now" Sanskaar glared at Laksh. " Don't show me your face."

Stunned for a minute, "And you think I will ?" Laksh countered walking towards Sanskaar"You can't get rid of me that easily, Sunny."

Sanskaar shook his head. True! He didn't want to either. His only friend

"Ok!Listen, I am sorry. My mind went for a toss at this news ..iss liye. Arey yaar, sorry keh raha hoon na.'' Laksh hung around Sanskaar's shoulder "Stop sulking now and let's get you out of here."

Lucky! Sanskaar protested. He wasn't in the mood for anything but he gave in at Laksh's insistence. A drink and swim at his place sounded like a good idea.

But nothing will cool it down, Sanskaar knew. This fire she set in his heart ..this time for a different reason

And she's gonna burn with him, He will make sure of that.

_____________

And she felt the heat ...of tears streaming down cheeks. A slow burn, a harsh reminder of her loss. She lost him ...forever.

She expected a confrontation or some questions but what came in was the biggest blow on her heart. His alliance for Kavita.

It all happened right before her eyes.

Annapurna Maheshwari, Adarsh and Parineeta walking in with proposal ...happy faces of Kavita and Sumitra as she stood numb, feeling nothing but blankness. And the parting words of Annapurna

"I always wished it had been you"

Only Swara knew what it took to hold back her tears for she didn't want another accusation coming her way of 'crying over her sister's happiness'. It was back in her room, she let the pain flow. There was a weak moment when she wanted to run to him, tell him she was his masked girl ...then Sumitra's words would come rushing back to her

"Just like your mother."

And the pact with Kavita, " If Sanskaar accepts, You will step back and never utter a word to anyone."

One no from him could have changed everything. Did he really believe Kavita was a masked girl? Did he? Was it that easy for him to let her go? All those moments they shared ..little snippets of joy meant nothing to him.

"You did the same, didn't you? Let him go. You wanted this, Swara."Her consciousness has been beating her up, inside out. She didn't want this ...and she stood helpless caught in a mass of jumbling emotions.

That morning was no different till Ragini walked in.

_________________

Ragini wished in her current mood, none of Bose family other than Adi would come before her eyes. She was in a clear mood for murder...and thankfully when she stormed into Bose house and made her way to Swara's room, not a single soul came in her view.

And when she found a broken Swara, she knew something was definitely wrong.

"What's happening Swara? "

___________

Kavita was happiest of all. An alliance from Sanskaar Maheshwari ...uff ... That was one unexpected surprise.

She didn't think he would fall into her trap so easily, believing her to be a masked girl. Not quite smart, as she assumed him to be. It wouldn't be a tough task to make him dance on her tunes ..soon.

Men ..are all the same. Fools. You just need to know how to play them around. She can't wait for the news to be out ... see each one burning over her fortune.

A ring on her mobile ..Kavita rolled her eyes at flashed name. One more fool. Time to bid bye to small fish. She picked the call and didn't bother to hear the other side.

"I told you it's over. Stop calling me. Have some self-respect." And the call went off. Good riddance. He wouldn't call her now since she hit on self-respect. Men and their inflated egos.

Kavita smiled and tossed her phone on the bed. That's when she caught sight of Ragini crossing her room...and it was a danger sign. She rushed behind only to have the door closed right on her face with a sneer.

"How dare this Ragini?" Kavita fumed and knew what to do next. She hurried to find Sumitra.

__________

He stared at his phone in silence. She didn't even listen to him. Wasn't it a few days back she claimed him to be 'someone special' in her life? If Kavita Bose thinks she can get off that easily ...she didn't know who Sahil Sen Gupta was!

She will find out soon.

____________

Ragini walked out of Swara's room half dejected and half furious. Swara refused to give any answers. All she said was

"It was Sanskaar's decision to marry to Kavita."

"And you pushed him to do so, Swara? What about presenting Kavita as a masked girl?"Ragini countered immediately. Looking at stunned Swara, she shared her meeting with Sanskaar.

"I went to meet him because I was totally sure Sanskaar was wrong, but no! It's your doing! Why Swara ?"

And silence was her answer.

"You know what Swara! Post your mom and dad's death, if there was a name and a person who could make you smile..it was Sanskaar. You always considered him to be your beautiful dream, didn't you? And now, when you are so close, you are bent on ruining it ..for what and for whom? For your so-called family who hardly cared for you. For Kavita who does nothing but hate you? I know something happened. What is it Swara? Tell me. It's not too late yet."

But nothing came in.

Stepping out, she had Sumitra and Kavita waiting for her. Ragini wished for once, only if she could burn these both to ashes. It was Sumitra, who asked her not to interfere in their family matters quite strongly, asked her to stay away from Swara and left.

Kavita stood smirking at one end. "Hope now it's clear, Ragini."

Ragini mocked a smile, meeting Kavita eye to eye "Of course you wouldn't want me to Kavita because you are scared, I would foil all your well-laid plans. ..and yes! You have a reason to be because that's exactly what I plan to do. You better watch out, kyunki main Swara jitni achi nahi hoon."

And watched her smile fade. Little peace. " Just wait, till I wipe it off your face," Ragini muttered a curse as she walked out of Bose house.

________

It was in the evening, she met Laksh over coffee.

"Any luck ?"Laksh asked watching Ragini toy with her cup.

Ragini nodded negatively. "What about Sanskaar?"

Laksh sighed. He thought Sanskaar's mood would get better, but he was wrong. It became worse. "The thing with Sanskaar is, he doesn't get angry soon but when he does, he goes mad. And he's mad at your friend, like totally mad."

Ragini nodded. Can she blame Sanskaar, when she herself was mad at Swara for being self-sacrificial to an unhealthy extent?

"Why does he want to marry Kavita? That was not needed." Ragini asked. This had been bugging her for a while.

"Well !this is sort of I -will -get- back -at -you mode of Sanskaar," Laksh replied. A quite dangerous one, he knew.

"That's stupid and immature of him " Ragini declared.

"Yeah! Right! Only your friend is allowed to act stupid. My friend is not a human, right! He is what? some perfect specimen, always expected to be the sorted one." Laksh jumped to Sanskaar's defence instantly.

"I didn't mean it that way, Laksh." Ragini said softly " Didn't he think there might be a reason behind this move of Swara?"

"He says, no reason is good enough and She can't decide for him. And since she did ...You know !" Laksh shrugged his shoulders. "Little time Ragini. He will sort himself soon. At this point pushing him will only complicate things further." He added.

They said nothing to each other for a while, tangled in their own thoughts, then Ragini shared her major concern about something huge happening in Bose house which might have shaken Swara emotionally, if not she would have never let Sanskaar go.

"I know, what Sanskaar means to Swara even when Sanskaar was not in the picture, Laksh. And I know it's that Kavita behind all this, but Swara wouldn't say a word against them. She's in the terrible state this morning "Ragini sounded clearly upset. The sight of tear stricken Swara was right before her eyes.

Laksh gently placed his hand on hers and gave a gentle squeeze. Everything will be fine was the message. Ragini immediately felt better.

"So, what do we do now? Laksh asked clueless of their next move. "Looks like we are stuck with our friends at crossroads."

Ragini thought for a minute and looked at Laksh, "I know, who can help us."

"Who? "Laksh asked alert at once.

Ragini just smiled in answer.

________

Thanks for Reading.

Love

Lucky