Unmasked - A Swasan Story

36 # The Game Plan

Hey all,

Apologies for the delay. Unintended.Thanks for keeping up.

Happy Reading.

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

YOU

And she froze, right in his arms. She didn't register those three letters first but as they sank in...what she felt was overwhelming, at least for a moment.

"It had always been you Swara, with or without a mask. You are the only one who ever owned my heart and always will.'

His words. Back in her room, Swara closed her eyes and let the tears spill, for a different reason. A happy one. Sanskaar never had another woman in life. It had always been 'her'. Her fingers curled around the ring on her hand ... clutching it close.

All those hidden fears and insecurities seem to have vanished. Every or any doubt faded without a trace. And how wrong she had been...assuming that night would just be a passing one to him.

"Ek baar peeche mudkar dekhti, Swara. I was right there waiting for you."

And she didn't... not for once. Then and Now.

"I am still waiting."

His parting words echoed in her ears. And the ring weighed down as her heart.

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

Sanskaar looked at his palm, wrapped in a piece of pink. Her dupatta. He let her tend his wound with no protest, this time. The revelation as expected ...shook her up. Her eyes as always had been open to reading and he did. The relief and conflict ...he felt them.

He had no intentions to press her or go around proclaiming his love at the drop of every hat. He just made sure she knows, it would always be her. He didn't say a word more, neither did she. She simply held his hand ...her eyes stinging with tears as she unwrapped the bloodied bandage.

She tore a piece of dupatta and wrapped it carefully over the cut.

"Kuch filmy Nahi hogaya, Swara?" Sanskaar said clearly amused. She didn't smile. A silent stare followed by disapproval over his act.

"You really didn't think I would let someone else ..."

He didn't have to complete ...She turned away.

"Then, why don't you stop it, all this, Sanskaar?" Her voice cracked silence around them. A question eating her up inside. All he had to say was a no, not put them through the test of fire.

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

It would have been easy ..especially after his knowledge on the turn of events at Bose House, which took Swara away from him. After his little chat with Adi, Sanskaar knew there was more and sight of broken Swara in Mandir, made it all clear.

He had some missing pieces to fit. A catch up with Ragini and Laksh, he was filled with the rest of the story. And it all made sense.

"So finally you are back to senses, Sunny. What are you waiting for? Expose Kavita and call off the engagement." It was Laksh.

Sanskaar nodded in negative. "You think that's gonna be so easy, Lucky. I will expose Kavita and you think Swara would jump and agree to marry me? No! Even if she did give into my love ..she would be nursing lifelong guilt of wronging her sister and mother. I am sure her family would leave no chance to make her feel so. And I don't want that. A little regret in Swara's eyes over choosing me ...that would finish us. If Swara is going to step into my life, it would be with her choice, not mine."