Author's Note
I had more fun last night than I have had in months. Associated people will know what I am talking about. For them and all others, though, this is a New Year present from my side. I hope you enjoy reading it as much I enjoyed writing it, fellas. Also, I am as anti-Shakespeare as I was earlier but somehow the following quote is both likable and apt for this plot. Happy reading!
SwaRon One Shot: Swayum Turns Eighteen
"When I saw you I fell in love, and you smiled because you knew." - Shakespeare
Kria, Simmi and Rinni were inseparable and clicked pictures everywhere they went. A boy named Swayum who had freshly turned eighteen was their common 'bestie'. The following excerpt from Swayum's long and healthy life is based on the perspective of Sharon, who did not click as many pictures and did not go as many places. Despite having nothing against Simmi and Rinni, both hot and pink from their short dresses nauseated Sharon that night. But Sharon was proved right to think that Kria made some sense. After all, Kria had personally invited Sharon to Swayum's birthday party. Also, she was wearing enough layers of wool on that December night to prove she was immune to both the hot and the pink, now incurably a part of her friends' characteristics.
Sharon shivered when she entered the discotheque. She would have told anyone who asked it was the change of temperature. For, it was a couple degrees outside that night and the discotheque was full of many others like Simmi and Rinni and the reasons why they were wearing hot pink short dresses. But it had really simply been the very sight of Swayum.
He was still as average looking as he had been the last time she had seen him. That was months ago. Dressed in a simple black hoodie and blue jeans, he did not look like someone who could even have friends who could afford a party for fifty in that nightclub. But it was a fact little known that they could all, Swayum included make their daddies buy the whole mall the club was in. All they had to throw would be a couple vases and a tantrum. As it so happened, because Swayum was as away from throwing a tantrum as Sharon was from falling out of love for him, she simply shivered at the sight of him.
It took her meetings with the hosts of the party, Swayum's mindless 'bros' and a glass of neat soda before she could talk to Swayum in person. She got through the human obstacles just fine. Kria was even good to talk to. And she would never say no to soda, even if both the soda and the atmosphere were chilled. Long story short, she'd done tougher things to get to see him in her time. Since she wasn't even eighteen yet, she did not know 'in her time' was too much. Her time hadn't started until later than night. But we'll discuss more of that later.
"Happy birthday, Swayum Shikhawat," Sharon said like she was wishing him because someone had paid her to do it.
"Thank you, Sharanjeet." Swayum said smilingly, now looking at her. He went from smiling into shock in seconds.
"Where did all your weight go?"
"The same place your sense of humor did, Swayum." Sharon wanted to kick herself. It was his freaking birthday.
"Let me guess! None of them is ever coming back, right?" Swayum laughed.
"I'll give you that, just this once." Sharon laughed too, suddenly throwing care out of the window.
But care came back through the same window. Sharon spent most of the evening looking at Swayum from a distance. He looked happy enough. She was in the same room as he was. Things were good enough. The party was almost over now. Sharon knew that because Simmi and Rinni were wearing hot pink long coats now. That's when Sharon got kicked in the shins by a stool on purpose. She was supposed to have changed by now. She couldn't just let another chance slip through her fingers. She had to get some closure before she had to wait another six months to see him.
"Hey, loser whose birthday party we're at!" She called out. A few people, including the loser laughed airily.
"Yes, something I can do you for you?" He asked grinning. Sharon felt warm.
"Actually, yes, Swayum, put yourself to some use for a change!" Sharon couldn't get the insult out of her words.
Swayum blushed and waited for her to tell him how he may put himself to use. As he did, Sharon tried to think of all the things she wanted to say to him. She had thought them over and over again since they were both thirteen. Thoughts, who never stopped being with her through thick and thin, failed her today. We're all glad though, that even without being insulting, she had a way with words.
"Do you like your birthday?" She started.
"Yes, why wouldn't I?" He said pleasantly.
"Do you like surprises on your birthday?" She started firing.
"I don't get very many." He answered thoughtfully.
"Naturally, man, even my goldfish who has never had the honor of meeting your best friends knew they would be throwing you a party."
It seemed that both Swayum and Sharon were glad that went unheard. The music was loud. Meaningless too, but let us all just stick to the conversation here without ado.
After Swayum stopped laughing, Sharon continued thus.
"Is your stomach strong enough to digest a surprise that may shock all your systems just too much?"
"I'll try my best," He said amusedly.
"Here goes nothing," she muttered to herself. Even though he heard it, he informed her later, it was the following that was meant for him to hear. "I love you."
"You love me. I'll assume you don't mind surprises then."
Sharon was surprised at his conversational manner of addressing her. Something was up with him. It was not that something wasn't always up with him, but that reaction was too much in her opinion.
"I don't." She said, not knowing what else to say.
"I guessed back in the tenth grade. Your offer of pain meds when I got injured almost every day in basketball practice and your extraordinary opinion of me never really matched, you know?" He chuckled.
"Don't remind me of that. You have no idea how stupid I used to feel hiding a first-aid kit in my bag." Sharon said, looking down at his shoes and then hers in turns.
"I don't love you, Sharon. But I like and respect you, one more than you feel for me." He said seriously.
"I don't sound it but I do respect you." Sharon defended herself against him in a brand new way, by telling the truth.
"Admit it, Sharon. If you like my 'ways', you like Honey Singh." He started laughing at his own joke after the air quote.
"Uh-hmm," was all Sharon had to say to him; then, you see, music had started to make sense. Sharon sighed in relief as none of Swayum's besties came for him and had a dumb boy dance partner each instead. Sharon wished them and their future babies all the love she could.
"That song's from our favorite band." Swayum noted.
It was only after the song had ended that Sharon told Swayum, "You like me enough to dance with me in the middle of hot and pink." He laughed again and she openly showed him how ecstatic that made her, every time. And from then on, how long Sharon loved Swayum and Swayum liked her is basically guesswork. One could always call them an unusual couple though. And so they did.
CID
Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2
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