Swasan OS: Love and Friendship

"If you can't handle each other at your worst then you do not deserve each other at your best. Real love means seeing beyond the words spoken out of pain, and instead seeing a person's soul."

Shannon L. Alder, 300 Questions LDS Couples Should Ask Before Marriage

I love you. How many times we have seen this phrase quoted in movies, books and real life. Just three mere words but they have so much depth in them. What does it mean to truly love someone? It's to love with all our heart and soul. To love each other not only for their strength but their flaws as well. Love means to appreciate each other's perfect imperfections. To acknowledge that the end of the day we are just humans capable of making foolish mistakes. However, some mistakes cannot over power love. True love is sort of like water, resilient it can make its ways through the strongest of obstacles. It cannot be vanquished completely from our hearts because no matter how hard we try it stays in some dusty corner of our heart. Like a dull ache it reminds us that it never left. It's said some of the greatest love stories are forged by pain and tragedy. There is something about pain that links us together it forces us to look past our own self. When you have suffered immensely you want to save other people from not sharing your fate. Sanskar Maheswari chose to scarp his 5-year long revenge plan because he realized that he can't let Swara feel the same pain he felt. So he stepped away he couldn't push Swara into the abyss of endless pain. He tried his best but destiny had other plans. Both of them were caught right in the middle of a storm of accusations and lost trust. He couldn't save her from pain but he did give her a beautiful gift in the process, his friendship. When other people including her own family refused to believe her he stood by her. She found solace and comfort in him. In return for his companionship she offered him a chance for redemption. So he set out to realign the course of his life to atone for his past mistakes. Swara came in his life like a whirlwind and the sinner became the saviour. In the process of saving her Sansakr Maheswari lost his heart to her. He had no idea when, why or how he just knew that he was irrevocably in love with her. He didn't care if she didn't reciprocate because there are no rules in love. If you love someone that doesn't mean that the other person will love you back. So for the time being Swara rejected his love. So hurt she had been due to this mind numbing emotion that she lost her faith in love. However true love endures. If you ask Swara why did she fall in love with him she would tell you it was not for his words but it was for his actions. It's the little things that matter. His unwavering support for her, his undeniable trust despite other people trying to enforce doubts about her character, the way he respected her parents and most of all how he never forced his love on her. The beautiful friendship they shared made falling in love with him as easy as breathing. However, the course of their love wasn't smooth it was bumpy full of twists and turns but somehow they managed to move past from all of that and found each other. Like puzzle pieces which meant to fit together these two were bound together. They had again reached a cross road in their path to love. Where both of them had different opinions on which road to take. However, at a crossroad all four paths meet in the middle. No matter how far they will try to run away from each other they would always come back to the same place.

Laksh was back and things in the Maheswari house had finally fallen into place. However, the chaos in Swara and Sanskar's life hadn't ended. They were so busy in sharing the happiness with their family on Laksh's return that they couldn't find the time to talk to each other. Swara couldn't control her excitement she could finally go back to him. This self imposed exile had given both of them unimaginable amount of pain. A week passed and she waited for Sansakr to call her but he didn't call her. Frustrated she called him up and asked him to meet her as soon as possible. It was already 10 and she was suppose to meet him for lunch at a restaurant at 11. She quickly got dressed and was ready when he came to pick her up. Sanskar did not have a cheerful demeanour rather he was really stoic. Talking in monosyllables devoid of emotion.

"Sanskar I know that we were planning to go for lunch but can we please go to devi maa's mandir" She requested.

It was the same mandir where they had confessed their love to each other. She was hoping they could rekindle their love in that place.

Sanskar wouldn't be Sanskar if he didn't know her true intentions.

"I will take you there but don't give yourself false hopes Swara" He warned her

Silence overtook the car as they made their way to the mandir. The golden chanting bells, the colorful idols and a bunch of people showed nothing had changed but everything in their life had changed. They weren't even sure that they loved each other with the same intensity. Maybe that love was lost somewhere in a sea full of ego and self righteous behaviour. They were swept into the world of memories. She remembered how indirectly he had filled her maang that day. He recalled how he had saved her life yet again. In this very place they had realized that they were it for each other.

Sanskar: Mein Uske Saath Kabhi Khush Nahi Reh Pata Kyuin Ki Mein Usse Pyaar Nahi Karta Mein Tumse Pyaar Karta Huin Damn It.

Swara: Pyaar Ka Matlab Jante Ho?

Sanskar: Matlab Toh Nahi Pata Lekin Joh Jagah Dil Mein Tumhare Liye Hai Woh Kissi Aur Liye Nehi Hai Mein Kavita Ke Saath Kabhi Khush Nahi Reh Pata Kyuin Ki Mein Apni Puri Zindegi Tumhare Saath Rehna Chahta Huin, Kya Hua Ab Tum Roh Kyuin Rahi Ho?

Swara: Kyuin Ki Mein Bhi Tumse Pyaar Karti Huin.

Sanskar: Kya??

Swara: I Love You, I Love You Sanskar, I Can't Live Without You

Sanskar: I Am Sorry, I Am Sorry Tumhe Itna Dard Deneke Liye, Tumhari Kubsurat Si Bari Bari Ankhon Mein Anshun Lane Ke Liye, Tumhara Hokar Bhi Tumse Dur Rehne Ke Liye I Am Sorry

Swara: Thank You Meri Zindegi mein Ane Ke Liye, Thank You Inn Bari Bari Ankhon Mein Apne Saath Meri Ane Wali Zindegi Ke Sapne Sajaneke Liye, Thank You Mujhe Yeh Feel Karwaneke Liye Tum Se Zyada Pyaar Mujhse Koyi Nahi Kar Shakta

Both Together Says Dosti Aur Pyar Mein No Sorry No Thank You.

Swara:But I Love You

Sanskar: I Love You Too

Those versions of Swara and Sanskar didn't fit with the present timeline. To both of them that seemed like a memory from another life. They needed to talk to each other again openly, honestly and with no strings attached. No behna and bhai or maa or baba just the two of them.

"Why did you call me up Swara?" He asked

"It's because I need an answer" She said

"About what?"

"About us Sanskar where does our relationship stand now that Laksh is back. Everything is fixed now its time we fixed whatever is left between us" She said

"That's the problem Swara. Why does the fate of our relationship rest on other people? I mean who is Laksh even? Why does his absence and presence matter? Don't you love me?" He asked

"Of course I do isn't it obvious"

"If you loved me why did you leave me? Why come back to me when everything else is okay why not stay when everything else was not okay. I needed you Swara. 6 months is a huge time-period. I thought nothing could break us Swara but I don't have faith in our love anymore" He explained

"Sanskar do you remember that you told me once that pyar jitna gehra hota hain us ski pooray honay ki umeed utni hi kam hoti hain let me rephrase that pyar jitna gehra hota hain ussay nibahana uthana hi muskil hota hain. I am sorry. I know it's not enough rather it's useless in front of the pain I inflicted upon you. Please forgive me. Give me and our love another chance" She pleaded with him

"Why should I Swara? I asked you for another chance that day but you didn't give me one. Why should I offer you my heart on a silver platter? When you will throw it away like a used tissue. I don't know how we can bridge the gap between us. I don't know how to love you anymore"

"Than don't I am not asking you to love me I am just asking you to offer me a chance to redeem myself. 6 months ago I refused to give you one don't make the same mistake that I made. I have barely slept or experienced an ounce of comfort since then. The guilt will eat you from inside. It's like a parasite and I need you. I am sorry but I am begging you fix me and let me fix you. At least let's be friends again. I don't know if we will find love again but I know that I can't spend my life without you and deep down even you know that you can't live without me" Swara said

"I am scared Swara coming back here today frightens me. It reminds me of our promises and our mutual adoration for each other. What happened to us Swara? When did we become so distant with each other that we let ego over power our love? I used to think that the equation between us would never change. What if let each other into our lives again and something again happens that forces us to stay apart. I can't spend my entire life waiting for the other shoe to drop or walking on egg shells. We tend to base our lives around love but if love falls apart how do we live our life?" He asked

"So let's not base our life around love let's base it on trust and are friendship. Let's become friends again. Let's learn to trust each other without any questions asked. I can't promise Sansakr that our life would be easy. It's never suppose to be. There are going to be ups and downs. I mean our literal ECG shows a peak and than a trough if it's steady our heart stop beating and we cease to exist. So it's going to be difficult and we have to work for it every day but I want it all of it with you. If we will be there for each other I can't guarantee that it will be all sunshine and rainbows but with you I am willing to walk in heavy rain and weather any storm. I just need you" She said

"How do we shield ourselves from pain?" He asked

"The truth is we can never out run pain. It will always be there in fact if it wasn't for pain we wouldn't be together in the first place. We our bound to get hurt and stumble but the real joy comes when we pick ourselves up and move forward. So let's move forward together"

"I can't promise you anything Swara but I am willing to give our friendship another chance. Hi I am Sanskar Maheswari and you are?" He asked her playfully.

"I am Swara Bose-Gadolia nice to meet you Sansakr" She played along

"Bose-Gadolia interesting surname I am assuming there is a story behind it" He said

"A long one" She sighed

"Tell you what I was suppose to meet someone for lunch but that person cancelled at the last moment. So Swara Bose - Gadolia are you willing to accompany me for lunch?" He asked

"Sure I mean food is a scarce commodity we should not waste it" She agreed

"So lead the way my lady. I will follow you"

"No let's walk together" She said

You see we grow up reading fairy tales which always end in a happy ever after. However, there is no such thing as happy ever after to truly live one needs to endure the coldness of storm to know the true value of the sun's warmth.

"I already knew our "ever after" wouldn't always be happy or even comfortableand clearly it couldn't be expected to go according to plan. Still, it was ours. And we were both determined enough to see it through to "the end."

Angela N. Blount, Once Upon an Ever After

A/N: PLEASE LEAVE YOUR THOUGHTS. SET IN THE FUTURE WHEN LAKSH RETURNS:)