SwaSan: A Contract Marriage (One Shot)
Swara’s POV
The clock struck twelve and Sanskaar still didn’t return. It has been two hours he left from office. I picked up my phone and was about to call Jane, her personal assistant when the doorbell rang. I quickly ran and opened the door. I saw an exhausted Sanskaar standing at the doorstep. I widely opened the door letting him in. “Why are you so late?”, I asked. He threw his coat and relaxed himself on the sofa ignoring my question. I walked towards him and asked, “You left the office at 10 right? Why are you so late?” Sanskaar gave a fed up look and closed his eyes. “What’s wrong with you?”, I asked shaking him while he stood up. He was about to walk away when I held his hand and asked, “Can you for God’s sake answer my questions?” He jerked my hand away and said, “Can you for God’s sake stop acting like a typical wife.” “What do you mean? I’m your wife”, I replied. “Ms. Swara Gadodia, I guess you forgot. Our marriage was a contract marriage”, he said. I stood there shocked as I never expected this topic to come back again while he continued, “We married only because you wanted to fulfill your mom’s last wish and now that she’s not here with us anymore we can end this contract marriage of ours.” “But, we promised to stay with each other always”, I said in a choked voice. “Stop your nonsense. I don’t believe in all this”, he replied. “What about the media?”, I asked trying my best to save the marriage. “Oh come on. Don’t tell me you can’t handle those bl**dy reporters”, he replied and climbed up the stairs. I followed him into our so-called room and took the pillow and blanket from the bed. “What are you doing?”, he asked. “We aren’t husband-and-wife so, we can’t share a bed. Good night!”, I said and walked away to the guest room slamming the door.
Sanskaar’s POV
She slammed the door on my face and went away. I know I was very rude to her but, there’s nothing else I can do. She has to hate me so, that we can end this unwanted marriage soon. I know she doesn’t love me and she only wants to save the marriage for our reputation but, I can’t let her spoil her own life. I accept I love her but, I can’t be so selfish.
I went to the guest room following her and found the door locked. I knocked on the door saying, “Swara, open the door. Did you’ve dinner?” She didn’t reply anything. “Damn it. Answer my question. Did you’ve your dinner?”, I said. “Yes. If you want, you can go have it”, she lied shouting. I walked back to our room and fell down on the bed. I thought about all the moments we spend together as a broad smile crept over my face.
***
Swara was changing her clothes when I suddenly entered the washroom and locked the door behind me. I turned around and saw Swara only in her bathrobe facing her back towards me. I walked towards her losing my senses. I went and wrapped my hands around her waist. “Ahhhhh”, she shouted. I came back to my senses and said, “I’m sorry.” I was about to walk away when Swara held my hand and said, “You don’t need to be.” “I should be. After all we are only friends and not life partners”, I said as I could see the tears forming in her eyes. I quickly rushed out of the washroom because I can’t see her in pain.
***
I came out of my thoughts as suddenly my phone beeped. I was about to pick up my phone from the side table when my eyes fell upon the photo frame placed there. It was of me and Swara before marriage when we were only best friends. I smiled looking at the picture as my mind flashed through other memories.
***
“Aunty loves me more”, I shouted as maa stuffed a sweet in my mouth. “No, maa will always love me more. I’m her life line”, said Swara arguing. “No way. I’m aunty’s life line. She loves me the most”, I replied teasing her. “Okay. Maa, you tell”, said Swara gulping in the chocolate. “I’m not into this. You both do whatever you want to”, said aunty and quickly walked out of the room. “Aunty didn’t say anything because she loves me more”, I said. I snatched the chocolate from her hand and said, “Swara, don’t eat so many chocolates. You’ll become fat.” “Sanskaar, I’ll kill you”, she said and chased me around the room. We both climbed up on the bed and started hitting each other with a pillow. After sometime, the room was filled with feathers and we both fell down on the bed laughing.
***
I smiled and thought the numerous memories we both had together. How our relation from a really simple of best friends turned into a complicated one of a contract marriage. I continued recollecting our memories and soon drifted off to sleep.
I woke up the next morning and found a cup of tea on the bed side table. I sat up on my bed and took the cup of coffee. I found a note lying beside it. I picked it up and read the note. It said: “Good morning! I’m leaving early today. I might be late at night so, don’t wait for me.” I found it strange as Swara doesn’t usually leave early morning to the hospital even though she’s a well-known gynaecologist by profession. After some time, I shooed away my thoughts and went to freshen up gulping in my coffee and later rushed to office.
I came back home pretty late though earlier than what I usually return. It was almost 11 at that time. I found the hall completely empty which was something very unusual. I rushed upstairs and checked our room. It was in the same state as it was in the morning when I had left. I checked the guest room and found Swara laying down on the bed. I walked inside and said, “Swara?” She turned around facing the other side and said, “Go, have your dinner.” “You had it?”, I asked. She nodded her head in a yes but, I knew she was lying. I went downstairs and brought the dinner for both us. “Swara, get up and have your dinner”, I said. “I had my dinner. Yo..You have it”, she replied. I turned her around and pulled her towards me making her sit. “What is your problem?”, she asked me. I fed her and said, “The problem is that you’re lying to me and the biggest one is that you don’t understand anything.” She laid down while I walked away covering her with the blanket and switching off the lights. I was about to get out of the room when I hit the side table. I switched on the torch light of my phone to see what fell down and saw a diary on the floor. I picked it up and saw “Swara Maheshwari” written on the diary. I felt a sudden urge to read the diary even after knowing it’s not correct. I rushed out of the room and settling down on my bed opened the diary.
***
7 Feb, 2015
I got married to Sanskaar today. I’m officially SWARA MAHESHWARI now. I married only because it was maa’s last wish. It’s a contract marriage and we can be free from this unwanted relation within a year.
***
A tear drop fell on the diary as I wiped my tears. I turned the pages and found it completely empty. After almost three months, I found things scribbled on a page.
***
13 May, 2015
Today was my birthday and Sanskaar made me feel so special. He made me feel as if I’m the most prettiest soul present in this world. This was my BEST BIRTHDAY.
***
I smiled and remembered the way I had planned out things on her birthday. Swara never told me that she liked the planning so much. But, it was quite obvious as we never shared a husband-wife relation. I shooed away my thoughts and started flipping the pages. After a long time, i found something scribbled on another page.
***
10 Sept, 2015
I LOVE YOU SANSKAAR MAHESHWARI!
***
I widened my eyes upon reading it. I read it several times and finally, after about an hour realised it was true. My happiness knew no bounds. I wanted to go and hug Swara tightly but, I was disappointed looking at the watch. It was midnight and Swara must have fallen asleep. I also slept thinking that I’ll talk to her the next day.
Swara’s POV
I woke up early as I was doing since the past three-four days. I wanted to stay in the hospital all day long. I was trying to get used to of not staying in that house. Everyday I woke up early and returned as late as possible and ran away to the guest room as soon as I reached home. After two days, I started locking myself in the room for the night as I had to get used to staying away from Sanskaar.
This continued for around a week. I wanted to stay away from Sanskaar or else, I would again lose my heart and fall weak. The next Friday I returned home at around 9:30 and to my surprise I found Sanskaar at home waiting for me in the hall. I looked at him shockingly while he walked towards me. I came back to my senses and tried running upstairs but, it was too late. He held my wrist and pulled me back. I closed my eyes because I didn’t want to get lost in those dark brown eyes of his. I sensed him moving towards me and I walked back. I was walking back unless I got stuck by the wall. “Leave me”, I blurted out. He let out a faint laugh and asked, “Do you think I held your hand to leave you?” “You will leave me”, I replied. He rubbed his right cheek against my left cheek and whispered, “Never.” He was making me lose my senses. I tried to move away but he tightened his grip by holding me by my waist and pulling me towards himself. “Can’t we continue this marriage?”, he asked. I was so lost in his touch that I was least bothered to answer his question. He kissed my eyes as I opened them and saw him staring at me. I was lost in those dark brown eyes of his. It was for the first time that we both were so close to each other. “You didn’t answer me”, he said. I arched my eyebrows asking what. “Can’t we continue this marriage?”, he asked. I looked down thinking what to reply. He placed his forefinger on my chin and made me look at him. “No”, I said and tried moving away. He pulled me closer and before I could say anything he kissed me. I remained shocked for sometime but, later gave in. We kissed each other passionately and pulled back around 10 minutes later. I looked away in shyness as I could sense my cheeks turning completely crimson. Sanskaar smiled and sat down on his knees. I looked at him while he took out a ring from his pocket and pulled my left hand. He made me wear the ring and said, “I love you!” I smiled as my face turned completely red this time. “I love you too”, I replied. He stood up smiling and picked me up in his arms. He climbed up the stairs and entering our room made me stand. He locked the door and turned around as I ran away to the washroom. “Swara!”, he shouted and chased me.
I entered the washroom and was about to lock the door when he came and placed his foot in between. He barged inside and moved towards me. I moved backwards unless I was stopped by the wall. He moved closer to me and placed his hands on the walls preventing me from escaping. “Sanskaar”, I said as he placed his forefinger on my lips and pulled me closer by my waist. He kissed my forehead and then my cheeks. He slowly moved towards me and was about to kiss me when I pushed him away and ran to the other corner of the washroom. He walked towards me and pulled me under the shower. He tightened his grip around my waist as I wrapped my arms around his neck and the water started falling on both of us making us completely drenched. We smiled at each other and within no time Sanskaar kissed me. I responded back and after sometime he picked me up in his arms and went inside the room. He placed me on the bed and switching off the lights pulled the blanket over ourselves.
•••
Hey all! I’m new to this page. I’ve written fan fictions and OS’s on Tashan-E-Ishq but, this is my first OS on Swasan. I wrote this story as a TwiNj story before but, this time I added a few more scenes and uploaded it here.
Do tell me whether you all liked it or not. Criticism is always welcome but, please no ill language. So, please don’t forget to drop down your comments below whether it’s positive or negative.
Love you all loads. Take care. Bye!?