Hi!

I'm still not sure why I decided to do this. But these are parts of story I had written for IK or SQ, to add in as flashbacks, but later edited out since I felt it didn't go well with the flow there. They all belong to the childhood of SwaSanLak and their friendship. Many have a purpose to serve in the main story line as well. Now that the winter series is done and dusted, I was going to delete them but as I re-read them for the last time...I felt they were too good to condemn in to such a cruel fate.

I hope you'd find them enjoyable!!

Anyone who hadn't read Ice King or Snow Queen, this might look utter rubbish to you so I advise to check them out before reading this. There will be eight shots, which I have chosen not to delete and I will be posting them here. Happy reading!

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'Good morning Radha!' Swara said in a passing by gleeful tone as she crossed paths with the maid servant carrying the breakfast trolley towards Sujata's room. There was a spring in her step, and an easy smile stretching across her lips as she hopped the stairs two at a time, going towards Sanskar's room. Radha smiled and nodded, this was her usual morning sight, Swara entering the mansion as if she was a member of the family and always rushing upstairs in search of her best friend.

They came back for winter break a day or two earlier and Sanskar had phoned her last night to arrange this meeting. He had a surprise for her and she was thrilled to see what it was. As she jogged through the passageway towards his room, Swara short listed her guesses. It could either be a teddy, that big purple one which she was ogling at in the toy store, or the next installment of their favorite comic, or perhaps if the fellow was in a very good mood it could be a video game as well.

There were no rules in their friendship; she could bang in anytime uninformed. Sanskar even in his teens was a morning person, so as she expected he was up, already sitting cross- legged on his bed, munching in to a toast and watching some program on TV, hardly interested in anything else around him. Swara cleared her throat and he glanced up lazily only to brood back to the TV screen next moment.

Her excitement vanished.

'Sanskar?'

He looked at her once more, and then back at the TV.

'SANSKAR?'

'Hey,' he said, gesturing her to be silent. 'I'm not deaf you know.'

'Why are you ignoring me?'

'Am I?'

'Well Mr. Maheshwari,' she said picking the remote and switching off the TV. 'What you're doing is called ignoring by humans.'

'You were ignoring Lucky for a week then Miss Bose,' he said nodding at her. 'And he's started to irritate me with his silly rants about it.'

'We had a deal Sanskar, you said you wouldn't bring up his name again!' Swara huffed.

'Get over with it you two,' Sanskar sighed. 'He was almost crying the last time I saw him, sulking in his room or following me begging to call you here. He's as annoying as you are or pretty close, because you belong to some other category of stubbornness altogether!'

Swara folded her arms across her chest, her nose in the air.

'I'm seriously reconsidering our friendship Mr. Maheshwari, you've breached our treaty of trust rather violently and lied to me.'

There was a knock on the door. Sanskar rolled his eyes as he jumped off the bed and went to open it. Lakshya, or a very sulky version of him entered. Swara snorted loudly, and Sanskar pushed him inside locking the door. He leaned against the closed door and folded his arms imitating Swara's earlier action.

'No one leaves until you make it up.'

'He cheated!' Swara yelled. 'He copied from my English paper and I...I had to take a part of that blame! You fool, you coward!'

Lakshya watched her pale face and then turned to Sanskar.

'I told you this isn't a good idea!'

Sanskar arched an eyebrow.

'He copied because you let him.' He said calmly, tilting his head towards Swara. 'I saw both of you from the passageway.'

'Yes, but that's what friendship is. I helped him and he betrayed me!'

'I did not!' Lakshya piped up. 'I swear I never told anyone!'

'Who did then? It was you, and your foolish mouth, blabbering up everything!'

'I did,' Sanskar said slowly. The two youngsters barking at each other hardly noticed him. When they did, there was an eerie silence. Lakshya gazed at him open mouthed and Swara looked as if she had been slapped. 'I was passing by at the moment and I saw both of you. I had to inform.'

'No you didn't.' Swara said mildly.

'Of cause I did. Lakshya deserved the sound trashing he got from Bade Papa and you; you deserved your part of the punishment as well.'

'You were the one who started friends in need thing!' Lakshya pointed out.

'I know,' shrugged Sanskar. 'But I believe in doing the right thing as well. If I think you're wrong I don't believe in protecting you. I'll be doing much greater good by letting you face the consequences yourself.'

Swara and Lakshya exchanged a look.

'Now since none of you betrayed the other and both have paid their part of the debt, move on will you?'

They still said nothing.

'And now as I am the traitor here, once you make up you can decide how you're going to beat me up. You know the enemy's enemy is a friend theory. So guys gang up on the common enemy.' He threw a smirk. 'Though I don't think it'll do much damage. Bring it on guys.'

He unlocked the door and went outside, slamming it shut after him. A long while after the sound of his footfall died, they looked at each other once more.

'How can you ever trust him?' Lakshya asked.

'You can't but you do,' said Swara. Then she shook her head as if breaking her own trance. 'Sanskar! Wait!' Calling after him she went out of the room as well.

Lakshya watched her go, digging his hands in his pockets.

'She's not going to let me copy again,' he muttered to himself. 'Well Lucky, let's see how many marks Ragini has on her paper next term.'

*

Thanks for reading!

Thoughts are welcome!!!