Siddhant gathers us all. We decide to do our one last practice before tomorrow on the stage. So we all go to the second floor where the dance competition is to be held.
We gather our props, our things and we go to the performance area, all set and decorated beautifully for the Dance Competition. I am looking at all the big lights, the big JBL speakers, and the paper origami on the walls. HR people have left no stone unturned to create a sassy stage and I feel nervous. I look at the dance group Dancing Fleet performing. They are looking like Divas, dancing in perfect precision and synchronization, I am awed. I look at the office peeps looking at them, Cheering and Looking at our office heartthrobs.
We are waiting for the stage to be empty so that we can practice, looks like Dazzlers are next in line, I wave at Sugandha. All the office hot babes in this group, More people are coming over to check out the chics. Dancing Fleet has had us at their impeccable moves.
I am eagerly waiting for Dazzlers to perform just like all the other people in the crowd, to see our Hot dancer Pooja. Oh man, they arrange in their pattern and they put the stage on fire, Woah, sexy moves, Oh what was that they are full of stunts and their body moves like the gymnastic dolls of flexible extreme. I am feeling lame. Crowd whistling and cheering. Their shirts tied to their jeans, their stunts exceptionally planned and Crowd is drooling over them, We are not going to win this thing I think.
I shakily look at all the others in my team, and all of us have the same expression. Dazzlers practice and most of the crowd leaves with them. We arrange in our decided pattern and we begin. Siddhant brings Sejal, I enter with Abhinav, next is Khyati and Armaan, You and Himani at the last. We coordinate and we are dancing together, in sync, with all the energy, to the song beats, I can hear a few people cheering for us, I am nervous and I look at you. You dance so freely, so happily, in your essence. I look at Abhinav, We are doing the duet and I see you lost in the dance.
The song changes and we change our position, to the music, our hands, our feet doing their work to the beats. Facial expressions in rhythm with the lyrics. We enjoy and another song, our stunts ensues. Siddhant and Armaan join hands, I and Sejal join theirs. Abhinav runs from behind, placing him on both their shoulders. And the crowd goes frigging mad! They can stop cheering. Ooo. I am dazzled I get too excited and I chuckle nervously, the cherry on the cake remains, Himani and Khyati run from behind placing themselves on our shoulders on each side. Himani standing on mine and Siddhant. Khyati over to Armaan and Sejal. Abhinav, Khyati, and Himani join hands.
Crowd goes friggin mad, and I lose my balance of Himani and she fells off to the ground, our stunts gets an epic fail.
We immediately stop and we gather around Himani. I am scared. I look at everyone teary-eyed. I feel bad and I freeze not knowing what to do.
“What is this Ruchika? We have practiced it so many times, it just a matter of 11 seconds, until Agrim does the cartwheel and carries me along” says Abhinav
“Let’s do this again, maintain your balance, it’s not that hard, focus,” says Siddhant annoyed. The crowd watching us leaves and I take a deep breath, feeling guilty.
I am about to cry and I apologize to Himani.
“Just don’t embarrass me in front of the whole office and judges present” She laughs it out heartily. “I don’t want to get captured on video falling down.”
“If anyone falls, we will all fall, and just like that, increase everyone’s heartbeat by doing a faux pas, we will act like it was on purpose scaring everyone!” says Agrim
“Wow, that’s a great idea!” says Himani. All of them like the idea, and I am saved from everyone’s wrath. I stand there and I look at you, you made everyone smile and saved me. I could not have been any more of a fan!
We enact the faux pas, practice our stunt and I manage to keep Himani intact. Agrim ends the dance with the three regular cartwheels along, bowing down, Abhinav jumping over to Agrim with all of us dispersing to our gala ending.
We leave and I sit in my bay alone thinking how am I going to dance. I notice the finger tapping on the shoulder again. It’s Siddhant.
“Sorry about today!” He says sitting beside me looking at his own Desktop
“Oh it would be the best stunt of the dance season” I say being hopeful.
“I wish we can win!” He says a little disappointed.
“Oh we will,” I say putting my hand over his shoulder, which he removes “Ouch! it pains man, don’t touch me, I have to carry Abhinav over me” and we laugh together. I know how much hard work he has put.
I miss Agrim, so I ask Siddhant for coffee, and we are walking towards Agrim’s bay. I see you sitting lost in your thought, with pen in your hand, thinking something, you look at us, I pretend to not look at you, I make coffee interacting with Siddhant. It feels so lonely, what if you never hear all my wishes for you, all my yearning for you, all my love for you, what if I can never say this to you, what if you never acknowledge this, What if you never reciprocate this. You have no idea what is going on, what if you never knew, and I am just lost.
“Hey Siddhant, Ruchi…..” You call us leaving it at Ruchi. You give us the dance dresses we rented. We pick our parcels and I look into your eyes, I wish I can grip onto you, hold onto you. Be close to you, feels like as soon as you are out of my sight, out of my reach I am going to lose you forever and my heart remains anxious to see you the very next moment as soon as possible. I can’t wait to see you every day. I just can’t begin my day.
“Big day tomorrow,” says Siddhant and you nod your head, I look at you and walk away. What’s gonna happen tomorrow, no more Agrim! I am sad and hopeless.
TO BE CONTINUED
