The dance competition at Biosis College was inching closer to its date. Mehak would’ve never agreed to dance with Virat if it wasn’t for the fun they had been having lately. She knew that he wasn’t really interested in the dance competition, yet she decided to teach him the basics and teamed up with him. Solo dance is comparatively easier compared to group dancing as it doesn’t require co-ordination between two people and some mistakes can be overlooked. But in salsa, it was unacceptable for them to make even a minute error. Mahek wanted to win this competition because it would’ve helped her move a step closer to fulfilling her dream. She was tense as the competition was hardly a few days away and Virat was still not getting the moves right.
Mahek used to teach Virat salsa daily and they would practice endlessly to get the moves right at Virat’s apartment. With each passing day, his dancing improved but the chemistry between them was lacking as Virat was focusing more on the legs than the eyes. It had to be effortless dancing but it seemed as though he was ‘forcing’ his legs to move back and forth and he always had trouble knowing when to pause. Virat always made a mistake around beat four when he was supposed to pause.
‘Virat, how many times have I told you to let your body loose while dancing? Don’t be stiff. You keep committing the same mistake all over again and you are not concentrating on the pauses,’ Mehak said irritably.
‘What sort of a stupid dance form is this? Let me teach you the Nashik dhol dance. There are no pauses in it,’ said Virat.
‘Classy people learn salsa while others do the naagin dance,’ she shot back at him.
‘Oh, please. Anyway, chuck it. Let’s practice,’ Virat said, keeping his hands on her waist.
‘Move your right foot first. Imagine where you are standing as point 1, then point 2 is about a foot in front of you, and point 3 is about a foot behind you. Now move, rhythmically,’ Mahek guided him as their eyes met.
They came closer as they danced to the point that they were almost touching each other. Their faces were so close that their lips almost met as well. Virat held her firmly by her waist and brought her even closer. He could feel her breath on his neck. Virat was about to lean in and kiss her when the bell rang. Mehak regained her composure and pushed Virat away while his heart skipped a beat, the way it does when someone catches you watching porn.
Virat opened the door to find Kavya standing in front of him.
‘Kavya, you should have messaged me before coming,’ Virat screamed.
‘Shut up. I am not here to meet you. I have come to meet Mahek. Where is she?’ she said walking inside the bedroom and continued, ‘Oh, there you are! Mehak, I just asked the organizers when your is act. They told me you both will be performing third.’
Mehak’s nervousness was clearly visible on her face. She was almost on the verge of crying because she knew how desperately she wanted to win the competition. Virat could sense her tension and see the tears in her eyes as they stood there, staring at each other. He went closer to her and gave her a pat on the back, assuring her that they would win the competition, easily. He decided to get serious about winning the competition since it mattered so much to her.
‘Do you want to something to eat?’ Virat asked both of them.
‘What all do you have? I am really hungry,’ Kavya replied.
‘Oh, madam. This is not a hotel. It’s my house.’
‘Can you make Egg Bhurji for me?’ Mehak said in a sweet voice.
‘Yeah, yeah. He will. He is an awesome cook. You should taste him. I mean something made by him,’ Kavya teased.
Virat threw a pillow at her as he walked into the kitchen. Mehak looked down in awkwardness. As Kavya lay down on the bed, she noticed that Virat had cleaned his room and everything was in its place. Kavya thought it odd as she had seen his room clean for the first time in her life. She was surprised to see this sudden change in him. She never missed an opportunity to pull his leg and now she would tease him all the more since she had the upper hand knowing Virat would keep his mouth sealed in front of Mahek.
‘Mahek, you should have seen this room a few days back. It looked so sexy,’ Kavya said in a high pitch, making sure Virat heard her.
‘Will you keep your mouth shut?’ Virat shouted from inside.
Mahek was curious to know more and kept asking her how the room looked. Virat tried hard to keep her quiet but to no avail.
‘This rope that’s hanging above your head was previously being used to dry his underwear and dirty towels,’ Kavya laughed.
‘Ewww,’ Mahek said making a face while Virat ran to the kitchen saying ‘Fuck off’.
They both started to tease him endlessly. Kavya gave fuel to fire by adding that the undergarments had holes in them. Mahek and Kavya were rolling on the floor with laughter, making fun of Virat. He was still in the kitchen listening to all the comments that both the girls were passing. He couldn’t take it anymore. The Egg Bhurji was ready and so was Virat. Instead of bringing plates from the kitchen, he brought a bucket of cold water from the washroom and spilled it on both of them.
‘What the fuck! Are you crazy? I am not going to spare you now,’ Kavya added and ran towards him to take revenge.
He ran into the hall where Kavya followed him while Mehak connected the pipe from the washroom and splashed water on him.
‘Ok, stop! I’m sorry. Stop it. The electronic items will get wet,’ Virat pleaded with both the girls pointing to his TV and speakers.
Mahek shut the tap, worried that they’d alarm the neighbour with their screaming and yelling. They took a deep breath and everyone smiled looking at each other. They eventually cleared the mess that they had created and changed into Virat’s clothes. Virat served them the Bhurji and turned on the television.
‘How’s it?’ he asked looking at the girls.
‘It’s yummy. I love the way it tastes. We get a similar tasting Bhurji at some place on FC road. I am crazy about it,’ Mehak said licking her fingers.
‘It’s seriously good,’ Kavya added.
Virat glanced at Mahek and caught her looking back at him. He was pleased to know that she liked his cooking. They exchanged smiles with each other. There was something that held them together. Something that made them better together. Something that made them more than just friends.
But with all the fun that the trio had together, somewhere in their minds, there was also the pressure of winning the competition. Virat decided that he would take the competition seriously for the entire week and practice hard so that Mahek could reach closer to her dream. Her dream and passion was his now.
When you set your heart on something and put all your efforts into making your dream turn into a reality, nothing can stop you from achieving it. Virat practiced hard the entire week as he knew how important the win was to Mahek. With each passing day, he even mastered the foot movements and his pauses perfectly. It wasn’t surprising that with each passing day Virat and Mahek not only coordinated well physically, they were connected in their minds too. You meet a person and instantly know that you’re going to be best friends with that person. Just because you’re a grown up doesn’t mean that you don’t need someone to confide in. In fact, amid the complexities of life, you need that special person to share your life with. But the important thing to remember is that there should be a sense of mutual respect and indefinite care for each other.
Just the thought of asking her to be a part of his life made him shiver. Moreover, due to Mahek’s nervousness, even Virat was feeling uneasy. The competition was hardly a day away and the pressure of performing well and winning made him nervous. He feared that if they lost the competition, he may lose Mahek forever. He feared that if they didn’t perform well, Mahek would stop talking to him and they will cease to be even friends. He feared Mahek would end up regretting letting him dance with her.
This fear and the nervousness made him take a drastic step. He made up his mind to meet with the seniors who were competing with them. He didn’t know them personally, bu
t thought of interacting with them once before the competition. His big idea was to plead with them one night before to let them win. At that point, he was willing to do anything to win the competition as well as Mahek’s heart.
After dinner, he went to college alone without informing Kavya and Mehak about his plan. If he would have disclosed his plan to them, they would have never allowed him to proceed with it. Hence, he decided to go alone to the college auditorium where the seniors were practicing. With heavy steps, he walked towards the stage where a group of students were practicing their moves to the beats of the music. He stopped at the main door to the auditorium and thought once again whether he was doing the right thing or not, but his mind had taken over and he couldn’t think of any other way of winning this competition than plead with them. He was ready to pay any price for it. He walked through the darkness of the corridor and entered the auditorium. The main lights were on and there were a couple of groups who were practicing on stage. Some other students were just standing about and watching them dance. He walked towards them with shivering legs. He was brave enough to have a talk with them, but was afraid about the outcome. What if they didn’t agree? What if they told Mahek about his little stunt? He made his mind up; it was now or never.
‘Yes, you there, mister. Any problem?’ one of them asked Virat as he stood looking clueless in front of everyone.
‘I wanted to confess something… I need a favour,’ Virat stammered.
‘What favour?’one of the girls asked.
There were around four girls and five guys in front of him out of which a couple of them were practicing while the others were seated.
‘I’m in love with a girl and I need to win the salsa competition for her,’ Virat stated, avoiding all eye contact with them.
‘So how can we help you?’
‘I want you to lose tomorrow and I’m ready to do anything in return. Whatever you ask for. But let me win tomorrow. I really love her and I can’t live without her. Please, For you it is just a competition but for me it is…’
Before Virat could finish the sentence, he received a huge blow on his face from one of the guys. The next moment Virat was lying on the floor, bleeding from his lips.
‘Why are you…I am just requesting…Did I…’ he stammered.
No sooner had he managed to get up that he received another punch from the other guy, but this time it was on his chest. The guy hit him so hard that he fell crashing on the floor.
‘You’re trying to act smart, haan? Bloody loser. You want us to lose in front of you? You don’t have the guts to prove your love by winning and you want us to lose for you. Ha ha,’ one of the guys shouted post kicking him in the stomach.
‘Fuck off, you cheapo,’ the girl screamed and asked him to get lost.
Everyone teased him and made fun of him. No one would have ever agreed to lose, no matter how much he pestered. One of the students was kind enough to get him some water. Virat refused and left the auditorium, wounded and weak. With each lie that you come up with, you change the nature of your relationship. Virat had not only lied to his love but even to his best friend, and now he felt nothing but heartbroken and guilty. After practicing so hard for a week, he should have trusted himself and his dancing capability. He shouldn’t have gone so far as to plead with the other contestants, but the fear of losing the love of his life had made him lose his mind.
It was D-day and Biosis College was all set for a dance competition. One could sense the excitement that filled the entire auditorium and everyone was ready to set the stage on fire. Kavya was waiting for Virat and Mahek, arranging their costumes and taking care of other small things. She was equally nervous as she knew both of them had put a lot of effort in preparing for the competition. She called Virat to confirm whether he had left for college or not.
‘I am reaching in 10 minutes,’ Virat said and disconnected the call.
He was worried because of the drama that had happened last night. He just hoped that all those present during the incident had kept their mouth shut and didn’t go around gossiping about it. After returning home last night, he was not able to sleep and kept thinking about what he had done in a fit of panic and nervousness. Somehow, he regained his lost confidence because it was a matter of his self-respect, dignity, and ego. He wanted to win this not only for Mahek but to prove that he was not a ‘cheapo’ as the girl had called him. He reached college and went straight backstage.
‘What happened to you?’ Kavya asked in a state of shock when she saw the cuts on Virat’s lips.
‘Nothing, just…’
‘You got into a fight with someone? Tell me the truth, Virat,’ she shouted in concern.
‘I will tell you later. Where is Mahek?’ Virat said trying to locate her.
‘She has not reached yet,’ Kavya replied.
Kavya could sense something fishy but didn’t bother Virat too much so he remains focused on his performance. The show had begun but still there were no sign of Mehak. This worried her more. She asked her other friends and even some professors about her whereabouts but no one seemed to know where she was. Even her mobile phone was switched off. Virat searched for her in the entire campus but couldn’t trace her anywhere. The first performers were already done and the second group came on stage. Luck favoured them as the judges announced they were going to take a short break after the second performance. This bought them some more time to locate Mehak.
‘She must be stuck in traffic, it seems,’ Virat comforted Kavya who was getting more furious with each passing minute.
‘Virat, something is wrong. Tell me what happened. Where is Mehak? Is she alright? Did anything happen to her last night?’ Kavya panicked.
‘It would be better if we looked for her rather than discussing about what happened yesterday. Do you have her parent’s numbers?’ Virat asked.
‘No, I don’t have their number. Wait, let me talk to the judges and see if they can reschedule our performance by giving us a new time slot.’
Kavya went to talk to the judges but despite trying her best, she failed to convince them. ‘You don’t get such opportunities everyday, and if you can’t make the most of it, then I’m sorry, you don’t even deserve to be here. I pity you, beta, but there’s nothing we can do,’ said one of the judges.
Kavya returned with a sad look on her face. Virat was still trying to convince the judges, making excuses, but to no use. You always realize the value of something after you lose it. Virat couldn’t digest the fact that it was going to end this way. Mehak and Virat had grown close because of the dance competition and now the reason he had taken up dance in the first place was nowhere to be found. Kavya couldn’t believe Mehak didn’t turn up for such an important performance. It was her dream to get selected and she simply couldn’t fathom why Mehak didn’t show up. Virat felt guilty as he thought that they guys he took a panga with had done something to her. His one bad decision had screwed up their happiness.
There are times when you feel nothing good could possibly come your way. When dreams are shattered and you feel a void inside, you are rendered empty and hopeless. You try so hard to get past the emptiness that you know inside your soul that there is no way out. It’s said that one should always follow his heart. But what if it leads you to a dead end?
Your Flaws Are Perfect
‘Oh, cheapo! What happened to your love partner? She dumped you after getting to know what a jerk you were last night?’ the same girl from that group teased him as Virat and Kavya walked through the corridor.
‘No, She must’ve been really stressed out after those long hours of practice.’
The girl and her gang of friends continued passing comments till Virat left the campus. Virat tried to avoid eye contact with anyone. He still hadn’t gotten over last night’s episode.
Kavya was furious but didn’t say a word because she knew that Virat was hiding something. The only person she was concerned about at that point was Mahek. Her mobile phone was still switched off.
Kavya walked alongside Virat who was lost in his thoughts completely. He picked up his phone and messaged Mahek:
Call me as soon as you read this message.
After walking a mile, Virat sat on a bench along the footpath. Kavya looked at him and saw tears rolling down his eyes.
‘What’s wrong, Virat? Are you okay?’ she asked.
Virat looked at her with a guilty look on his face and told her about what had happened last night. He narrated everything that he had gone through and also confessed that though it was wrong on his part, he didn’t tell anyone about it. He had no idea where she was and the last time he had talked with her was last evening. He had messaged her before sleeping but she didn’t reply. Kavya was shocked hearing this and almost pulled her hair out in frustration. She was unable to understand why Virat had taken such a drastic step and ended up shattering everything.
‘I seriously don’t know where Mehak is and trust me, I was going to give my best performance today. I am afraid they either did something terrible or told Mahek everything,’ Virat cried.
‘How could you do such a stupid thing, Virat? What was running through your mind? You had practiced so hard and it was Mehak’s dream to win. You just ruined everything. She was our friend,’ Kavya said in a tone of dejection.
‘Dammit! She was more than a friend to me. You know that. You know how much I loved her. Even I wanted her to win and…forget it. I know I am at fault here. I am really sorry.’
Virat kept his head on her shoulder and broke down in tears. Breaking a girl’s heart is way worse than we think it to be. It destroys everything—her future relationships, her ability to love and trust someone, and her inner peace and calm. Virat felt like he had broken Mahek’s heart which was meant to beat for him. He called Mahek once again but got the same response. He wanted to throw his mobile away. He couldn’t quite interpret what his feelings for Mahek meant. Sometimes they were friends, sometimes they behaved like they were more than friends, and now she was behaving like a complete stranger by not even telling him where she was.
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