The program was about to start and Dhruv was not there yet.
Mahi was getting nervous. The audience was larger than usual and she could feel herself sweating.
"You are going to be fine. You are a natural. " Avyan said in an attempt to comfort her.
She nodded while walking across the dressing room again and again.
"Mahi stop being so nervous it's ok. "
"Yeah. "
"Will you atleast look at me while I'm speaking? "
"Yeah "
" Mahi. "
He turned her towards him.
"Did you hear anything I just said? "
"I'm sorry. It's just. What if I"
"I'm going to stop you right there. Bhool jao yeh what ifs ko. Mujhe tere pe vishwas hai. Tere doston ko hai. Bas tumko apni aap mai bharosa hona bhi chahiye. Samjhi. "
"Haa meri maa." She replied with a chuckle.
"Mahi didi you are up next. "
"All the best Juliet." He whispered taking me into a hug.
"I don't know what I would do without you. "
"Yeah me too. "
"Chal hatt. Idiot. "
"I'll go and sit with the audience. "
"Okay go. "
He gave a reassuring smile and went out.
Mahi had hoped. Dhruv had promised her that he would come no matter what.
Idiot. She scolded herself for even believing such a lie.
She prayed to ganapati bappa and then to saraswati maa. She asked her kahna to be with her and walked towards the stage.
***
S
he was about to start her third performance and the one that was the most dear to her. Before getting onto the stage Mahika asked reshma in a rush.
Did you see Dhruv?
Her eyes conveyed all mahi needed to know.
She took her position and a hindustani music started to play as the curtains were raised.
Unnai kaanaadhu naan indru naan illaye
vidhai illaamal ver illaye
Unnai kaanaadhu naan indru naan illaye
vidhai illaamal ver illaye
( Without seeing you , I am not myself
Without the seed there is no root. )
Unnai kaanaadhu naan indru naan illaye
vidhai illaamal ver illaye
Nidham kaanginra vaan kooda nijam alla
idham serkum kanaa kooda sugam alla
(Even the sky seen daily, seems untrue
Even the dreams of my heart give no pleasure)
Nee illaamal naan illaye
(Without you. I no longer exists)
Unnai kaanaamal unnai kaanaamal
unnai kaanaamal unnai kaanaamal
(Without seeing you(4))
Unnai kaanaamal pen nenju thadumaarudhey
vidhai illaamal verillaye
(Without seeing you, woman's heart is frantic
Without roots there is no seed)
Avvaaru nokinaal evvaaru naaduven
Kannaadi mun nindru paarthu kondaen
If you look at me like that,how I will come to you?
I stand in front of the mirror, and watch
Ondraaga seithida oru nooru naadagam
Othigai seidhu edhir paarthirundhen
(To unite with you, I played a hundred dramas
Expecting to join you)
Edhir paaramaley avan
edhir paaramaley avan
(Without expecting,he.....
Without expecting,he.....)
oh.. pin irundhu vandhu ennai
pambaramaai sulatri vittu
ulagunda pervaayan endhan
vaayodu vaai padhiththaan
Ingu boologam endroru porul ulladhai
indha poongodhai marandhaal adi
(Oh...Came up behind me and
Spun me like a top
With the mouth that encompassed the world
Pressed his lips to mine
That this world exists,
This girl has completely forgotten)
Udalanindha aadai pol
ennai anindhu kolvaayaa
ini nee ini nee kannaa
(Like a garment worn by the body,
Would you wear me?
From now on, from now on, kannaa)
thoongaadha en kannin
thuyalurutha kannan thaan
ini nee ini nee
(My sleepless eyes
Sleep now because of Kannan alone
From now on, from now on..)
idhu neraamaley naan
(Without this happening...)
unnai paaraamaley naan
(Without seeing you)
indha mulujenmam poi irundhaal
endru adhai enni veenaekkam yengaamaley
unnai moochaaki vazhvenada
(If this whole life had gone by
Without craving in vain for anything else
I would live with you as my breath)
***
You were amazing. Reshma yelled in excitement as she hugged Mahika.
" Thank you " Mahi replied with a smile.
" You have an enchanting grace that some people would die to have. " a middle aged lady said. Her hairs had tints of grey in them but she seemed to carry them with pride.
"Thank you. But I don't think I know you?" Mahi answered confused.
"I'm Urmila. I'm a dancer myself and I'm actually planning to start a dance academy here in the city soon. I was looking for someone like you to be a teacher there. "
" I don't know what to say. "
" A yes will do. " She replied with a genuine smile.
"But there is no need for any rush. You can contact me once you reach a decision. " Urmila handed her a card and disappeared back into the crowd.
She was getting showered by praises from everyone in the audience. Still Dhruv was absent from the occasion. Most of them asked about him too and everytime Mahi cooked up new excuses. Their questions were piercing her heart like sharpnels.
" That was phenomenal "
"Thank you Romeo "
"Seriously Mahi, sometimes we get bewitched by your steps and the emotions in them. "
"Okay that's enough now. What do you want?" She asked with a chuckle.
"I was being genuine....." He whined.
She smiled but it didn't reach her eyes.
"What's it Mahi?"
"He didn't come. "
" He promised he would come. I shouldn't have hoped...." Her eyes were getting moist as she spoke what was in her heart.
"It's not your fault. Don't beat yourself up for it. You were amazing today and you deserve to feel like that too"
Mahi pulled him in for a hug.
" I love you Romeo. "
" I love you too. Meri Juliet. "
***
" I'm sorry I'm late. " Dhruv said barging into the dressing room.
Mahi had already changed out of her costume and was currently packing her things.
"Well someone decided to show up. " Mahi said refusing to look at him.
" Mahi I am so sorry I......"
" You promised me Dhruv "
Dhruv moved forward to hold her hand as she moved farther away from him.
"Every damn time , you give me this little ray of hope and then you snuff it out like it's a spark of fire in a rain. "
"It was not intentional. I had an urgent meeting"
"Yeah ofcourse. Work comes first. How silly of me to even think I mattered. "
"You know that's not true Mahi"
"Do you know how many people asked me where you were? Do you know how much it hurt when you weren't there to answer them. " She said accusing him.
" Well I didn't tell them to ask you that did I?" Dhruv replied. He was starting to lose his temper.
"You. You are selfish and cruel and a sadist. You are not the person who I once called my best friend.
I want to hate you Dhruv. So much that it drives me mad. But I love you more. So now I hate myself. "'
" The way you say it makes it seem like I'm the only one who is selfish. Did I force you into marrying me? Did I ever force anything that happened on my life to you. " Dhruv responded with equal fervour.
"You don't understand. I want to know what happened. I want to be there for you. But you never allow me. You never allow no one. We all loved Avantika but that doesn't mean that the world ended with her. "
"You don't know how it feels to lose a part of you. I never want you to feel that. Why don't you understand that. Whatever that is between us , it will only lead to more pain. Trust me Mahi. "
"You know Dhruv. The thing is that your world revolved around her but sadly mine revolves around you. And it's alright. I guess the gods are cruel after all. I got the one thing I wanted the most in the world but they still find a way to mock me even through that. "
Mahi wiped her teares and stared at him with much more determination.
"I am really sorry for not keeping to our promise of being strangers and nothing else. Even friends.
She scoffed to herself. "
"Mahi please. Both of us are not thinking right. " Dhruv said his voice breaking.
"It's Mahika from now own Mr Singhania. And my thoughts have never been more clear. Thank you for everything you have never done for me and for those few memories that I cherish the most. "
With that Mahi stormed out of the room and into the heavy rain.
The nature seemed to sympathise with her as both of their tears flowed with the same intensity.
"Mahi wait. "
"I don't want to talk"
"Juliet please. "
"It's raining. Come inside. "
She didn't have enough energy to argue back.
He led her to the car and made her sit inside.
As he was about to start the car Mahika whispered
"please take me home "
"Singhania mansion? "
"No. My home. "
â
Hey guys.
So I'm back. Don't kill me. I know I promised you guys an update a decade ago but hear me out. After my Hindi competition I had a debate , 2 quizzes , an English competition, a test and a pending assignment.
Tomorrow I have tusion and then I have a quiz , after that a book review, then the next day a group song and on Friday an elocution.
I would be really happy if one of you killed me rn. But yeah that's my life right there. I already had the chapter done but it was missing some things so just did that and hope you guys liked it. I don't know when the next update will be. Hopefully soon.
With Love
Aswa _ Maya
"What do you do when the one person you want comfort from the most is the one who caused your pain? How can I want so desperately for him to wrap me up in his arms but also want so much for him to leave me alone"