A Coffee at Dawn

Chapter 23 : Shadez!

"This scene doesn't suit you both, it is Mayank, not anyone else. He is not someone new to us," I nodded as he said. I had a gentle smile on my face as I was not that clear as to what was happening. I looked around, one wall was fixed with a mirror, at the corner was a music system and the other walls were painted colourful reds and blues.

I felt light, a room like this was always my dream. I was happy that someone did get to live their dreams.

"This is just not ours, it is yours as well," I turned to him in surprise.

"Yes, ever since we had worked together, it was our dream to form a troupe and we wanted you to be a part of it, " Dia, the girl who was initially screeching spoke.

Dia, one of the most wanted girls of our college. Every lad in the college knew her. One of the prettiest girl in her batch, she could have ruled the college but she preferred to stay low. Frank, genuine, vibrant, sassy were few of her traits that set her unique. We barely knew each other as we were from different departments. She seemed bold and she knew what she spoke.

I smiled listening to her. I still had the jitter in. The confidence and command that I once had was in deep sleep. The only person who could stirr that up was not there. I found it tough to relate to these people.

I let out a sigh and settled down, leaning against the mirror. The other girl, Shradha was one whom I knew better, relatively. We were in the same department but interactions were less. Rahul and Dia sat around as Shradha went to the music system.

They had a track ready and that played. She turned towards us with a grin and I raised my brows in question. I looked beside me and found Rahul and Dia grin as well.

Shradha took the spot and as the tempo of the music changed she started with her moves. She was good. More polished than the way I had seen her last time. The music was slightly getting on to me, I started to tap my feet to the beats as I watched her dance. Dia got up and joined the centre with her turns. Her dance was much more beautiful than she was. No wonder the boys at college had their eyes on her.

The two girls came in sync and danced amazingly. I turned to see Rahul sit with me , I pushed him and forced him to join. The guy with whom I had danced once at college was now an dancer. His moves defined the class of dance he practised. I felt happy looking at the three dance their souls out.

Rahul came back to where I sat and pulled me up, and I knew this would happen. I did not know how well I could dance. It was more than years I had danced. I stood tapping my foot initially and started with a pirouette. I could see all the three move aside. The music kept rolling and I did not stop. I could sense every pain with in getting channelised as I danced. I could see nothing. The entire room had blacked out with just one beam of light entering from a corner and I danced in the light. A transition from the dark to light.

I could feel the sweat drip, I had not danced this way in years. I stopped and the three of them started to clap. I was too tired to even stand. I moved back and sat. The three followed and sat back.

In front me was a different Mayank, I looked up the mirror to see myself. My face had the content that was missing. I could see my eyes shine, I realised I was happy, my soul with in rejoiced , but was incomplete. All I wished was to have Aarti next to me while I could rest on her shoulder after a tiring dance. But, I could smile now.

"Let's do this! I am in. You can count me in, " I stood up gaining some strength. The room was filled with cheer and shouts. The smile on the face got glued.

Few months later...

"Yes, mom...No..let me think about it..No no, do not wait for dinner...Mom, I will be going out with the troupe and this was decided...Yes, now please let me practise," I hung the call. Mothers can get too interrogating at times. I let out a huge sigh and got back to my place.

"Five..six..seven..eight" Dia gave the counts as we practised a routine.

Ever since I had decided to move in with them, the troupe had become my daily resort. This made our day. We had grown as dancers and as a troupe, we had not done much though. We had had one successful venture and that was hosting a dance training to the children as a part of an NGO programme. We had barely made it to a corner section in one of the lead newspapers. We were the happiest reading the article. We had cut outs of it on our small display. We were climbing up the ladders slowly but I knew we were doing good.

The upcoming show was a major one relatively. It was a corporate party for which we were hired to perform. We agreed to it, beginners hardly get a choice to reject. We had to make it big. The current practise was happening for the event at a known MNC.

The troupe had grown from four to twelve. All like minded people of almost the same age. Everyone hit it off in the first go. That was incredible as a team.

"Okay , let's do it for the last time. My tummy will eat me up in a while if I don't feed it with anything soon, " Dia sat down drained out. I replayed the track and all started. The event was dated two days later.

"No, I won't be there this Friday, I have a show," I answered Payal when she was planning for a dinner. I was at her place, we were waiting for Nishnath.

"Oh, I wanted us to go out. I had something to tell," she raised her brows and a gentle blush took over her cheeks. That made me suspicious and I stood in question. She laughed at my reaction. I could not infer much from it.

"What is it?" I stared at her as she continued to giggle. She moved towards the table calendar, I stood there perplexed. She turned two sheets of the calendar and it pointed to October. By then I could slowly guess as to what could it be. She pointed to twenty third of the month and gave a bright smile, and I knew it. I jumped with joy and ran towards her to give her a hug and congratulate. The date was out. Their marriage was fixed. I could see one story that progressed happily. Meanwhile Nishanth came. I went up to him and landed a punch on his tummy and hugged him. Payal wanted to celebrate this by inviting for dinner.

"Why wait for Friday, let's dine tonight. The bill is on me," I was too happy and we left her place.

It was Friday and we all sat in our practise hall. It was four in the evening. We were waiting for the costumes to arrive. The event was supposed to start at seven. We left the hall in a while and reached the place by six. With the warm welcome and the volunteers escorting us to the room we were given, we settled.

Boys got ready, the girls were taking time. I moved out of the room to the balcony. The sky had turned peach. I stood their misisng Aarti. I knew, she would be the happiest to know about Nishanth and Payal and also to see me perform with a troupe of my own. I just wished!

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My note: happy reading!