Dancing with destiny

Chapter 4

After dancing for awhile the two returned back to the table.

"Raj, don't you want to dance too?" Anna looked eagerly at Raj. He wanted to say yes, but he couldn't.

"No Anna, not today" He said

Jai was happy about this decision. He was happy with Anna, dancing with just him. The three of them decided to congratulate the couple and then leave the party. They were all feeling tired, mostly Raj it seemed. Raj dropped Jai off first, to his dismay. But it made more sense as Anna lived closer to Raj on his side of town.

Anna had fallen asleep in the car. She was curled up like child on the back seat. Jai had sat in the front as Anna had insisted she would take the back seat. Raj smiled looking back and seeing Anna peacefully sleeping. He knew why she had insisted so keenly on taking the back seat. This thought made him laugh silently.
They finally arrived at Anna's house and Raj stopped the car.

"Anna" he called. She stirred but didn't wake up. "Annnaaa" He called louder. She moved a little and grunted. He laughed at what a sleepy head she was. He remembered, even back when they were children, she used to sleep a lot. It was so hard to wake her up. Once Jai had insisted they draw on her face one morning when she refused to wake up. A moustache and thick eye brows were her look that day. She was so angry at them; she didn't speak to them for a week.

Raj opened his door and got out. Opening the back door he crept into the back where Anna's head was. Her hair was sprawled all over her face and he reflexively brushed them off. As he did so, he couldn't help stroking her face. He felt sad, that she could never be his.
She woke up and he immediately drew his hand back, his heart beating rapidly.

"Raj? What's the matter" she asked squinting her eyes to see in the dark. She noticed they were both in the back seat very close to each other. She sat up fixing her hair. Her saree was in a mess and suddenly She realised she was just wearing her blouse. The top part of the saree had slid off. Feeling embarrassed she fumbled around in the dark trying to fix her saree. He noticed her discomfort and looked away. After awhile of unsuccessfully trying to fix her saree Anna stopped and looked at Raj looking away.

"Raj I'm going to get out of the car and fix it ok?" He dared to look at her from the corner of his eye.

"Anna, if someone is watching, and you get out of the car like that – It won't be good for you"

"I can't fix it in here, there's not enough room and I can't see"

"Do you trust me?" Raj asked gently.

"Yes, why?" Anna became curious.

"Then let me help you"

After some silence Anna replied.

"Okay"

He turned around and faced her. She was looking up at him and her breathing became heavier. He put his arms around her waist and felt around for the saree material. He moved closer moving his hands slowly so as not to scare Anna. His heart started beating faster as his hand brushed the skin of her back. She closed her eyes and let him come closer.

"Found it!" He breathed onto her neck. Pulling the saree material from beneath her he brought it forward and placed it over her chest. She held onto it and looked into his eyes. She didn't want to get out of the car anymore.
"Anna, go now – It's late" Raj urged gently.

"Raj – I don't"

"Your mother will wonder where you are" Raj cut Anna off sounding more serious. "Go on, I'll see you soon"

Anna gave up and got out of the car. Raj followed her to her front step and waited until she was inside before he got into his car. He sat there for awhile wondering what had taken over him. He was so smitten by her that it drove him to do crazy things. He should not have done any of it – he was giving Anna hopes for something else and he had to stop. Raj drove off into the night and did not notice Anna standing at the window looking down.

She was so out of breath after what had happened, she just wanted to stay in the car with him and go wherever he went. Smiling to herself she went to bed that night.