Doing a double flip in the end would have added more dynamic, but it might have also ended up ruining the whole sequence. I wasn't okay with the guys planning on increasing the stunts, reducing the amount of floorwork I had suggested yesterday.
"Bhoomi, can you please show the steps again? I am not able to catch the part where you cross the right leg over the left," Akshay said, hopping on his heels impatiently.
I shook my head and planted my butt on the cool floor of the dance station we had built behind our crew captain, Vibhan's garage. If Vibhan hadn't managed to convince his father to lend him the extra space instead of selling it out, we would still be either practicing on our terraces or the streets.
"Bhoomi, please!" Akshay pleaded.
"Nope. You guys don't even listen to me, so why should I waste my energy on you?" I retorted.
No matter how much my best friend gave me his puppy eyes, I wasn't going to budge. He and the rest of the guys had managed to get into the quarter-finals of the underground dance battle and were serious about winning it.
"If you are not going to help, then move your butt," Rehman, one of our crewmates, commented to me.
"First learn how to do the choreography properly, moron," I snapped.
Rehman glared at me. "Don't you dare challenge me, girl. Even if you are currently better than me, I will practice so hard that one day you will yourself ask for my autograph."
I rolled my eyes. "Sure, sure."
Akshay grabbed my wrists and pulled me off from the floor. "Please, Boom Boom Boomer, we promise we will do as you say."
I nodded, and told Jiya, our DJ, to give me the beat. I told the guys to focus because it was the last time I was going to show them the moves I had choreographed. The six guys paid full attention as Jiya played the song "16 shots" by Stefflon Don.
(👆Bhoomi's routine)
I touched the floor with my fingertips and prayed to the Lord Shiva. Then, I began. The vibrations traveled from the speakers to my soles, moving my body to the rhythm. After dancing for two minutes, I stopped and raised my eyebrows at my audience.
"See? Avoiding unnecessary stunts would be much better," I said.
"You killed it, Bhoomi," Jiya yelled and clapped loudly.
Akshay sported a huge grin, and I walked sassily before Rehman and flipped my hair behind my shoulder. He shook his head, and I pinched his arm before grabbing my bag and zooming out of the garage.
"Do your best!" I shouted.
Unfortunately, I couldn't spend more time with my friends. Under the blazing sun of the May month, I maneuvered through the small streets of our slums and reached Chawl no. 6. Without wasting any more time, I entered the fourth house and started with my work.
"Oh, Bhoomi, it's you today? Did your mother fall sick again?" the owner of the house, Sharda Aunty, asked worriedly.
I gave her a short nod as I picked up the piles of dishes and put them in the sink. Rolling my sleeves up, I tied my hair in a bun and began scrubbing the dirty dishes with a motive to get over the task as soon as possible.
"Beta (child), take your time. There is no need to hurry," Sharda Aunty said.
I just smiled at her as I kept my pace fast. Thirty minutes later, I was done cleaning the dozens of plates and utensils. I washed my hands and took my leave after Sharda Aunty gave me the payment of ₹100.
I sighed as I eyed the money. I still had to go to two more houses to do the same work. My dear mother had fallen sick, and like always, I worked as her substitute. By doing so for a long time, I had gathered a lot of money, but all of it was spent in making our ends meet.
My father was a BMC (Mumbai Municipal Corporation) worker, while my mother worked as a househelp. Though our family, like other families that lived in slums, came just above the poverty line, I was grateful for the life my parents had given me. We struggled to save up, and finding a well-paid job for me was our top priority, but my father didn't want me to sacrifice my dreams for that.
He always encouraged my passion and love for dancing. He wanted me to succeed in whatever field I wanted; therefore, while I also tried to do best in academics, I never had a day when I hadn't shaken my feet to the beats.
My mother said I had started dancing when I was two years old, thanks to my elder sister who specialised in classical dancing. Due to some unfortunate events, she no longer danced. It hurt that someone so talented as her was now on bed rest.
Only if I could have been able to do something about her situation... She never deserved the suffering she went through.
"Bhoomi! Where are you going?"
I heard the familiar voice of Urmila Aunty, one of the women at whose house I had to work. She waved at me, and I stuck out my tongue in embarrassment as I realised that I had moved past her house while I was pondering about my sister.
"Kaa ga? Kontya vicharat haravli hoti? (Child, what thoughts were you lost in?) Come on, I have been waiting for you. A lot of guests had arrived in the morning, so you can understand how much work must be left," Urmila Aunty said and directed me inside her small house.
Hearing the word 'guests' was enough for me to crack my knuckles and shake my head at the messy kitchen. I was supposed to do only the dishes, but if I had cleaned up the whole kitchen too, I might have been able to make some extra bucks.
As that idea flashed in my mind, I took out my phone and checked the amount of time left for the live streaming to start. One hour and three minutes were left for the streaming to begin, so I threw the idea of cleaning the kitchen out of my head and summoned my ninja spirit.
Even though I worked at double speed, I didn't leave any area for Urmila Aunty to complain. After her place, I rushed to my last client and made my way back to my home. Only five minutes were left, so I threw my bag in the corner after taking out my headphones from it and rushed on my terrace.
"Bhoomi, you back home?" Mom yelled from downstairs.
"Yes," I replied as I quickly took my spot under the tin shed I had created.
It was the only place where my mobile network was the fullest and worked the best. After checking my internet data balance, I opened the YouTube app and relaxed my back on the unplastered brick wall.
"Did Urmila Tai (sister) complain about anything?" Mom shouted.
"No, Maa, she didn't! Now don't disturb me. I am busy!" I announced.
Downstairs, I could hear my mother complain to my sister about my mobile addiction, but I knew my sister had my back. Ignoring the voices all around me, I focused my full attention on the small screen lying on my lap.
Only 10 secs left...
As soon as the video started, and Tejas Jaiswal aka TJ's smiling face came into view, I sensed my own lips curling upwards on their own.
"Hello, Namaste, and welcome to my livestream, my lovely audience!" Tejas said in his sweet voice.
As was his habit, he adjusted his hair under his cap before he introduced his partner for that day's choreography. After the introductions, Tejas winked at the camera and took his position on the dance floor.
"You guys ready?" he asked his viewers.
"Always," I replied as if he could hear me.
I wish he did.
(👆Tejas' dance routine)
I was mesmerized each time Tejas moved his body effortlessly to the rhythm, becoming one with the music. I typed out a compliment in the comment section and stared at the him in awe the same way I did when I had first seen him dance three years ago.
He was amazing! We were the same age, being nineteen years old, but he was on a whole different level - no, he was in a whole different dimension of dancing.
I had been following his growth, and he had improved tremendously since the first time I saw him. As for me, I still had a long way to go. Tejas, in one of his videos, had said that he had taken a liking to b-boying when he was ten years old, but after participating in a dance battle, b-boying was now his life.
Whereas he had been dancing for only over nine years now, I had been shaking my bum ever since I could remember, but our skill levels were entirely different.
I dreamt of reaching his level one day. He was my role model. And not just that, I also wished to dance with him some day.
Will it be possible?
Come on, Bhoomi, stop daydreaming and focus on polishing your skills.
After watching Tejas' enthusiastic video, I felt a tsunami of inspiration and motivation flooding my heart. I watched his dance routine again and got out of my tin shed. I stretched myself and got ready to learn the new moves from my role model himself.
I began dancing, and all of the stress I had felt throughout the day vanished within seconds. I didn't know if it was because of the upbeat song or Tejas' voice. I was so lost in my dance routine that I didn't notice when the sun dropped below the horizon.
"Bhoomi, are you planning on breaking the ceiling?" Mom yelled loud and clear for me to break out of my trance.
"Looks like it is time to prepare dinner," I mumbled and paused the dance video.
Begrudgingly, I trudged downstairs and joined my mother in the kitchen. Few minutes later, my father arrived and took his granddaughter in his arms.
"Did you take your medicines, Dhara?" Dad asked my elder sister.
Dhara Didi nodded and told her three year old daughter, Srishti, to let our father freshen up. After her in-laws made my sister leave her marital home, my father didn't let her go back again. Her in-laws were worse than devil, especially her husband.
I replayed Tejas' livestream in mind to distract myself from the murder plans I was plotting. After dinner, I gave Mom the money I had made that day, and she kept it in a rusty iron box.
"I will admit Srishti into a nice school. This money is for her only," Mom said.
I nodded and told her to rest. Her health was better than yesterday, but she still needed to get back in her full health.
Since we lived in a small one RK home, I moved the chairs to the side, and after adjusting other furniture around, I spread out the blankets on the floor and plopped down beside my mother.
I closed my eyes as soon as I saw Mom turning towards me. I acted like I was already asleep, but my mother was my mother afterall.
"Bhoomi, stop acting now. I know you are not asleep," Mom scolded.
I opened my eyes slowly and scooted closer to her. She patted my head and looked at me apologetically.
"Did Urmila Tai make you work extra?" she asked.
I shook my head. "She wouldn't dare."
"Do tell me if she ever does. I will tell all the women to stop working at her place. Did she pay the full amount?"
"Maa, chill. Urmila Aunty isn't that heartless."
Mom twisted her lips. "I am sorry, beta, you have to work in my place. Don't worry, I will get better soon and start working again."
"I am your daughter. If I won't take care of you, then who else will?"
My mother caressed my hair, and slowly, her eyelids drooped. I was exhausted too, but I knew I wouldn't be able to sleep without watching Tejas' choreography again. Therefore, I sneakily grabbed my phone and plugged my earphones in.
In the middle of watching the video, I received a text from Akshay.
Akki: Oye, Boom Boom Boomer, we cleared the quarter-finals!!!
Me: Really?!!! Congo, knuckleheads! Now don't get too overconfident and prepare for the semis properly.
Akki: Yes, madam.
Me: Now leave me alone. I am busy.
Akki: I know what kind of 'busy' you are 😑
I ignored my bestfriend's accusation and sent him a goodnight text.
Please, Ganapati Bappa, make my wish come true. One day, I will dance alongside TJ, and become the best dancer in the world.