Mahil :
Scrolling through my phone I went back to the texts I had sent her, much to my dismay they were unseen. After our little shopping spree, Kuhoo just disappeared. But then again, I hardly saw her on usual days except for chance evening meetings when she would be on the way back home.
"Have you seen Kuhoo? I called her twice last night but no luck. She is still planning to dance, right?" Rahul asked as we took a break.
Frey shot a curious glance our side listening to the word Kuhoo. Ignoring the kid's shining eyes I told Rahul, "She wanted to but it seems like a challenge with her tight schedule. I haven't seen her in the last two days despite of being her neighbor. The woman is always working."
"She wasn't like this earlier. Actually she was. But people around helped her make a balance. Kuhoo's problem is she doesn't know where to stop." He rubbed the temple.
"You are saying this about the woman who counts her every single action? During our initial encounters, I remember her scolding me just because she lost a few minutes due to my untimely presence. What I mean is, she knows exactly where to stop, when to start, everything about her seems so calculated, given to the fact that she lets the clock lead her life." I picked a water bottle from the table. Atmosphere outside had turned cold after weekend's slight snowfall. It probably would turn freezing by end of the month.
"Can't argue with that. Her time punctuality is phenomenal. The only person I have seen that time-bound is Adi. Probably one of the qualities that impressed Kuhoo." He took a seat on a nearby chair.
"Adi, Adi, Adi. Who is this guy and what is his deal with Kuhoo?" I irked.
"Chill man," He looked at me perplexed.
"What are you guys talking about?" Riya questioned on walking out of the washroom.
"Nothing babe. Did you call Kiya?" Rahul asked his fiancée. I couldn't help but shift uncomfortably upon the mention. Last two days had been difficult with her constant approach. Nevertheless, she was beautiful but I probably was not wired in a way to enjoy such attention. So, expecting me to reciprocate to it was a lost cause.
"She is coming with Taran. Oh by the way, I told her to pick Kuhoo as well." Ms. Khurana replied.
"Really?" I was surprised that she was coming. But why didn't she text me?
"They'll be here in half an hour." She looked at the wall clock that showed fifteen past six.
"Let's continue till then. Play the music, Frey."
Rahul threw me a glare and I chuckled knowing he probably wanted to rest. We bonded well in a short span, Kuhoo being the center of our conversations most of the times. Upon Riya's further persuasion, he got up. The duo started rehearsing same steps again.
After some time, Kuhoo walked in followed by the Khurana cousins, her eyes scanning every nook and corner of the place curiously. I felt a little fuzzy realizing she had stepped into my studio for the first time.
Many people had been to Ahana dance studios, most of them being my clients. Since the time I bought this place, I had always felt the need to share this happiness with my family, or at least someone close, someone who could smile proudly at me without those envious eyes. Why did I want Kuhoo to smile that way?
I was about take a step in her direction when two arms wrapped around my back and I sighed exasperatedly finding Kiya Khurana hugging me, again, as she had done in the last two days. Kuhoo looked at us with wide eyes before sauntering towards Rahul and I immediately moved away from the woman clearing the throat. But as I attempted to walk, Kiya tugged at my arm saying, "Would you like to be my partner for tonight, Mahil?"
"I'm sorry, what?" I blinked flummoxed, my eyes automatically finding their way to the one woman I would love listening those words from. But she looked totally unaffected.
"Ease my way to dance on the strings of your cords," Kiya traced the side of my cheek with her index finger. Stopping it in midway, I said, "I'm supposed to help you all. Anyways, you and Karan are going to perform together. So, shall we begin?"
Everyone started dancing except Kuhoo, who was left with no partner. I was observing their steps meticulously when she came and stood by my side.
"Sorry Chaturvedi, I wasn't certain if you are coming today or not. Earlier I had asked this cousin of mine to be your dance partner but that was two days back. Should I ask him to come tomorrow?" Rahul asked loudly, his voice piercing the music.
"It's fine. I just came because of the series of texts you sent me last night, can't promise anything as of now," Kuhoo replied.
"Are you not going to dance then?" He asked.
"I anyways don't have a partner." She shrugged.
I was standing beside her. She just had to say the word and I would happily hold her hand till the end of this universe. Oh, basically I was ready to be her partner. But she didn't offer me anything. And what was with her not replying to my texts?
"Ouch," Kiya screamed as Karan accidently stepped on her right foot. I moved swiftly as my eyes registered her legs losing balance and Karan's arms extending to save his partner. I was late though, because she fell straight into my arms and the next second I landed on the floor with her on top of me while Kuhoo stared at us with a wide open mouth.
"Are you fine, boss?" Freyer ran in our direction and forwarded a hand for me to get up while Kuhoo helped Kiya.
Through the corner of my eyes, I scanned her face for signs of agitation, anger, a little bit jealousy, anything. But she had no reaction. Why didn't she feel an ounce of jealousy? And why was I so much affected by her indifference?
"Feels like the world wants us to get closer. Are you sure you don't want to be with me?" Kiya mumbled holding the sides of my arms.
"Karan, you need to move forward slowly. That should solve this. One more time, come on." I clapped to cheer them up signaling Frey to resume the song.
"Fine, I get it you can't step out of your professional boundaries," Kiya uttered and I finally let out a breath of relief but it was short lived as she added, "How about we meet outside this setting? What are you doing after our rehearsals tonight? How about a nice dinner and then we could take it forward from there?"
Pressing the lips in a thin line, I answered, "Winter has started. It gets really cold outside darling, so I prefer staying home at nights."
"That's even better," She smiled coquettishly and that was when I realized where this was going. I didn't decipher my words of dismissal could be twisted to get an exactly opposite message. Frey, Kuhoo and Rahul were looking at me curious while Riya glared at her younger sister disapprovingly.
"Right, I would love to invite you and your family over a dinner Ms. Khurana but I'm sure it'll be difficult since you are busy with all the arrangements for functions." I resumed the music myself and waved my hands in air for them to start dancing.
"Takes courage to refuse such a direct approach," Kuhoo commented.
"Says who?" I mumbled under my breath.
"What?"
"Nothing, you said something?" I pretended to be oblivious.
Shaking her head, she added, "Nice place, by the way."
I smiled and she reciprocated the same. Soon, we were driving back to home. The drive was silent until Kuhoo started laughing suddenly out of nowhere.
"What?" I asked.
"Nothing," She palmed her mouth in order to cease the laughter but it didn't help.
"Tell me," I pressed.
"You should have taken the opportunity, you know. She wanted you to ..." Kuhoo cleared her throat before continuing, "You know what I mean, right? She was subtly trying her best to ... Ergg..."
"To get me sleep with her? Yeah, I know. She has made it pretty obvious in the last two days," I sighed.
"Then what's the problem? She's beautiful and everything," Kuhoo asked playing with the strap of her handbag and I frowned throwing her a look. Had this woman not realized that I liked her?
"Why would I want that?" I pulled the handbrake setting to neutral gear as we stopped at a signal.
She slid the glass window letting the cool air come in. "Because you indirectly offered me the same in that club, remember? Isn't it normal for you to... umm"
"When you can't even say the word, why to talk about it?" I irked.
"I was just curious," She shrugged.
Usually, it was easy to read her. Although, I hadn't known this woman for a very long time, understanding her emotions whether she voiced them out or not had never been a task for me as if my heart was somewhere connected to hers. Where was the connection when she suggested such ludicrous ideas? Why wasn't it helping me to understand where she was coming from? Were her words not hiding another layer underneath as always?
"It was a onetime thing, uttering some stupid words to get your attention. That doesn't mean I go on offering drinks to random women to get them sleep with me. So judgmental of you," I shook my head and started driving again as the signal turned green.
"I'm sorry, Mahil."
Damn it. Slight anger building inside me melted. Why did I still feel this special listening to her calling my name? Wasn't I over that phase?
"Mahil, the thing is I have never... What they call it... Yeah... I have never hooked up with someone and given to the family I belong to; I probably never will. But I find it amazing you know. The way people keep aside their emotions and still enjoy physical intimacy." Kuhoo blabbered.
Currents in my brain seemed to short-circuit at her words, raising the heartbeats, "Are you suggesting that you want to enjoy physical intimacy?"
"No. Didn't you listen carefully? I said I will never do it. I was just curious. Now that we are sort of friends, I was just trying to ask how you find that experience. Not the experience of having se-," Holding her head in between both the palms she grunted, "I mean the emotional experience of having unemotional physical intimacy? Errghhh... Forget it. I don't remember what I actually meant to ask."
A chuckle automatically left my mouth looking at her antics, "Why do you think I can answer your queries about this experience?"
"How old are you?" She shot me a glance.
I frowned, "Twenty nine."
"Date of birth?"
"Eighth of June, 1994."
"Four months older to me. Plus, you spent your early and mid-twenties living all by yourself here," She shrugged.
"So what?"
"That morning, you were talking about how amazing it would be to make out in a gallery," She flexed her index and middle fingers air-quoting make out.
"Did you not listen to me carefully back then? I said that I'll do it when I find the 'Right woman'." I mimicked her action stressing upon the word 'Right woman' and pulled the car in our basement parking.
As the car came to halt, she muttered, "Oh does that mean you haven't-"
"I have always craved for emotional intimacy than the physical one, Kuhoo. Because I believe connections formed at an emotional level are a lot more satisfying, so much soothing, and comforting. It might sound absurd but despite of spending all these years here with all the freedom in the world, I still I am waiting for that one woman. Wouldn't I be cheating on her if I did it? I can't do that to her, especially when we are to spend a lifetime together." I mumbled in a single breath, my voice etched with a surreally devotional quality of husk, eyes staring into her ones.
She gulped visibly.
Kuhoo tried to say something. But it seemed like words refused to come out of her mouth. Unfastening passenger side's seatbelt she cleared the throat before saying, "So you are one among the romantic types."
Shaking my head, I clicked the tongue, "Hopelessly romantic type."
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Wohooo drum rolls! We have cross 1k reads! First 1k are always special. And this one has been the longest wait. I still remember how happy I was when my first story had crossed this number years back.
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Thanks a lot for your constant votes: shreyasmart Tejal1217
SwaJay
Progressing slowly towards the chapters I have always wanted to write since the time this story came to my mind!