As the final exams come to a close, a buzz of excitement fills the air at school. Students breathe a collective sigh of relief, knowing that the intense period of studying and exams is finally behind them. But their respite is short-lived as the teacher announces a new endeavor on the horizon: the preparation for the annual function.
"Dear students, we have decided to organise our annual function and our school's 25th anniversary in the month of August, before the half yearly and pre board examinations begin." Ms. Jain announced. She was greeted by a mixture of reactions from the students as some of them were excited and some were worried about the exams while our model students Samaira and Neev were rather unfazed because they were well prepared for the examinations and were neutral about the upcoming celebrations.
The morning assembly just got over. Toppers from all three streams were awarded a certificate for their achievements. Samaira, Neev and Dikshant from the commerce section were awarded a certificate of appreciation.
As Samaira made her way through the school corridors, she was greeted by a group of boys from the commerce section. Their eyes lit up with admiration as they approached her, their voices filled with a mixture of awe and admiration.
"Hey, Samaira! Congratulations on acing those exams once again," one of the boys exclaimed, a wide grin spreading across his face.
"Yeah, you're not just a beauty, but a brain too! We would love to have someone like you on our dance team for the annual function," another chimed in, his tone laced with flirtatiousness.
"Thank you, that's very kind of you," she replied, feeling a bit awkward as she was not close with any of those boys and they were trying to hit on her.
Meanwhile, nearby, Neev watched the exchange with a clenched jaw, his expression tight with jealousy. He couldn't help but feel a pang of irritation as he saw the boys vying for Samaira's attention, their flirtatious banter grating on his nerves.
In the end, Neev decided to approach them, his demeanor carefully neutral as he joined the conversation.
"Hi Sam" Neev said. He never called Samaira as Sam because that's something only Saisha and Gaurika call her. Something in him forced him to behave that way. Samaira looked at Neev with absolute awe in her eyes. She was astonished to see him acting weird in front of those boys. She couldn't help but feel her heart lub-dub faster because of the sudden greetings. She looked at Neev with eyes shining brighter than the sun. Neev looked at those guy with a fiery look in his eyes, as if he'll lash out any moment.
Sensing the tension in the air, they quickly excused themselves, leaving Neev and Samaira alone once again. As the corridor fell silent, Neev turned to Samaira, a sheepish smile playing on his lips. "Sorry about that. I just couldn't help but feel a little... protective," he admitted, his tone tinged with vulnerability.
Samaira's heart softened at Neev's confession, and she reached out to gently squeeze his hand. "It's okay, Neev. I appreciate your concern," she reassured him, a warm smile gracing her features. "Honestly, I felt kind of awkward when they approached me out of nowhere. I am not very social and these kind of interactions are very awkward for me" Samaira said.
As Samaira settled into her seat in the classroom, she was approached once again by the boys from the commerce department.
"Hey, Samaira, we were serious about wanting you to join our dance team for the annual function," one of them piped up, a hopeful expression on his face.
"Yeah! We saw you dancing on Durga Puja last year and you're surely a very skilled dancer" one of them said.
Before she could respond, Neev spoke up, his voice steady but tinged with a hint of protectiveness. "Actually, Samaira is already part of our dance team for the annual function," he stated, his tone firm as he met the boys' gazes head-on.
"Thanks for the offer, guys, but Neev is right. I've already committed to dancing with our group," she explained, her tone gentle but resolute. The boys left the class with their hopes shattered by the one and only school hunk Neev Khurana.
"Konsi dance team ki baat kar rahe ho tum ? When did you make one?" Samaira asked Neev.
"Wahi dance team jiske liye tumne abhi abhi Haan ki" Neev said with a hint of playfulness in his voice.
"Maine toh un ladko ko bhagane ke liye Kiya tha" Samaira said.
"Aur Maine bhi unhe bhagane ke liye hi team banayi thi... waise bhi hum 6 log milke performance kar sakte hai" Neev said, looking at Samaira with hopes of getting his plan approved.
"Nice idea...zero period hai...ground mein Chalke planning kar lete hai" Samaira suggested. Neev immediately set out to find where Ujjwal and Nishant were and brought them to the ground with him.
As the group of friends gathered in a quiet corner of the school ground, excitement bubbled in the air as they discussed their plans for the annual function dance performance. "So, guys, what's the plan for our dance performance?" Neev asked, his eyes shining with enthusiasm.
"We should do something energetic and fun, with a mix of different dance styles," suggested Saisha, her voice brimming with excitement. "Since it's our last year in school, it should be memorable" saisha said.
"Yeah, we could start with a hip-hop thing and then transition into some Bollywood," added Nishant, nodding in agreement.
"Wahh! Tumhara dimaag kabhi kabhi accha chalta hai" Saisha said, teasing Nishant for his brilliant idea. Nishant was about to come back at her when Ujjwal suddenly interrupted, "abhi nahi ladna!"
Nishant stopped and furrowed his brows.
Gaurika chimed in, her eyes sparkling with creativity. "And we could incorporate some traditional elements too, like folk dance steps or classical moves."
Samaira nodded thoughtfully, her mind already racing with ideas. "I love it! We can create a dynamic and visually stunning performance that will wow the audience."
After much deliberation, they finally settled on a routine that showcased their individual talents while highlighting their strong bond as a group.
"So! Saisha and Nishant will begin the act with hip-hop, followed by Neev and Samaira who will initiate the Bollywood sequence and Ujjwal and Me will start the folk sequence. We'll find some cool sounds and then mix it all up together" Gaurika consolidated the plan.
"Brilliant!" Neev said in agreement. Everyone agreed with the plan. Neev and Samaira approached Ms. Jain to get a signed permission for their performance and to practice for it in every zero period.
As they dispersed, their hearts filled with anticipation for the big day, Neev couldn't help but feel a surge of gratitude for his friends. Together, they had created something truly special, and he knew that their performance would be a highlight of the event.
The school day was over. Nishant invited everyone over to his house for their first dance practice.
Group chat
Nishant : everyone listen! Papa is out on a business trip and mom is out for the next 2-3 hours so mere ghar pe practice kar sakte hain Aaj!
Saisha : main nahi aa rhi iske ghar
Nishant : tujhe bulata bhi nahi agar group mein nahi hoti
Saisha : 🐔🐔🐔🐔
Neev : yaar wo sab chhodo ! Samaira ka Ghar toh bohot door hai Nishant ke ghar se
Nishant : tu utha liyo raste mein
Neev : tameez mein bol
Samaira : it's okay! I'll take the metro
Neev : nahi tum khud kyu aogi ? Main aunga lene
Samaira : that's so sweet of you Neev ☺️
Gaurika : awww! You guys are so cute <3
Saisha : cuties 😙
Ujjwal : Gaurika aap wo costume designs lekar aana mat bhoolna
Gaurika : for sure ! thanks for reminding!!!
Saisha : @/Nishant learn from your homies. Look at the way they talk.
Nishant : 🥱🥱
Saisha : 🤏🏻🤏🏻
Ujjwal : bhai whatsapp band Karo aur location pe pohcho.
At 5 PM in the evening, Neev reached the Malhotra House to pick Samaira up. Riti was standing in the balcony and saw Neev pulling up at the Malhotra's entrance. She immediately ran down the stairs to open the door before Samaira could.
"Hi! Neev bhaiya!" Riti exclaimed.
"Hii!! Kaise ho?" Neev asked for a polite gesture.
"main toh theek hoon. Aap Ishani bhabhi se Milne aaye toh bata doon ki wo Ghar par nahi hain!" Riti informed Neev.
"umm...didi se toh main mil chuka hoon... actually wo..... Samaira ko pick karne aaya tha" Neev said, with a hint of hesitation in his voice as he knew Riti cannot keep secrets.
"Ohhhh! Didi ne bola toh tha ki koi unhe lene aayega... aap andar aao na" Riti said, offering Neev to come inside the house.
Neev politely declined the offer as they were already late for the practice session.
"um...aap samaira ko jaldi se bhej do" Neev said. Riti ran towards Samaira's room.
*SAMAIRA'S POV*
"Didi! Neev bhaiya aa gaye" Riti said.
I am so nervous because I can't decide what to wear. It's not the first time I am going to meet Neev but for some reason choosing a dress that will be comfortable for dancing and will also make me look pretty is tougher than solving physics numericals.
"umm...ye wali pehnu ya phir ye wali" I asked Riti to suggest.
"Par didi aap toh practice ke liye Jaa rahe ho...kya farq padega dress se" Riti said with a smirk on her face.
"umm....nahi .... it's just ki ....I am confused" I tried to make myself sound more believable. After ten minutes of turmoil and silencing six missed calls from Neev, I finally decided on the outfit.
I decided to wear a long white chikankari- type of top with a pair of baggy jeans. I wasted no more time and rushed out of my house.
"Hi ! Sorry kaafi wait karwaya tumhe" I said.
"Ab kisi itne Sundar insaan ke liye thoda wait karna pad bhi jaaye toh kya sharam" Neev said, with a hint of flirtatiousness in his tone. He's becoming really outrageous every passed day.
"um...tumhare paas license toh hai na?" I asked. I know it was not the best question to ask in that moment.
"i am already 18, Samaira! Plus I won't let you sit on this bike if I don't have the license" Neev said. I wasted no time and sat on the back seat of the bike.
With each twist and turn of the road, Samaira felt a sense of freedom wash over her, the cares and worries of the day melting away in the wake of the open road ahead. Beside her, Neev's laughter rang out like music, his eyes alight with the joy of the moment.
"Neev, can you please slow down a bit?" she called out over the roar of the engine, her voice tinged with a hint of apprehension.
"Don't worry, I've got everything under control," he assured her, his tone laced with confidence. As Neev parked the bike outside Nishant's house, Samaira couldn't help but feel a sense of relief as they finally came to a stop. She dismounted the bike, her legs still trembling from the adrenaline rush of the ride, and took a moment to steady herself before turning to face their friends.
"Hey, you two! Glad you could make it!" Nishant exclaimed, sarcastically.
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Chapter aesthetic
Outfits of the day -
Neev and Samaira's OOTD
Nishant and Saisha's OOTD
Ujjwal and Gaurika's OOTD