Dancing Jodi

Chapter 2: Some Things Never Changed

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Of all the people to run into after you've moved to a new location and scored your new full-time job, for Meezaan it just had to be her — the girl he had once loved immensely even when he was bidding her goodbye.

Noorani Somer. That wasn't a face Meezaan had ever expected to see again, and yet, there she was, barefoot, drenched head-to-toe in a beautifully bright sari that stuck to her wet skin (making it even harder to look away from her), staring at him as if she were looking at a ghost. She looked so grown up, though it had only been a little over three years since he had seen her last. He had never seen her with a face full of makeup, having decided early on he loved her as she presented herself to him, but those eyes, those soft honey-brown eyes, he could never forget them. Even from the distance between the stage and the table, he could feel the warmth and tension from those eyes. 

Meezaan had tried to clamp down on the memory, but it brought him straight back to the night of their first date: locked in a tight embrace, peering into those little chocolate brown balls — so similar to the ones she had brought along to the date for them to share — feeling the love radiating from them without her even speaking the words they had both waited so long to whisper to each other. The familiarity of sweet, rich chocolate filled his mouth at the memory.

Meezaan had been watching the trio of girls on the stage since he and the guys sat down at the table, but he hadn't known that one of those girls was his Noorani until she turned and faced him head-on. Well, she wasn't his anything anymore, not for a long time now.

Sajan Mehta, his new roommate, had been kind enough to recommend him for the server position at the restaurant he frequented. Sajan had done such a great job selling the restaurant's qualities, and the high pay was definitely a big plus, there was no way Meezaan could pass on the opportunity, especially since he had yet to hear back from the other positions he had applied to — dishwasher, car washer, personal trainer. None of those job prospects were what Meezaan had in mind as a future career, but to be able to afford to start up his own business and become the entrepreneur he always dreamed of, he needed money. Meezaan had promised his parents he'd be fine on his own and that he was old enough to chase after his dreams without taking money from their retirement fund.

The moving out and living on his own, the full-time job, the rigorous saving regime — they had all been a part of his plan since he graduated from college. Falling back into his ex's path after going out with his new friends to celebrate the job offer — that was the last thing Meezaan had in mind.

After the surprising eye-lock and his awkward attempts to say hello in the politest way, Meezaan wondered how he could have missed the signs. Sajan had been going on and on about this "Noori" girl from the first time he mentioned the open position to Meezaan, but he had yet to make the connection that Noori was Noorani.

Sajan hadn't given Meezaan much info on Noori, other than she was an amazing girl, super talented, and gorgeous to look at, all of which Meezaan already knew. When he and Noorani were just getting to know each other, she had briefly mentioned she had a passion for dance. Just how good she was and how dedicated she was to it were two things she had skimmed over. Instead, she had relayed her plans of working contently behind a desk, planning and organizing, putting together reports and data sets. When had she changed her mind?

The way she moved on stage though, as if she didn't even have to think about her next move, was remarkable. Meezaan had arrived during the last performance, but Sajan had mentioned the girls performed at least three songs with five being the max.

"They go hardcore with their performances." He mentioned once they were directed to their seats. "Like hours of practice and rehearsals."

Meezaan had been surprised to receive such a good view. Their table was directly in the front row, just a few feet from the stage. Before he could ask Sajan how he managed to score such perks, the lights had dimmed, the wind machine had flipped on, and soon there were dripping wet girls shaking their hips, distracting Meezaan from every other thought.