Beyond the Beats

Chapter 5. Quicksand

It had been a few days since the dance battle happened, and fortunately, Jiya understood our situation and why our friends wanted to win the prize money so badly. Therefore, she agreed to keep the secret but made us promise not to pull that kind of stunt again.

Vibhan insisted that I should also get a fair share in the prize, but I refused. I had only participated at the end of the battle, while they had reached the finale by their own efforts. I was content with getting to dance in front of Tejas.

That's why, I had been watching the dance battle's video for three days without getting tired. No matter how many times I saw myself and TJ on the same dance floor, I still couldn't believe that happened for real.

Today also I was watching the video while going to my classroom, with my earphones plugged in my ears and the old torn wire hanging down my neck. I pressed the replay button on my small phone screen and was about to take a corner when my body was crushed against someone.

My phone fell out of my hand, the pain of earphones being forcefully plucked out making me wince. Cursing under my breath, I crouched down to pick up my belongings.

"Sorry."

On hearing a familiar voice, I looked up and forgot to blink. Tejas' twinkling brown orbs were on me for a second before he grabbed my phone from the floor. I noticed his eyebrows furrowing as he saw what was playing on my mobile. For a few moments, he stared at the video and then gave the phone back to me.

"The phone isn't broken," he said. "Did you get hurt?"

It took me more than a minute to get back to my senses.

"Me?" I asked.

Tejas' lips curled up in amusement. "Yeah. You are the one I bumped into."

Unknowingly, I tucked my hair strands behind my ear.

"Um... Yes, I am fine. Are you okay though?" I asked, straining my neck to look up at him.

"All good," he replied.

Even though I wanted him to stay longer, we had nothing else to say. Tejas shot me a small smile, his expressions becoming bland as soon as he took his leave.

I stared at his back, still processing our recent encounter in my head.

Thank you, Ganapati Bappa, for making me crash into him. At least, he talked to me.

"Oye, Boom Boom Boomer!"

As if the earlier accident wasn't enough to rattle my soul, Akshay rammed into me from the side and shook me vigorously.

"What's your problem?" I hissed.

"Oh, so the sweet talks are only reserved for Tejas?" Akshay teased.

I pushed him away as he was leaning all of his weight on me. He didn't budge. He asked me to lend him my earphones, and when I shoved them at him, he gave me a flat look.

"Seriously, Bhoomi? These earphones are wrecked," Akki complained.

"They work fine," I said.

He plugged the auxiliary cord into his phone and smacked me on the head.

"They are busted!"

He threw my cords into the dustbin, and that's how we ended up fighting till we reached our classroom. We took our seats in the back, and Akshay watched some cat videos while I sulked about spending money on new earphones. My mother would surely give me a huge ass lecture for it.

"Should I get a cheap one, or should I order online?" I mumbled to myself as I checked the sound accessories on the net.

Akshay helped me in picking up a new headset, and just like always, we ended up in an argument. We were talking gibberish when the college speakers made a loud screeching sound. All of the students cursed loudly as we thought our eardrums were bombed.