TaaRey FF - Epiphany (Completed)

Chapter 3:

" you guys are real quick learners" Rithvik hardly appreciated anyone. But the dedication and hard work of D3 gang didn't let him to contain his excitement. He loved their passion. He only choreographed couple performances of Rey-Kriya and Sharon-Swayam. But he stayed back to watch others & he was quiet glad to see the other performances as well.Especially, the group dance. He was flabbergasted with Swayam's choreography style and Rey's team management skills.
"Thanks, bro…" Rey beamed. "Coming from you is a very big thing" swayam continued as others sat on the small box stools placed at right side of the hall. They were recovering from the first day practice. "Guys…. Come on…. I mean it… you guys are…." Rithvik was abruptly stopped by the loud swish of door to RH. "OMG.… U r so dead…man!" Surbhi trotted on her heels. "Oh….oh…oh….What's wro….." his voice subsided as the door of RH opened once more and a figure stepped inside.

"How dare you Mr. Dhanjani?" The girl looked nowhere but him. "How dare you to avoid my calls? I'm like calling you from past half n hour. Don't you think I have any other work to do other than babysitting you… You dare avoid my calls. U would be throttled in a minute" She jabbed a finger at him staring furiously. His lips curled up. He wasn't sure what made her so angry. But damn. He loved her fierce mood. "U dare laugh at me Mr. Dhanjani…. For god sake, I'm shouting at u" she chided rolling her eyes. "Oh man….. Taani….cool down" he held her wrist though all he wanted was to let her fight him. But they were sorrounded by people. He looked at Surbhi to help him. She pouted voiceless "I told u so…" He glared at her. "Cool down….u must be kidding…. I have gone for a week and u have completely neglected our project. You idiot… and u r asking me to calm down…." Taani struggled to pull her hands out. "Oops…." He had really forgotten about it. His reaction made her even more furious. She opened her mouth to say something but thought against it. She thought he would have completed it and she could present it to Mr. Sobti by tomorrow evening. He watched curiously. He knew, she was so bloody mad. He had messed up. "Taani…. Calm down babez…." Surbhi came to his rescue "I actually assigned him with academy program work". Taani stared in disbelief. "Before you throttle both of us…. Let me tell you that Wahi attended the conference and he's making a presentation regarding it." She completed in a breathe. Taani's pretty brown big eyes shrunk in relief as her whole posture sighed "Thank goodness…."

"You are not going to blow me up, right?" Rithvik narrowed his eyes pleadingly. "Oh…. Don't sulk… I would love to rip you even now… but thank Wahi." She smiled though she wouldn't do any of it. She just loved bickering with him. "Come on…babez…. I was literally held up with new interns… u can't blame me… if at all u need to blame, blame her" he pointed to Surbhi and "him" referring to Wahi. "If not for them, I would have completed our work even before u came back" he goaded as a matter of fact. "Kamina… I'm helping you out and u r…." Surbhi punched him. He escaped as her blow merely touched him…."stop…u idiot" both ran across the hall as Taani watched them with a smile on her lips.

D3 gang stood beyond shocked. They all exchanged a nervous glances at each other except for Swayam. It wasn't a shock at all. Seeing his sister wasn't a shock to him. He was expecting the moment though not in this way. She had a good career graph. She had friends. She looked so happy and content. Rey didn't knew whether to feel surprised or shocked. But least, it wasn't both he felt. It's been so long seeing her. It was in her engagement he had seen her for the last time before he placed her hand in vishesh. Life was pretty difficult later on. He grieved a heartbreak. There were days he wished he could have rewritten. But as days passed, he felt better. His friends were there. His dance became his life. Then, kriya came back. He started feeling for her, as the truth of her departure came into light. He didn't know what it made him. To move on with his first love forgetting the one who made all sacrifices to him. But what else option he had. Even she had moved on. It wasn't like both had any feelings left. But watching her now made him gasp and constrict. He loved her in a part of his life. Though the feelings probably had gone , he couldn't help rather than admire her. He stood gazing at her.

"Taani… help me yaar" Rithvik hide at back of Taani putting his hands on her shoulder. "U coward…" surbhi tried to catch him as he narrowly escaped her making Taani his shield. "Guys…shut it" Taani fold her hands on her chest. "Well…ok" Rithvik mumbled. "Idiot…."surbhi muttered."Taani…well come along…let me introduce to one of the finest dance team who have joined to work with us as interns".

"These bunch of 12 are amazing you know…" Rithvik gleamed as he and Surbhi stood each n the other side of Taani introducing her to the team. She stared unbelievably. None spoke as gang watched Taani and vice versa. She watched her brother. He looked dull and messy. Though she wasn't a real sister to him, she treated him as her own. She didn't know it was the same for him. Eventually their relationship has suffered too. It wasn't exactly how every other siblings used to be. She couldn't share her problems with him. She didn't blame him. It was natural for him to over trust and love his friends more than her. After all, she wasn't his own sibling. She didn't complain. She just expected that he would be there for her, at least. And he was. He respected her decision without a question and supported her. Though they didn't talk every single day, she made sure to tell him what's happening in her life atleast for the sake of old times (before he gone to Mumbai). She didn't expect him to reciprocate and share what's happening in life. That's how his brothers was and is. She learnt that in a hard way. Her eyes roamed taking in all the members of the team. They looked exactly same except for the little grown features. And at last her gaze fell on the person whom she taught would never meet again. Rey looked dashing as always. A little older from the last time. It was hard for to watch him and not feel all those memories. He was her first love. People usually said first love is sweet and subtle. But she had developed an intense passion for him which grew in branches as days passed. And all that led to something heartbreaking. She never taught he would break her into pieces. Though his intention was never questionable, he chose wrong path letting her to break and mould into something she never wanted to be. She knew at that exact moment they were never meant to be. As her gaze fixed upon him, a slender hand cupped his. And she stared at the owner of the hand and was quiet taken aback. She was surprised. Kriya was standing beside him holding his hand and watching her with a mix of insecureness. Immediately she understood that they are together. She gulped and pulled out a small smile. "Hi guys….hi Bhai" she didn't shy away. She would face them rather than sulk behind.

Rithvik and Surbhi exchanged looks. "Hi Taani. Kaise ho?" Swayam was the first one to get out of their shock and embrace her. It was nice to feel a brother's hug, after a tad bit of years. "as u can see…Bhai.…I'm very well…." Taani beamed. "U look so thin.… Teek se kayal toh rak rahe haina aap" He smiled expecting something as such from his weird sister. No she wasn't weird anymore. "I called you like plenty of times from past 3 days" he begged her to understand that he would have alerted her before. "Oh….sorry Bhai.…I was out of station for a week… n we had some Network issues.." she smiled weakly. It wasn't a lie. Swayam wanted to call her and tell that a of them would be arriving at d academy. Later thought, she's the manager. And probably she would know already.

"Can someone tell me what's going on?" Surbhi was as confused as ever. "Yes. I demand the same" Rithvik looked at Taani. "I can explain" Sharon volunteered beaming at Taani. She reminsced all the past events of meeting her, becoming a friend and her departure to persuade her career. She purposefully excluded details of Rey and her relationship. Also her relationship with the gang in those days. "Wow…. This is kind of double awesome" surbhi exclaimed. "You have never told us about all of this, Taani" Rithvik stared at her in wonder. Something Sharon said didn't sit well with him. Her departure from St. louis to persuade her career made him doubtful. But he let it go for the moment. "I never got a chance" she covered up.

"It's nice seeing you again, Taani" Vicky gave one of the rarest smiles he ever had. "U look so bloody beautiful, honestly" nil complemented earning a glare from Swayam and Rithvik. "Yeah… I agree on that" simmi admired what had Taani became off. Rey didn't speak a word. Sharon observed him. She didn't know how to make this awkward situation between two of them to settle down. "Hey Taani.
. U have never met our one team member" Sharon tried hard to make it less bizzare. "She's Kriya…" she introduced explaining her departure and comeback. Though Taani knew exactly who Kriya was, she bluffed. And extended a warm hand. Kriya looked at Rey and hesitatingly put her hand to shake.  "You are pretty famous, here" that's the lamest thing Rey ever said to Taani meeting her after so long. He couldn't help but to blurt something. "Yeah….I suppose" she shrugged not knowing what else she could respond. There was just so much of awkwardness between them.