𝙊𝙥𝙥𝙤𝙨𝙞𝙩𝙚 𝘼𝙩𝙩𝙧𝙖𝙘𝙩𝙨

FRAGMENT

Rudr huffed in annoyance at listening to him. "Why does he have to act like he owned everyone?" That comment caused Kunal, next to him, to crack in laughter, so I couldn't help with the smile. He acted like an arrogant, dominant leader. I pushed back my lip in a line on seeing his eyes landing on us on listening to Kunal's continuous chuckles. A smirk played on Rudr's face as he had unintentionally triggered Ehaan.

I followed Rudr, on the verge of standing next to him on the stage. "As you were chosen as lead you are dancing with me." Ehaan brown orbs grew a shade darker. His fury radiated around the stage as if one opposition from any side and he would burst. He wasn't good at dealing with loss. Maybe that was burning him from inside. I slowly turned in his direction, my heart jumping below the ribs. I was trapped! Dancing with Ehaan won't be desirable, he often humiliated or crushed my motivation. But I couldn't deny him when his eyes were blazing fire. The only emotions he gave were from his orbs, while the face was blank, as if he wasn't experiencing any rage.

"World doesn't walk on your conditions!" Came a criticize, it was Rudr. He seemed annoyed with his change of decision. "You wanted to change the partner because you didn't find her worthy..." Rudr was interrupted my Ehaan.

"You all had rejected my partner and choose her as a replacement. So logically she is my partner." His eyes were hard on Rudr, forcing him to speak.

"Guys! Cooldown!" Came an exhausted voice of Varun. "Can't we start the practice?" He halted the argument and I couldn't be enough worthy of him. The constant battle could exhaust me as well. Taking baby steps, I stood in front of Ehaan. His one glance into my eyes and I wished to rush in the opposite direction from him. He seemed in such an exasperated mood, how was I supposed to dance with an angry lion?

I took a long breath, I could do it! Repeating to myself, as I opened my eyes. His dark orbs suddenly lighten for a minute, the stern cover slowly sliding away. "What was that?" He inquired, his rough, cold tone seemed deeper.

I stared at him confused. He often baffled me with his sudden mood swings, surely I had experienced it many in my life but becoming a victim of it was on a different level. His eyes kept staring at me not repeating his words yet those orbs conveyed he was waiting for my response.

And soon the auditorium was filled with music, his body swinging on the rhythm. His hand was on my waist, pulling me closer towards him. His other hand moved towards my cheek, his thumb caressing near my cheekbone. The place I was injured! It no longer pains. My mind had turned blank, he could scare me to such an extent that I would forget all the steps. I looked away from him, feeling embarrassed. I hated forgetting the steps when the entire auditorium was watching us. His hands that were stroking my cheeks, moved under my chin forcing me to stare into his eyes.

Suddenly that darkness returned in his orbs. I stare at him in amazement. What was he even? In a moment like such, I was compelled to think there was something under his rude, dominant, cruel exterior. Maybe a small, fragile heart. Maybe he was human as well! He too experienced sadness, happiness and cried for someone else. Maybe he wasn't that selfish! He still knew the meaning of humanity!

"Stop!" We heard a yell and soon enough the music stopped so I moved my eyes from Ehaan. Those dark brown orbs could drive me deep into his soul. Those orbs could make me believe he wasn't as cruel as he act. Those compelled me to drive inside his that closed, shielded heart. To know the hidden feelings, pain, secrets he had locked inside it.

"What the problem man!" Anuj acted annoyed. "It was so well!" Commented Anuj looking from the source who stopped the music.

"It wasn't turning well! Ehaan and Ruhi were doing it wrong." Came Kunal justification, "the steps were decided. They can't keep on changing the sequence of it and adding new ones..." he shook his head. "It would spoil the entire flow of it," he commented and I lowered my head turning embarrassed.

How could I let my brain turn blank? What if I repeat the same incident on stage? The competition was within a few days, I couldn't take the risk. I couldn't let the school defeat due to me.

"They forgot the steps?" Samaira asked amazed.

"Right! It never seemed like that, it seemed so beautiful. I wasn't able to put my eyes away from them." Expressed Varun, and I slowly raised my head in bafflement. Were they speaking the truth? Was our performance so mesmerizing?

"I had never enjoyed dance so much." Came Zara's comment, I had a huge grin playing on my lips though I doubted their compliment yet it felt great to listen to it.

"So that audience doesn't have the problem, let's start with the practice again," Ehaan muttered sounding desperate, as he grabbed my waist once again turning me to face him.

"It isn't about the audience but the judges, they won't score us if the lead is dancing on some other rhythm and the rest not syncing with them." Kunal wasn't going to back off, he made sense. It wouldn't look so unpleasant. "I think it's a better choice to switch the partners. Ehaan and Ruhi don't match at all!" He commented and suddenly I heard a growl escaping from Ehaan's chest. His face blank, but the grip on my waist tighten. His eyes seemed emotionless, "maybe due to that they can't cope with the steps." Kunal was busy blabbering unknown of the fact that his words were wounding or maybe destroying or fuming someone from inside.

Unknown how to act, slowly I placed my hands on his chest. It was beating rapidly, my palm was vibrating with its motion. I could feel its rhythm on my fingertips. My eyes moved to my hand on his chest, as the beat slowed down. I slowly raised my eyes to glance at his those dark brown orbs slipping from the blankness to something beautiful. Something I never viewed in those orbs, maybe emotions. Those he wished to hide from the world. The feeling of vulnerability, the feeling of dependence, the feeling of need, protection.

The society we live in makes us believe those emotions indicate weakness. Especially men were forced to believe that they should be strong, hide vulnerability. They need to be independent never show the need for dependency. They should protect not ask for protection. It was the way men were wired and they eventually start believing it.

I wasn't aware of what came into me that I moved my hands towards his face. I felt the need to protect him, wash off all needs, allow him to depend on me and show off all his vulnerability. His upper lip raised upward in a small smirk, I raised my brow in confusion, slowly it turns into one of his genuine smiles. It was a rare occasion when one witnessed it. His grip on my waist tighten, and he raised me from the floor. My other hand moved towards his shoulder to maintain the balance.

Maybe the song was playing in the background but nothing was reaching in my ears. Other than two heart rhythmically coordinating. Our eyes were not ready to leave each other. Those emotions were brushed from the dark orbs, the only emotion visible was peace. As if he was content with the moment he was living.

My face moved towards his, he pressed a kiss on my nose tip before our forehead met with each other. Loud cheers brought us out of the amazing, beautiful, dreamland we were present in. His eyes suddenly brushed the emotion off turning again to the emotionless creature he was. He lowered me, our eyes kept staring at one another.

Mine with confusion and his blank, as if he was trying to hide something deep inside him. He jerked his hand away from my waist, I might have claimed it as aversion if I hadn't seen those emotions in his eyes. My heart was conveying something more in-depth. More than surface couldn't ever match to. He wasn't some cold, arrogant monster. He had more to him! More about him! Ehaan Kashyap had more fragments.