Bombay Twist

Chapter 3

Mira

I adjusted my baby-pink, frothy, mid-thigh length dress and looked at my reflection in the lift. I twirled a loose strand of hair- which was in a fish braid- in my fingers, excited to see my students after a long time.

A chorus of cheers rang out as soon as I entered my studio. There was a beginner's ballet class going on when I entered, but it stopped and everybody turned their attention to me, to welcome me after my week-long vacation.

The highlight of my life was when I opened my dance academy, around 18 months back. I had poured my heart and soul into it, given my sweat, blood and tears to make sure that my academy succeeded. And succeed it did.

In such a short time, it was already streaming with students, and I was constantly hiring more and more people and introducing new dance forms. At the same time, I continued to organize my dance performances.

Thanking everyone for their welcome, I entered my office and plopped down on my chair. Lea, my assistant, struck her head through the door.

I smiled, "Tell me, Lea."

"First off, great to see that you're back!" she said while entering, her stiletto heels clacking on the floor, "Second off, I have some news for you." She came to stand in front of me and brushed back her long chestnut-brown hair haughtily.

I looked up at her expectantly.

"You know that fund-raising event you have planned? The one in 6 months? The one with your dance performance with Leo?"

"What about it?"

Lea gulped nervously. "Leo cancelled."

"WHAT?"

Leo was my partner for this event. No, not my dinner partner, my freaking dance partner! He can't cancel! I need a partner for the event! Besides, we had already begun practising, how can he quit now?

My panic must've been showing on my face, because Lea started speaking real fast, "Don't panic! Take a deep breath and listen. Are you okay now? Oh, okay. So, Leo quit BUT he has sent a replacement." Her cherry red lips turned up in a smile.

"That's no good. How do I know that he will be able to pull this off satisfactorily?" I said, chewing on my lip.

"Leo promises that the new guy is as good as him, maybe even better." Lea tries to reassure me, and then looks at her watch, "Should I send him in? He's here already."

"Ugh!"

"Don't worry, everything will be fine!" Lea smiles, "Besides, I think you might enjoy this, the guys a total hunk, if you know what I mean." She winked suggestively.

"God no, that is the last thing I need."

Lea laughed, "I'm kidding babes! In fact," she said, noticing that I still held my frown, "I am pretty sure he's out of your league."

"What? Excuse me?"

"You know what? I'm positive that you have no, NO, chance. You have nothing to worry about! Okay, I'm sending him in."

She exited the room and after a while the incarnation of Shiva himself entered. This was the first thing that entered my mind when I saw him.

"Hi, I'm Karan." He said, in an impossibly deep, knee-melting voice.

I met him halfway across the room. We stood in front of each other and he extended a large hand for me to shake. I put my hand in his and shook it, hoping my excitement wasn't flush on my face.

This Adonis in front of me, with his tousled hair arranged in careful disarray, one lock falling on his eye and just begging me to push it back, was not what I would have expected when Lea said 'gay guy'

Yeah, yeah. Stereotype.

Maybe he's a different kind of gay, I thought. Yes!

The normal-looking-but-completely-stylish kind.

As we stood there, I was aware that I was very shamelessly checking him out. I just couldn't stop! But, the guy was doing the same thing!

I cleared my throat, "Let's just cut to the point here." The guy tore his eyes from my body, much to my relief, and looked at my face, "This event is very important for me, as Leo might have told you. If this is going to work between us, I need your complete dedication." I cut straight to the chase.

Karan looked a little taken aback by my no-nonsense attitude. He blinked and let go of my hand. He tugged at his collar and smiled, "I will give you my best."

"Good. I was supposed to rehearse with Leo today, so, is it okay if we start now?"

He looked as if he wanted to say something, but stopped himself.

"No problem." He said instead.

We started after a few moments, when the last of the students had left the studio. I came to realize that he was a very talented guy and we had great chemistry together. Together our movements were fluid and clean. Both of us are passionate, and understood each other.

After we were done for the day, I felt almost happy with the arrangement. Manish is clearly a good dancer, and together, we were really good. But the crackling and fizzing chemistry between us is becoming harder to ignore. Surely he felt it too?

Oh God, who am I kidding?! Just limit the bloody chemistry to your work, idiot!

"So, good rehearsal, huh?" he said, while removing his shirt and wiping his forehead with it.

Oh. My. Freaking. God.

Eyes on face!!! EYES ON FACE!!!

"Yeah..." I then gave out a high-pitched, breathy giggle, while my internal teenager uttered a very typical Indian haii! and swooned.

Great. Now I'm a horny teenager.

"I'm just gonna shower and then change." He said.

"You do that! I mean, um, okay." I tried to say that in my most nonchalant voice, but ended up sounding like a flirty, lusty cheerleader.

He walked away in all his bare-chested, broad-shouldered glory, and left me cursing myself. Why can't my stupid mind (or maybe it's my body) register that he's off limits!

"Do not, I repeat, DO NOT, scare hi, away with your weirdness! You need him! Be friendly!"

Yes. That is why I want to be friendly. For the fund raiser. For the show. Nothing else.

I came back from the locker room to find him sitting in my office, hair still wet from the shower.

Time to act.

"So..." I started, "Do you wanna get a drink or something? We better get to know each other better if we are going to be working together."

He looked surprised and eager at the same time.

He smiled a mischievous and panty-dropping smile that made me weak in the knees. He then stood up and shouldered his bag.

"Sure."