Beyond the Beats

Chapter 29. Fluctuations

I looked really out of the place among my friends. While they were clad in new shiny attire, I was wearing the same clothes I had worn for college. Yasir and Rehman kept scolding me for ruining our crew's image and commented that anyone would have thought that the guys had kidnapped me.

I was really not in the mood to fight with them, so I ignored their taunts.

We had reached Bandra after a journey of one and a half hours and were walking towards the venue. Somehow, I wanted to return and had started regretting my decision of coming along. I didn't know the reason, but my heart was acting crazy. I was feeling the same anxiousness I had felt while giving auditions.

"I really can't understand you," Yasir said to me while giving a stinky eye.

"Don't start again," I groaned.

"Why can't you just put some more effort into your style? We are seeing you in the same type of clothes since we were babies."

Rehman nodded. "Right, bro. We know she is an adult, but anyone else will think that we are bodyguarding a malnourished kid."

Shlok raised his eyebrows in surprise. "That sounds so wrong!"

"Exactly!" I glared at Yasir and Rehman. "Shlok, you are my only friend."

Shlok grinned. "Though... I think that we are bodyguarding a stick."

I kicked Shlok so hard that he stumbled forward and would have landed in a gutter if Vibhan and Akshay hadn't caught him.

"Enjoy your childish fights all you want, but after we reach the venue, don't do anything stupid to ruin my image. Or else, I will crack all of your skulls," Vibhan warned, and he was damn serious this time.

I hopped merrily. "You heard the captain! Don't mess with me."

I smiled cheekily at Vibhan, and he grabbed my ear. "The guys are right. You totally look out of the place."

"I don't have any money to buy new clothes," I said.

"Really?" Vibhan quirked an eyebrow.

I knew he and other guys thought that I was lying, but what I had said was actually true. I didn't have any money to buy blingy clothes like them. But, they didn't need to know about that, or else they would have gotten worried about my family situation.

I sighed. "Just act like I am not here at all."

"We don't have to act for that. You are so short that even a mosquito won't notice you," Rehman said and started laughing at his own joke.

"Anyways, what's with your rotten mood?" Akki asked. "You will get to see TJ outside of the college and dance studio, and still you don't look much excited. Also, why aren't you dressed nicely?"

"What's the use?" I shrugged. "Tejas will never notice me even if I am the only girl on the planet."

"How would he when you look like an alien?" Rehman commented.

"Rehman!" I jumped on him and bit his arm.

He tried to throw me off, but I was stuck to him like a spider.

"You will spoil my new clothes!" Rehman yelled.

"It will be my pleasure." I smirked.

As already warned by Vibhan, he shot us a glare when Rehman and I kept pulling each other's hair even when we reached the venue. We left for the washrooms to tidy up, while the rest of our crew entered the dance club.

In the washroom, I checked my appearance and wondered if what I was wearing really looked not suitable for the place. After scrutinizing my reflection for what felt like an eternity, I gave up - my eyes were hurting to see myself for so long.