Together Forever

Chapter 7

Anika's POV

I stood there, feeling the weight of the situation settling over me like a thick fog. Here I was, with Uday—of all people—at a secluded place he'd chosen, accompanied by a choreographer. Nitya, in her enthusiasm, had decided that she and Pranav would practice separately, leaving Uday and me to practice on our own. I couldn't help but think how perfectly inconvenient this was. Three days of this... how on earth was I going to manage?

The choreographer's voice snapped me out of my spiraling thoughts. "Miss Anika?"

I blinked, realizing I'd been lost in my own worries. "Yes?" I asked, trying to focus.

"I asked if you'd like to do a couple's dance," she repeated, her tone patient but expectant.

"No!" The word flew out of my mouth before I could stop it, the urgency in my voice clear. "No, just a simple dance, that's it. We're not a couple."

I could feel Uday's eyes on me, but I refused to meet his gaze. My heart pounded in my chest, not just from the stress of the situation. 

The choreographer nodded, clearly sensing the tension. "Alright, just a simple dance, then," she agreed, her voice neutral, professional.

The first day of practice felt like walking a tightrope. The choreographer, unaware of the tension between us, was focused on getting us to move in sync. But every touch, every step closer to Uday, sent ripples of anxiety through me. I could sense his presence even before he stepped into my space, and it took everything in me to stay calm, to not let it show.

"Okay, let's try that again," the choreographer said, clapping her hands to get our attention. "Anika, Uday, I need you to move a bit closer, especially during this part. It needs to feel natural."

Natural. I almost laughed at the absurdity of it. There was nothing natural about this situation. But I nodded, determined to get through this without making things more awkward than they already were.

The choreographer clapped her hands again, her voice breaking through my thoughts. "Now, Uday has to keep his hands on your waist."

"Noo, why— I mean, what's the need?" I stammered, panic creeping into my voice.

"It's just a step, miss. And he only has to place his hands on your waist. It's no big deal," she replied, sounding slightly amused.

Great, now she probably thinks I'm overreacting.

"Okay," I finally agreed, trying to sound more composed than I felt.

Uday stepped closer, and as his hand settled on my waist, I felt a shiver run through me. His touch was warm, sending a jolt of awareness through my body that I desperately tried to ignore.

"You say you don't feel anything for me," he whispered, his breath warm against my ear. "But look at how your body reacts to my touch."

His words sent a flush of heat to my cheeks, and I could feel the redness spreading across my face. It was infuriating how he always seemed to get under my skin, how easily he could provoke a reaction from me. I bit my lip, refusing to give him the satisfaction of a response, but my mind was racing, my heart pounding in my chest.

I could feel Uday's gaze on me, his hand still resting on my waist as we continued with the step. The tension between us was almost unbearable, and I couldn't shake the feeling that he knew exactly what he was doing—testing my resolve, pushing my boundaries, waiting to see how far I'd let him go.

"Good, you guys look perfect while dancing together," the choreographer remarked with a pleased smile.

Uday's smile widened at her words, a hint of satisfaction in his eyes. He didn't say anything, but the look he gave me said it all—he was enjoying this, enjoying how flustered I was, how easily he could get under my skin.