Fire's Onstage (On Hold)

Five.

' I am in college Audi, tolerating stupidity. Will take Some time. '

Sanya replied to Nikhil's text, apparently he was waiting for her outside her college from six weeks! - that's what he told and Sanya welcomed the interruption because the silliness happening in front of her was giving her headache.
She was on the verge of either screaming or weeping, witnessing the losing of her so-called college representatives. She knew.. Actually, hoped that they lose because their performance was too cliché and off the beats. And she'd been telling them to improve certain steps but it was impossible to accurately imitate them without seeing what she wanted to tell.

She raised her hands in frustration when they did the same mistake again for the thousandth time. And sighed as she stepped up on the stage carefully.

"The competition is very tough, guys. You should perfect yourself before going in front of them blasted judges_"

"But! Didn't Andrew gave you a chance even though you were unqualified?" One of the dancer from the group accused.

Andrew? That stupid fellow didn't even know his name and he was throwing questions at her about qualifications! She gulped her fury before her comeback,
"It's Ian Drew! He was named after his father Andrew, but didn't want to be called a junior, so they changed it with one that sounds the same- Ian Drew.. Andrew, got it? And about your question.. I was a few months away from getting 18 and main thing was that I didn't had any of my parent's written consent on me. And they considered me a good dancer, thus I was given a chance. Its not like I was unable to even chassé and they ignored my mistakes.. like you!" She said the last words under her breath and raised her hands, nodding the girl beside stereo, to start the track.

She waited for the tempo they were missing and chasséd, positioning her hands perfectly to the point of her fingers tips, she twirled and bow down before making a flying gesture and standing on one good foot, with the other one behind her.

And held her breath when she heard someone clapping from the entrance of that small auditorium. A silhouette before he walked closer, in the light.

It was Nikhil. Sanya hesitated to give him a smile as he saw her dancing. She danced, actually danced after almost a year of abandoning it. Yet, it all came as natural as breathing. Not as effortlessly as before but she had done it.

She looked down to her crazy leg, which was throbbing with mild ache, even though she wasn't putting any weight on it.

It was reacting as if she shook it to wake in the middle of the night and it was showing reluctance to do so.

As Sanya tried to walk toward Nikhil, she stumbled but he held her in his strong arms. "You danced! " he whispered in disbelief and ecstasy.

"I realy did, didn't I?" She couldn't help her giggles as they kept smiling together.

###

"I didn't know he is abided by a three season's contract. I wouldn't have fought for selection last year if I knew."

They were in Connaught place, munching on chips and subways. The sun finally, took a respite from scorching the bones of Delhiites and playing hide and seek from a few days. So, they decided to stay out and eat in central park.

"Do you miss him?" Nikhil asked nonchalantly before taking a sip of his soft drink, though he knew the answer but he wanted to see her reaction, in which he failed when she turned her face away from him and shrugged.

After composing herself, she looked back without meeting his eyes. "I miss everyone, our host Jugal, Sneha, other choreos, even our make up artists -Madhu and Madhav! Are they doing this season too?"

Nikhil knew she was deliberately changing the subject but he was one persuasive man, not much as her but still. Hence, "Did you ever consider calling him?"

She scoffed in annoyance, "why should I? I am the one who's crippled!"

He cringed at the word, she was playing her cripple card again. And it was a fact. "He never, not even once tried to contact me, to ask if I was alright and alive or committed suicide. I thought we were friends... But.. He is nothing and I hate him, I hate myself for once admiring a fake person. They all are same."

He grabbed her hand and squeezed it. He remembered while in hospital after that accident, she had asked about Ian a thousand times and as the days passed away, so did her hope, too.

Nikhil too, was angry at him for playing with her, he had her dancing around his finger, everyone knew how much she respected him and liked him from always. They may have met each other previous year for the first time, but Sanya had always considered him as her mentor as according to her, he was the reason she turned to dancing. For her, Ian was the first dance teacher and she willingly payed the dues for that, however dearly.

They made their way silently to the metro station nearby to get her to her place when she interrupted their thoughts, "He must've forgotten that there was a stupid girl who saw him as a god. He must've been laughing at my silliness then.. God! What an idiot I was. Every time he looked at me or smiled at me made me feel special like he wanted__"

Bile rose to her throat and she halted her rant when tears threatened to break free and Nikhil hugged her gently, like he had done so many times, while they used to be happy with their points or consoling each other.
She was thankful for him, grateful indeed that she still had a real friend, whom she used to call dimwit and who used to mock her for her young age, even though he was merely eighteen months older than her.
But truthfully, their relationship was the only good thing that came out of her participation that year.

"Don't you want him to explain? Reasons for not calling you!"

She thought for a while and shook her head, "No, not for not calling me but I want some explanations as to why he acted as he did, like he was my biggest well-wisher." She ignored her heart heaved when his image and those golden eyes danced with mischief and intensity in her head. She couldn't disclose that to anyone, not even Nikhil, but what she shared with Ian was more than a friendly thing! So, she wanted, indeed needed an explanations or a closure maybe.

"What if you are given a chance to meet him again?" Nikhil asked after they exited the station.

"I'll grab it!" She responded without hesitation, without thinking because she had enough of thinking and all she wanted was to put it in practice.

Nikhil stopped mid strive and smirked to hear the answer, "Well then, I have an offer you can't decline. "

*****

Hello everyone,
This story has a long way to go yet. But because of some family emergency I have to put it aside for a while. Hope it won't be long.
Till then enjoy and try my first story
Until you love me.
Have a nice day.☺

-IHopelessDreamer