Forever Yours, Vrinda

Part 14

Eleven Years Ago,

The audience awaited the divine music resonating in the auditorium to be personified by the one to whom it was much more than just a dance performance. As she looked out from the backstage, at her friends who had gathered to cheer for her, her teachers who had graced the occasion for showering their blessings upon her, Vrinda knew her father had approved of her passion and wanted to proclaim it in front of the world that nothing mattered to him more than his daughter's happiness.

The meager crowd had multiplied several times over from the moment she had called her father and revealed her secret interest to him. Her father wanted the world to see her talent, and wanted to be proud to see her receiving applause and accolades, she thought, and mere thought made goosebumps blanket her entire form.

Her parents sat in the first row, along with a few colleagues of her father, trustees of her school, her dance mentors, and Vivaan's family. Sucheta had made eye-contact with her and that resplendent joy on her face as she reveled in Vrinda's happiness, made warmth spread across her body at her affection.

"It's time, Vrinda. All the best! I am sure you will do well," said Madhuri, smiling at her dear student and patting on her shoulder. Vrinda bent to take her Guru's blessings as she set out to embark on a new milestone for herself and proceeded towards the stage.

The crowd in front of her pushed her into the past once again, and she felt crushed by expectations and suffocated by the wishes of others. Shudders ran down her spine and her breath hitched at her throat before her chest heaved in an irregular rhythm. Darkness flooded her field of vision and everyone around her faded away into nothingness.

Thak!

That Tabla beat, which she had grown accustomed to; that one which made her feel liberated every time. She did not know whether it was the magic of the music or the magic of the one playing it, but the music had never failed to rejuvenate her. She had danced to the same beat innumerable times, but something had changed since their previous encounter in the green room, and she did not have no qualms about the same.

Her body moved on its own accord, and fluid graceful movements of her hands accompanied the perfect rhythmic steps of her feet. Angst replaced her agonized expression - the angst of the character she portrayed that night. Her eyelashes approached each other and her lips parted. The powerful lights of the auditorium reflected off the glistening surface of her eyes and made the sorrow swirling in her eyes clear for everyone to see.

Most of the songs planned for the night were based on the divine love story of Radha and Krishna, and tunes of flute supported the music. Yet, the undertone remained that of the Tabla, and dancing to its beat felt like the most natural thing to do. It incited a feeling of oneness with the one behind the tabla and made ecstasy course through her form, blanketed by goosebumps.

It was at that moment that Vrinda had lost herself in the character of Radha, dancing to the tune of Krishna. She was not enacting her anymore as she had turned into one herself as she danced to the beats of one who evoked emotions as serene yet scintillating as described in the tantalizing lyrics.

Her dream performance would remain a dream, if not for his counsel at the right time, and the sense of gratitude and storm of affection that filled her translated into a pure ecstatic dance of love as that of Radha.

Everything except the brief eye contact with the one and a sneaked thumbs-up from him felt like a blur and she continued to dance at brief intervals in between. Her heart raced like never by his mere glance, and a crimson hue drenched her in his presence.

As she turned to the side for an exuberant dip, she felt a gentle breeze caress her with the sense of his presence and the delightful sight of him moving towards her appeared in her peripheral vision. His touch unnerved her and soothe her when he pulled her towards him, twirling her as she gravitated towards him, only to land against his chest. His one arm snaked around her waist and the other cupped her chin. Their breaths collided with one another, much like their gazes, which were locked with one another.

The resounding applause pulled her out of her reverie, and she turned to the audience with a confused smile. Her father's face betrayed no emotions, as always, but her mother appeared over the moon to see her dance. She clapped away with a smile that stretched ear to ear. In that charged moment, every sense of romance faded away from her, and she craved to know what her father felt about the entire fiasco.

Her Guru seemed to have heard the wishes of her heart and she called him on the stage to address the gathering. Vrinda was sure that it was pre-planned. After all, no one dared to put Bhanuprakash Chaturvedi in a tough spot.

"Namaste! I am sure it surprised everyone to be called at such a short notice and that to the first stage performance of my dear daughter, Vrinda. I just want to say that this performance is my daughter's dream and like every dream of hers, I want it to turn into a reality that is more beautiful than the dream itself," he said, moving her to tears of guilt as she ran into his arms, apologizing.

"I am sorry, Papa. I am sorry that I did not tell you about taking dance training. If not for Vivaan today, I would not have never realized that you prized my happiness so much, just because of some stupid notion in my mind. I am sorry, Papa," she sobbed, clutching him. His daughter's tears fazed the man with the stiff upper lip and he consoled her, while his impression of a certain guy fell down in his eyes after the string of revelations over the day.

"I wish you had told me before, Vrinda, but I am glad that you made me a part of this happiness. I hope you don't keep any other secrets going ahead," he said, with a hint of warning and bitterness in his voice, which went unnoticed by his guilt ridden daughter. The actions of everyone around him had hurt him, but he knew if he suppressed them further, it would push them to rebel against him. He was ready to lose some control to gain the control of the bigger picture.

"Never, Papa. I promise - no secrets!"